Pictured: Councillor Cecil Meiklejohn, Leader of the Council, spokesperson for Economic Development Councillor Paul Garner, and Sarah McCulley, Employment and Training Manager.
The Employment and Training Unit (ETU) has accepted the Inclusive Workplace Award from the Scottish Union of Supported Employment (SUSE) on behalf of the Council, making it the first and only local authority in Scotland to receive this recognition.
The award, which was given in 2022 but only recently presented due to the Covid pandemic, acknowledges the Council’s dedication to promoting diversity and inclusivity within the workplace and through the policies implemented.
The ETU has worked closely with colleagues in HR and Policy & Community Planning to address individual needs and work towards reducing the Disability Employment Gap.
Various initiatives have been implemented such as providing inclusive communications training for all ETU staff, ongoing qualifications in Supported Employment, and making accessibility improvements to processes including recruitment and selection, family friendly and flexible working, absence management, redeployment and rehabilitation policy, as well as web pages and associated documents.
Sarah McCulley, Employment & Training Manager said: “Achieving the Inclusive Workplace Award and to be recognised for our commitment to equality, diversity and inclusivity is a great achievement.
“We continue to identify areas for improvement, making sure that new employees receive equality and diversity training and enhancing accessibility in schools, our web pages and across all Council services.”
Councillor Cecil Meiklejohn, Leader of Falkirk Council said: “This award recognises our approach to breaking down barriers across our recruitment and employment initiatives and creating an experience accessible to all.”