Guernsey Employment Trust has announced the launch of the second edition of the Employers’ Disability Charter, designed to create welcoming and accessible workplaces for disabled and neurodivergent people across the island.
The Charter sets out eight clear commitments that employers pledge to uphold, from encouraging applications from disabled people and embedding inclusive recruitment practices, to guaranteeing interviews for disabled candidates who meet your minimum criteria and providing ongoing training for managers. By signing the Charter, employers demonstrate their commitment to building people-first organisations where fairness, respect, and opportunity are at the heart of workplace culture.
A diverse group of organisations have already signed up as founding members, representing sectors from aviation, finance, healthcare, retail, and charities. These employers are leading the way in shaping a more inclusive future for Guernsey.
The first Charter was launched in 2017. At that time, Guernsey didn’t yet have discrimination legislation. The Charter was about working towards inclusive practice, setting commitments that employers could aspire to, rather than obligations they were bound by.
Legislation has now been introduced, and employers now have clear legal responsibilities. That’s a really important step forward but the Charter isn’t about compliance. It’s about supporting employers as collaborative partners, helping them not only meet those requirements but to go further, in ways that are practical and meaningful for the workplace. Alongside this, awareness has grown. Words like neurodiversity, which were rarely used in 2017, are now part of everyday conversation. There’s also been a stronger recognition of accessibility, whether in recruitment, workplace design or communication.
These shifts in law, awareness, and practice are why Guernsey Employment Trust (GET) felt the time was right for a second edition.
GET’s Chief Executive, Nikki Ioannou-Droushiotis said: “The Charter is about changing the way we think about talent and building workplaces that thrive on difference. This second edition of the Employers’ Disability Charter reflects how far Guernsey has come in awareness and practice, but also how much further we can go together. We’ve made it easier to use, more visually accessible, and practical for everyday workplace application.
“Importantly, it wasn’t created in isolation. The Second Edition was shaped in collaboration with many partners, including several of our founding members who have been providing opportunities for disabled people for years. Their leadership has been invaluable. The Charter is not a tick-box exercise; it’s about embedding inclusion into the fabric of workplace culture and there is plenty of time for other employers to join this true community effort.”
