At SymClean, we believe people should feel valued for the contribution they make.

We recognise a disability or long-term health condition should not prevent someone from being listened to, supported or given the opportunity to remain an important member of the team.

When we discovered the Disability Confident Committed scheme, its principles felt closely aligned with the kind of employer we wanted to be. It provided a valuable framework to guide and support us as we continue developing a more inclusive and understanding workplace.

SymClean has been a Disability Confident Committed Employer since March 2025. For us, this is not simply about displaying a recognised badge. It is about understanding our responsibilities, learning where we can improve and taking practical steps that make a genuine difference to people.

What is Disability Confident Committed?

Disability Confident is a UK government initiative that supports employers in recruiting, retaining and developing disabled people and those living with long-term health conditions.

The scheme encourages employers to consider the barriers that people may experience and the steps that can be taken to make workplaces and employment opportunities more inclusive.

Disability Confident Committed is the first of three levels within the scheme and we found it has provided a starting framework from which we, as employers, can review our approach, develop our understanding and continue making improvements.

Building on the support already provided at SymClean

We were pleased to discover the scheme helped us recognise that some of its most important principles are already reflected in how we supported members of our team.

However, it also gave us a more structured way to consider what we were doing, where we needed to improve and how we could make our approach more consistent across the company.

Our Disability Confident journey is still developing. We are currently reviewing aspects of our recruitment language, vacancy promotion and the platforms we use so that we can work towards making our recruitment process more inclusive and accessible. Disability confidence requires continuing attention, learning and improvement.

One area where we already demonstrate our commitment is in how we support existing employees that have developed a disability, long-term health condition or changing health needs and circumstances.

Anticipating and providing reasonable adjustments

A reasonable adjustment is a change that helps remove or reduce a disadvantage experienced by a disabled employee.

The appropriate adjustment will depend on the individual, their role and how their condition affects them. Two people with the same diagnosis may have completely different experiences and require different forms of support.
Reasonable adjustments we include are:

● greater flexibility around working hours or medical appointments;

● temporary or longer-term changes to working patterns;

● working from home where the role and circumstances allow;

● adjustments to duties or how a task is completed;

● practical equipment, seating or other workplace aids;

● changes that make a workspace safer or more accessible;

● support with work-related travel;
● a planned or phased return following a period away from work.

Working together we have found that not every adjustment needs to be complicated or expensive.

Sometimes, a relatively straightforward change can make a considerable difference to someone’s ability to work safely and in comfort.

The most important starting point is a conversation. Rather than making assumptions about what somebody can or cannot do, we should listen to the person and seek to understand what they are experiencing.

Supporting employees when their health changes

A disability or long-term health condition may be present when someone joins us, but it can also develop or change during their working life with us.

When this happens, employees may feel uncertain about what their condition means for their role and whether they will still be able to continue working. They may also be concerned about discussing their health or asking for help. We want members of the SymClean team to feel able to have those conversations.

Supporting an employee may involve working with them, their healthcare professionals or an occupational therapist to understand their limitations and explore appropriate adjustments. It may also require arrangements to be reviewed over time as symptoms, treatments or personal circumstances change.

We know that some conditions can fluctuate. An employee may feel able to manage their usual duties on one day but require greater flexibility on another. Understanding this helps us respond to the individual’s circumstances rather than expecting one fixed arrangement to address every situation.

Our policies provide an important foundation to protect us all, but genuine support is also provided through everyday interaction and behaviour amongst our teams.
Noticing when a colleague is struggling, checking whether they need help and creating an environment in which asking for support does not feel like creating a problem is key.
Recognising that not every disability or health condition is immediately visible is also important. Someone may be managing chronic pain, fatigue, mobility difficulties, mental health challenges or another condition that colleagues cannot see.

Again, working together, there is an understanding we do not have every answer immediately and that we have a joint willingness to listen, seek appropriate guidance and work with our employees to find a reasonable way forward. Not every situation will have a simple solution, so it is important to have open and individual discussion rather than an assumption about what someone will or will not be able to do.

Helping valued employees remain in work

You can read the journey of one of our SymClean employees that have their own personal example of how flexibility, reasonable adjustments and understanding have helped a member of the SymClean team continue working while living with a neurological condition here 

Part of our wider social responsibility

Becoming Disability Confident Committed forms part of SymClean’s wider approach to corporate social responsibility and social value.

Our responsibilities extend beyond the cleaning services we provide. They include how we treat our employees, how we create opportunities and how we contribute to the communities connected to our work.
This sits alongside our support for Blackburn and Darwen Youth Zone including our other community, food and education initiatives. Although these activities take different forms, they share the belief that businesses can encourage their people, time and resources to make a positive and practical difference.

Continuing to listen, learn and improve

We know our Disability Confident commitment represents an ongoing journey rather than a completed task.

For SymClean, being Disability Confident Committed means continuing to create a workplace where people are treated as individuals, feel able to discuss the support they need and are valued for the contribution they make.