Business Disability Forum honors champions of disability inclusion

Organizations and individuals working to break down barriers and build a more inclusive world for disabled people were recognized at the Business Disability Forum’s 2025 Disability Smart Awards, held April 29 in London. The event was sponsored by international law firm Freshfields.

Now in its 11th year, the Disability Smart Awards highlight inclusive practices and innovations across all industries and organization sizes. They aim to improve disability inclusion in business by sharing insights from winners and finalists. Corporate clients of myGwork – including Amazon, Unilever, and Microsoft – were among the finalists. Unilever won the Disability Smart Technology Award for accessible packaging featuring scannable QR codes and audio technology to communicate product info from a distance.

“Congratulations to all this year’s Disability Smart Award winners and finalists. 2025 is a landmark year, marking 30 years since the Disability Discrimination Act and 15 years since the Equality Act came into force. Although we have a long way to go to become a truly inclusive global society, our Disability Smart Award winners and finalists show how innovation around disability inclusion can drive positive change for everyone,” said Diane Lightfoot, CEO of Business Disability Forum. “In our experience, a fear of getting it wrong is often one of the biggest barriers that has to be overcome, but our winner stories demonstrate what can be achieved when organizations make disability inclusion a priority on their agenda.”

2025 Disability Smart Award Winners

Disability Smart Leader Award
Georgina Colman, Founder & CEO, Purpl Discounts – for launching the UK’s first discount site tailored to disabled people.

Diversity and Inclusion Professional Award
Neil Eustice, Digital Accessibility Manager, KPMG UK – for decades of advocacy across KPMG, IAAP, and Business Disability Forum’s Technology Taskforce.

Accessible Built Environment Award
Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) – for redesigning its London HQ to meet the new PAS 6463 accessibility standard.

Technology Award
Unilever – for developing audio-accessible packaging using QR codes and distance-readable tech.

Procurement Award
Arts Council England – for changing how the arts sector works with deaf, disabled, and neurodivergent people.

Inclusive Workplace Experience Award (250+ employees)
Ofgem – for the ‘Optimal Working Passport,’ a digital tool simplifying workplace adjustments.

Inclusive Workplace Experience Award (under 250 employees)
Inkfire – for integrating accessibility into its working policies, mentorship, and creative output.

Inclusive Recruitment Award
Enterprise East Group CIC – for the ‘Inclusion and Thrive’ program, blending training with social enterprise placements.

Inclusive Communication Campaign Award
London Borough of Lambeth – for its ‘Accessible Lambeth: Blue Badge Awareness & Action’ campaign.

Inclusive Customer Experience Award (250+ employees)
Alexandra Palace – for transforming its historic venue into an accessible cultural destination.

Inclusive Customer Experience Award (under 250 employees)
Mobility in Motion – for a tailored, accessibility-first approach to adaptive automotive solutions.

Global Disability Inclusion Award
Coca-Cola Europacific Partners – for the ‘Accessibility Matrix,’ a tool supporting inclusive workplace design.

Inclusive Product Design Award
Cambridge School Classics Project and Cambridge University Press & Assessment – for a beginner’s Latin course redesigned in accessible formats.

Support for the 2025 Awards

The awards were sponsored by Freshfields and co-hosted by Business Disability Forum Ambassador and TV personality Simon Minty.

“We are delighted to have sponsored the Disability Smart Awards this year, supporting Business Disability Forum in honoring some of the fantastic work being done in this space by organizations and individuals,” said Helen Ouseley, Global Head of Culture & Community, Freshfields. “We would like to congratulate all the 2025 winners. It is great to see so many different sectors being represented and the positive difference their work is making to the lives of disabled people.”

Simon Minty added: “It is always a pleasure to co-host the Disability Smart Awards. This is my third year now and it is exciting to see how much these businesses and organizations value disability inclusion and the innovative work they are putting in to make it a reality. I always love to hear about new ways of doing things that I’d never thought of before. An award is just a snapshot but it’s also an important moment for all of us to pause, reflect and to be encouraged to work harder and to do even better. This year’s winning entries show just what can happen when people commit to working together to achieve change.”