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ClimateNE & Climate Change Schools Project support the move to a low-carbon, resilient economy and help businesses avoid risk and realise commercial opportunities. Posts by Jen Atkinson, Krista McKinzey and Harriet Thew » If you are a business owner or manager, ask yourself this question:
Yesterday, did we discriminate against a disabled person using our facilities to access our goods and services?
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If you are a disabled person, ask yourself this question:
Yesterday, did a service provider you used discriminate against you?
The chances are that the answer to both question's is "Yes", but the outcome in both cases is likely to be that nothing will happen.
Firstly, in your business, you may be unaware of how many disabled people used your services. You are likely to be unaware of how many were satisfied or otherwise with the facilities and services you offer. Equally, you are likely to be unaware of how many people did not use you because they either didn't know how accessible your services were, or they have been told by others that they are inadequate.
At a time of recession or credit, surely being accessible makes sense as you could be increasing your income by attracting more customers with special access needs.
If you felt you were discriminated against, are you going to do anything about it? The Disability Discrimination Act has been established to protect you. But, you don't want the hassle, do you? You don't want to be seen as a troublemaker. Possibly, you don't even know your rights and how to go about making a claim.
I feel I encountered a discrimination situation while attending a party at a hotel belonging to a leading hotel chain. My feelings were hurt, (the magic expression as far as a DDA claim is concerned) as I was stuck in the "accessible" toilet, which had an inward opening door, which meant I got stuck in my wheelchair.
I've been to this hotel many years ago, and it was like this then. I thought they may have improved things, being a major hotel chain I'm told take looking after their disabled guests seriously.
Alas, words speak louder than action.
I'm not going to name the organisation, as I'm sure there are many hotel chains that could look at themselves as ask "was this us"?
I shall be taking some action, as I think as a business looking to promote accessibility as my company, WheelchairSteve Ltd , (www.wheelchairsteve.com), is, it would be hypocritical of me to let this go.
So if you are in business or a disabled person and answered "yes", to my question at the beginning, please get in touch with me at steve@wheelchairsteve.com. I need to understand how, four years on from when the part of the Disability Discrimination Act became law where a business was supposed to remove physical barriers preventing disabled people accessing their services, including toilets, we have this unsatisfactory stalemate situation.
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