Google scoops top Global prize for accessibility at Business Disability Forum’s Disability Smart Awards

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The Disability Smart Global Disability Inclusion Award is given to an organisation or team that has made a tangible, positive impact to the lives of disabled employees, customers, or service users, across a global setting.

This year Google’s Accessibility Discovery Centre (ADC) won it. Based in Google’s Kings Cross offices, this is a dedicated centre built to drive research and innovation in accessible technology.

A popular demo area in the video gaming arcade developed with the Manchester charity “Everybody Can” demonstrates how assistive technology can be the bridge between a person and what they want to do. All demos at the ADC demonstrate the impact of assistive technology on the lives of people with disabilities.

Google UK’s Disability Alliance started the ADC. The Centre’s displays showcase products which are driving accessible innovation from many brands beyond Google. In its first year of operation, the ADC hosted over 2,000 external visitors including MPs, regulators, universities, charities, global companies, and hundreds of local school children.

Over one hundred companies have visited the ADC, and many have been through multiple times including BT and EE who have been through over five times and DLA Piper who have visited three times.

The Disability Smart Awards is an annual event. This year there were ten awards open to UK and global organisations of any size, from any sector.

These awards recognise organisations that are improving the life experiences of employees and consumers with disabilities by removing barriers to inclusion. BDF looks for innovative approaches to accessibility and inclusion, which result in a more disability inclusive culture within global organisations. They particularly recognise organisations that have overcome challenges relating to different locations and cultures, resulting in a more disability inclusive culture.

For more information and to read about past winners, go to: https://businessdisabilityforum.org.uk/awards-2024-winners/