At Shell, we create a space in which people with disabilities can excel, from an open and transparent recruitment process to workplace adjustments and ongoing support in their various roles.
Equal Opportunities for All
Shell’s Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) team takes great pride in actively promoting equal opportunities for disabled employees. In recent years, better processes have been established across the business to ensure this equality, often as a direct result of the work of ‘disability awareness champions’ like Cherrelle Williams.
“Shell wants to give potential new hires the opportunity to put their best foot forward, and if we know about their disability beforehand, we can assist them to do so.” – Cherrelle Williams
Support in Numbers – Employee Networks
To support our employees with disabilities, we have a number of supportive internal employee networks in place, most notably the enABLE Networks. First launched in 2005 in the UK, there are now thirteen enABLE Networks across the globe (some well established such as those in UK, NL, USA, Canada, Brazil, France and India, and others just starting out in our emerging markets’.)
Each enABLE Network provides people with disabilities, or people whose lives have been touched by those with disabilities, an open forum to engage and share experiences. Through this open discussion, the network raises awareness and understanding of the challenges faced so that line managers and colleagues have the knowledge to support those with disabilities to thrive in the workplace. It allows employees with disabilities the opportunity to improve the work environment to make it more inclusive for all.
“Through the sharing of information and personal stories, others in the company are able to develop their understanding of [disability matters] and their ability to be more inclusive in the workplace. – Cherrelle Williams
Creating a space for this dialogue is crucial to facilitating the kind of open collaboration that is required for employees with disabilities to thrive.
Enabling Successful Careers for People with Disabilities
At Shell, we recognise people for their talents, understanding that people with disabilities have unique strengths that we can learn from and leverage to move the company forward. We understand that innovation requires diverse perspectives and that we need different kinds of thinking to thrive as an organisation and reach our goals.
“The reality is that when a company embraces people’s unique thought patterns, they have more opportunities to come up with interesting solutions to problems. As a person with a disability, the way you might approach an obstacle could be different to someone who doesn’t have a disability. Having this alternative perspective and particular experience of problem-solving makes you invaluable to any company.” – Donna Oberg.
