Archive news

28.10.05 
DISABLED MYSTERY SHOPPERS TO ASSESS ACCESS AWARDS

Scope, the leading disability organisation, has launched ‘Access Equality,’ a new scheme designed to assist organisations with the complex and evolving legislation surrounding access to buildings and services. In this endeavour, Scope has joined forces with Configure, the country’s largest commercial disability consultancy.

Access Equality will w ork with businesses of all sizes to guide them through their responsibilities under the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA), with the overall aim of creating and sustaining an inclusive society, where disabled people can enjoy life without social or physical barriers.

Organisations that meet accessibility standards will be selected to receive an Access Equality Award. The three-tier award (Foundation, Gold or Platinum), displayed as a sign in the window or a plaque on the wall, will inform disabled people, and their families and friends, of the standard of accessibility that a business has reached.

Scope’s head of access, Chris Richfield, said: "It is incredible that even in 2005, many disabled people still have to plan endless aspects of their daily life using guides, recommendations and information from the internet. There is simply no other way of knowing whether a business is accessible.”

Access Equality is an exciting development for Scope, as it uses its expertise in disability to develop a business, charging competitive yet commercial rates for activities in the areas of recruitment and consultancy. Configure is one of a number of commercial service providers it has partnered with so that the Access Equality programme can extend into areas including mystery shopping by disabled people and access audits.

Configure will be providing its innovative SmartAudit software for the access auditing, and also supplying products and services to facilitate the required adjustments. It offers a comprehensive range of cost effective and easy to implement products that including a range of over 200 auxiliary aids, building adjustments.

David Driver, Configure’s legal director, said: “Scope’s Access Equality programme is very much what the market needs at the moment. Apart from the numerous organisations which are confused, and naturally concerned, about the legislation and what it means to their business, there are others that have taken significant steps to enhance accessibility and whose efforts are going unnoticed.

“The great thing about Access Equality is that the assessment for the award is not carried out by an ‘access inspector’ with a clipboard. Service providers and retail outlets are ‘mystery shopped’ by disabled people themselves so the public can be assured that the award is warranted.”

Further information about Access Equality can be found at www.accessequality.org.uk.