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03.01.06 
THE ACCESS ESSENTIALS

Responding to the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) does not have to be an expensive upheaval. Businesses that have so far ignored their legal obligations can get a head start with Configure’s simple and cost-effective Essential Accessibility Pack.

Configure, the largest commercial disability access consultancy in the UK and Ireland, has launched this pack to raise awareness of the DDA. It explains why businesses need to respond to the Act, and provides materials to help them to begin to do so. The pack contains an Interact training film and handbook, a welcome sign, a customer care kit and a comprehensive guide to accessibility.

But it is not designed to sit on a shelf gathering dust! Businesses that train and encourage their staff to use its contents will not only be providing a better level of service to everyone, they will also be protecting their company from being prosecuted under the Act.

The DDA gives disabled people the right to claim compensation not only for the discrimination itself but also for injury to their feelings or loss of dignity. Businesses that fail to provide adequate disability equality training to their employees may not be able to defend themselves against claims that a member of their staff has treated a disabled customer inappropriately.

Configure provides integrated solutions for businesses to meet their obligations under the Act. By working closely with disabled people, it has developed a comprehensive range of cost-effective and easy to implement services that include access audits, auxiliary aids, building adjustments and staff disability equality training. During the last year, the company has conducted over 1,500 access audits, delivered disability equality training to over 65,000 people, and implemented access adjustments on over 1,000 sites.