Applying the learning from the campaign

Renishaw are a global engineering technology group, with 67 sites in 36 countries, and over 5,000 employees worldwide. As partners in the Empowered Employers campaign, Renishaw took part in Barnwood’s employer learning programme in 2023, facilitated by Evenbreak.

The team based in Gloucestershire set to work. They wanted to apply learning and started by raising awareness about hidden disabilities at Renishaw.  Amelia Orchard-Smith (Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Lead) provided sunflower badges to reception staff: “We wanted staff and visitors to Renishaw to know that they could approach us if they needed anything and to know that we would be welcoming and understanding.”

Renishaw wanted more staff to have the confidence to come forward about barriers they are facing at work, or for visitors to feel comfortable asking for what they needed to engage with their visit. Staff responded well to the badges, and conversations opened up about individual’s experiences of hidden disability. This enabled advice to be shared about where to get support at Renishaw, and helped more people become aware of things like a workplace adjustment passport, or our employee network groups. These kinds of conversations hadn’t happened in this way before.

Renishaw hope to continue increasing awareness and plan to share their learning with other sites.