Shell, Marks & Spencer, KPMG, DDB London, Southend NHS Trust, the Council for Health Care Regulatory Excellence, Lovells LLP and the School of Oriental and African Studies are the latest organisations to sign up to Changing Faces’ Face Equality at Work campaign.

They join Barclays Group plc, the first FTSE100 company and major high street bank to sign up, and have all committed to treating their employees and customers with disfigurements fairly and equally. This includes:

• becoming aware of the causes and effects of disfiguring conditions

• committing to positive thinking about people with disfigurements which will be reflected in policies and procedures

• embedding new behaviours when meeting someone with a disfigurement especially in interviews and customer service.

Barclays marked its commitment back in July 2008 with a reception for 100 leading employers at its Canary Wharf head office hosted by John Varley, Barclays Group Chief Executive. Mr Varley said, “As a business leader, I am acutely aware of the battle for talent in the marketplace. To succeed we must develop and recruit the very best people. That requires that we create an inclusive work environment where all candidates, including those with a facial disfigurement, view Barclays as a good employer. This increases the pool of talent from which we select our people and improves our ability to attract the best within that pool. I encourage other organisations to sign the Commitment to Face Equality.”

Henrietta Spalding, Head of Professional Development at Changing Faces said, “The fact that these new organisations are signing up means that for the first time, they recognise the place of disfigurement in their equalities agenda. Long term, this will mean that if you have the capabilities and skills, you will not be discriminated against in the workplace because of your disfigurement. However, we need to bear in mind that like the movement for race equality this is a long-term campaign. There are no ‘quick fixes’ when you are looking to raise awareness, create positive attitudes and eradicate discrimination and prejudice surrounding disfigurement.“

If you would like discuss how to sign up to Face Equality at Work please email Henrietta Spalding.