Talking Disability Pride with Simon Minty

Our people are our business, and diversity, inclusion and equality are at the heart of everything we do at E.ON. We take our commitment to maintaining an open and inclusive culture seriously, ensuring every single one of our colleagues feels welcomed, respected and able to thrive as their authentic selves.

More than one in four colleagues are actively involved in our colleague-led inclusivity networks which  support areas such as racial inclusion, gender equality, parenting, LGBT+, menopause, people with disabilities or long-term health conditions and mental health.

Our adaptABILITY network is a dedicated place to share experiences, raise awareness and support those with visible or invisible disabilities and chronic or long-term conditions. We were recently joined by Simon Minty to talk about his journey with disability, from rejection through to enrichment, how best to help disabled people feel included, and much more.

Simon is a familiar face on our TV screens, but in his day job, he works with companies to educate about and improve the inclusivity of disabled people. With a massive dose of humour, he shared with colleagues his own experience of disability along with some interesting and insightful perspectives for both disabled and non-disabled colleagues.

“Getting people comfortable about talking about disability in the workplace, especially at senior level, is so important. Sometimes it feels as though you’re revealing something so profound, and it really shouldn’t be. It should be that disability is just part of who we are as humans. There is an area at work where you should feel as though you can say ‘I do need support, as this isn’t quite working for me’.

"Treating people fairly does mean treating people differently…and that is okay!”

After Simon's talk, we asked a couple of adaptABILITY members for their reflections on the session. Here's what they said:

Liz Warbrick

Inclusion Consultant

“Simon made a point about allyship which really resonated with me – the idea that allies don't speak for disabled people, but instead amplify their voices. When there is no disabled person in the room, it isn't for me to be a representative, it's for me to ask, "why are there no disabled people here?"

Callum Thackray-Lovett

Smart Compliance & Regulations Lead

“I found Simon's talk very inspiring and I walked away more empowered and somewhat relieved from a personal reflection perspective, I've been battling with rejection of disabilities for some time now and pushing or avoiding to open up and accept them. The session today really reinforced my personal journey and that it's my journey at my own pace and that I and others won't have all the answers straight away, it'll be a learning curve.”

At E.ON, we’re building an inclusive organisation where colleagues know they’re valued, respected and feel a sense of belonging so they can thrive and be at their best. To find out more, visit eonenergy.com.