Practising What We Preach! IC Works is Now Officially a Level 2 Disability Confident Employer
Here at IC Works (the team behind easy-read-documents.com), our entire mission revolves around accessibility. We spend our days breaking down barriers to information, ensuring that documents are clear, understandable, and available to everyone.
But accessibility isn’t just about the digital artefacts or printed pages we produce for our clients - it’s also about how we operate from the inside out.
That is why we are absolutely thrilled to share some fantastic news: IC Works has officially been certified as a Level 2 Disability Confident Employer!
Our official confirmation from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) secures our Level 2 accreditation and badge through June 2029.
For many in the fields of global information accessibility and digital inclusion, this specific scheme might be unfamiliar. Let’s dive into what the Disability Confident initiative is, why it matters, and what this milestone means for IC Works.
What is the Disability Confident Scheme?
Run by the UK government’s DWP, the Disability Confident scheme is an initiative designed to help businesses think differently about disability. It provides employers with the specialised knowledge, skills, and confidence they need to attract, recruit, retain, and develop disabled people in the workplace.
The scheme recognises that talent is diverse, and by failing to build inclusive workplaces, businesses miss out on a massive, highly skilled pool of talent. It guides organisations through a structured tier system:
Level 1:Disability Confident Committed
Level 2:Disability Confident Employer
Level 3:Disability Confident Leader
Driven by Experts by Experience
For IC Works, this journey didn't start yesterday. As Ian Christie, founder of IC Works, notes:
"We became a Committed Disability Confident Employer, i.e. Level 1, back in January 2023."
Moving up to Level 2 is a proud validation of the unique culture we’ve built. At the core of our business model is a dedicated team of experts by experience - professionals with a learning disability and who are autistic people, directly employed by IC Works to co-produce our easy-read materials.
We’ve always known that we cannot create true information accessibility without the real, lived-experience insights of the people using it. Our experts by experience don't just help us review documents; they lead our projects, shape our direction, and prove every day how vital a diverse workforce is to commercial and creative success.
By achieving Level 2, we have formally solidified our commitment to keeping these inclusive practices at the forefront of our recruitment, daily operations, and professional development.
Looking Ahead: Jumping Through the Hoops to Level 3
While we are celebrating this 3-year accreditation, we aren’t stopping here. The beautiful thing about the Disability Confident framework is that it encourages continuous improvement.
With our official Level 2 certificate secure until 2029, we already have our sights set on the ultimate tier.
"We have Level 2 until June 2029, but I'd like to get Level 3 at some point," Ian says. "I think we're already there in practice, but we just need to jump through the formal hoops!"
Becoming a Level 3 ‘Disability Confident Leader’ means acting as a champion within the wider business community, sharing best practices, and helping other organisations realise the immense value of an inclusive workforce. Given our day-to-day work, it’s a challenge we are more than ready to take on.
A huge thank you to the Disability Confident Scheme Team at the DWP, and to our incredible team of experts who make IC Works what it is.
Find out more
If you want to learn more about the scheme or explore how your own organisation can take its first steps, check out the UK government's official Disability Confident guidance
And if you need to ensure your organisation's own communications are accessible to all, you know where to find us! Let's keep making the world more accessible, together.