Neuroinclusive Employer Award
Diversity improves business outcomes
15-20% of staff teams are neurodivergent.
Increase productivity: leveraging the unique strengths of neurodivergent individuals can lead to higher productivity levels and more innovative solutions.
Increased innovation: diverse teams are more creative and adaptable, driving innovation and competitive advantage.
Improve retention rates: by creating a supportive and inclusive environment, we can significantly improve the retention rates of neurodivergent employees, reducing turnover costs.
Enhance reputation: demonstrating your commitment to diversity and inclusion will enhance your reputation as an employer of choice, attracting top talent from diverse backgrounds.
❝Achieving the Inclusive Employers Award isn’t the end of the journey for us. We’re committed to continuing to develop in certain areas, which we’ll be focusing on these this year. Since receiving the award, we’ve built a great ongoing relationship with the National Autistic Society team, who continue to guide and support us with next steps.❞
Why inclusion matters
Boost productivity: leverage the high levels of focus and dedication that many neurodivergent employees bring to their work, resulting in increased productivity and quality.
Harness unique strengths: neurodivergent individuals often possess exceptional skills in areas such as attention to detail, pattern recognition, and analytical thinking, which can drive innovation and efficiency.
Foster an inclusive culture: creating an environment where neurodivergent employees feel valued and supported enhances overall employee engagement and satisfaction.
❝Although we have already taken steps to improve inclusion and provide adjustments for colleagues, it was extremely useful to have NAS expert support and guidance to identify other areas for improvement. It was also reassuring to have their “seal of approval”, confirming that the steps we have taken have put us in a strong position going forward.❞
In order to begin your journey to increased success we have combined over 60 years of experience in training and best practice development to provide the Neuroinclusive Employer Award programme to support businesses to enhance their workplace support to neurodivergent workforce colleagues.
Programme overview
We can provide 2 different pathway routes to enable you to progress the neuroinclusive practice within your organisation, each can consist of the following:
Comprehensive training: Our programme offers in-depth training sessions to educate your workforce about neurodivergence, reducing stigma and fostering an inclusive culture.
Tailored support: We provide guidance on implementing reasonable accommodations and support systems to ensure autistic employees can thrive, such as flexible work arrangements and sensory-friendly workspaces.
Accreditation: Gain recognition as a neuroinclusive organisation with our accreditation, showcasing your commitment to diversity and inclusion.
Meeting our standards and achieving the Neuroinclusive Employer Award is a mark of industry best practice. It will demonstrate that your organisation offers approved strategies to support neurodivergent employees:
- colleagues and managers feel confident in supporting autistic colleagues
- recruitment and onboarding processes are less overwhelming and more accessible
- a variety of reasonable adjustments are available to support inclusion and productivity.
❝The knowledge gained is extremely important and, unless you have had experience of working with or managing autistic employees, very valuable.❞
How does it work?
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- Neurodivergence in the workplace e‑learning
- face to face neurodivergence in the workplace training
- webinar programme.
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- Neuroinclusive Employer framework
- Neuroinclusive Employer consultancy
- specific consultancy (processes).
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- Accreditation assessment.
How it works
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Step 1: Registration - our programme offers two routes for organisations according to their level of confidenceProgression Pathway
Designed for organisations embarking on their neurodiversity journey, this structured pathway provides a phased approach to embedding effective adjustments within operational practices. It enables organisations to progress from initial commitment to inclusive ways of working through to demonstrating measurable impact.
Each stage is aligned to a developmental framework, supporting continuous improvement in practice, resource allocation, and funding strategies. This ensures a sustainable approach that drives meaningful change and evidence organisational outcomes.
Direct pathwayDesigned for organisations with established experience and inclusive strategies, the Direct Pathway provides an opportunity to reflect, refine, and advance existing practices. Leveraging the Stage Outcome Framework, organisations can identify additional measures to
strengthen impact and embed inclusive approaches across their workforce. This pathway offers flexibility, allowing organisations to select the stage most relevant to their current maturity level and strategic objectives.
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Step 2: Self-evaluation and action planningReflect on current practice within the organisation in order to complete the relevant framework and develop an action plan. Work on the identified developments within your action plan.
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- The assessment date will be agreed between the accreditation programme consultant and organisation
- Assessments will vary depending on your decided pathway and desired outcome level
- The assessment can involve a variety of activities to suit the level aiming for, this can include scrutiny of action plans, application form and supporting evidence, scrutiny of case studies relating to autism practice, discussions with key stakeholders and feedback from an anonymous stakeholder questionnaire
- An evaluation checklist will be completed by the consultant.
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Assessments are measured against specific criteria that demonstrate the organisation can successfully achieve the Inclusive Employer AwardA licence to use the Inclusive Employer Award Mark will be issued along with an e-certificate for organisations that achieve the award.
If taking a progression approach you may wish to re-register to progress onto the next stage of your journey and progress to the next level of accreditation.
Once your organisation has the award, you'll be able to enjoy the following benefits:
- Use of the Inclusive Employer Award logo on promotional materials once the status is granted, and licence agreement signed
- A press pack containing guidance on how to publicise your accreditation achievement externally
- Invitations to free accreditation and raising the standards days
- 10% discount to National Autistic Society conferences
- An opportunity for staff to continue professional development
- Access to the wider Autism Accreditation Community.
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Fees vary in accordance with the size of organisation and the accreditation package they chose to purchase.