Diversity and Ability is a social enterprise led by and for disabled people.

What does being a social enterprise mean?

Being a social enterprise means combining business principles with a social or environmental mission. At D&A, we create positive change in society by addressing the inequities faced by disabled people. Our overriding mission is to champion intersectional neurodiversity and disability inclusion through technology, training, and consultancy. 

We prioritise our impact on society, alongside generating revenue to sustain our operations. We reinvest 50% of our profits into our mission, driving further social progress. It’s an exciting and innovative approach to making a difference in the world!

How do we embody our mission?

We are led by and for disabled people.

We are a social enterprise led by and for disabled people: 79% of our team self-identify as disabled and/ or neurodiverse. 

This has a positive social impact at various levels:

• Reducing the disability employment gap by creating meaningful employment for disabled people.
• Authentic lived experience is woven into everything we do. Our services are created by disabled people, for disabled people. We have the experiences, expertise and insights to help our customers meet their needs and improve inclusion.

We reinvest 50% of our profits

50% of our profits go towards our social justice projects in the UK and the global south. We create free resources and extend support at reduced costs to those facing multiple barriers, for example, digital exclusion and homelessness.

This has a positive social impact at various levels:

• Increasing equitable access to support. By providing free or subsidised access to invaluable support and resources, we’re working to ensure no one is left behind, regardless of their socio-economic status or geographic location. 
• Addressing the root causes of injustice and inequity. Applying an intersectional approach to understanding the barriers people face helps us mitigate and address the root causes of exclusion and inequity.

Evidencing our social enterprise status and impact

We are an accredited social enterprise, holding membership to Social Enterprise UK (SEUK) the world’s largest membership body for social enterprises. We were highly commended in the Social Enterprise UK Awards 2021 as a Social Enterprise Building Diversity, Inclusion, Equity and Justice.

We are also the proud recipients of various UnLtd awards, the leading provider of support to social entrepreneurs in and around the UK: Grow it award (2018), Thrive award (2020).

In an independent report by the New Economics Foundation (NEF Consulting) on the Social Cost Benefit Analysis of Social Ventures Tackling the Disability Employment Gap, it was estimated that Diversity & Ability creates social and economic value of £9.48 million per annum at a cost of £573,214. A robust evaluation demonstrated a benefit-cost ratio of £16.55 to every £1.00 invested in our work with disabled students.