Platform Housing Group has been officially recognised as a Disability Confident Leader, the highest level of accreditation in the government scheme, marking a significant milestone in the organisation’s commitment to inclusion.
The Level 3 status – awarded earlier this month and in place until January 2029 – positions Platform as a role model in the housing sector, demonstrating its commitment to not only inclusive employment practices, but also leading and inspiring change across the wider community.
The Disability Confident Leader status follows a rigorous and independently validated self assessment process. Platform chose to partner with Midland Heart, a fellow housing association and accredited Disability Confident Leader, to ensure external challenge and accountability.
Tom Piotrowski, equality, diversity and inclusion manager at Platform Housing Group, said: “We’ve worked hard to ensure disability inclusion is embedded into our culture, not just our policies. Achieving leader status is a milestone that reflects the insight and lived experiences of disabled colleagues and customers who have helped shape our approach. We’re proud to have created inclusive spaces, such as our ‘Access Matters’ virtual peer network, and to be actively supporting other organisations on their journey.”
Platform’s approach is dais to go beyond compliance, focusing on practical, everyday support that makes a difference,from accessible recruitment and tailored adjustments, to inclusive leadership, data transparency and continuous improvement.
The organisation holds a weekly disability inclusion action meeting, providing a dedicated forum to drive progress. Alongside this, Platform is finalising targeted training around neurodiversity and is currently reviewing its processes for reasonable adjustments, to ensure accessibility for all.
Clare Durnin, chief people and excellence officer at Platform Housing Group, said: “This is a fantastic achievement and I’m incredibly proud of the work that’s gone into making Platform an accessible and inclusive place where everyone can thrive. Our people are our strength and we’ll continue to listen, adapt and lead the way to ensure inclusion remains at the heart of what we do.”
Platform says it is now committed to further aligning its work with the government’s Disability Confident Reform Delivery Plan (2025-2026), and continuing to share best practice with sector partners.
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