Roger Coleman's top tips for board level and senior management
- Acknowledge responsibility for introducing a professional approach to inclusive design, and assign executive responsibility formally to a board director or principal officer.
- Champion a professional approach to inclusive design within your company, put together a convincing business case for adopting such an approach, and then drive the required shift in culture and business practices.
- Set up a cross-organisation 'change team' to research the background of demographic change and shifting consumer expectations, and then plan an effective response.
- Raise awareness of the potential impact of existing and anticipated legislation, standards and guidelines across the company's markets. Take action to challenge prejudices and stereotyping within the organisational culture.
- Audit your company's consumer offer, activities and facilities - where appropriate with experts and targeted users - working with company personnel. Transfer the necessary skills and support a group of internal 'champions'.
- Ensure that all employees and suppliers understand the key issues relating to inclusive design and their importance to the future success of your company. Introduce appropriate modules in staff training, not least during employee induction.
- Insist that targeted markets and significant trends in society generally are considered seriously during the strategic planning process so as to take advantage of opportunities for future growth and competitive advantage over the long term.
- Formulate a master programme for inclusive design, ensure that the best possible resources are assigned to it and monitor progress during implementation.
- Involve employees and disabled and older customers in a pro-active search for new opportunities to pursue, as well as the continuous improvement of your company's consumer offer.
- Strengthen links with the older and disabled communities within the framework of a Corporate Social Responsibility programme.