Team England have announced their Men’s 3×3 and Women’s 3×3 teams set to represent at the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games this month.
British Wheelchair Basketball unites industry leaders to tackle disability inequality
‘Levelling the Playing Field’ event urges UK businesses to address the workplace experience of disabled people
In the lead-up to Global Accessibility Awareness Day (15th May), British Wheelchair Basketball (BWB) convened 50 senior leaders from across 11 industry sectors for a landmark event focused on creating more equitable workplaces for disabled people.
Held in collaboration with EY on 13 May in London, the event ‘Levelling the Playing Field’ brought the conversation around disability inclusion firmly into the workplace – a critical environment where decisions about culture, leadership and policy are made, and where change has the potential to make the greatest impact.
The name of the event reflects the inclusive nature of wheelchair basketball, where, at a grassroots level, the sport is open to everyone, and disabled and non-disabled people play side by side. It is this thinking that BWB believes should extend far beyond sport, starting with the workplace.
British Wheelchair Basketball CEO, Justine Baynes, opened with a direct challenge to the room: “We’ve made progress on inclusion for other protected characteristics – and rightly so – but disability has been left behind. Almost 17 million people in the UK live with a disability. That’s almost a quarter of the population and yet their needs and voices are too often overlooked. It’s time we changed that, and business has a vital role to play.”
Guests heard powerful personal insights from an athlete panel comprising of four-time Paralympian Abdi Jama and three-time Paralympian Sophie Carrigill of BWB, alongside two-time Paralympian in athletics and BWB staff member and GB Paralympic sprinter, Ali Smith.
The panel reflected on how assumptions about disability can limit opportunity and how small actions in the workplace can create meaningful change. The discussion was followed by breakout sessions where leaders shared ideas and made pledges to improve inclusion in their own organisations.
When asked about what employers can do to create more equitable environments for disabled people, Sophie Carrigill said: “For me, it’s about feeling considered and valued. Knowing that an employer has taken the time to think about the needs of disabled people makes a huge difference. But it’s not just about thinking, it’s about involving us in the decisions that affect us. From my own experience, I know I am willing to work as hard as anyone but putting me in the right environment – one that’s inclusive and accessible – is what contributes to that and allows me to thrive. And therefore, the business will benefit too.”
While the stories shared by the athletes were rooted in elite sport, the themes extended far beyond the court. For business leaders, the opportunity is twofold: to create fairer, more equitable workplaces and to better serve a market often overlooked.
According to the Purple Pound the spending power of disabled households is worth £274 billion in the UK alone, yet businesses lose about £2 billion every month by ignoring the needs of disabled people.
The conversation in the room moved beyond awareness to tangible opportunity, as attendees acknowledged the commercial benefits to embedding disability inclusion into workplace culture, policy and product and service design.
What emerged was a clear consensus: meaningful change begins not only with policy, but with people. By connecting the world of elite sport to the realities of working life, Levelling the Playing Field offered a fresh lens through which to consider leadership; one that is more inclusive, more attuned to lived experience and ultimately, more effective in building a fairer society.
BWB will host further Levelling the Playing Field events across the UK later this year. Interested organisations are encouraged to register their interest at [email protected]
The British Wheelchair Basketball National Championship Finals will take place over the 16th, 17th and 18th of May at the University Arena Worcester. The event will see the 2024-25 season winners crowned for Women’s Premier League, National League Divisions 1-3 and Premier Division. Click here for tickets and more information.
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