MI5 marks International Day for Persons with Disabilities

Today MI5 is marking International Day for Persons with Disabilities, which aims to increase awareness of disabilities and promote the rights and well-being of persons with disabilities. One of MI5’s key strengths lies in our diverse, talented people and their ability to be brilliantly adaptive, and it’s critical that our people feel fully supported and able to perform at their best.  

This year’s theme is the ‘Leadership and participation of persons with disabilities toward an inclusive, accessible and sustainable post-COVID-19 world.’ As an organisation we want to explore the impact of persons with disabilities, neurodiversity and mental health conditions as leaders themselves, and the positive impact this has in MI5 and the wider world. 

We’re hosting a series of panel discussions for our staff members, exploring disability, neurodiversity and mental health in the workplace and we’re encouraging leaders in the organisation to discuss their own experiences of these issues. We’ll also be offering sunflower seeds to our staff members, to raise awareness of the sunflower scheme, which allows people to indicate they may have a hidden condition and need adjustments.

As a visible sign of our support and our commitment to making MI5 one of the most diverse workplaces in the UK, we’ll be lighting the lobby at our Thames House headquarters in purple, for both our staff and visitors to see.