People With Disabilities

Support in numbers

To support our employees with disabilities, we have a number of supportive internal networks in place, most notably the enABLE Network. First launched in 2005 in the UK, there are now six enABLE Networks across the globe, including the UK, the Netherlands, France, the USA, Canada and Brazil.

The enABLE Network provides people with disabilities and people whose lives have been touched by those with disabilities an open forum to engage and share experiences. Through this open discussion, the network raises awareness and understanding of the challenges faced so that line managers and colleagues have the knowledge to be able to thrive in the workplace. It allows employees with disabilities the opportunity to improve the work environment and processes to make it more inclusive for all.

Creating a space for this dialogue is crucial to facilitating the kind of open collaboration that is required for employees with disabilities to thrive.

Open for sharing

Disclosing a disability to colleagues remains one of the biggest hurdles that employees face in the workplace. Whether through positive or negative discrimination, the fear of opening up to colleagues is a real one. We encourage disclosure and empower our people to share their issues so that we can help remove them. We believe in honesty, integrity and respect for all.

Together this creates a truly open and collaborative environment that benefits all Shell employees.

Equal opportunities for all

Shell’s Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) team takes great pride in actively promoting equal opportunities for disabled employees. It’s this commitment that first attracted Andy Kneen, Human Resources Manager for Gas in Projects and Technology, to the organisation.

Andy was involved in a road traffic accident soon after graduating from university. After two years of rehabilitation, he felt ready to find a job.

After a few years Andy wanted to give something back, so in 2005 he joined Shell’s UK enABLE Network, which at the time was a small employee group that discussed disability issues in the workplace.

Since then, there are now six enABLE Networks across the globe, including the UK, the Netherlands, France, the USA, Canada and Brazil.

“We use the network to raise awareness about different kinds of disability and impairments. It gives us the power to lobby the organisation and make the work environment more inclusive.”

For Andy it’s a chance to give back, for Shell it’s an opportunity to create an environment that empowers everyone to reach their full potential.