Able2 is a people network on the move! Back in May 2025, we launched our strategy for the year, marking significant updates to our network goals, structure, workstreams, and membership options. Our mission is simple yet impactful: to grow our membership, reach more of our colleagues, and set them up for success. Of course, such a goal requires a tremendous amount of hard work behind the scenes!

Our dedicated committee members are divided into 4 dynamic workstreams:
• Colleague Voice: Capturing feedback, liaising with stakeholders, and transforming insights into actionable change.
• Events & Communications: Structuring engaging events, maintaining a calendar, and leveraging newsletters and other communication channels.
• Able2 Champions: Providing localized support, assisting with events, and growing the network.
• Colleague Focus: Project-based initiatives are set every six months to tackle realistic goals defined by colleagues.

We operate in an agile manner, with each workstream responsible for its own goals, all of which align with our broader strategy. Senior leadership involvement has been a cornerstone of our success. We have been fortunate to have Howard Watson as the executive sponsor of the network for many years, and this year, we welcomed four new senior co-sponsors. Additionally, we have initiated two senior leadership call series: our colleague circle calls, which serve as an open forum for colleagues to discuss any issues with our senior sponsors, and ‘fireside chat’ sessions with individual leaders who can implement change based on colleague feedback.

One aspect we are particularly proud of is the vast collaboration across BT. In an organization as large as BT, it is crucial for us to have a seat at the table to ensure disabled voices are heard. We have worked hard to build connections and support key stakeholders in their programs, ranging from HR/ER policies, workplace adjustments, property & facilities, to recruitment. We are fortunate to have many colleagues who actively support inclusion and disability. By engaging them as ‘allies’ in our new membership structure, we can call on them when needed.

We also spend a lot of time planning events, we’ve hosted some incredible external guests such as Kate Nash OBE and Disability Power 100 winner Celia Chartres-Aris (alongside Jamie Shields) joined us for insightful sessions on ableism, accessibility and disability. Building on that for this year, we are incorporating more events that appeal to a wider audience, for example, parents of disabled children, line managers our product community at BT… We aim to create a truly safe space for everyone to be curious, ask questions, and learn.

We also believe in the power of intersectionality, and that colleagues don’t fit into neat boxes. Identity and belonging are complex, so we work with our other people networks, our inclusion team and look for best-practice examples in the wider inclusion space to see what we can learn. There is a wealth of resources available at BT to support colleagues, so a big part of our job is to signpost them, build understanding of how to use them and simply be there for a chat when needed.

To provide more detail on our current projects, I would like to highlight our efforts to improve the way we capture colleague feedback. Our colleague voice workstream recently polled members to understand how they want to engage with us, identify blockers, and find ways to improve. The feedback was incredible, with an overriding message that members wanted more opportunities to engage across various tools. As a result, we have rebranded our colleague listening sessions and created a network NPS that we will track throughout the year. This project serves as a reminder that accessibility is at the heart of what we do, and we strive to make it as easy as possible for everyone to engage with us.

In summary, Able2 is a safe space for colleagues, providing a one-stop shop of resources and information to support disability. We are modernizing our approach with an agile methodology, introducing regular pulse checks with our members, and capturing their feedback. We will continue to engage with our leadership team and all key stakeholders across BT, providing valuable shape and direction as well as hosting regular, impactful events that highlight the strength of our community.