Background

With more than 1,200 employees in Northern Ireland, the organisation delivers people-led services supported by technology across areas including central and local government, defence, education, contact centres and pensions. As a provider of essential public services, Capita recognises that delivering better outcomes for diverse communities depends on having an inclusive, representative and supportive workplace.

Diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) is embedded within Capita’s responsible business strategy. Through initiatives such as Business in the Community’s Opening Doors campaign and Ban the Box, the organisation actively promotes equal access to opportunities for disabled people and other underrepresented groups. In 2025, employee insight highlighted that while senior leaders strongly supported disability inclusion, many lacked the confidence and lived-experience understanding needed to consistently translate good intentions into meaningful action.

What Capita did

To address this gap, Capita launched its Disability Reverse Mentoring Programme, an innovative initiative that positions colleagues with lived experience of disability, chronic health conditions and neurodivergence as mentors to senior leaders. Piloted in 2025 and expanded in 2026, the programme was designed to build inclusive leadership capability, increase understanding of disability barriers and embed meaningful change across the organisation.

The programme is sponsored by the CEO and places senior leaders in the role of learners, reinforcing that disability inclusion is a leadership responsibility. Over six-month mentoring cycles, leaders are paired with colleagues who share their lived experiences, creating safe and structured opportunities for honest conversations, learning and action. The initiative was co-created with employees and supported by inclusion specialist ENEI to ensure authenticity, relevance and measurable outcomes.

Learning from the programme is systematically captured and translated into organisational improvements. Feedback and identified barriers are reviewed, prioritised and assigned to owners, ensuring that insights lead to practical changes in policies, processes and workplace support. Outcomes have included improvements to workplace adjustments, the development of an accessible Care Guide, the introduction of trained Neurodiversity Champions and a bespoke neurodiversity training programme for managers.

Importantly, Capita extended the impact beyond its own workforce by supporting disability employment pathways in the wider community. This included developing a hybrid work experience programme with a specialist SEN college and planning a dedicated SEN employment pathway with Belfast Metropolitan College, helping create greater access to employment opportunities for disabled people.

Key Impacts and Results

• 58 employees and senior leaders have participated in the Disability Reverse Mentoring Programme to date
• 100% of leaders reported a greater understanding of what it is like to live with a disability
• 100% of leaders reported increased confidence discussing disability and identifying and challenging disability-related inequalities
• 100% of leaders committed to taking proactive action to address workplace inequalities and would recommend the programme to others
• 98% of mentors reported increased confidence speaking to leaders about disability in the workplace, and 98% would recommend the programme
• The programme contributed to a 15% increase in disability declaration rates, demonstrating improved trust, psychological safety and employee confidence in sharing disability information
• Insights from the programme directly led to organisation-wide improvements including enhanced workplace adjustments, a new accessible Care Guide, trained Neurodiversity Champions, manager training, and the development of community employment pathways for people with additional needs

What the judges said

“Capita’s genuine and authentic submission demonstrated business impact. Leadership is not just about the style, but about their capability.”