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MU Becomes Disability Confident Employer

The MU has recently become a Disability Confident employer. We want to recruit and retain amazing people and by joining the Government's voluntary Disability Confident Scheme, we aim to practically demonstrate our commitments to supporting disabled workers.

Published: 11 July 2024 | 12:45 PM
Colourful wooden symbols of people and figures in wheelchairs against a dark background, representing equality, diversity and inclusion.
At the MU we welcome people with diverse perspectives, experiences, and backgrounds. Image credit: Shutterstock.

The Disability Confident Scheme is a voluntary government initiative that has been designed by employers and disabled people’s representatives to help employers recruit and retain disabled workers.

The MU are investing in how we attract and retain these individuals by:  

  • Improving the knowledge and understanding of disability across the MU and wider music industry
  • Drawing from more diverse talent pools
  • Removing barriers from our recruitment process and progression opportunities for existing staff.

As a Disability Confident employer, we are committed to offering an interview to disabled people who meet the minimum criteria for the job. By joining the scheme, the MU will aim to offer disabled candidates who meet the essential criteria an interview as a priority. We have signed up to various commitments to support disabled people including:

  • Interview adjustments
  • Promoting vacancies to disabled workers
  • Ensuring our recruitment process is inclusive and accessible
  • Supporting existing disabled staff
  • Offering disability-confident interviews.

Why did we join the scheme?

Becoming a Disability Confident employer was part of the MU’s Equality Action Plan that was written in consultation with the MU’s ED&I Committee.

The MU wants to recruit and retain amazing people and by joining the Disability Confident Scheme, we aim to practically demonstrate our commitments to supporting disabled workers.

Part of the MU’s mission is to create an equitable music industry where all musicians can thrive. We’re committed to doing the same with our workplaces.

At the MU we welcome people with diverse perspectives, experiences, and backgrounds and encourage all our staff to be their authentic selves in a supportive and empowering workplace.

It’s vital that we attract the best people to work on behalf of our members

Matt Wanstall, MU Assistant General Secretary says:It’s vital that the MU attracts and retains the best people to work on behalf of our members. To ensure we’re doing that, we need to recruit from the widest possible talent pool and ensure that our members see themselves reflected in our staff.

“I hope that joining the Disability Confident Scheme will have a positive impact on the diversity of our workforce, alongside a range of changes we’re making to our recruitment procedures.”

Find out more about the Disability Confident employer scheme. 

Representing and advocating on behalf of disabled musicians

At the MU we advocate on behalf of disabled and/or neurodivergent musicians to ensure their rights are upheld and strengthened – where they encounter discrimination, we’ll challenge it.  

Join our Disabled Member Network

The Disabled Members Network is a space for MU members who identify as disabled and/or neurodivergent to meet and discuss issues that impact their communities, shape MU policy, and change the music industry and the MU for the better.

Join the Disabled Member Network

Representing and advocating on behalf of disabled musicians

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