Businesses urged to end disfigurement discrimination

A charity is urging more businesses to commit to treating their employees and customers with disfigurements both fairly and equally.

The renewed call comes after Marks & Spencer recently become the first retailer to sign up to the Face Equality at Work campaign run by charity Changing Faces. Marks & Spencer joins Shell, the Olympic Delivery Authority, Barclays and British Airways in its commitment to the campaign.

Research by Changing Faces has shown that nine out of ten people are unconsciously negative towards people with disfigurements. The research also showed that people with facial disfigurements are likely to be marginalised because little is expected of them socially and professionally.

Marks & Spencer Director of HR Tanith Dodge commented: “The Face Equality campaign is delivering an important message not just to businesses but to everyone, and we’re proud to support it.”

The commitment to Face Equality requires employers to:

• become aware of the causes and effects of disfiguring conditions
• commit to positive thinking about people with disfigurements which will be reflected in policies and procedures
• embed new behaviours when meeting someone with a disfigurement especially in interviews and customer service

Henrietta Spalding, Head of Professional Development at Changing Faces said she hoped Marks and Spencer signing up to Face Equality would encourage other businesses to do the same.