Whitbread signs up to Hidden Disabilities Sunflower

To mark this year’s Purple Tuesday (1 November), the movement striving to improve customer experience for disabled people and their families, Whitbread is committing to the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower.

The operator of Beefeater and Brewers Fayre is signing up to the Sunflower, which enables people with invisible disabilities to discreetly indicate they may need additional support, help or a little more time with their transaction.

Without a visual cue, it can be difficult for people to identify, acknowledge or understand the daily barriers faced by people living with an invisible disability. The Sunflower allows guests to choose to wear a lanyard featuring a logo to indicate they may need extra assistance.

Non-visible disabilities can be physical, mental or neurological and include, but are not limited to, autism, cognitive impairments such as learning difficulties and dementia, as well as mental health conditions, speech or visual impairments or hearing loss. They also include respiratory and chronic conditions such as asthma, diabetes, chronic pain and even sleep disorders.

"We are delighted to be the hospitality sector sponsor for Purple Tuesday and launch the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower in our hotels and restaurants across the UK," says Simon Ewins, managing director for Premier Inn and Restaurants at Whitbread. "We’re proud to welcome millions of disabled customers, as well as people with long-term health conditions, to our hotels and restaurants across the UK every year.

"True inclusion never stands still – it’s a commitment that continually evolves and we are always looking for ways to improve our guest experience, which is why we’re so proud to be part of the global network. As an inclusive employer we also know it’s an initiative that will inspire our team members, some of course who themselves have disabilities, and we are therefore really looking forward to getting our restaurant teams as well as our very own ‘purple people’ behind Purple Tuesday both on the day itself and year-round."

Whitbread’s pledge to support the movement forms part of its diversity and inclusion programme under its Force for Good corporate social responsibility scheme, which commits to creating opportunities for teams and guests, giving back to local communities and operating responsibly. 

In addition to delivering the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower training across its 30,000 team members to understand and recognise the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower, Whitbread will also be displaying information in its hotels and restaurants across the UK, showing it is a ‘Sunflower-friendly’ business.

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