It’s National Inclusion Week in the UK, a campaign led by Inclusive Employers to “spark conversations and inspire thinking about inclusion,” with a campaign focus on inclusion, urgency, resilience and “the need to push forward” for change.
National Inclusion Week 2025 is being observed from 15th to 21st September in the UK, and this year’s theme is #NowIsTheTime.
The annual awareness campaign was founded by Inclusive Employers in 2013 to celebrate inclusion and inspire action to build inclusive workplaces. It was conceived as a “platform for discussion, generating ideas, or launching new initiatives.”
Inclusive Employers are keen to emphasise that National Inclusion Week “involves everyone” and that employers and other organisations should be including all communities, exploring intersectional issues and addressing issues of inclusion across gender, race, religion, LGBTQ+ status, disabilities, carers and social mobility.
Inclusive Employers are a membership organisation that works with its members to audit, train and embed workplace inclusion.
Each year, they establish a unique theme for National Inclusion Week, which they explain is decided through conversations with their member organisations, forecasts from their team of expert inclusion consultants and consideration of what’s happening within wider society.
Now is the time for National Inclusion Week
The theme for 2025 – ‘Now is the Time’ or #NowIsTheTime on social media – has been chosen to highlight “the importance of inclusion, urgency and the need to push forward – focusing on practical steps that make inclusion sustainable and embedded within our organisations.”
They also reveal that the theme has been heavily influenced by “recent backlash against inclusion and diversity coupled with economic instability and tightening budgets – meaning those in inclusion and diversity roles must innovate to maximise impact.”
Inclusive Employers see this year’s National Inclusion Week and its theme as an opportunity to “respond decisively” to these worrying trends.
They urge those taking part to try to encourage “courageous conversations that proactively address misinformation, navigate discomfort, and strengthen the tangible benefits of inclusion – not just for underrepresented groups but for workplace culture, innovation, productivity, and long-term sustainability. We believe that workplace inclusion strategies drive business value, which is proven through many well-regarded studies. It isn’t just the right thing to do, it makes great business sense too.”
Employment Rights Bill strengthens the case for inclusion
Inclusive Employers also highlights the pivotal role of the upcoming Employment Rights Bill (2024).
Set to be implemented between late 2025 and 2026, the Bill will strengthen workers’ rights and provide more support for working families, with changes planned for the minimum wage and statutory sick pay and further protection for people working on zero hours’ contracts and in low paid roles.
Inclusive Employers argues the Bill has “a strong basis of inclusion” and that organisations need to focus on adapting to the changes already in effect as well as “proactively prepare for upcoming reforms – ensuring long-term, sustainable inclusion.”
Building a more inclusive workplace can aid recruitment, improve staff retention, nurture innovation, reduce staff absences and address workplace risks. This all translates to a return-on-investment for organisations and a clear business case for prioritising inclusion.
Call to make National Inclusion Week 2025 ‘the biggest yet’
Managing Director at Inclusive Employers, Janet Tidmarsh, explains why she’s “delighted” with the theme for National Inclusion Week 2025:
“With all the recent noise around I&D efforts and the debates that have been happening in the last few months, ‘Now is the Time’ to come together and demonstrate why inclusion is so important for so many people.
“Now is the time to share the realities of the barriers people in your organisation face.
“Now is the time to measure the impact that I&D is having – and talk to your organisation’s leaders about it.
“Now is the Time to educate allies to support the inclusion of others. With the support of organisations across the UK and beyond, let’s make this National Inclusion Week the biggest yet.”
Get involved with National Inclusion Week 2025
Inclusive Employers says that many organisations use National Inclusion Week as a time to showcase their annual progress, launch new inclusivity initiatives or simply to bring their workforce together. There are public events to get involved in, as well as opportunities to arrange relevant training or plan a celebration.
Participating organisations can download a National Inclusion Week Supporters Toolkit, providing a range of resources designed to help them engage, educate and inspire, including a quiz, conversation starter guide, bingo game, a daily focus planner, a short video, printable posters and other activity ideas.
Employers can also sign up for a free National Inclusion Week event, with a choice of webinars available to attend throughout the week, or even become a sponsor for the annual campaign.
National Inclusion Week is observed and celebrated by organisations across the nation, including NHS Employers, charities like Includability and MacMillan Cancer Support, the Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CSTI) and leading UK universities.
Building inclusive workplaces
First Response Training (FRT) is one of the UK’s largest and leading national training providers.
They deliver a wide and diverse range of training for businesses and organisations across all industry sectors and throughout the UK. Their course range includes training in the fields of health and safety, first aid, fire safety, manual handling, mental health, food safety, health and social care and more.
Their health and safety training is mapped to current UK standards and legislation and follows HSE guidelines. It includes training awards in Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, Learning Disability Awareness, SEND and Barriers to Learning, Health and Safety, Managing and Supervising Risk and more.
Based on a common sense, proportionate approach to workplace safety, training helps learners to understand the true benefits of creating a healthy, safe and inclusive environment at work.
A trainer from FRT explains:
“National Inclusion Week should serve as a reminder for all employers that if the workplace is not safe, supportive and enabling for all workers then you are potentially missing out on diverse talent, ideas, perspectives and experience.
“Protecting the health, safety and welfare of employees goes far beyond minimising risks to their physical safety and really requires a holistic approach to ensure they are properly supported and have a positive experience in the workplace.”
You can download FRT’s free guides on:
- Creating a happy and inclusive working environment
- How to Create an Inclusive Workplace for Neurodivergent Employees
Beyond National Inclusion Week
FRT are themselves a Disability Confident Committed Employer and were recently awarded Inclusive Worcestershire Leader Status. They were also nominated in the Employer category at the recent National Learning Disability Awards 2025.
As part of their successful national delivery of the Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training Framework on Learning Disability and Autism, FRT employs over 80 Experts with Lived Experience Co-Trainers. These are individuals with lived experience of a learning disability or autism who co-deliver important and impactful training sessions alongside facilitating trainers.
FRT has introduced a number of measures to support their Expert Co-Trainers, including Easy Read documentation, a dedicated support phone line and dedicated office-based pastoral support.
Amratpal Bhogal, Expert with Lived Experience of a Learning Disability at FRT, says:
“The support I’ve received has been incredible.”
For more information on any of the training courses that FRT can provide, please call them today on freephone 0800 310 2300 or e-mail info@firstresponsetraining.com.