Keep Britain Working: helping people get in and get on in the workplace
How businesses and government can join forces to create more inclusive workplaces and help everyone reach their full potential
The government recently announced that Sir Charlie Mayfield will lead a review into its Keep Britain Working employment strategy, an initiative focused on improving workplace accessibility. We had the privilege of hosting the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions and Sir Charlie at our offices to share our progress in working towards creating a more inclusive work environment. Joining us were colleagues who have navigated their own unique challenges in the workplace, offering valuable insights from their experiences.
Removing barriers
Top of the agenda was a discussion around how the private and public sectors can work together to remove barriers to entry into the workforce for those who may have different abilities or chronic illnesses, and, crucially, provide them with the necessary support that will help them progress with their careers.
A highlight of the visit was listening to the personal stories of Coca-Cola Europacific Partners (CCEP) colleagues. They have had to overcome huge challenges in their lives, and their perseverance has been key to unlocking opportunities in the workplace.
At CCEP, we believe that everyone deserves the chance to succeed – it's not about limitations, but about unlocking potential. That’s why we’ve developed initiatives like our Career Builder programme, which helps people at any stage of their working lives take the next step in their careers through apprenticeships and tailored training.
Learning from one another
Take Mo’s story, for example. He joined CCEP as a grocery merchandiser five years ago and, as a wheelchair user, quickly recognised ways we could become more accessible. Through our JustBe allyship programme, he has been leading our disability pillar, advocating for change. This led him to pursue a Health & Safety apprenticeship, where he drove real improvements – like making our Edmonton manufacturing site more accessible and championing a culture where everyone, regardless of their circumstances, can contribute meaningfully.
The manufacturing sector clearly has its own unique set of challenges, and we’ve been able to adapt the way we cater for and help our people to thrive by taking on feedback from colleagues like Mo, and many others, via our JustBe allyship networks and other feedback channels.
We also recently created an Accessibility Matrix which captures our learnings as a business, and for others to learn from. It’s a step-by-step guide to accelerating accessibility in the workplace, based on everything we’ve learned on our journey so far. It’s designed to act as a 'how-to' for companies that are working to make themselves more accessible, and as a checklist to track their progress along the way.
Shifting mindsets
Recruitment also plays a crucial part in our approach to inclusivity, and we’ve pivoted our approach in this area to make sure we hire people based on their potential and their lived experiences. We believe it’s important to focus on what an individual can contribute based on their skills and their attitude. That applies to the interview stage, too, where we want to assess their broader life skills like critical thinking and problem-solving.
One final takeaway from our discussions was the importance of collaboration. The government’s commitment to working alongside businesses like ours is essential in ensuring people with disabilities and long-term health conditions have the support they need to not only enter the workforce but thrive in it.
At CCEP, we want to be a place where everyone can be themselves and be valued, and access to tools such as the Access to Work programme has been vital. Schemes like this enable businesses like us to support our colleagues with different abilities and will be crucial to ensuring the success of the Keep Britain Working initiative.
As the government reviews its approach, we look forward to sharing what we’ve learned so far and to continuing to advocate for a future where workplaces truly work for everyone.
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