Committed to a holistic approach to diversity and inclusivity, global payments platform, Ecommpay, has announced plans to run neurodiversity awareness training for all employees, partners and clients as it marks Neurodiversity Celebration Week. 

The training, which will be launched during World Autism Acceptance Month in April, forms an important part of the on-going Ecommpay for Good programme which is part of the wider Ecommpay mission to achieve financial inclusivity for all. It will be rolled out to both existing and new Ecommpay employees as part of the mandatory training already in place which includes courses such as unconscious bias training.

The Ecommpay Neurodiversity Training Programme will be led by Cressida Stephenson, CEO and Founder of EdenChase Associates. As a disabled professional and a parent of an autistic child, Cressida brings both lived experience and deep expertise in inclusive talent practices. The sessions will focus on building a neuro-inclusive culture by enhancing understanding of neurodivergence, recognising common traits, and providing guidance on supporting neurodivergent individuals throughout the job application, interview, and employment journey. The training will also highlight the benefits of neurodiverse teams and key workplace and communication adjustments that foster a more inclusive environment.

Cressida Stephenson commented: “It is estimated that more than 70% of Gen Alpha and currently 53% of Gen Z identify as Neurodivergent which is a significant proportion of the population, the talent pool and customer base of every business. Organisations, therefore, need to understand how those individuals present, interact, process information and emotions, as well as communicate to ensure they don’t miss out on 70% of the talent pool and customer base.

“It is great to see businesses like Ecommpay recognise this need by investing in training their employees, as well as extending the insight to their customers. Ecommpay is getting ahead and future-proofing its business from both a recruitment and sales point of view.”

Miranda McLean, Chief Marketing Officer at Ecommpay added: “In a world where we like to think everyone is treated equally and has the same opportunities as others, it is extremely frustrating to see that equity, diversity, sustainability and accessibility are little more than the latest buzzwords.

“We are working to create and nurture an inclusive and equitable culture within our own business while also helping our clients do the same for their organisations. Training our team to understand, value and celebrate all neurodiverse individuals is an important step in this on-going journey, and we are offering the training to our partners and clients too in order to share the benefits. The training promises to be fun, engaging and highly valuable, and everyone is looking forward to taking part and learning something new which will benefit them and others at work as well as in their home and social lives.”

Running throughout April, World Autism Acceptance Month is the flagship fundraising campaign of the National Autistic Society. The event aims to galvanise the UK to help create a society that works for autistic people and encourages participants to support the campaign through fundraising and awareness-raising activities. There is also a significant focus on supporting the 700,000 autistic adults and children in the UK, and their three million family members, with information and practical advice.