Awarded by Access Advisors, the Accessibility Tick is an independent endorsement of an organisation’s commitment to being more accessible to, and inclusive of, people with disabilities.

Fidelity Life Chief People Officer Tanya Hadfield said the Accessibility Tick was about being accessible to all customers, advisers and job seekers.

“One in four New Zealanders identify as having a disability. This means if we aren’t inclusive and accessible to all Kiwis, a quarter of the market might not be looking at us as a potential employer, business partner or life insurance provider.

“Achieving the Accessibility Tick gives us the confidence we can successfully employ people with disabilities, enrich our diversity and meet the needs of all customers.”

Louise von Sierakowski, Accessibility Tick Programme Lead, said “It is clear Fidelity Life is looking across their business with an accessibility and disability inclusion lens. They have made good progress in all areas from their recruitment and onboarding practices, to their interactions with customers.

“We applaud Fidelity Life for the work that they have done so far in showing their commitment to accessibility and look forward to seeing how they build on this.”

Other organisations to have been awarded the Accessibility Tick include Vector, ACC, Westpac and Air New Zealand.

“Improving our diversity and inclusion is something we’re continually working on. Our goal is to set ourselves up for a sustainable and successful future, with all of our customers at the centre of everything we do,” Hadfield said.