M&S is extending the sunflower lanyard scheme, which helps customers with hidden disabilities, to all of its UK stores. The initiative enables consumers to pick up a specially-designed lanyard which acts as a discreet sign for store colleagues to recognise they may need additional support when in store.
The scheme helps people with hidden disabilities which aren’t always obvious – such as autism, dementia and visual or hearing impairments.
M&S has become the first UK retailer to introduce the initiative into all of its owned UK stores, alongside giving all 80,000 colleagues clear information on what the lanyards mean and how to serve customers who wear them.
Sacha Berendiji, retail, operations & property director at M&S, said: “As we work hard to transform M&S we remain committed to being the UK’s most accessible retailer for customers – however, wherever and whenever they want to shop – it all matters – from the parking we provide, to the service with a smile we give in store, to the accessibility of our website.
“The sunflower lanyard initiative is one of several collaborative initiatives we’re proud to take part in and we hope to encourage more retailers and services on the high street to join up and help the scheme grow.”
M&S is also introducing several helpful guides for colleagues into its stores – including information on how to implement sensory friendly hours and deaf awareness training which contains several key phrases in British Sign Language. All this comes as M&S gears up to support Purple Tuesday for the second year in a row.
Source: Talking Retail
