Inkfire, the world’s first disabled-led marketing agency, has won a Disability Smart Award 2025 for its flexible working framework tailored to the unique needs of disabled employees.
Inkfire was named winner in the Disability Smart Inclusive Workplace Experience Award category (small organisation) at an awards ceremony in London on 29th April 2025, hosted by Business Disability Forum and sponsored by Freshfields.
The Disability Smart Inclusive Workplace Experience Award is given to an organisation with fewer than 250 staff that demonstrates it really values the physical and mental health and wellbeing of all its workers, including disabled people, and has thoughtful, engaging and inclusive workplace practices.
Inkfire provides marketing, tech, website and virtual assistant services to business owners across the globe, with an emphasis on inclusivity and helping to create a more accessible world. Their entire team has lived experience of disability.
Their framework goes beyond traditional accommodations by incorporating insights from team members and includes remote working options, task-specific workflows and custom schedules that adapt to individual needs, empowering employees to thrive in their roles without compromising their well-being.
Additionally, Inkfire actively mentors other small businesses to help them learn how to become more accessible, creating a ripple effect of inclusion across the wider community. To date, they have mentored over 200+ businesses, equipping them with the tools and strategies needed to embed accessibility into their own operations.
In their feedback, the judging panel said:
“A standout innovation is Inkfire’s approach to User-Generated Content (UGC), where team members and customers help create authentic, relatable content that amplifies their voices. Through quarterly content shoots, they co-create marketing materials that not only resonate with diverse audiences but also foster a deeper understanding of disability inclusion across different geographies and cultures.”
Business Disability Forum’s annual Disability Smart Awards recognise organisations and individuals that are improving the life experiences of disabled employees and consumers by removing barriers to inclusion. The awards are a platform for sharing evidence and learnings from real-life projects that have had a positive and tangible impact on disabled people’s lives.
Inkfire was among 13 organisations and individuals who won a Disability Smart Award this year.
Cameron Chislett, Co-Founder of Inkfire, said:
“Winning this award is huge for us. Inkfire was built by disabled people who were told we didn’t belong – and now we’re leading the way in building a workplace that is inclusive for us all. We know that when even one business becomes more accessible, it creates a ripple effect that benefits everyone – not just disabled people. We’re proud to show what’s possible when we’re are trusted to lead.”
Other finalists in this category are Steps Social Enterprise and London bakery Signorelli.
Diane Lightfoot, CEO of Business Disability Forum, said:
“Congratulations to all of this year’s Disability Smart Award winners and finalists. 2025 marks 30 years since the Disability Discrimination Act and 15 years since the Equality Act came into force. There is still much work to be done but our Disability Smart Award winners show what can be achieved when businesses and disabled people work together to achieve positive change. Their stories are real-life examples of disability inclusion in action.”
Diane Lightfoot co-hosted the Disability Smart Awards ceremony with TV personality, Simon Minty. Simon is a long-standing Ambassador of Business Disability Forum as well as being a disability trainer and consultant.
Find out more about all the winners and finalists on Business Disability Forum’s Disability Smart Awards 2025 page.
