Deutsche Bank is continuously seeking to understand how best to support our teams, and the Neurodiversity Employers Index - NDEI provides a powerful framework within which we can continuously improve our practices to support our neurodivergent staff throughout their career.
Alex Wilson, managing director Deutsche Bank (finance)
Hear from organisations that previously took part in the NDEI®. Learn why they got involved, what it involves, and how it helped them lead change.
Sarah Harley, business development officer, Enable (public sector)
"The process was surprisingly straightforward! The tools such as surveys templates were provided for us and the questions were clear. It was great to see how much of the scoring criteria was based on answers provided by our existing staff. It helps us to understand how people feel about working for our organisation
"We’d encourage anyone to take part in the NDEI®. In addition to helping neurodivergent colleagues feel seen and heard in the workplace, it has been a wonderful opportunity to celebrate that we value a diverse staff group."
Zack Walker, chief operating officer, Jamescape, (technology sector)
"Having such a wide array of neurotypes in the organisation is fantastic. It means we have completely different minds sitting around the table trying to solve the same problem. When you are trying to solve a complex computational issue with three varied approaches, one of them is normally brilliant. It’s our edge.
"For many organisations, EDI is unfortunately a bit of an afterthought. With the structure of the NDEI®, it's easy to complete, and you're taking part in something significant. We found the tailored report useful, which listed our organisation’s strengths and areas for improvement.
"The NDEI® is especially important because of the rise of people realising they are neurodivergent. Having something like the NDEI® helps organisations know how to get the best out of people. It’s something our organisation has benefited from."
Leigh Marrs, head of learning and organisational development, St Oswald’s Hospice (charity sector)
"Recruiting and supporting neurodivergent people isn’t just about accommodating different needs; it’s about genuinely recognising the value of different ways of thinking. A culture of neuroinclusion encourages creativity, innovation and problem-solving. When people feel they belong, they do their best work. They feel confident to be themselves and as a result are more engaged, loyal and empowered. I wanted to, hand on heart, say that is the experience of all of our staff.
"By taking part in the NDEI®, we learned that our commitment to neuroinclusive practices was already well-embedded, but there is always more that we can do. For example, since participating, we have started sending interview questions in advance and ensuring interview rooms are sensory-friendly.
"I am incredibly proud that St Oswald’s Hospice achieved the NDEI® Silver Award, but I know we can do better! I want the opportunity to improve on what we do already, and for our efforts to be externally acknowledged by the real experts."
Louise Roughley , director of people experience, HTG (technology sector)
"Our participation in the NDEI® was such a worthwhile experience. We learnt from the process what we should be thinking about, even if we hadn't considered it previously. We demonstrated to our existing neurodivergent team members that we care about enhancing their employee experience. We gained the confidence to offer neurodivergent students work placements.
As anyone with an awareness of neurodiversity knows, no two neurodivergent people are the same, so gaining an NDEI® award was never going to be a case of 'Job done! Now we can move on to something else.' We know our commitment to neuroinclusion requires us to continue to devote time and energy to improving things...and that's just what we'll do!"
Helen Mariner, deputy CEO, Active Oxfordshire (charity sector)
"We took part in the NDEI® because we wanted to understand how well we're creating a neuroinclusive culture, but most importantly, how we can further improve.
"We learned a huge amount from participating in the NDEI®. It was reassuring to know that we are doing some really good work. Our high score confirmed that we were on the right track.
"Taking part gave us the right toolkit to build on our work. It gave us a roadmap for what's next and a sense of excitement for what was possible."