Ten years ago, in Gatwick Airport, an innovative new scheme dubbed the ‘Hidden Disabilities Sunflower Programme’ laid the foundation for a more inclusive approach to travel. A decade later, the sunflower-emblazoned disability lanyardis a mainstay across travel hubs, workplaces, hospitals, and banks in Britain, but also around the world.
What Is The Hidden Disability Lanyard?
Introduced in 2016, the hidden disabilities sunflower lanyard is an accessibility tool, with a simple purpose: “making the invisible visible”.
In the UK, there are an estimated 16.8 million disabled people, of which 80% constitute someone with a non-visible impairment. With such a condition come numerous challenges: physical access needs, nervous system dysregulation, difficulties in navigating and communicating, and fatigue/pain management, to name but a few.
Recognising these struggles, oftentimes compounded by the unpredictable, sensory-intense and frankly stressful airport environment and a lack of employee knowledge, Gatwick Airport sought to plug the gaps in staff awareness.
The result was the discreet sunflower lanyard, designed to be instantly recognisable with its green strap and bright sunflower pattern. Originally meant as a visual cue to airport and airline staff that passengers wearing it require extra assistance and understanding, plus a little more time to adapt to the environment, it now applies to all situations. The flagship scheme proved so popular that it was exported to other industries, at home and overseas.
Does The Sunflower Lanyard Actually Work?
Groundbreaking for its time and now ubiquitous across public-facing workplaces, the hidden disability lanyard scheme has garnered overwhelmingly positive praise from the disabled community.
In the majority of public spaces, from cinemas and concert venues to train stations and supermarkets, staff are now trained on how to accommodate their wearers. Simultaneously, the public awareness of invisible disabilities is increasing.
In practical terms, this might translate into an offered seat on a packed train, fewer intrusive questions, wayfinding assistance, or simply extra compassion and understanding. On the relational side of things, the symbol is normalising non-visible disabilities in the public eye, breaking down stigma and replacing it with a culture of openness and inclusion.
“Since COVID-19 propelled invisible disabilities into the mainstream, especially those tied to autoimmunity, we’ve seen a tremendous uptick in disability lanyard usage,” shares Grant Ashworth, Managing Director at Only Lanyards. “Employers are more dialled into inclusivity than ever, and this is shaping the products we make. Elements that were once overlooked in certain industries, like safety breakaways or allyship colours, are much more common”.
A Small Tool With An Outsized Impact
Although a tiny piece of kit, they’re much more than the average lanyard. The Hidden Disabilities Sunflower is just as much a conversation starter, educational tool, awareness builder, and solidarity symbol.
Its beauty lies in its non-confrontational nature; few can take issue with a sunflower, and more importantly, the scheme itself is voluntary. Because there are no gatekeepers, anyone with an invisible disability can pick up and wear one for free – no questions asked or personal details given.
For many disabled folk, existing in an ableist world, this is a breath of fresh air compared to experiences where they may have been pressured to make a medical disclosure to strangers in a bid to be believed. In this way, it’s also about preserving dignity.
The disability lanyard is, by nature, empowering. It means its wearers can have the confidence to approach staff if needed, plus less time spent on self-advocacy, which can get exhausting fast and, at worst, become degrading. Knowing that someone can step in with a helping hand if they clock the official sunflower symbol, ultimately, makes for a less stressful encounter.
The Hurdles Still Exist
Of course, questions arise when we interrogate the deeper commitments behind the organisations that adopt the scheme. Beyond lip service pledges, what are companies actively doing to embody the values of the Sunflower scheme? Unsurprisingly, this topic is the source of much scepticism and even critiques.
While widely recognised in transport hubs and large supermarkets, for instance, the hidden disabilities lanyard is yet to be universally understood, which inevitably leads to varying experiences dependent on context.
Another major criticism is that it feeds into the medical model of disability, under which the burden of the ‘problem’ is placed on the individual rather than institutions. While organisations don’t set out to put the onus on disabled and neurodiverse individuals, ableism ispervasive. As such, some members of the community feel that the burden is placed on their shoulders to "prove" they need help, rather than making environments universally accessible.
Space For Improvement
Doubtless, there’s a lot of progress still to be made. When companies adopt the Sunflower Scheme in their workplaces, it needs to be accompanied by training and outlined steps for implementation, as well as a concrete commitment to change that involves real action, not just words.
In the transport sector, this could look like streamlined provision across airports, but in an office-based environment, it may include supplying sunflower lanyards for disabled staff or creating a dedicated ‘quiet area’.
Even seemingly intangible actions, like a dedicated campaign across internal and external comms, can spark conversations and bolster public awareness – perhaps leading to staff feeling more comfortable to disclose a condition or even tackling some of the more pernicious discourses around disability lanyard misuse and malingering.
Above all, however, businesses should listen to disabled folks. Learn from their lived experiences.
Conclusion: The Sunflower Lanyard As One, Albeit Vital, Piece Of The Puzzle
The Hidden Disability lanyard, worn with pride for some, has well and truly broken into the mainstream. Helping people with a diverse range of conditions, from autism to POTS, receive the support and accommodations they need when out and about, they’re one small piece of a broader movement towards universal accessibility and inclusion. With new adopters including Eurostar, Bank of England, Santander and Savills, the momentum is only building.
You can join the global Sunflower network via the Hidden Disabilities website, and pick up your own invisible disability lanyard from HD-approved suppliers.