"From a love of home" – that’s the slogan Leroy Merlin Poland has recently been using to connect with customers. What captured our hearts was its inclusive version, as the company invited our foundation to collaborate on the project: "Let’s include barrier-free spaces!"

Now, after six months of working together – and with July being Disability Pride Month – we can proudly say: at Leroy Merlin Poland, including barrier-free spaces is more than a slogan. It’s a thoughtful, mature, and consistently implemented programme that is genuinely changing the everyday experience of employees – not just those with disabilities.

All of this – paraphrasing their slogan – comes from a love of inclusion and diversity.

As the TAKpelnosprawni Foundation, we had the privilege of co-creating these changes – from the very first webinars, through educational newsletters, to a joint awareness event at the company’s headquarters. And we can say with full confidence: this is what mature inclusion looks like in practice.

Education that works

We started with inclusive education – not the abstract kind, but the kind grounded in real situations and personal experience:

• In the webinar "Disability: Facts and Myths", we worked with the entire team to challenge common stereotypes – even those that come from good intentions.
  
  
• In the webinar "Inclusive Savoir-Vivre", led by our trainer and mentor Krystyna Włodarek, we explored language, mindfulness, and everyday situations – from the perspective of a blind person.
  
  
• The Leroy Merlin Poland HR team took part in the "Hire Inclusively" webinar led by Marta Pigla, coordinator of our "Say YES to Career" programme, focused on how to conduct truly inclusive recruitment processes.
  
  
• Managers participated in the "Inclusive Leadership" training, learning how to support diverse teams in terms of ability – by analysing real-life scenarios and solutions.
  
  
• Finally, the webinar "Disability Certificates: What You Should Know", led by Kazimierz Romaniuk, our expert in disability regulations, showed how much support a formal disability certificate can provide – both in and beyond the workplace.

High attendance, engagement, and openness to learning – that’s what stood out at every stage of this collaboration. And what’s important: this wasn’t one-sided education. The Leroy Merlin Polska team brought a great deal of experience and insight, especially when it came to diversity management – says Agata Robińska, President of the TAKpelnosprawni Foundation. 

Support that stays

The project didn’t end with the webinars. Leroy Merlin Polska employees and their families were offered individual consultations with our expert, Kazimierz Romaniuk. As a result, many received real support in navigating the disability certification process and understanding their rights and benefits – both professionally and personally.

The company also launched internal newsletters to continue building awareness and expanding knowledge. Inclusion became part of the everyday conversation – not just a seasonal campaign.

We changed perspective

At the end of June, we met at Leroy Merlin Polska’s Warsaw headquarters for our signature disability experience event: "Change Your Perspective – with the Agatas."

The event was hosted by Agata Robińska and Agata Spała-Zakrzewska from HR Fair Play, alongside Krystyna Włodarek, Piotr Kruszak, and Marlena Florczak as mentors – supported by amazing Leroy Merlin Poland volunteers. Thanks to their empathy and dedication, participants had the opportunity to step into the shoes of people with different disabilities and experience first-hand how important accessibility really is.

As always, the event concluded with a shared reflection – including on the needs of neurodivergent people.

And of course, we invite you to check out the photos by our talented Deaf photographer, Piotr Kruszak.

A reason to be proud

To wrap up – a proud moment! Anna Choszczewska, one of the leaders of the "Let’s include barrier-free spaces!" project on the Leroy Merlin side, received an internal Merlin Award from the HR leadership team for her role in promoting inclusion and building a culture of diversity.

This is a clear signal that the project is being treated strategically – and will continue to grow. At Leroy Merlin Poland, inclusion isn’t just a nice-to-have. It’s an integral part of the organisational culture.

An Employer who says YES!

Leroy Merlin Poland already shows what it means to be an equal opportunity employer. Their job postings clearly state openness to hiring people with disabilities – in all types of roles. These are not just words. This is real practice – says Agata Robińska.

For us as a foundation, it’s a true joy and honour to support a team that genuinely understands what it takes to build a conscious, accessible workplace.

Thank you for saying YES!

Leroy Merlin Poland – we’re here for you. With every question, concern, or new idea. We’re ready for the next step in building a world without barriers.

– The YES Team