Business Disability Forum announces strategic alliance with SignVideo

Business Disability Forum (BDF) is pleased to announce a strategic alliance with leading British Sign Language video interpreting organisation SignVideo.

SignVideo joins a wide variety of progressive organisations working with BDF to promote best practice in employing, working with and doing business with disabled people.

SignVideo provides British Sign Language (BSL) video interpreting services to enable communication between the community of over 150,000 deaf BSL users in the UK and hearing people.

SignVideo lead the way in bringing access and inclusion to the BSL community with the help of fully qualified and registered BSL interpreters. Led by the former Chief Executive Officer of British Deaf Association and well-known deaf entrepreneur, Jeff McWhinney, the organisation works to ensure that communication between deaf BSL users and hearing people is simple, straightforward and effective.

Using industry leading and innovative technology, communication happens through a professional, fully qualified video interpreter who relays the call between BSL and English. SignVideo’s service is available on tablets, smartphones, computers and laptops via apps and software.

David Goodchild, Director of Membership and Business Development at BDF, said:

“We welcome the beginning of what we hope to be a long and mutually beneficial strategic alliance with SignVideo. We have used SignVideo’s services in the past and were impressed with the ease in which they are able facilitate conversation with deaf BSL users. As organisations in the UK become increasingly interested in offering Video Relay Services (VRS) for customers, this alliance couldn’t have come at a better time.”

Jeff McWhinney, Founder and Chair of SignVideo, said:

“This is a fantastic opportunity for SignVideo to partner with BDF and help drive organisations across the UK to commit to providing BSL users with easy and effective communication and access. Deafness is often known as the unseen disability and we are very excited BDF will now work closely with us to  encourage UK businesses to serve the BSL community more effectively. We would like UK service providers particularly to get in touch with us and explore the options for their BSL customers.”

Business Disability Forum (BDF) is a not-for-profit business membership organisation that represents some 300 organisations that employ 20% of the UK workforce. Formerly called the Employers’ Forum on Disability, the company has more than twenty years experience of working with public and private sector employers and service providers. For more information about BDF, please visit: https://businessdisabilityforum.org.uk/about-us

SignVideo provides British Sign Language (BSL) video interpreting services to enable communication between the community of over 150,000 deaf BSL users in the UK and hearing people. The service allows users to make and receive BSL interpreted video calls so that they can effectively and effortlessly communicate with each other. This happens through a professional video interpreter who relays the call between BSL and English and the service is available instantly on tablets, smartphones, computers and laptops via apps and software.

SignVideo demolishes existing barriers facing service providers, businesses, work colleagues and family wanting to hold conversations with deaf BSL-using people. In addition, SignVideo has reduced the previous waiting time of three to six weeks for a BSL interpreter to be available, down to an average of of less than a minute!

SignVideo not only pioneered this revolutionary communications solution in the UK but now leads the way in bringing access and inclusion via ‘Video Based Interpreting’  to the BSL community. With a strong presence in the VRS (Video Relay Services) market in the UK, SignVideo is a highly reputable provider with its video call centres and remote interpreters conducting over 20,000 BSL interpreted video calls a year. SignVideo underpins its service with experienced, fully qualified and registered BSL interpreters, Service Level Agreements (SLAs) and ISO 9001, 14001 and 27001 quality certifications.

Born in 2004, SignVideo is led by Jeff McWhinney, a well-known deaf entrepreneur who fights tirelessly for equality of the deaf and hearing community. Today, SignVideo, a predominantly deaf-led organisation, provides their service to the Government, NHS, councils, Finacial Services organisations, telecommunications providers, helplines and many other types of organisations.For further information on SignVideo visit www.signvideo.co.uk.

Jeff McWhinney is available for interview or comment on request from the press contact.

For all media enquiries please contact Ashley Teaupa, Interim Communications and Marketing Manager on 020 7089 2463.