Sara Weller, CBE

For the past three decades, I have held leadership roles at some of Britain’s biggest consumer companies.

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With Sainsbury’s, Argos, BT, Virgin Money, Mars and Lloyds Banking Group, I have lived at the forefront of British corporate life, shaping, strengthening and transforming the relationship between businesses, their employees and their customers.

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In business, and in public sector organisations such as the Department of Work and Pensions, I have learned about those customers who are included in the mainstream, and those who are not. And how that affects individuals, families, and businesses.

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Those experiences led me to co-create ActionAble in February 2025, and become a champion for inclusivity – specifically to help companies close engagement gaps and build workforces and leadership teams as diverse as the customers they serve.

 

With ActionAble, I’m helping companies transform their workplaces to unlock the talents of neurodivergent colleagues, and those with disabilities and mental health issues. So that organisations more closely represent their customers.

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My mission is to ensure that leaders enable new generations of employees to achieve their ambitions, no matter who they are or their unique qualities. When inclusivity becomes the norm, staff outperform and so do companies.

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This dual role that companies and their leaders play – responding to the needs of customers whilst empowering teams  – has always guided my work.

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Having sat on 4 FTSE100 Boards in the past 20 years, and as the only current board member of a FTSE100 company who has spoken of my own “lived experience”, I have a unique perspective.

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Since 2009, when I was stopped dead in my tracks by a sudden diagnosis of progressive MS (multiple sclerosis), I have consistently demonstrated the value of inclusive leadership to solve problems, elevate strategic thinking and accelerate innovation.

For me, inclusivity is not a buzzword with vague meanings. It is an opportunity to fuel the growth of British business.