At Envirotech FM, we believe that great facilities management isn’t just about maintaining buildings — it’s about people. And when it comes to people, communication is everything.

British Sign Language Day is an annual celebration of BSL as a recognised, living language used by an estimated 150,000 people in the UK. It’s a day to raise awareness, celebrate the deaf community, and remind ourselves that communication isn’t a one-size-fits-all — and it never should be.

In our line of work, we operate across a huge variety of environments — retail centres, leisure parks, commercial properties and more. Our teams interact with colleagues, clients, contractors and members of the public from all walks of life, every single day. That diversity is something we genuinely value, and it means the way we communicate must be just as diverse.

Accessibility isn’t a box to tick. It’s a mindset. When we take the time to understand how different people communicate — whether that’s through spoken language, written word, visual cues or sign language — we become better at our jobs, more empathetic as colleagues, and more effective as a business.

Being inclusive in the way we communicate builds stronger teams, creates more welcoming environments, and ultimately delivers a better experience for everyone we work with.

This year, some of our EFM team took part in recording a short message to wish everyone a ‘Happy British Sign Language Day from Envirotech FM!’ — and it was a brilliant reminder of just how expressive, beautiful and accessible BSL really is. We’d encourage everyone to have a go themselves. You might be surprised how quickly you can pick up a few signs, and how much it means to someone when you make that effort to meet them where they are.

Want to Learn More?

BSL is a rich and recognised language with its own grammar and structure — it’s not simply a signed version of English. If you’ve never explored it before, there are some fantastic free resources to get you started:

  • SignBSL.com — a comprehensive online BSL dictionary with video demonstrations
  • British Deaf Association — the leading organisation promoting the rights and interests of Deaf people in the UK
  • Signature — offering BSL courses and qualifications for all levels

Happy British Sign Language Day from all of us at EFM!