Neurodiversity Avis 2

My experience with Neurodiversity in Business (NiB) has left me conflicted. While the organisations mission is undeniably important and much-needed, my time volunteering there revealed some serious challenges in its internal dynamics.

NiB is led by its founder, Dan Harris, who identifies as autistic and as having ADHD. Lived experience should be a strength in a neurodiversity charity, but in this case, his leadership style has created a working environment that many have struggled to navigate. There have been ongoing concerns about the tone of internal communications, a lack of psychological safety, and inconsistent or unclear decision-making processes. Numerous people have quit and one person told me she was uncomfortable around Mr Harris and so did not deal with him directly. One department went from 5/6 volunteers to 2 and then volunteering apparently became a full-time role with no appreciation or support.

This is extremely difficult to write, as I—like many others—gave a great deal of time and energy because I believed in what NiB could be. I've gone back and forth about whether I should write this. I continue to massively support the broader cause of neuroinclusion, and I sincerely and truly hope that the organisation is able to reflect, evolve, and bring its internal culture in line with the values it promotes externally. I want people to feel supported and not attacked both inside and outside the charity.

I worry that companies are supporting NiB and yet not finding the moral compass that they might hope to and possible exposing themselves to reputational risk...hopefully the new trustees will create change in the leadership before the charity finds itself in choppy waters. The neurodiversity cause is too important be left to flounder, but I worry that the accepted complacency continues.

I was one of the original contributors to Neurodiversity in Business (NiB) back in 2021. I helped shape its early structure—drafting charters, launching the website, and promoting the vision globally through my position leading BP’s neurodiversity network and my advocacy work in Poland and internationally. The mission NiB represents—amplifying neurodiverse voices in the workplace—is one I fully believe in. Unfortunately, my experience behind the scenes left me deeply concerned.

While the cause is noble, the leadership raises serious red flags. Volunteers, including myself, were frequently overwhelmed by a barrage of urgent messages and late-night calls that often centered not on the cause but on the personal promotion of the organisation’s CEO, Dan Harris. The pressure placed on volunteers—many of whom are neurodivergent—was often excessive and inappropriate for a non-paid, good-faith initiative.

One of the volunteers I worked closely with, an autistic video editor, was frequently contacted at odd hours and pressured into creating personal content for Dan. The anxiety caused by these interactions was so intense that I had to step in as a buffer to protect him. Another volunteer under my guidance had to seek psychiatric support due to the same kind of stress. These are not isolated cases; multiple individuals I spoke with during and after my time with NiB shared similar stories.

The organisation had a high turnover of passionate and capable volunteers, often due to feeling undervalued or disregarded. There was rarely recognition of people’s contributions, and a pattern of fostering division within teams seemed to emerge—whether intentional or through poor management. Concerns raised were frequently deflected, and in my case, when I challenged certain political alignments being pushed into the charity’s direction, I was met with attempts to marginalise me within the group.

I eventually made the decision to step away after laying down what I believed to be solid foundations. Despite my substantial involvement, my contributions went largely unacknowledged.

If you’re an individual considering volunteering with NiB, or a business considering partnership, I encourage you to do your due diligence. Supporting neurodiversity is essential—but it must be done in a way that truly respects and uplifts neurodivergent individuals. Leadership must reflect the values the charity promotes. Until that changes, I cannot recommend engaging with NiB under its current structure.