The UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities defines those for whom it advocates as “people who have long-term physical, mental, intellectual or sensory impairments which in interaction with various barriers may hinder their full and effective participation in society on an equal basis with others.”
The World Bank estimates that there are more than one billion people worldwide living with a disability. This means they not only represent a huge consumer base, but can ease talent shortages and add to the organizational diversity.
Although huge progress has been made towards D&I aspects like gender, ethnicity and age equality, disability is often neglected. Research shows only a few percent of companies claiming to prioritize diversity consider disability in their initiatives.
Leaders can take plenty of steps to improve disability inclusion in:
➡️ Talent acquisition
➡️ Workplace accessibility
➡️ The products and services being offered.
Inclusive businesses have a broader customer base, are better in decision-making and in generating innovative ideas.
How does your company see disability inclusion? Is it a chore or an opportunity?
