The ILO Global Business and Disability Network works to create a global workforce culture that is respectful and welcoming of people with disabilities. As part of this mission, much of our work is focused on four priority areas that are crucial to achieving this goal.
The COVID-19 pandemic and its related socioeconomic consequences magnify obstacles and inequalities. Persons with disabilities are in many ways more exposed to the crisis. The risk in the response to the current crisis is that persons with disabilities will be left behind – a risk companies can address effectively.
Persons with disabilities are disproportionately impacted due to attitudinal, environmental and institutional barriers reproduced in the COVID-19 response. Attitudinal barriers include stigma, misconception or stereotypes and contribute to other barriers, making the access to medical treatment and inclusion in employment even more difficult.
Together let’s challenge invalid opinions based on stigma and stereotypes.
Reasonable adjustments at the workplace, often times also referred to as reasonable accommodations, aim to provide equal opportunities for employees at the workplace, so their skills and talents can be used to full capacity. By recognizing and accommodating individual needs, companies create work environments that truly welcome the diversity of their staff and thereby contribute to greater business success.
Digital accessibility should be a key concern for companies of all shapes and sizes, both in terms of attracting more diverse talent and with a view to increasing the base of customers with disabilities. While it is becoming widely accepted that accessibility should be integral to the design of digital products and services, not an afterthought, there is still work to do in order to turn this principle into a reality.
Neurodiversity refers to the idea that all humans have diverse cognitive profiles, neurological abilities and strengths and weaknesses, which should be recognized and respected. Neurominorities are on a spectrum of cognitive functioning, who think differently and perceive the world in different ways. Businesses are increasingly recognizing that neurominorities can bring much needed talent and skills to workplaces if reasonable adjustments are made to enable their full professional potential.
Mental health concerns are a growing issue for individuals, businesses and societies as a whole, and the negative impacts are economic as well as social. There is a strong business case for improving mental health at the workplace level.
To benefit from wider Diversity & Inclusion in companies, recruitment policies and procedures need to be inclusive of persons with disabilities. Ranging from disability awareness among recruiters, accessible e-recruitment platforms and a focus on job seekers’ skills, there are many simple measures to attract and recruit persons with disabilities to a company’s workforce
