Growing corporate commitment to disability inclusion

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Advanced Personnel Management (APM), Clarins, Egis, Pluxee, and Sandoz are the latest five multinational enterprise members of the ILO Global Business and Disability Network (GBDN), having joined in the first quarter of 2025. Further, the Association of Tanzania Employers (ATE), with support by the international NGO Sightsavers and the ILO, launched in March a National Business and Disability Network, encouraging and supporting businesses in the country to adopt workplace policies and practices inclusive of persons with disabilities.

The ILO GBDN is a unique worldwide platform of currently 43 multinational companies, 45 National Business and Disability Networks and 7 associate non-business members, including the International Disability Alliance (IDA), working jointly to promote the employment and inclusion of persons with disabilities in the corporate sector. An increasing number of companies around the globe is realizing the economic and ethical imperative to promote disability inclusion.

To formalise their respective membership, the highest level of management in each of the five new company members, signed the ILO GBDN Charter, comprising Ten Principles for the effective inclusion of persons with disabilities in their organisations.

On the occasion of the Charter signing, Megan Wynne, Executive Chair and Founder of APM, stated, "By becoming a member of the ILO Global Business and Disability Network, we reaffirm our commitment to providing a truly inclusive workplace that reflects the diversity of the communities we live and work in and where everyone can thrive and feel they can contribute to the success of our company."

Virginie Courtin, Managing Director at Clarins, similar expressed her company’s commitment to disability inclusion, saying, "By joining the ILO Global Business and Disability Network, we are reinforcing our responsibility to be a leader in workplace inclusion - and turning commitment into concrete action."

Aurélien Sonet, CEO at Pluxee, said "We are proud to sign the ILO Global Business and Disability Network Charter, reaffirming our commitment to an accessible and inclusive workplace. Guided by its principles, we aim to empower employees and champion diversity, creating a future where everyone’s contributions ignite progress."

Richard Saynor, CEO at Sandoz, highlighted, "Innovation begins with inclusion and at Sandoz, we believe in championing disability inclusion. By embracing disability inclusion, we unlock creativity, innovation and new perspectives which then drive meaningful progress for both individuals and organizations."

In addition, Egis is one of the nine ILO GBDN company members that signed the ILO GBDN’s "Business Leaders' Pledge on Disability-Inclusive Sustainability Practices", which was launched at the ILO GBDN’s “From Margin to Mainstream: Disability in Business” 11th global conference in November 2024 and remains open for signature. The Pledge is a public commitment by its signatories to do aspire to greater disability inclusion within their sustainability efforts, including Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) frameworks.

When signing the Business Leaders’ Pledge, Sabine Bonnard, Group Chief HR Officer at Egis, reconfirmed, "At Egis, ESG is our DNA. Signing the pledge contribute to affirm and communicate our commitment to disability inclusion. At Egis, we break down barriers by focusing on skills over stereotypes."

The ILO GBDN is excited to keep growing, as its increased membership showcases the positive relationship between disability inclusion and business success.