Catalyst for Change: Disability-Inclusive Business in Asia-Pacific

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The Asia-Pacific region is a dynamic one, with challenges and also immense opportunities for advancing the labour rights of persons with disabilities. In the week of 15 September 2025, the ILO Global Business and Disability Network (GBDN) organised three regional events to provide business leaders and business allies with opportunities to jointly strategize and create synergies in the shared journey of moving towards more efficient and inclusive labour markets in Asia-Pacific countries.

The one-day hybrid workshop "Strengthening National Business and Disability Networks in Asia-Pacific" on 16 September, in Singapore, was a leadership and professional development opportunity for individuals responsible for the start-up, management, development and impact of National Business and Disability Networks (NBDNs) in the region. The event gathered more than 20 in-person representatives from NBDNs in Australia, Bangladesh, China, India, Nepal, New Zealand, the Philippines and Sri Lanka, as well as from emerging initiatives in countries like Cambodia and the Solomon Islands.

On 17 September, the ILO GBDN’s 2nd Asia-Pacific regional conference "Catalyst for Change: Disability-Inclusive Business in Asia-Pacific", took place in the Enabling Village in Singapore, with the venue kindly provided by SG Enable. After the opening – including remarks by Kaori Nakamura-Osaka (Director of the ILO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific), Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana (Executive Secretary of the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP)) and Lim Puay Tiak (Chairperson of the ASEAN Disability Forum) – the conference hosted panels on topics like good corporate practices on the employment of ppersons with disabilities, regionalising global disability approaches in Asia-Pacific, and business leadership on ensuring disability-inclusive talent pipelines.

On 19 September, the ILO GBDN led the session "Partnerships for Progress: Upholding Labour Rights of Persons with Disabilities in Asia-Pacific" at the 7th United Nations Responsible Business and Human Rights Forum Asia-Pacific, in Bangkok. Speakers were representatives from ILO GBDN company member Atos, the UN Global Compact Network Nepal, the ASEAN Disability Forum, the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities Thailand, and the UN Working Group on Business and Human Rights.

Moreover, the ILO GBDN secretariat presented its approach to building bridges between business communities and disability rights communities in the "Collaboration across borders" session of the Zero Project Asia Pacific Symposium "Powering Accessibility Innovation", hosted by SG Enable, on 18 September, in Singapore.