April was IBM’s Neurodiversity Acceptance Month

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Neurodiversity is a concept which neurological differences are recognized and respected as any other human diversity. A few years ago, IBM launched a global Neurodiversity Program, which promotes neurodivergent-friendly hiring, development opportunities and neurodiversity training for all employees.

IBM’s vision is to incorporate neurodivergent-friendly hiring strategies into recruitment, so that it becomes the way the company hires everyone, not a specific talent pool.

In 2021, IBM is expanding from the 2019 and 2020 editions of the April Autism Awareness Month to a 2021 April Neurodiversity Acceptance Month.  IBM is celebrated all neurological differences – not only autism – throughout April, by sharing stories and providing opportunities to increase IBMer’s understanding and awareness towards acceptance of all neurodivergent people, by fostering company-wide support for neurodiversity.

Although the month-long celebration is not an official month celebrated nationally or globally like black history or women’s history months, IBM, along with other businesses, NGOs, universities and other partners have decided to adopt a one-month long neurodiversity celebration.

This will help fight the misconception that neurodivergent equals Autism only and not other conditions such as ADHD, dyslexia, dyspraxia, Tourette’s syndrome. The celebration highlighted cross-sectionality of neurodiversity across gender, race, ethnicity, sexual identity/expression, and country/region representation. Learn more here.