Publications

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The technological revolution is radically transforming the world of work and this trend is not expected to slow down. In fact, the digital economy has been significantly accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Digital measures have been essential in the immediate response to the crisis, in mitigating future outbreaks and in the recovery policies of institutions and companies. Considering the role digitalisation plays in the future of work, involving people with disabilities in the digital realm has become a non-negotiable aspect.

The inclusion of people with disabilities in the workplace is no longer absent from the business agenda. Nonetheless, managers still struggle in implementing inclusion strategies effectively. Based on examples from 15 multinational companies, employers’ organizations and business networks, this publication presents key factors leading to the successful inclusion of people with disabilities in the workplace. Divided into two main sections – the why and the how, it provides solutions and ideas on how to improve and expand existing practices, as well as guidance to those who wish to get started and take active part in transforming what it is still perceived as unusual into a natural component of the work environment.

This comprehensive compilation includes good corporate practices from 30 multinational enterprises, all members of the ILO Global Business and Disability Network, who share the goal of creating a work culture that is welcoming and inclusive of persons with disabilities. Each company presented here has shared their single best practice regarding disability inclusion, with the aim to inspire and encourage other companies to learn from these practices and to improve the inclusion of persons with disabilities in their specific corporate setting. This is even more important as more and more companies are starting their disability inclusion journey, while others are working to continue improving what already exists in their enterprises.

Disability and Corporate Social Responsibility reporting: an analysis comparing reporting practices of 40 selected multinational enterprises. Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) has become an integral part of corporate strategy in recent years. It consists of a multifaceted approach that has an impact on both society and the company. It encompasses human rights and environmental issues, contributing to community development, all the while improving company reputation, brand image and corporate culture. To explore how companies are integrating disability into their CSR work, this publication investigates reporting practices of 40 multinational enterprises.

The first edition of the Disability in the Workplace: Employers’ Organizations and Business Networks was published in 2011 to share practices on how different business organizations support and promote employment of people with disabilities. In this publication, 14 organizations introduce and share their initiatives and practices on disability inclusion. The good practice examples demonstrate that national networks can be instrumental in promoting joint initiatives among companies, for instance in providing training to disabled job seekers in professions and skills that are in demand.

In May 2020, the ILO Global Business and Disability Network conducted two surveys – one for National Business and Disability Networks (NBDN) and one for those networks’ company members – to identify good practices and gaps in responding to the COVID-19 crisis in a disability-inclusive way. In total, 159 companies from 22 countries (representing four regions) participated in the company survey, and 19 national networks participated in the NBDN survey.

A survey by the ILO Global Business and Disability Network aimed to explore how SMEs could be better supported in their efforts to become inclusive of persons with disabilities was sent to the 36 National Business and Disability Networks. This report presents the survey results, analyses them and provides key recommendations on how to enable SMEs to further promote the employment of persons with disabilities.

The ILO Global Business and Disability Network conducted a technical workshop for African National Business and Disability Networks as well as a regional conference for Africa in October 2022. The key insights and practices presented during these two ILO GBDN Africa events are consolidated in this report, thus aiming to provide an overview of key initiatives on disability inclusion in private sector companies in Africa.

In the context of a youth unemployment crisis, youth with specific disadvantages, such as having a disability, face even more barriers to decent work. In light of this challenge, the ILO Global Business & Disability Network compiled a collection of positive examples from 10 companies of different sizes sectors and countries in their efforts to train or employ young people with disabilities. Each case study provides the reader with a short overview of how initiatives were set up and implemented, with practical tips and advice from managers to encourage replication of these examples of successful initiatives.

Digital accessibility, not as a compliance measure, but as a “human-first” based digital inclusion transformation initiative, is at the beginning of its journey. If companies can establish digital accessibility as a foundational pillar to their overall digital transformation strategy and engage employees with disabilities at the product and service and workplace design phase, then we can begin to move digital impact measurement of digital accessibility away from compliance and over to innovation and business differentiation.