Publications

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Typically, like other societal actors, enterprises are on a learning journey regarding the way disability inclusion, including the employment of persons in their own workforces, can be made effective and sustainable. National Business and Disability Networks (NBDNs) can provide non-judgmental and encouraging employers-led platforms at country level.

Persons with disabilities face unique challenges in the context of climate change – both in terms of how they are directly impacted as well as the obstacle faced in taking advantage of emerging labour market opportunities – and are often overlooked in the development and implementation of climate policies and adaptation efforts. To achieve a just transition, it is necessary that empowerment and training in emerging green job niches are inclusive to the needs of disadvantaged groups, that social dialogue with underrepresented groups is central in all policymaking processes, and that inclusion and accessibility are incorporated in the greening process and social protection systems.

New forces are transforming the world of work, bringing with them risks and opportunities for persons with disabilities. The ILO’s Global Business and Disability Network (GBDN) hosted a landmark event on 21-22 November 2019 to identify key issues that need to be addressed to make the future of work inclusive of persons with disabilities. With over 250 experts and leaders from business, civil society and international organizations, the conference built bridges between global efforts on the future of work and disability inclusion.

The future of work is still to be shaped, and we can all influence it to some extent. Driven by this idea and aware of the urgency to take action, the ILO Global Business and Disability Network and Fundación ONCE have developed this publication. This is a first exercise to connect different areas of debate, looking at the key trends of the future of work from a disability perspective and seeking to identify specific action needed in order to shape the future of work in a more disability-inclusive way.

This easy-to-read version of the 2019 publication “Making the future of work inclusive of people with disabilities” shows how to ensure that the future of work is inclusive, leaving no one behind, including the one billion persons with disabilities living on our planet.

This easy-to-read version of the 2021 publication “An inclusive digital economy for people with disabilities” takes a closer look at the digital transformation of the world of work and how it affects opportunities and challenges for the inclusion of persons with disabilities.

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.

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.

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.

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.