More than 500 business leaders, HR professionals and disability inclusion experts from 39 countries came together at the Business Disability Forum (BDF) Global Conference yesterday (7 July) to explore how organisations can turn today’s global challenges into opportunities for meaningful and lasting disability inclusion.
The conference, Delivering disability-inclusive change in global organisations, brought together leading voices from multinational companies, disability organisations and global business networks to share practical strategies for embedding disability inclusion across international workforces, cultures and markets. Opening the conference, Diane Lightfoot, CEO of BDF, highlighted both the challenges and opportunities facing organisations committed to disability inclusion amid rapid global change.
Addressing delegates, she stated: “Global disability inclusion brings significant benefits for disabled people, society and business. Leading and achieving positive organisational transformation when external change is happening at such pace and with such momentum, however, is a significant challenge. How do we cut through the noise and confusion around us? And how do we turn current challenges into opportunities to achieve meaningful and lasting change for our disabled employees and customers?
“I believe that the starting point must be equipping ourselves and our staff. Being able to cope with and navigate not just uncertain but chaotic times is increasingly becoming a key skill for all of us. There are many sobering reports that suggest the possible toll that AI could have on jobs. But while it seems clear that some jobs will go, other jobs and other skills will take their place.
AI IMPACT DISABILITY INCLUSION
People skills have always been important to the workplace, but AI is making them more so. But what does this mean for people who don’t have these skills or find this type of work more difficult? And what does this mean for line managers?
“Training is important, but we also need to be very aware of the impact of change on workplace mental health. This is not just an issue for the current workforce. It’s a critical issue for the next generation,” explained Lightfoot. “In May, the Milburn Review report highlighted that, in the UK, one million young people are not in education, employment or training, with high numbers of young people citing disability and mental health as key factors. Change is possible, even against these challenges and across very different contexts and countries. Today, we will hear from organisations and businesses that are overcoming these barriers and the difference they are making to the lives of disabled people around the world.”
GROWING DISABILITY INCLUSION CHALLENGES
Ahead of the conference, Business Disability Forum asked its members and partners how the past 12 months had affected their disability inclusion work. The findings show that global political and economic pressures are increasingly influencing inclusion strategies. Around 30% of members and 38% of partners said their work had been affected by the negative global narrative surrounding disability inclusion.
Despite these challenges, attendance at the conference demonstrated continued commitment from businesses worldwide. “The presence of more than 500 delegates from at least 39 countries at today’s conference shows the significance of global disability inclusion to business and employers. Even with tough global conditions and financial environments, there is a clear momentum shift and driven by people working together across cultures, sectors and countries,” Lightfoot added.
ATTRACTING AND RETAINING DISABLED TALENT
Across every region, organisations recognise that attracting, retaining and supporting disabled talent – and creating accessible products and services for disabled customers – makes strong business sense. However, delivering consistent disability inclusion across multiple countries requires changes to leadership, workplace culture, policies, technology and organisational processes.
Keynote speaker Lyn Lee, DEI strategist and author of Tiny Rice Grains – who also is the winner of this year’s Smart Disability Impact Awards for Life Time achievement category – encouraged delegates to focus on achievable action. “It can feel overwhelming, particularly in the current climate, to see how we can each make a difference. But it is vital to focus and not try to do everything at once. Every small action and working together can lead to effective change,” said Lee. “This means that true global leadership isn’t about where you sit or the influence you hold. It’s about recognising that every person, in every role and every corner of the world, has the power to make inclusion a daily practice. Like tiny rice grains, our individual actions may seem small but, together, they create the lasting culture change that makes disability inclusion possible.”
PRACTICAL STRATEGIES FOR DISABILITY INCLUSION WORLDWIDE
Alongside keynote sessions from Diane Lightfoot and Lyn Lee, delegates heard from international experts sharing practical examples of how organisations are embedding disability inclusion across different countries and cultures.
Max Simpson, CEO of Steps Social Enterprise in Thailand, spoke about the importance of moving beyond compliance-based approaches. “We see companies take a very compliance-based approach and stop with hiring the required quota of 1:100 employees. Then, challenges come up, like they can’t retain just one employee who uses sign language, or someone who is actually under-employed because they didn’t take a strengths-based approach to match them to a suitable role,” noted Simpson. “We see inclusion work when companies take a strategic approach by looking at policy, practice and culture, and start to implement it through a pilot site or programme, like an internship cohort, to create a sense of success and community for everyone.”
Murteza Rafi Khan, CEO of the Bangladesh Business & Disability Network, highlighted the growing momentum for disability inclusion across Bangladesh. “Disability inclusion is gaining momentum in Bangladesh. Responsible businesses are strengthening internal disability confidence, while also investing in external initiatives that address the needs of persons with disabilities,” shared Khan. “The global supply chains of multinational brands continue to influence greater local adoption of inclusive practices, while industry associations are coming forward to motivate their members to take action. Against the backdrop of economic headwinds and contracting foreign assistance that has often supported inclusion initiatives, the need and opportunity for responsible businesses to take a leadership role in advancing the disability inclusion agenda, in collaboration with key stakeholders, has never been greater.”
ADVANCING DISABILITY INCLUSION GLOBALLY
This year’s conference was sponsored by HSBC. Commenting on the event, Carolanne Minashi, Global Head of Inclusion at HSBC, said: “The theme of this year’s conference is both timely and highly relevant. Advancing disability inclusion matters globally because it helps remove barriers to opportunity and enables people to participate fully in work and society. We can all achieve this at scale by embedding inclusive design and accessible technology, strengthening policies and leadership accountability, and listening to lived experience to drive measurable, sustained change.”
The conference featured several other speakers from leading global businesses and disability organisations, including:
- Adrian Ward, Operations Director, Business Disability Forum
- Joanne Austin, Global Inclusion Delivery Support Manager, HSBC
- Agata Robińska, President & Founder, YES to Disability Foundation (Poland)
- Heidi Small, Global Disability Affairs Regional Lead, JPMorgan Chase
- Julie Thomas, Global Director Inclusion & Diversity, Coca-Cola Europacific Partners
- Anahi Lafon, Global Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Impact Director, L’Oréal (France)
- Sweety Kandekar, VP – HR Consulting, HSBC (India)
Find out more about the conference here.
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