Why are businesses not focussed on disability?

Last Thursday (10/1/19) I listened to Wake up to Money on Radio 5 Live and heard Caroline Casey, the founder of Binc talk about disability inclusion. Her message was that there should be a business led disability inclusion revolution and that is the message which she is taking to Davos where she will share the main stage with Paul Polman the CEO of Unilver.

This got me thinking as although I do not consider myself to have a disability I am very involved in the disability community and have often reflected on the lack of representation in the private and public sectors.

Although there are often employee groups which represent disabled employees it is the sheer lack of numbers which is obvious. When you consider that 20% of the UK population identifies with a disability and worldwide there are over 1 billion people why is it they are so under-represented in the working population. I would guess that the actual representation in businesses is between 1% and 2%,.

When you look at company’s profiles there are always a few employees highlighted but they are the minority. I also see lots of examples where disabled people are given volunteering opportunities which is a euphemism for free labour, working alongside paid employees. This is unfair and is demeaning for the person.

So what is preventing companies employing disable people. Is there a fear of what they are taking on. Perhaps and assumption that more training will be required or they will be off sick more. Perhaps there is a concern that it would present the wrong image to a customer and not represent the company correctly.

What about looking at this from the other side, that of the customer. That same 20% of the population are customers and if they feel that they are not getting the service that they need they will go somewhere else. What better way to engage with disabled people than have people working for you that understand their needs best. No surprise who that is!

So here’s hoping that there is a business led revolution that see the value of disabled people and puts them at the heart of business strategy.