2014ANNUAL REPORT

ILO Global Business & Disability Network

WHO WE AREThe ILO Global Business and Disability Network is a network of multinational enterprises, employers’ organizations, business networks and disability organizations around the world who share the conviction that people with disabilities add value to workplaces.

Since 2010, this joint initiative of the ILO Bureau for Employers’ Activities and the Gender, Equality and Diversity Branch in the Conditions of Work and Equality Department has gathered 45 multinational enterprises and employers’ organizations and business networks from a diverse range of sectors.

Our ambitiOnFoster the development of a workforce culture that is respectful and inclusive, promoting the hiring, retention and professional development of people with disabilities.

Our missiOnRaise awareness about the positive relationship between the inclusion of people with disabilities in the workplace and business success.

WHAT WE dOThe ILO Global Business and Disability Network supports its members in their disability work and facilitates business-to-business dialogue around disability issues by:

1 Sharing knowledge and identifying good practices

2 Developing joint products and services

3 Strengthening employers’ organizations and business networks through capacity building

MESSAGE FROM THE SECRETARIAT2014 REPRESENTED A YEAR OF TRANSFORMATION FOR THE ILO GLOBAL BUSINESS AND DISABILITY NETWORK WHERE EXISTING MEMBERS WERE INVITED TO REITERATE THEIR COMMITMENT.

WE CONTINUE TO SHARE THE CONVICTION THAT PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES BRING ADDED VALUE TO WORKPLACES AND ARE A MAJOR COMPONENT OF THE DIVERSITY THAT ENRICHES ALL ASPECTS OF CORPORATE CULTURE. During the Network’s fourth year of existence, its structure and existing practices were evaluated and redesigned in order to continue on the right path to achieve its primary goals. Existing members were given the opportunity to renew their commitment to this global initiative and new members joined our journey in exploring the avenue of a global partnership. We have welcomed AXA S.A. as a full supporting member and Dell International Services (India) and bit group GmbH (Austria) as associate members. We remain ever grateful for the continuous support of those who chose to stay on board and for the contributions from our former members.

In 2014, new initiatives emerged. “The Ability Factor”, a global awareness raising animated video was produced as the first part of what we envisage to become a series of short, simple yet powerful videos showing the many ways people with disabilities contribute to the world of work. The Network also held its first global meeting, “Business as unusual”, bringing together both members and non-members, representatives from the private and public sectors, disabled persons’ organizations and international institutions around the general theme of disability inclusion and the contemporary issue of mental-ill health and work.

Employers’ organizations and national business networks continued to receive support and assistance in their work at the country level. A new business and disability network was launched in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, a Peruvian network has started to take shape and seeds of a new such initiative were planted in Zambia.

Finally, a self-assessment tool designed to assist enterprises in benchmarking, evaluating current disability inclusion strategies and practices, and guiding future strategies was made available. The tool was designed in cooperation among members through our working groups.

We look ahead with strengthened enthusiasm, encouraged by the reinforced commitment from our current members and the fresh ideas and energy brought in by our new members. We remain confident that together we can help transform the world of work into a more inclusive and fair place for all, respectful of the diversity that makes it so vibrant.

The ILO Global Business and Disability Team

2014 IN REVIEW HIGHLIGHTS

The Ability Factor © ILO

marCHOn March 12, the Network launched an online campaign to raise awareness of employers worldwide about the benefits of hiring people with disabilities. The “Ability Factor” video explores how people with disabilities represent an untapped pool of skills that can enhance any business, but for whom misconceptions, prejudice, physical and information barriers hamper access to the labour market.

The Ability Factor was featured on the ILO’s main website and social media channels. Tata Consultancy Services, Novartis, Carrefour, Delta Holding, IBM, Fundacion Adecco, Sodexo, Ernst & Young and many other companies, as well as employers’ organizations, DPOs and the Screen Actor’s Guild supported the campaign by featuring it on their websites, intranets, blogs and social media channels. It can be viewed at http://bit.ly/abilityfactor with subtitles in Arabic, French, Indonesian, Japanese, Spanish and Vietnamese. It is also available on Youku with Chinese subtitles. An audio description version for the visually impaired can be viewed at http://bit.ly/abilityfactorAD

As a part of the campaign, Yves Veulliet, Global Disability & Inclusion Manager at IBM, described in an article featured at the ILO’s main website how his disability became irrelevant in his career path much due to an enabling environment that allowed him to thrive. Sreela DasGupta, Global Diversity & Inclusion manager at Tata Consultancy Services and Sean Callaghan, General Manager at Sodexo in Toronto, Canada also shared their stories and views on how disability is not an obstacle in itself to perform a given job. You can read the full article at http://www.businessanddisability.org/index.php/en/news-and-events/news/180-right-and-smart

aPriLOn April 27, the Network held a meeting in Bangalore, India, to provide participants with a better understanding of what disability inclusion in the workplace entails and to explore ways to move forward within the national context.

Hosted by Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), the event gathered 50 participants from multinationals operating in India, national enterprises and employers’ organizations from India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.The event was structured around four discussion panels during which participants learned more about the essential aspects of successful company disability inclusion policies and actively debated companies’ role in the matter.

The consensus was that there is both a need and an opportunity to develop potential and inject it in the Indian labour market. So far, companies are taking individual initiatives to encourage the employment of disabled persons, but these remain few.

The Employers’ Federation of Ceylon, Sri Lanka, reminded participants that vocational training entities in the region often offer trainings for people with disabilities that do not match the job market demands. TCS encouraged other companies to provide skills training or support it by partnering with other organizations in an effort to solve the lack of qualified candidates with disabilities in the region.

Following the meeting, on April 28, the Network organized a Disability Equality Training (DET) to stimulate change in the way disability is perceived. Attitudinal barriers sustained by a stigma that associates disability with karma and divine punishment still influence how people with disabilities are regarded in India.

The ILO’s DET methodology is based on dynamic and highly participative groupwork that aims at stimulating actual and meaningful change in participants’ day-to-day work and lives. Using simple exercises, the training proves to be an eye-opener for many, even for those who are already exposed to disability issues.

OCtObErOn October 31, the Network held its first worldwide meeting at the International Labour Organization headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland. Entitled “Business as unusual: Making workplaces inclusive of people with disabilities”, the meeting highlighted the importance of innovation and partnership in transforming disability inclusion into a usual, natural practice in companies.

The event was divided into three sessions, with two Network business meetings and a high level panel. The high-level panel hosted a number of speakers including the ILO’s Director-General, Guy Ryder, who emphasized the fundamental role of multinational enterprises in promoting the inclusion of people with disabilities in the labour market. Shruti Singh (OECD) delivered a presentation on the economic impact of mental ill-health in the workplace, “a topic that has been neglected for far too long” and at the same time “has become one of the most important economic challenges we face today”, according to Singh. The high-level panel was webcast live and a recording is available at http://bit.ly/disabilitywebcast

The two business meetings included disability inclusion practices from Tata Consultancy Services, L’Oréal, Employers’ Federation of Ceylon, Sodexo, Standard Bank, IBM, Audi,

Wipro, Telenor, Dow and USCIB. Panelists and participants discussed how companies and organizations can transform mindsets and attitudes regarding disability misconceptions and foster inclusive and diverse workplaces.

DECEmbErOn December 2, the Network, supported by the ILO office in Japan, organized a workshop to discuss challenges facing companies in employing people with disabilities in Japan. The workshop was a part of the Conference on Vocational Rehabilitation for People with Disabilities, held by the Japan Organization for Employment of the Elderly, Persons with Disabilities and Job Seekers (JEED) annually.

Ernst & Young Japan, Axa Life Japan and Dow Automotive Systems Pacific presented their current inclusion practices and discussed experiences, challenges and solutions within the Japanese context.

The workshop provided participants with concrete evidence of the positive impact of disability inclusion on staff diversity and on success in accessing new markets and products. Lessons learned also included the importance of top level commitment to the issue and involvement with community initiatives that benefit people with disabilities.

Business as unusual meeting in Geneva. © ILO/Young J.

From our shared experiences around the globe, we have discovered that the best spokespeople to convey the message that disability inclusion is right and business-smart are employers themselves. Hence, by sharing knowledge and exemplary practices from companies who already benefit from employing capable people with disabilities, we advocate for decent work and support employers who want to get started but do not know how.

In 2014, the Network carried out the following activities:

rEsEarCH anD PubLiCatiOnsbusinEss as unusuaL: maKinG WOrKPLaCEs inCLusiVE OF PEOPLE WitH DisabiLitiEsAlthough disability inclusion is already a reality in many companies and organizations, some still encounter difficulties in finding information on how to get started or solve problems that may arise. With this in mind, the Network published a compilation of successful examples from 15 multinational companies, employers’ organizations and business networks. Beyond describing each of these examples, the publication addresses the why and the how of disability inclusion, providing concrete guidance on how to begin or improve and expand existing practices, with a view to contribute in transforming disability inclusion into a natural component of any corporate strategy and practice.

inCLuDinG YOutH WitH DisabiLitiEsFor young people, it is hard to find a decent job. For young people with disabilities, it is even harder. To encourage businesses of all sizes to give young people with disabilities an opportunity to prove they, too, can work, the Network has published 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 example provides the reader with a step-by-step overview of how initiatives were set up and implemented, including practical tips from managers.

COrPOratE sOCiaL rEsPOnsibiLitY anD DisabiLitYTo explore how companies are integrating disability into their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) work, the Network has published a comparative analysis of CSR reporting practices of 40 multinational enterprises. While a company may carry out a multitude of activities, many can go unnoticed, especially if they are not given much attention when being reported. Reports are indicative of where a company sets its priorities and also provide information on the way in which persons with disabilities are regarded within a company. This research sought to shed a light on the current situation and extent of company disability reporting on CSR policies and activities in their global operations.

SHARING KNOWLEdGE & IdENTIFYING GOOd PRACTICES

To be truly useful, products and services need to be developed taking into account the end-user’s needs. Through working groups involving companies, representatives of the disability community and academic and research institutions, the Network continued to develop and improve the following joint products and services in 2014:

COuntrY PrOFiLEsIn 2014, research on the current national disability and employment related laws and information at country level continued and expanded. In addition to Brazil, China, India, Jordan, Peru, South Africa, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates, the Network carried out research on the situation in other 6 countries.

The profiles will provide employers with at-a-glance information to assist those who wish to pursue disability inclusion in the workplace and compliance at the country level. They are available online on www.businessanddisability.org.

This initiative was developed with the support of Accor Hotels, Casino Group, Ernst & Young, Orange, Serasa Experian, the International Disability Alliance and Cornell University School of Industrial and Labor Relations.

Coordinated by the Network Secretariat, the working group developed the structure and format of the profiles. They also provided support in reviewing preliminary samples and in identifying consultants on the ground that developed the content.

sELF-assEssmEnt tOOLTo assist companies in identifying specific management and practice gaps as well as strengths, the Network launched an online self-assessment tool for managers or professionals directly involved in implanting disability inclusion strategies within their businesses. The tool is intended to serve as a starting point in leading to effective disability inclusion in the workplace.

Based on the ILO Code of Practice for Managing Disability in the Workplace (2002), it covers a wide range of topics including recruitment, career development, accessibility, reasonable accommodation and so forth, designed to serve as a guiding thread for inclusion through all stages of planning and implementation.

Led by the Network Secretariat, the tool was produced in collaboration between Network members Carrefour, Tata Consultancy Services, Orange, Novartis, International Disability Alliance (IDA) and the UK Business and Disability Forum. It is available at http://www.businessanddisability.org/satools

dEVELOPING JOINT PROdUCTS & SERVICES

© Young J.

STRENGHTENING EMPLOYERS’ ORGANIzATIONS & bUSINESS NETWORKSTHROUGH CAPACITY bUILdINGNational business and disability networks are an effective channel for pushing for changes and improvements in countries, acting as platforms for dialogue. By supporting and building the capacity of employers’ organizations and national business networks, the Network extends its reach to small and medium enterprises at the local level. We pay special attention to organizations and networks in developing countries and those that are unfamiliar with disability.

In 2014, the Network supported the following initiatives:

natiOnaL businEss anD DisabiLitY nEtWOrK LaunCHED in tHE KinGDOm OF sauDi arabiaOn March 9, the Qaderoon Business Disability Network was launched during an event in Riyahd, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Since its launch, Qaderoon – which can be translated as “capable people”, has been raising awareness of employers in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia about the benefits of including persons with disability as equal and effective members of the workforce.

Among many activities, including a series of regular workshops held in collaboration with the Ministry of Labour, Qaderoon has been involved since its launch in the development of the KSA Disability Confidence Index, a framework to improve disability confidence among employers in the country. The Saudi index is being developed with the support of the UK Business Disability Forum and modeled after its Disability Standard - a measure of an organizations’ ability to be inclusive.

Qaderoon Business and Disability Network was set up with support from the ILO Global Business and Disability Network, who provided guidance and capacity building in the early stages of Qaderoon’s creation.

sEttinG uP a natiOnaL businEss anD DisabiLitY nEtWOrK in PEruIn a time of change in Peru, with the new General Law of People with Disabilities now in effect, a Peruvian Business and Disability Network can provide a platform for dialogue between all stakeholders involved in creating decent jobs for people with disabilities and truly inclusive workplaces in Peru.

In view of setting up such a network, the ILO has been carrying out preparatory work since July, discussing with companies, business associations, organizations of persons with disabilities, specialized NGOs and the Peruvian Ministry of Labour. Last December 9, the ILO held an event in Lima with logistical support from L’Oréal Peru.

The event gathered over 60 participants from multinational companies present in Peru, small and medium local enterprises, the disability community and the public sector.

While cases vary in Peru – from large companies who have been employing people with disabilities for several years (Repsol, Liederman, Securitas), to smaller companies that have recently begun (Kiddys Place, Baronet) – all seem to face a common major challenge: finding job candidates with

disabilities with the minimum core skills to enter the labour market. This challenge was further highlighted by NGOs that provide employment services for people with disabilities. They demonstrated the complexity of finding, training and finally placing disabled candidates, despite the growing demand. Thus, the consensus among both panelists and participants was the need for education and skills training that match what companies are seeking in the labour market in Peru.

Bearing this in mind, the Ministry of Labour is treating the implementation of the new law and its regulations with an open approach, taking into account many of the suggestions and comments put forward by companies.

The meeting resulted in an outcome document containing formal commitments from many companies to form and actively participate in the Peruvian Network with support from the ILO.

CaPaCitY buiLDinGunLOCKinG POtEntiaL in Zambia On July 1, the ILO held a daylong roundtable on disability and employment with the Zambia Federation of Employers (ZFE) in Lusaka, Zambia. The aim was to provide guidance to the employers’ organization in view of setting the groundwork for a national business and disability network in the country.

The roundtable discussion focused on the challenges and solutions ZFE needs to consider regarding the workplace inclusion of people with disabilities. Dr. Jerry Gule of the

South African Employers for Disability (SAE4D) shared the South African Network’s experiences and provided its future Zambian counterpart with valuable advice on organizational issues involved in creating such an initiative.

A number of business representatives from Zambian companies showcased good practices in a panel just prior to the roundtable discussion. The panel demonstrated that disability is a major and growing issue in Zambia and that there is in fact a sense of commitment to this type of inclusion among Zambian employers.

The Network will continue to support ZFE in 2015 in forming a business and disability network in Zambia.

Participants of the ILO event in Lima, Peru. © ILO

Participants at the roundtable in Lusaka, Zambia © ILO

OUR STEERING COMMITTEE muLtinatiOnaL EntErPrisEs Accor Hotels

Adecco

Carrefour

Casino Group

Dow Chemical Company

L’Oréal

Novartis

Standard Bank

EmPLOYErs’ OrGaniZatiOn US Council for International Business (USCIB)

DisabLED PErsOns’ OrGaniZatiOnInternational Disability Alliance (IDA)

sECrEtariat International Labour Organization (ILO)

OUR MEMbERS muLtinatiOnaL EntErPrisEs Accenture

Accor Hotels

Adecco

AXA S.A.

bit group GmbH

Carrefour

Casino

Dell International Services

Delta Holding

The Dow Chemical Company

Ernst & Young

Genashtim Innovative Learning

IBM

Infosys

L’Oréal

Mphasis

Novartis

Orange

Serasa Experian

Sodexo

Standard Bank

Tata Consultancy Services

Telefónica

Telenor

Volvo

Wipro

EmPLOYErs’ OrGaniZatiOnsBangladesh Employers’ Federation

BusinessNZ, New Zealand

Chamber of Industries of Guayaquil, Ecuador

Chilean Federation of Industry (SOFOFA)

China Enterprise Confederation

Employers’ Federation of Ceylon, Sri Lanka

Employers’ Federation of India

Employers’ Organization of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina

Mauritius Employers’ Federation

Republican Union of Employers in Armenia (RUEA)

US Council for International Business

Viet Nam Chamber of Commerce and Industry

EmPLOYErs nEtWOrKsNational Association of Software and Services Companies (NASSCOM), India

PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry, New Delhi, India

US Business Leadership Network

businEss anD DisabiLitY nEtWOrKsAustralian Employers Network on Disability

Business Disability Forum, UK

Business Network of Social Inclusion, Brazil

Qaderoon Business Disability Network, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

ILO Global Business & Disability NetworkRoute des Morillons, 4

CH-1211 Geneva 22Switzerland

www.businessanddisability.org