Today on International Day of Persons with Disabilities, more global companies such as Allianz, American Express, Expedia Group, FARFETCH, GSMA, L’Oréal, Philip Morris International, Philips and Schindler Group have signed up to prioritise disability inclusion on their board agendas, confirmed The Valuable 500.
That increases the number of CEOs to have joined this community to around 360 in just two years. “We are thrilled to welcome the newest of The Valuable 500 members on board in the midst of the continuing pandemic,” stated Caroline Casey, Founder of The Valuable 500. “We believe in collaboration rather than competition and the multiplier effect of the collective impact of 500 leading CEOs and brands. I am confident that over the next decade, if the business community pulls together and stands united in ensuring disability inclusion is a central part of their leadership agenda, we can truly make a difference globally.”
Those signing up recently to The Valuable 500 include Allianz, Allied Irish Banks, American Express, Amplifon UK, Anthem, Inc., The Asahi Shimbun Company, Birds Eye, The Clorox Company, Costain Group, DTEK, EDF Energy, ENEOS Holdings, Expedia Group, FARFETCH, FleishmanHillard, Grant Thornton UK LLP, GSMA, Hinduja Global Solutions, Hogan Lovells, Innocent Drinks, Keelings, Kin + Carta, Kmart Australia, L’Oréal, Ottobock SE & Co, Philips, Philip Morris International, PSEG, Regions Bank, Schindler Group, Schroders, Sekisui House, Telstra, ThoughtWorks, Unisys, ViacomCBS Networks UK, Westpac and Wickes. The latest global companies to join the movement are from around the world, including the USA, Australia, Sweden, India, Ireland, Japan, Ukraine, Germany, UK and France.
The non-profit has become one of largest network of global CEOs committed to disability inclusion. Launched at Davos in January 2019 by Caroline Casey and Paul Polman, The Valuable 500 remains the only global CEO community dedicated to radically transforming the business system across the whole supply chain for the benefit of all those with a disability. The new sign ups revealed today bring the combined revenue of The Valuable 500’s current members to over $5 trillion, encompassing 55 sectors, with over 12.8 million employees reaching across 31 countries.
ENSURING DISABIITY INCLUSION
This year, in light of the global pandemic, the day focuses on Building Back Better towards a disability-inclusive, accessible and sustainable post COVID-19 world. Today, the Valuable 500 is calling for a shift in mentality, and for business and society alike to make the next decade the decade of disruption when it comes to inclusion of persons with disabilities. Ensuring disability inclusion is firmly embedded within the whole business supply chain will not be achieved in a single day of awareness – but it can be a critical focus for the next 10 years as the world looks to “build back better”, noted the non-profit.
Currently, 15% of the global population are persons with disabilities, confirmed The Valuable 500. This number increases to 53% when you include the families of persons with disabilities. Businesses cannot afford to exclude such a significant pool of talent, diversity of thought and customers with a spending power of $8 trillion per annum.
This year has prompted much reflection on disability inclusion, from the changes to society Covid-19 has catalysed to it being the 30th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act and the 25th anniversary of Britain’s Disability Discrimination Act. It is now time to look forward and to focus on the impact and change that can be engendered in this space by the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda deadline.
CREATING FAIR & ACCESSIBLE ENVIRONMENTS
The Valuable 500 said it is continuing to work to lay the foundations for a more inclusive society over the next decade. It is already preparing to announce the next phase of its mission in early 2021, to ensure disability is valued within business. The Valuable 500 is also embarking on joint ventures with the International Paralympics Committee to promote disability inclusion.
“This is an historic moment for disability inclusion on the eve of a decade of disruption which will contribute to the delivery of the Sustainable Development Goals in 2030. The Valuable 500 will be launching a transformational change programme for business system change in 2021,” commented Casey. “Today is a day for celebrating the immense contribution persons with disabilities bring to business and society more broadly – this 15% of the global population bring diversity of thought and lived experience and a wealth of talent, all vital for the business sustainability agenda. But it must also be a day of reflection, because we are not there yet with disability inclusion, and a fair and accessible society for all.”
BUILDING BACK BETTER
The CEOs that have signed up to the Valuable 500 today are not only keen to make a difference within their own companies, but also across their sectors. Expedia Group’s CEO and Vice Chairman Peter Kern, for example, said he wants to create an “inclusive” travel industry. “We believe in the power of travel; that it can change lives, open minds and knock down barriers,” stated Kern. “As part of this, we are dedicated to creating an inclusive environment for everyone and to helping put disability on the industry’s agenda. We’re incredibly proud to join The Valuable 500’s global collective and turn our commitment to disability inclusion into action.”
L’Oréal’s commitment to disability inclusion also goes “far beyond the company”, confirmed Chairman and CEO Jean-Paul Agon. It takes into account “not only our employees but also our consumers and our communities worldwide. As such, we are particularly proud to join The Valuable 500 and to stand among a network of business leaders committed to this essential issue. Building disability inclusion into the new normal is essential to our mission to create the beauty that moves the world”, he added.
For Yoshihiro Nakai, President & Representative Director of Sekisui House, it’s about making “home the happiest place in the world, by integrating housing-focused technologies, lifestyle designs and services through our various business domains. Putting priority on disability inclusion, we will continue to maximize the happiness and wellbeing of our customers, employee, and society as a whole, as a member of The Valuable 500”.
MAKING A MEANINGFUL IMPACT
André Calantzopoulos, CEO of Philip Morris International, believes that businesses with a global operating footprint, can make a meaningful impact by ensuring that everyone – including individuals with a disability – can prosper in the workplace. “By signing The Valuable 500, I am proud to join forces with a host of other CEOs who are challenging their organisations and the business world to broaden the focus of their inclusion and diversity efforts, and to help create a more inclusive world for the 1.3 billion people with disabilities,” confirmed Calantzopoulos. “This is the right thing to do as part of our broader work to create a more equitable society. And it is also the smart thing to do, allowing PMI to tap into a population of talented individuals whose diverse perspectives and life experiences will help us to unlock the creativity and innovation needed to propel us toward our vision of a smoke-free future.”
For most CEOS, their main focus is on creating an inclusive workplace environment first. “We’re passionate about creating an environment which feels fully inclusive every day, where everyone’s feelings and experiences matter, where all our people are treated fairly, and the mental health of our people is prioritised,” stated Dave Dunckley, CEO of Grant Thornton UK LLP. “Enabling sustainable change requires collective action, which is why we’re really proud to become part of The Valuable 500. We’re looking forward to working with other organisations to create environments that are enabling to people of all abilities.”
Miguel Zaldivar, CEO of Hogan Lovells, shares a similar view: “Inclusion of individuals with different abilities is a key focus of our firm. We have had a longstanding commitment to people of different abilities across the globe, and we are excited that our participation in The Valuable 500 will accelerate our progress. We want our people of all abilities to understand that Hogan Lovells is a place where they belong and can thrive.”
EQUAL OPPORTUNITY
Most CEOS are also keen to ensure that all staff have access to equal opportunity to progress. “AIB has over 9,000 staff and 2.8 million customers, and this makes us acutely aware of our responsibility to ensure that everyone is given the same chance,” commented AIB CEO Colin Hunt. “We hold economic and social inclusion as one of the pillars of our sustainability strategy, and constantly seek ways to increase our positive impact on society. This is why our relationship with the Valuable 500 is a powerful match in what we do and want to achieve. AIB is proud to support Valuable 500 and their commitment to putting disability on the business leadership agenda.”
DTEK’s CEO Maxim Timchenko agrees: “We recognise that all people are unique and strive to create an environment in which everyone can fulfill their potential. This approach promotes the emergence of new ideas, the introduction of innovations and creative solutions. This helps DTEK company in our endeavours to ensuring societal progress and prosperity, as well as our efforts to help shape a favourable environment for people with disabilities and the elderly to thrive.”
Anthem’s President and CEO Gail K. Boudreaux, also confirmed the company’s “commitment to disability inclusion”. “Our focus on fostering an inclusive workplace where people with disabilities feel welcomed and accepted, while contributing their talents to improving lives and communities across America is paramount to our mission,” stated Boudreaux. “We are honoured to be part of this effort to increase opportunities and access for people with disabilities around the world.”
SOLVING MOBILITY CHALLENGES
Solving mobility challenges that many people with disabilities face “is an essential part Schindler Group’s business”, pointed out CEO Thomas Oetterli. “As an employer, Schindler Group is committed to advancing our inclusive culture and enriching our diversity. We have been embracing diverse abilities and already today have targeted programmes to include differently-abled people in our operations. Going forward, a Group Executive led task force will define strategies for hiring and on-boarding more people with disabilities.”
Similarly, overcoming mobility challenges is the main focus for Ottobock SE & Co KGaA. “For more than 100 years, we have been helping people to maintain or regain their mobility and thereby to get back into their everyday lives. Because for us, quality of life is closely linked to personal freedom and independence. Diversity is part of our DNA,” stated Philipp Schulte-Noelle, CEO of Ottobock SE & Co KGaA. “With our engagement for the Paralympic sport, we continue to push the topic onto the public agenda. We are proud to further expand our commitment to a diverse society by becoming a member of The Valuable 500 community.”
PRIORITISING DISABILITY INCLUSION
Disability inclusion is a key priority for Xiao Guo, President and CEO of ThoughtWorks. “We aspire to be a home for all technologists, and we will continue to take action to make that a reality. We are excited to learn and grow in this space and encourage others to think about how they can commit to disability inclusion,” said Guo. “Our commitment to The Valuable 500 is true to ThoughtWorks’ culture. We are a people business, a community of passionate individuals that are committed to building a better, more inclusive society and – through our work – to become advocates for sustainable, positive social change. Being a part of The Valuable 500 is a natural choice for ThoughtWorks; it is an important step in our journey of inclusion as we strive to be a positive force for change.”
FleishmanHillard’s President and CEO John Saunders agrees: Disability Inclusion is a “top priority – not just for the future but for today. We are humbled to be part of The Valuable 500 and to commit our efforts in support of disability inclusion, as part of a stated ambition to be the most inclusive communications agency”.
Ota Katsuyuki, Representative Director and President of ENEOS Holdings, shares the same sentiment. “ENEOS will continue to actively promote diversity and inclusion in order to create an environment where each and every employee can work energetically, and strive to enhance our corporate value in order to contribute to the development of society and the creation of a vibrant future,” said Katsuyuki.
Recently, leading CEOs from some of the world’s largest organisations called for disability inclusion to be addressed more than once every four years. Click here to read more.
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