The Valuable 500, the largest network of global CEOs committed to disability inclusion, has announced the launch of Generation Valuable; a programme designed to accelerate opportunities for people with disabilities to become future C-suite leaders.
Generation Valuable will connect and incubate C-Suite talent with disabled talent and will have a profound effect on both. Launching Generation Valuable at the World Economic Forum this week, the Valuable 500 is seeking nominations of disabled talent with at least five years of experience who aspire to reach C-Suite level from its 500 members of the Collective. The programme will foster new perspectives; deepen understandings; cultivate growth; and attack the challenges that rising disabled talent faces once they’ve achieved middle management.
There will be a concerted effort to ensure that the Generation Valuable mentees will be representative of all business functions; especially those with a P&L significance to their company rather than exclusively HR and DEI roles. The first cohort will consist of 75 rising stars with at least five years of experience; the announcement of which will coincide with International Day for Persons with Disabilities in December. With 15% of people living with a disability worldwide announcing the first 75 Generation Valuable mentees representing 15% of our Valuable 500 members holds great significance.
LAUNCHPAD FOR LEADERS WITH DISABILITIES
The first organisations to support the programme by agreeing to be part of the first cohort include Deloitte, L’Oréal, Mahindra, MSD, Omnicom Group and P&G. The C-Suite executives will gain invaluable insight into the inclusion gaps within their business line strategies; as well as the lived experience of disabled employees and consumers within their organisation and beyond. Generation Valuable will be an incredible launchpad for disability leaders and champions of today so that they can drive disability inclusion and accessibility efforts in their companies; influence systemic change; and sit in the boardrooms of tomorrow.
Each Generation Valuable participant will be paired with a mentor at C-Suite level in their organisation. Over the course of one year the pair will engage in up to six discussions touching on each of the six pillars of the Valuable 500 Transformation programme; and including other members of the C-suite related to those impact areas. The six pillars are C-Suite, Culture, Customer, Reporting, Representation and Research. In order to deliver against these pillars, the Valuable 500 are designing nine Iconic Solutions with their 15 iconic leader companies.
The Valuable 500 is delighted to be collaborating and developing the programme with its Co-chairs, KR Liu from Google and Sam Latif from P&G. The launch follows the recent 2022 Valuable Truth Report, conducted across the businesses within the Valuable 500 collective. The report found that representation is key; and companies are working to improve disabled representation and foster an inclusive work ethos. Around 65% report adjusting their interview process, 74% advertise as an inclusive employer; and 62% explicitly encourage applications from disabled candidates. Representation is vital to changing the industry; and Generation Valuable is an important step in achieving this, highlighted the Valuable 500.
Leading disability charity highlights continued discrimination against disabled workers; with 1 in 5 employers less likely to employ people with a disability. Click here to read more.
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