Joint UN Global Compact and ILO guide for employers on disability rights

How business can respect and support the rights of persons with disabilities

Developed jointly by the UN Global Compact and the ILO, the "Guide for business on the rights of persons with disabilities - How business can respect and support the rights of persons with disabilities and benefit from inclusion" suggests concrete actions and measures companies can take to implement good practices that are inclusive of persons with disabilities in the workplace, marketplace and in the community - in alignment with relevant UN conventions and frameworks.

Noticia | 22 de agosto de 2017
Promoting the rights of persons with disabilities and including them in society, as managers, employees, suppliers and consumers is a triple win: a win for persons with disabilities, a win for business, and a win for the society in general.

Many companies across the world have policies, practices and initiatives in place that seek to respect and support the rights and inclusion of persons with disabilities as employees, customers, suppliers and community members. Some of the measures are required by law, but many go beyond legal requirements recognizing the human rights and business case for inclusion. The objective of this guide is to help improve business’ understanding of the rights of people with disabilities, how to respect and support them and the opportunity to improve their competitiveness and sustainability by doing so in alignment with relevant UN conventions and frameworks. The guide is available for download here.

Chapter 1 presents the rights of persons with disabilities and explains how businesses may impact them, negatively or positively, in the workplace, marketplace and community. It also highlights the positive impact that including persons with disabilities can have on companies’ performance and sustainability.

Chapter 2 suggests concrete actions and measures companies can take to implement good practices that are inclusive of persons with disabilities in the workplace, marketplace and in the community. Examples from companies around the globe are included for illustrative purposes.

The primary audience for this publication is business professionals working in a variety of functions within companies such as: human resources, procurement, sustainability, marketing, IT, and facilities management. Some companies also have Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officers and Chief Accessibility Officers and this publication is intended for them as well.

Businesses of all sizes share the corporate responsibility to respect human rights, including the rights of people with disabilities. Some companies may be willing and able (or even required) to do more to support the rights of people with disabilities.

The publication offers some ideas in this regard, pointing the way to corporate leadership on inclusion.