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Hiring
people with disabilities makes good business sense – that’s the
message of a ground-breaking workshop being organised by the
International Labour Organization (ILO). About
80 people representing more than a dozen multi-national companies (MNCs)
as well as Governments and disabled persons’ groups, will attend
the one-day event, being held in “This
is the first meeting of its kind in Asia Pacific that we know of,”
said Debra Perry. “The ILO is working directly with leading MNCs
as well as governments and advocacy groups to improve the employment
prospects of disabled people in this region. We are thrilled that
these companies, who include many household names, are so
enthusiastic about working with us”. There
are more than 370 million disabled people in Asia Pacific (more than
half the global total), of whom 238 million are of working age.
The
meeting will focus on the business case for hiring and retaining
workers with physical, mental or intellectual disabilities. Experts
will argue that such workers make good, dependable employees who are
likely to stay on the job, that a more diverse workforce builds
better teamwork and morale, and that recruiting people with
disabilities taps into an underexploited pool of skills, experience
and talents. The
specialists also point out that employees with disabilities can give
valuable insights into a multi-billion dollar – but overlooked –
market segment which includes not only disabled consumers but their
families and friends. As
well as improving contacts, awareness and discussion, the organisers
hope the meeting will launch strategic partnerships between the
companies, governments and advocacy groups.
It should also identify specific problems in hiring and
training disabled people, as well as concrete action steps to
address these challenges. The
meeting, “Unlocking Potential: A Multinational Corporation
Roundtable on Disability and Employment”, is being held at the
United Nations Conference Centre. It is being organized jointly by
the ILO and the Economic and Social Commission for For
more information please contact: Debra
Perry
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Public Information
