Disability in the Workplace: Company Practices

This report presents 25 contemporary case studies of company policies and practices related to disability, including hiring and retention, the development of products and services, and corporate social responsibility (CSR). It has recently been described by a major multinational corporation as a "goldmine of ideas" for developing its disability diversity strategy.

Disability in the Workplace: Company Practices describes the contemporary experiences of 25 companies and their work on the issue of disability. The profiles describe company practices toward disabled persons as employees or potential employees, customers and consumers, and community members. The descriptions are short, only two to four pages, but each captures the context of company operations as it relates to the issue of disability.

The working paper is timely for many reasons. It comes in the wake of a major global economic crisis, yet the companies profiled have nevertheless given strength to their disability and diversity initiatives. It provides inspiration and guidance to companies at a time when countries are ratifying and seeking to implement the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities - a comprehensive human rights Convention for people with disabilities that will require some changes in national policies and practices related to work and employment. The working paper also responds to an emerging body of information that supports the business case for hiring people with disabilities and the interest of companies to maintain diverse workforces.