Companies’ good practices promote wider inclusive workplaces
The ILO and the Indonesian Business and Disability Network (IBDN) continue to work together with companies and its social partners to promote inclusive world of work.
16 June 2021
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To continue promoting inclusivity at the workplaces, the ILO in collaboration with the Indonesian Business and Disability Network (IBDN) and the Humanity & Inclusion Indonesia, disseminated good practices on the implementation of inclusivity on 10 June, reaching out to companies, academia and disability organizations.
The event highlighted “Program Maju Bersama”, a programme that aimed to empower young people with disabilities to have access to formal employment, and introduced the IBDN that had been relaunched at the end of 2020 to encourage more companies to open its doors for people with disabilities.
“The programme was implemented in collaboration with Thisable Foundation with funding from FWD Insurance. The programme was able to place 97 people with disabilities to work in 38 companies,” shared Adelina.
Learning from the previous experience, she added, the second stage of the programme will provide an option for the participants to choose entrepreneurship, should they do not prefer to enter the world of work. “We will also work together with IBDN to ensure that more companies are aware of this programme.”
Tendy Gunawan, the ILO’s programme officer for inclusivity who also acts as the representative of the IBDN secretariat, greatly welcome the opportunity for the IBDN to help promoting inclusivity at the workplace and to encourage more participation of companies. “Building a better future and inclusive society depends on our actions today. IBDN, consisting of 75 multinational and national companies, is a unique employer-led initiative that works to promote the inclusion of people with disabilities in workplaces nationwide,” said Tendy.
Havishyan Thakral, Co-Founder of PT Enklude Global explained that the company has acted as an enabler to all people with disabilities to work at hotel industry through the apprenticeship programme. The company assists the hotels ensuring the disability etiquette, accessibility, apprenticeship programme, evaluation system, while on the other hand helping the apprentice to learn how to do their assignments/tasks properly.
“After they graduate from the apprenticeship programme, these apprentice with disabilities have an opportunity to be hired as a full time employee,” shared Havishyan who has worked with some five-star hotels.
The event concluded with the interactive discussion with the participants. During the interactive discussion, it was agreed that more socialization on good practices on inclusive workplaces were urgently needed due to lack of access and inclusivity to employment faced by people with disabilities in eastern part of Indonesia. People with disabilities still need a greater access to formal employment; while companies need to consider employing people with disabilities as an investment not as an expense.
The event highlighted “Program Maju Bersama”, a programme that aimed to empower young people with disabilities to have access to formal employment, and introduced the IBDN that had been relaunched at the end of 2020 to encourage more companies to open its doors for people with disabilities.
Adelina R. Simatupang, Inclusive Employment Specialists of Humanity & Inclusion, explained that Indonesia was of one of the countries in Asia that participated in the empowerment programme for youth with disabilities in Asia. In Indonesia, the programme was called “Program Maju Bersama” and was conducted for three years in three locations: South Jakarta, Bekasi City and Bekasi District.Building a better future and inclusive society depends on our actions today. IBDN, consisting of 75 multinational and national companies, is a unique employer-led initiative that works to promote the inclusion of people with disabilities in workplaces nationwide."
Tendy Gunawan, the ILO’s programme officer for inclusivity who also acts as the representative of the IBDN secretariat
“The programme was implemented in collaboration with Thisable Foundation with funding from FWD Insurance. The programme was able to place 97 people with disabilities to work in 38 companies,” shared Adelina.
Learning from the previous experience, she added, the second stage of the programme will provide an option for the participants to choose entrepreneurship, should they do not prefer to enter the world of work. “We will also work together with IBDN to ensure that more companies are aware of this programme.”
Tendy Gunawan, the ILO’s programme officer for inclusivity who also acts as the representative of the IBDN secretariat, greatly welcome the opportunity for the IBDN to help promoting inclusivity at the workplace and to encourage more participation of companies. “Building a better future and inclusive society depends on our actions today. IBDN, consisting of 75 multinational and national companies, is a unique employer-led initiative that works to promote the inclusion of people with disabilities in workplaces nationwide,” said Tendy.
Inclusive, fair recruitment is needed
The event also emphasized that inclusive workplace also connected to inclusive and fair recruitment. Kabul Hartono, Human Resources Manager of the Black & Veatch Indonesia, reminded the participants that, in addition to inclusive workplace policies, companies need to develop inclusive recruitment tools. “One similar recruitment process cannot be applied for all types of disabilities. People with disabilities often fail the recruitment process due to the company standards that ignore different types and degrees of disabilities,” he explained.Therefore, through its good practices, PT Enklude Global would like to showcase that people with disabilities, including people with mental and intellectual disabilities, have the capabilities to work if they are provided with the right training based on their strengths.One similar recruitment process cannot be applied for all types of disabilities. People with disabilities often fail the recruitment process due to the company standards that ignore different types and degrees of disabilities."
Kabul Hartono, Human Resources Manager of the Black & Veatch Indonesia
Havishyan Thakral, Co-Founder of PT Enklude Global explained that the company has acted as an enabler to all people with disabilities to work at hotel industry through the apprenticeship programme. The company assists the hotels ensuring the disability etiquette, accessibility, apprenticeship programme, evaluation system, while on the other hand helping the apprentice to learn how to do their assignments/tasks properly.
“After they graduate from the apprenticeship programme, these apprentice with disabilities have an opportunity to be hired as a full time employee,” shared Havishyan who has worked with some five-star hotels.
The event concluded with the interactive discussion with the participants. During the interactive discussion, it was agreed that more socialization on good practices on inclusive workplaces were urgently needed due to lack of access and inclusivity to employment faced by people with disabilities in eastern part of Indonesia. People with disabilities still need a greater access to formal employment; while companies need to consider employing people with disabilities as an investment not as an expense.