How companies and governments can work together to advance disability inclusion

In recent years, disabilities inclusion has become an international human rights priority. The United Nations adopted the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CPRD) in 2006, with more than 160 signatories to date affirming, “all persons with all types of disabilities must enjoy all human rights and fundamental freedoms.”

This collective epiphany comes not a moment too soon.

“More than one billion people in this world are living with some form of disability,” an article published in April 2019 by the World Economic Forum notes. “That’s one in seven of us. Eighty percent of these people acquire their disability between the ages of 18 and 64 – the average working age for most – and they are 50% more likely to be unemployed.”

In its World Report on Disability, the World Health Organization identified four major barriers to employment faced by those with disabilities: discrimination, lack of access to education and training, misconceptions about capabilities, and overprotective labor laws that prevent them from working.

Countries around the world are working hard to eliminate these barriers, largely through plans to increase the accessibility of workplaces, public transportation, and the like.

The Accessible India Campaign, for example, is working toward universal accessibility throughout the entire Indian nation. And just this summer, the Accessible Canada Act introduced a series of accessibility regulations that public sector organizations are required to follow.

Yet, one nation stands out above them all. For anyone seeking a case study in how the public and private sectors can work together towards inclusion, look no further than Norway.

How Norway fights for disability inclusion

According to disability advocacy organization Zero Project, Norway is one of only a handful of countries that legally designate lack of accessibility as a form of discrimination.

In its 2008 Anti-Discrimination and Accessibility Act, Norway pledged to “help to dismantle disabling barriers created by society and to prevent new ones from being created.” Through a subsequent wave of legislation and initiatives, such as Norway Universally Designed by 2025 and A Society for All, its government has developed extensive plans to increase inclusion for disabled Norwegians.

Employment has been one major area of focus for the nation. The Norwegian Labour and Welfare Administration (NAV) has engaged the problem from both sides, nurturing synergy with businesses.

The “Ripples in the Water” program is one example of a collaborative initiative between NAV, employers, trade unions, and the Norwegian Federation of Service. The program offers subsidies to employers, as well as support and training to prospective employees with disabilities. About 2,000 companies work with this program to collectively hire about 1,700 disabled people per year.

NAV also provides several financial incentives to companies who hire those with disabilities, such as covering the cost of assistive equipment, as well as any extended training needed. It also provides wage subsidies when an employee needs to take extended medical leave.

In every Norwegian county, assistive aid centers have also been launched to increase the quality of life for those with disabilities. One major focus of the centers is to help those who are injured or impaired either obtain or maintain employment. They also provide guidance and training to employers so they are better prepared to hire those with disabilities.

That said, even Norway still has a long way to go. Currently, the Norwegian government estimates only 44 percent of those with disabilities ages 15-66 are employed, compared to 74 percent of the general population in that age range.

Norway’s ambitious, comprehensive efforts are inspiring, but they are also still quite new. It is too early to tell whether the initiatives will help these numbers shift and whether businesses will demonstrate as strong of a commitment to inclusion as their government has made. Still, this kind of progress can prove instructive to other public-private partnerships around the world.

Businesses should step up—regardless of current laws

Even when there are laws and policies in place, individual companies and leadership are responsible for creating and promoting an inclusive culture that encourages everyone to engage in the disability agenda.

The World Economic Forum reports that businesses which hire people with disabilities have less turnover, are more profitable, and enjoy better reputations among consumers who want to use their products or services. There are many examples of this kind of successful cooperation, all of which serve as case studies that companies can learn from and apply in their own efforts towards disability inclusion.

Businesses should be working towards real, mutually-beneficial change in their individual cultures. Engagement with government is an essential component, as is determining which policies and provisions are put in place to help employers hire and train those with disabilities. As nations around the world increasingly commit more resources to disability inclusion, companies will hopefully find more opportunities to work with their local, state and national governments to improve both their bottom line and the lives of their disabled employees.