A new report from the Disability Inclusion Business Council (DIBC) says that in 2022, 27 per cent of Canadians over age 15 reported having a disability that limits their daily activities. An estimated 30.4 per cent of persons with a disability are not in the labour force.
“As of data from 2021, there is a 16 per centage point gap between the employment rates of persons with disabilities aged 25 to 64 (62 per cent) and persons without disabilities for the same age range (78 per cent),” they write.
The DIBC was convened to provide advice to Employment and Social Development Canada, to the Minister of Diversity, Inclusion and Persons with Disabilities, and to employers, provides recommendations to guide all of the above and also provides instructions for the Canadian Business Disability Inclusion Network, formed in 2023. The publication of the business council’s report, Bridging the Gap – Report on Disability Inclusions in Canadian Workplaces, also signals the completion of the council’s mandate.
Champion a culture of inclusion
The DIBC of 10 corporate leaders, including Manulife Canada’s president and CEO, Naveed Irshad, makes a number of recommendations in the report. Among them, they suggest employers champion a culture of inclusion and provide training on disability and accessibility awareness and sensitivity to all employees, particularly to people managers. They suggest adopting inclusive design approaches to meet and exceed accessibility standards and adopt accommodations.
Employee resource groups, voluntary, employee-led groups, they say can benefit employees and employers alike by providing greater connection for employees and a feedback loop for the employer. The report also discusses artificial intelligence (AI) usage, encouraging employers to ensure that its usage in the workplace is ethical and accessible by design. “Set standards and goals and measure performance to increase accountability,” they add.
Marked business gains
“A culture shift is needed in the labour market and in workplaces. This needs to begin with leadership at the very top of the organization and permeate through the organization with champions at all levels. The business case for disability inclusion is compelling,” they write, adding that research shows leaders in disability and inclusion realize marked business gains by a number of measures, including revenues, net income and economic profits.
“The benefits of a fully accessible and inclusive society would create an estimated value of $337.7-billion for Canadian society in the reference year of 2017,” they state. “The report includes targeted recommendations that can be implemented by employers of all sizes.”
