In my role as the Corporate Social Responsibility & Solidarity Manager of the Adecco Group in France—a multinational enterprise with operations in 60 countries—I have witnessed the positive impact of employing persons with disabilities at our company. By focusing on the skills and professional potential of people with disabilities rather than on stereotypes, we have been able to access a pool of talent which often goes untapped. Employees with diverse experiences, including employees with disabilities, have different approaches to problem-solving and thus also contribute to increased innovation.
To share the Adecco Group’s own experiences and practices and learn from other multinational corporations, 4 years ago, our company joined the ILO Global Business and Disability Network. The ILO Global Business and Disability Network is a unique partnership of more than 20 multinational enterprises, employers’ organizations, business networks and disabled persons’ organizations who share the conviction that including people with disabilities makes good business sense.
On the back of our successful experience, I’m proud to have been elected to chair the ILO Global Business and Disability Network in 2017. One of our top priorities for this year is to reach out to multinational enterprises based in the United States. US-based companies benefit from advanced legal guidance and technical support on how to promote the inclusion of people with disabilities in their country. However, in other parts of the world where these companies operate, including in developing countries, US-based multinational enterprises—like other global companies—are challenged by contexts which can vary greatly from one country to the next.
The business-to-business support on how to foster the inclusion of workers with disabilities throughout a multinational company, including in its local branches in developing countries, is very valuable for the success and sustainability of private companies. Thus, the Adecco Group is benefiting very much from being part of the exchange that the ILO Global Business and Disability Network promotes and I hope many US multinational enterprises will join us in our common journey to enable companies worldwide to include persons with disabilities and benefit from more diverse workforces.
Source: By Bruce Roch, Corporate Social Responsibility & Solidarity Manager, Adecco Group France, ILO Media Room
