People with disabilities can be highly successful employees and entrepreneurs. Let's pull together to create a work culture that recognizes the value of diversity.

A True Game-Changer

In our opinion, Senator Tom Harkin is the most influential politician to ever fight for the advancement of disability rights. He is responsible for landmark legislation, including the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), a civil rights law that prohibits discrimination based on disability. The importance of the ADA cannot be understated; without this achievement, people with disabilities would still be restricted in schools, workplaces, public transportation, and all areas of public life.
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Sen. Harkin spent 30 years in the U.S. Senate, authoring and sponsoring thousands of pieces of legislation that ensure people of all abilities have the opportunity to receive a great education, fair and fulfilling employment, and a place of respect in our hearts and communities. Sen. Harkin continues his work today through the Harkin Institute, a catalyst for research, learning, and outreach to promote policies like the advancement opportunities for those with disabilities.

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Businesses that hire employees with disabilities see:

28% higher revenue*

30% greater profit margins*

More likely to see higher shareholder returns**

*The Employer Assistance and Resource Network on Disability Inclusion (EARN)

**Getting to Equal 2018: The Disability Inclusion Advantage (Accenture)

Despite these facts, 81% of people with disabilities remain unemployed.

Just imagine if every company had competitive, inclusive employment.

Inclusion in Business

According to the 2020 Annual Report on the Global Economics of Disability, the emerging disability market will soon be larger than China with more than $1.90 trillion in disposable income worldwide.
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People with disabilities as employees continue to outperform their non-disabled counterparts. Businesses that include people with special needs see increases in revenues, profit margins, shareholder returns, and overall workplace morale. People with disabilities want to work, want to spend, and want inclusion as customers and valuable workforce talents.
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Read and download We Include’s Including People with Disabilities in Business guide for more information on how to find applicants with disabilities, integrate employees, and best serve customers with disabilities.

Get the Guide
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By putting trust in your employees, agencies and partners and allowing them to make a difference, it will improve brand perception externally and internally. In turn, it makes it easier to attract and retain the best, most diverse talent, which then leads to more authentic marketing.

Raja RajamannarChief Marketing and Communications Officer, Mastercard
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In today's employment climate, companies that let biases get in the way of great talent simply won't be able to compete. People with disabilities offer a valuable pool of potential that is too often overlooked and underestimated.

Johnny C. Taylor, Jr.President and CEO, Society for Human Resource Management
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Intentionally designing [accommodations] for people with diverse needs and abilities is what nurtures ongoing innovation.

Thomas KohnstammWriter, Microsoft Stories
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If we get disability right, we get human inclusion right.

Caroline CaseyFounder, The Valuable 500
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Creating a more inclusive world for the 1.3 billion people in the world with a disability is not just the right thing to do, it also makes a lot of business sense.

Paul PolmanCEO, Unilever
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To achieve our bold goals and aspiration, we must attract, retain and engage an incredibly diverse talent pipeline that includes individuals with disabilities. We benefit from their talents, experiences and perspectives, which make us better.

Dennis MuilenburgPresident and CEO, Boeing
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It's time more brands woke up to the collective benefits of understanding people with disabilities and their needs. The inclusion revolution is coming. Make sure it's on your agenda.

Richard BransonFounder, Virgin Media

Inclusion in business means building a culture of belonging for people with special needs.
Check out these stories highlighting companies that are doing inclusion right and seeing amazing results.

Spectrum Designs: Custom Apparel Shop Employing Adults with Autism

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“If you want efficient employees, if you want a lack of turnover, it makes sense.”
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Click here to find how this workforce with autism is becoming one of the most impressive, productive corporate cultures in the apparel industry.

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Spectrum Designs: Custom Apparel Shop Employing Adults with Autism

FLoK by Bekim and L’Oreal: Inclusive Beauty Trailblazers

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Who says beauty is only skin deep?
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Check out how businesses and companies of all sizes are proving that inclusion looks good from every angle.
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FLoK by Bekim and L’Oreal: Inclusive Beauty Trailblazers

Alivia: Fashion Designs by Artists with Disabilities

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Beautiful clothing can transform your mood, but what if it could also create a positive social impact?
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Alivia does both. Click here to see how the clothing company produces amazing fashion from designs created by artists with special needs.
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Alivia: Fashion Designs by Artists with Disabilities
SEE THE INCLUSION IN ACTION

Top 20 Disability Employers in 2022

Inclusion in the Workplace Matters

The biggest barrier in the workforce for people with disabilities isn’t their disability. Its misperceptions that keep them from being hired. 1 in 3 people think individuals with disabilities are less productive as non-disabled people and only 4% of businesses focus on being inclusive of disability.

However, research shows people with disabilities often exhibit more loyalty, creativity, problem-solving skills, enthusiasm for work, and commitment to a routine than their counterparts.
.Companies routinely see less turnover with employees who have disabilities.? Check out the businesses below who are walking the walk and showing that inclusion works.