How corporate India is breaking job barriers for persons with disabilities
Companies have not only stepped up hiring of people with disabilities but are also extending skill training and other support for their empowerment
by Sonal Khetarpal · India TodayIndian companies are not just focusing on gender inclusion but also ramping up efforts to integrate people with disabilities into their workforce. The ‘Most Inclusive Companies Index’ (MICI), a report by workplace culture consulting company Avtar, based on a survey of 155 Indian companies, has found that the proportion of firms focusing on people with disabilities has risen significantly, from 58 per cent in 2019 to 98 per cent currently.
The data shows that the culture case has emerged as a top priority for companies, compared to the talent case and the business case as reasons for pursuing diversity, says Saundarya Rajesh, founder-president of the Avtar Group. “When this focus deepens, there is also a better understanding of intersectionalities, which is crucial for making workplaces more inclusive for underrepresented talent pools.”
Take the case of mid-cap IT services company Mphasis, which is not only hiring people with disabilities but also working to make India as a country more accessible to them. They are collaborating with the NGO National Centre for Promotion of Employment for Disabled People (NCPEDP) on the project ‘The Missing Million’. This initiative aims to create a database of the number of people with disabilities in the country, the types of disabilities they have, and the skills and support they require.
“Jobs and placements are only the tip of the iceberg. We want to start by understanding what support and education people with disabilities need,” says Deepa Nagraj, vice-president and head of ESG and CSR, Sparkle Innovation Ecosystem, and communications at Mphasis.
However, Nagraj emphasises that it’s not just about hiring people with disabilities; teams need to be sensitised about how to manage inclusive teams and provide the right infrastructure and technology. Often, job roles must be tailored to meet specific requirements, and using the right language is crucial.
Hotels and FMCG major ITC has employed over 390 people with disabilities across various roles and functions. Amitav Mukherji, ITC’s head of corporate human resources, says the goal is to scale this up. He adds that significant efforts are being made to make infrastructure accessible to all, with features such as Braille signage in elevators, ramps and accessible facilities. For example, ITC’s dhoop and agarbatti brand Mangaldeep has set up Sixth Sense panels, an initiative to recruit visually impaired fragrance testers.
Moreover, ITC’s social investment programmes provide skills training for people with disabilities. Initially piloted in Bengaluru, the programme has expanded to Kolkata and Howrah, cumulatively training 216 individuals with locomotor disabilities. In addition to technical skills, the programme also offers training in soft skills and confidence building. After training, candidates receive job placement assistance from ITC’s team across various industries.
Last year, Amazon and Sarthak Educational Trust, a non-profit organisation working for people with disabilities, launched the Global Resource Centre (GRC) in Gurugram. The centre provides access to training programmes, assistive technologies, mentorship opportunities and job placement services for people with disabilities, with a current focus on individuals who are deaf and hard of hearing (DHH), blind or low vision (BLV) or have locomotor disabilities.
Drone manufacturer Garuda Aerospace has launched the Equality Drone Training programme, specifically designed for persons with disabilities. The programme provides free training, education and skill development over 10 days to persons with disabilities in Chennai.
Retail health insurer Star Health Insurance launched an insurance policy in Braille to ensure that the visually impaired and blind communities can access information and make independent decisions related to their health and finances.
According to the 2011 Census, India had 26.8 million people with disabilities, accounting for about 2.2 per cent of the population. However, experts estimate the actual number of people with disabilities to be much higher, between 100 million and 200 million. Even today, this population often remains invisible. It’s time they become part of India’s $5 trillion economic dream. Corporate India does seem to have made a start.