The International Labour Organization (ILO) has taken a major step toward
promoting the inclusion of people with disabilities in the workplace with the
launch of a pioneering new global knowledge sharing platform linking scores of
multinational enterprises and organizations representing employers and networks
of people with disabilities.

The Network and website will also provide international businesses with
information on how to include employment of people with disabilities in their
workplans.

The new ‘ILO Global Business and Disability Network' website was launched on
the occasion of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, and
represents a joint effort of the ILO Disability Team in the Skills and
Employability Department (EMP/SKILLS) and the Bureau for Employers' Activities
(ACT/EMP).

The Network will help its members share knowledge and identify good practices;
develop products and services that facilitate hiring and retention of disabled
people; strengthen technical expertise on disability issues; and link its
members to ILO activities and partners at the national level and through their
local offices and supply chains.

"The idea is to bring everybody together to find the best ways to include
people with disabilities in the workplace - what are the good practices, who
would make good partners for companies and how can we move this forward so the
companies can realize the business case and people with disabilities can have
access to decent work”, said Debra Perry, Senior Disability Technical
Specialist.

Henrik Moller, Senior Professional Officer with the Bureau for Employers'
Activities said "This cooperation provides ILO's knowledge and technical
expertise on disability issues to Network members and will change the
workplace, making it more diverse, more productive and more inclusive of people
with disabilities.”

The ILO also launched a new video that includes interviews with Network members
and examples of disabled people at work. The video can be accessed through ILO
TV on YouTube.

The primary goal of the ILO is to promote opportunities for everyone, including
people with disabilities, to obtain decent and productive work, based on the
principles of freedom, equity, security and human dignity.

With the help of the members of the ILO Global Business and Disability Network,
negative and inaccurate stereotypes about disability are breaking down, in
favour of diversity, inclusion and giving every member of the society the
opportunity to work, and contribute to a more prosperous future, for everyone.

More info

AplusA-online.de - Source: International Labour Organization (ILO)