~ Report
introduces a four-pillar framework to help organisations move beyond compliance
and build workplaces that work for everyone ~
Mumbai:
Marking Disability Pride Month, Godrej DEI Lab, the diversity, equity and
inclusion initiative of the Godrej Industries Group, released its latest research
report, Accessibility and Inclusion in Indian Corporate Workplaces:
Designing Workplaces That Work for Everyone, written by Lab
researcher Pushnami Kasture. Based on the lived experiences of employees with
disabilities, HR professionals, accessibility consultants, architects and DEI
practitioners across industries, the report finds that while organisations have
made visible progress in improving physical accessibility, the biggest barriers
employees continue to face are invisible, embedded in digital systems and workplace
culture.
Disability inclusion is no
longer just a social imperative: it's a business necessity. According to the
India Brand Equity Foundation (IBEF), India employs just 11.3% of its
estimated 30 million persons with disabilities, and nearly 70% of employable
disabled individuals remain jobless (Centre for Labour Laws, NLIU). At the
same time, global research by Accenture, found that disability-inclusive
organisations reports 28% higher revenue, 30% higher profit margins, and nearly
double the net income of their peers, highlighting accessibility as both a
business advantage and an inclusion imperative.
True accessibility goes
beyond ramps and infrastructure. The Godrej DEI Lab report recommends
concrete ways to make workplaces genuinely inclusive: accessible HR
platforms, caption-enabled meetings, thoughtful communication, and cultures
where persons with disabilities can participate, contribute and grow with
confidence. Complimenting these insights, employees with disabilities recount real
stories that show how small, deliberate changes in access to information,
communication and culture can transform participation, independence and career
growth.
Speaking at the launch of
the report, Parmesh Shahani, Head - Godrej DEI Lab, said, "Accessibility
is often viewed through the narrow lens of infrastructure. Our research shows
that truly inclusive workplaces are built just as much through technology,
communication and culture as they are through ramps or elevators. As
organisations rethink the future of work, accessibility presents an opportunity
to design systems that work better for everyone. We hope this report serves as
a practical resource for business leaders who want to embed inclusion into the
way their organisations operate and grow."
Drawing from these insights,
the Godrej DEI Lab report introduces a four-pillar framework spanning
physical, digital, communication and attitudinal accessibility, allowing
organisations to develop a roadmap which goes beyond compliance & embedded
inclusion into everything that drives how workplaces, technology works and
culture is built.
The full report, Accessibility
and Inclusion in Indian Corporate Workplaces, is available at www.godrejdeilab.com.