2024 Virtual Conference Agenda

2024 marks a decade of the impact of the Disability Equality Index (DEI) and Inclusion Works (IW). Since their inception, participation in the Disability Equality Index has grown 6x – from 80 companies in the inaugural year to 485 in 2023, and Inclusion Works companies have hired nearly 400,000 employees with disabilities over the last ten years. We kick-off the 2024 Global Conference & Expo by mapping business inclusion trends around the world with insights from the DEI, featuring the wisdom of participating  Inclusion Works companies that have made disability inclusion a strategic business priority. We will dive into the future of building inclusive businesses for all as well as the growing importance of publicly reporting your disability data.

Breakout Session Tags: Self ID/Disclosure; Global; Employee/Business Groups; Culture; Marketing & Communications

Self-identification campaigns enable organizations to better understand their global workforce, facilitate dialogue, and create programs that support diverse employees. Employees with disabilities, however, might be reluctant to self-identify for a variety of valid reasons. A disability-focused self ID campaign can help shape the narrative surrounding global self-identification and inspire employee participation. This session will explore the basics of building a disability self ID campaign, including how to secure legal and leadership support; create effective marketing through storytelling; and considerations on how to collect and report data.

Learning Objectives:

1. Define self-identification and self-disclosure and gain an understanding of how effective self-disclosure through storytelling can translate to increased rates of voluntary and confidential self-identification.
2. Learn best practices for effective global self ID campaigns, including selecting a platform for data collection, crafting an enterprise communications campaign, navigating legal and privacy considerations, and establishing governance for appropriate data stewardship and transparency.
3. Identify internal stakeholders who can play a pivotal role in self ID initiatives, including Legal, Human Resources, Corporate Communications, and Employee/Business Resource Groups, and strategies for effective collaboration to maximize impact.

• The Impact of Culture on Disability Inclusion in LATAM Workplaces
• Approaches to Disability Etiquette and Language for Colleagues, People Managers & Recruiters
• LATAM Accommodations/Adjustments Policies and Practices  

Accessibility directly impacts all aspects of disability inclusion. New developments continuously unlock paths for more people to participate meaningfully and fully. This session explores revolutionary progress in digital accessibility and the critical role of communications leadership in modeling accessibility for all. At the heart of matter, we celebrate the powerful everyday innovations driven by talent with disabilities.

Breakout Session Tags: Disability Equality Index; Global; Sustainability & Policy; Culture; Leadership

The Disability Equality Index celebrates 10 years of corporate disability inclusion benchmarking in 2024, and in the United States is now trusted by more than 70% of the Fortune 100 and nearly half of the Fortune 500. This milestone year for the Disability Equality Index was marked by the international expansion of scored benchmarks in seven countries, Brazil, Canada, Germany, India, Japan, the Philippines, and the United Kingdom, following a two-year unscored global pilot that engaged nearly 100 companies. This session provides findings from the 2024 Disability Equality Index and offers a look ahead to the future of the global benchmark.

Learning Objectives:

1. Look ahead at the future of the Disability Equality Index and how it will continually evolve to meet the changing needs of global multi-national corporations that are committed to advancing disability inclusion.
2. Gain insights on how multi-national companies are leveraging the Disability Equality Index to develop and evolve global disability inclusion strategies to engage enterprise leadership and utilize the benchmark to establish and track success metrics.
3. Explore best practices for building inclusive global programs for employees, customers, and suppliers with disabilities.

Breakout Session Tags: Accessibility – Physical; Accommodations

Physical space accessibility is the degree to which an environment is usable by everyone, including people with disabilities. Accessible design for all advances usability by considering the diverse needs of all potential users from the outset. This session introduces the key design principles, requirements, benefits, challenges, and financial considerations that result in sustainable practices across a global organization.

Learning Objectives:

1. Understand the concepts and principles of accessible design for all and how they relate to physical space accessibility, including an examination of global best practices in strategic development and implementation.
2. Learn how to make work life healthier, safer, and more productive while promoting a sense of belonging and engagement.
3. Discover how to secure executive support, navigate challenges, and achieve measurable results.

Celebrate ten years of the Disability Equality Index by honoring the Best Places to Work for Disability Inclusion around the world in 2024 and recognize the Inclusion Award Winners. This year, the benchmark opened to companies in eight markets around the world: Brazil, Canada, Germany, India, Japan, Philippines, the United Kingdom, and the United States. This awards ceremony acknowledges today’s top scoring companies while looking toward tomorrow’s multinational trends in disability inclusion.

Our disabilities provide us with highly valuable skills such as creativity, critical thinking, communication, empathy, adaptability, and flexibility to thrive in an ever-evolving employment landscape. For many of us, pride in being is fostered through mentorship and connection to other people with disabilities. This session celebrates #DisabilityTalent at every level of an organization and career stage. Hear pitches from Disability-Owned Business Enterprises (DOBEs) with the next big idea to launch their business forward and from our NextGen Leaders who have been innovating new ideas throughout the conference.

Breakout Session Tags: Accommodations; Recruitment & Hiring; Retention & Development; Accessibility – Digital; Accessibility – Physical; Global; Sustainability & Policy

Reasonable accommodations policies are often viewed as the forerunner of workplace disability inclusion programming. Yet as corporations are increasingly global, a compliance-centric, “one size fits all” approach to accommodations is becoming antiquated and constraining for the dynamic modern workforce. Companies are taking a myriad of approaches to their accommodations processes as evidenced by just 58% of 2023 Disability Equality Index respondents reporting that they utilize a centralized accommodations fund and/or allow managers a budget margin for accommodation expenses. This session explores contemporary legal considerations impacting workplace accommodations for today’s globalizing marketplace as well as evolving accommodation solutions and best practices for maximizing inclusion and effectiveness.

Learning Objectives:

1. Examine legal frameworks that impact workplace accommodations, including significant country- and region-specific policies, and how to ensure compliance with disability and anti-discrimination laws.
2. Learn practical strategies for assessing reasonable accommodations/productivity tools requests and implementing effective solutions that take into consideration the diverse needs of employees with disabilities.
3. Explore various strategic models for structuring a reasonable accommodations program, including optimum organizational positioning and governance; centralized vs. decentralized; global vs. market-specific; in-house vs. outsourced; blending proactive accessibility with reactive accommodations; and more.

Join corporate representatives to learn APAC-based companies’ workplace inclusive efforts to address compliance requirements and move beyond. Topics to be discussed include:

• Disability Inclusion in the Workplace: Overcoming Challenges Employees with Disabilities Experience
• Etiquette and Language for Colleagues, People Managers & Recruiters
• Impactful APAC Accommodations/Adjustments Policies and Practices

Breakout Session Tags: Neurodiversity; Culture; Retention & Development; Recruitment & Hiring; Self ID/Disclosure

Neuroinclusion is about recognizing and embracing the diverse ways our brains function. It’s an essential aspect of creating an inclusive work environment where everyone can thrive. This session defines neurodiversity while providing an understanding of its impact on business and seeks to equip participants with practical strategies to promote neuroinclusion.

Learning Objectives

1. Gain an understanding of and appreciation for the strengths and unique perspectives of neurodiverse individuals across the workplace, marketplace, and supply chain.
2. Learn how to implement inclusive practices that can create an environment that accommodates and leverages different cognitive styles.
3. Equip managers with tools to lead neuroinclusive teams effectively, including tips on how to optimize HR processes such as recruiting, onboarding, performance evaluations, development, and advancement.

Breakout Session Tags: Sustainability & Policy; Global; Marketing & Communications; Leadership; Self ID/Disclosure

Disability-related transparency is on the verge of widespread global adoption for both voluntary and mandatory sustainability reporting. Market pressures and legislative modernization are driving disability indicators into public workforce disclosures. This session examines new research from Disability:IN that illuminates the state of disability reporting among European, Global, and United States Fortune 500 companies as disclosed in companies’ most recent annual sustainability reports and what you can do to stay current.

Learning Objectives:

1. Dive into disability reporting trends and insights from the European, Global, and U.S. Fortune 500 lists.
2. Examine the various ways in which disability is reported on such as qualitative and quantitative disclosures across workforce initiatives, inclusive procurement, and accessibility programs.
3. Develop a foundational knowledge of how market forces and legislative updates are requiring companies to build organizational capacity around disability data – and what you can do to keep up-to-date.

Breakout Session Tags: Supplier Diversity; Global; Leadership; Sustainability & Policy

As companies increasingly seek to advance global supplier inclusion initiatives, unique opportunities and complex challenges persist. Business leaders are facing key considerations associated with integrating diversity and inclusion initiatives into supply chain management strategies. This session offers a comprehensive exploration of the evolving approach to supplier diversity within the context of global supply chains.

Learning Objectives:

1. Understand the global supplier diversity and inclusion landscape, including legislative, regulatory, and privacy considerations, and how to navigate effectively.
2. Learn the key elements for building impactful global supplier inclusion initiatives beyond the United States, including how to recognize, react to, and recover from critical challenges.
3. Discover trends and best practices for developing and accelerating global supplier diversity strategies gleaned from the 2024 Disability Equality Index.

This session will feature a brief overview of the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), the European Accessibility Act (EAA), and other EMEA rules aimed at workplace and product accessibility. As outlined below, corporate leaders will present their strategies to advance inclusion while striving to meet and exceed EMEA compliance requirements.

• Techniques to Plan and Launch Global Self-ID in EMEA, Considering Privacy Restrictions
• EMEA Accommodations/Adjustments Policies and Practices, Including Physical Accessibility
• Growing Business/Employee Resource Group Chapters in EMEA to Engage Employees with Disabilities
• The Importance of Digital & Product Accessibility

The closing plenary offers five big takeaways to make 2025 a record year for disability inclusion in any organization, throughout the value chain, and around the world. This action-oriented session is meant to send you on your way with a packed agenda for the next 12 months. Inspired by thought leadership from Disability:IN and its partners, you will leave Las Vegas full of ideas to activate and empower your network.