A new study released by Disability:IN found that 72% of European Fortune 500 companies include disability in their sustainability or environmental, social and governance reports. Comparatively, 65% of U.S. Fortune 500 companies disclose disability in their ESG reports. The participation numbers are expected to increase as sustainability reporting becomes mandatory in the EU and other jurisdictions starting in 2025.
ESG is a type of investing where non-financial factors are considered. To meet demands of fund managers and other investors relating to ESG factors, companies began releasing annual ESG reports and sustainability reports in addition to their standard financial disclosures. As no regulatory scheme existed for ESG reports, companies were left to their own discretion as to what to include. However, regulations are being adopted globally, with most going into effect in 2025.
Despite being voluntary, Disability:IN found that 99% of European Fortune 500 companies participated in some form of ESG reporting. Of those, 72 % included disability in the reports.
While 72% include disability in their most recent annual report, only 30% disclose workforce disability participation rates. This indicates that, while disability is being mentioned in the reports, companies are not providing hard data to back up their claims. This discrepancy is most likely tied to how companies choose to address disability.
