Voices - ILO
Many organizations still try to justify accessibility with numbers and ROI. Do you believe that data can really convince decision-makers, or is something else needed to make accessibility part of normal business practice?
Data is important, but it will never be enough on its own. For some people, data is a kind of "cozy blanket." It makes them feel safe, but it doesn't change behavior. Numbers can help, but they don't inspire.
In the digital world, we've seen this before. Years ago, companies had to prove that investments in cybersecurity made financial sense. Today, no one questions it. You can't run a digital business without it. Accessibility is on the same path.
Excluding any group of customers or employees is costly. The more we show that accessibility benefits everyone — not only persons with disabilities — the less we will need to justify it with hard data.
What works for the ILO Global Business and Disability Network when it comes to helping companies make accessibility part of their operations — hiring, workplaces but also for services?
We work in two main ways. First, we connect companies through events — global and regional conferences, webinars, and workshops. They share what works and what doesn't. Accessibility is always part of those discussions, sometimes as the main topic, sometimes as a cross-cutting issue.
Second, we create practical tools and guidance. For example, we published "Leave No One Offline: A Primer on Engaging Your Company on Digital Accessibility." We also developed a multilingual ILO GBDN Self-Assessment Tool with 47 questions, also including on the physical and digital accessibility of companies.
At the end of 2023, we ran a Network-internal survey among 46 multinational enterprises. Thirteen had a global accessibility lead — less than one-third. That shows there's progress, but also a long way to go. Every organisation should have someone responsible for accessibility — a dedicated role linking internal culture with external action.
Some say accessibility — as the "A" — should be an inherent part of the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) framework rather than an addition. From your global perspective, does this integration make a real difference in practice?
What really matters is action. Whether a company calls its work DEI, CSR or Human Rights, the goal is the same — to make disability inclusion part of everyday business. Labels are less important than results.
In many companies, DEI leaders can play a key role as facilitators. They raise awareness and connect the right people — like IT teams and facility managers — to make accessibility happen in practice across the company. When that happens, accessibility becomes everyone's responsibility, not just a specialist topic.
Europe is now implementing the European Accessibility Act (EAA). From your global perspective, what lessons can Europe learn from other regions — and what can others learn from the EU?
For a long time, the United States was seen as the leader with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) — since 1990. Today, the European Union is setting the pace, especially through the European Accessibility Act and the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD).
At the ILO Global Business and Disability Network, we see growing interest from other regions in how Europe is approaching accessibility, digital inclusion, and even AI. The EU has become a regional leader with clear frameworks and strong momentum. At the same time, exchange goes both ways. We encourage inter-regional cooperation, because every region brings something unique. Europe has strong regulation, while others bring broader experience.
The European Accessibility Act focuses on consumers — on products and services — but doesn't directly address workplace accessibility. From an employment perspective — is that a missed opportunity? Do you see it evolving in future regulations?
I prefer to focus on what we have and how to make it work. The European Accessibility Act is about products and services for consumers, but it can have a positive effect inside organizations too. When companies make their products accessible, they often start looking at their own internal systems — and the other way around.
It also makes sense that the Act began from the consumer side. It's easier to collect data and measure business value there — like ROI — than it is to put a "price tag" on individual employees.
But the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) adds another layer. It asks companies to report on disability inclusion when it's relevant to their business, which helps to bring workplace accessibility into focus as well. Several EU Member States also have Disability Employment Quotas which can only succeed if accessibility is taken seriously — digital and physical.
IInterview by Karolina Mendecka
Business Accessibility Forum Director