India Inc Emboldens Its Steps To Create A Distinctive Future For PwDs

Anil Jain, Managing Director of Strategy & Consulting Global Network at Accenture India, recently developed a hearing impairment. However, the company stepped in to provide him with the necessary support and assistive technology to allow him to continue his career. 

As companies like Accenture, Amazon, KFC, ITC, L&T, Mercedes Benz Research and Development India, and Marico prepare to celebrate the International Day of Persons with Disabilities on 3 December, they are taking a comprehensive approach to disabled inclusion.

On the one hand, they are working to eliminate obstacles and prejudices that hinder disabled employees, providing them with leadership opportunities, mentoring, and future career paths. On the other hand, they are increasing their recruitment efforts to combat the dismal representation of disabled individuals in the workforce.

Experts acknowledge that achieving better representation will require time, but efforts are being made. Leenika Khattar, Director of Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging at IT industry body Nasscom, stated that there is a lot of ground yet to be covered, but organisations are focusing hard on driving an equitable and inclusive culture and increasing representation for PwDs. According to a June 2023 Aon-Nasscom study on the DEI landscape in India Inc, 83 per cent of companies have PwDs on their DE&I agenda.

Larsen & Toubro has 40 per cent of its disabled employees in the managerial cadre, leading teams and projects across various businesses. Dr C. Jayakumar, Head of Corporate Human Resource (CHRO) at L&T, said that considering their industry, it is challenging to hire people with disabilities at site locations; however, they are exploring roles and locations that meet their needs. They have the leadership buy-in for their overall DEI efforts. They are also engaging with NGOs to help find the right talent.

ITC has already employed over 450 differently-abled individuals across various roles and functions, and the aim is to scale this up. Its Mangaldeep brand has set up the flagship 'Sixth Sense' panels in Kolkata, Delhi, Hyderabad, Mumbai, and Chennai to provide livelihood opportunities to visually challenged people by tapping into their keen olfactory abilities to improve its product offerings.

Amazon has launched Aurora, a programme that utilises the unique talents of individuals with learning disabilities and provides employment opportunities.

Marico has disabled employees across mid-to-senior levels in sales, manufacturing, and corporate functions. Earlier this fiscal, it introduced 'WINGS,' an initiative aimed at creating a consistent talent pipeline, nurturing individuals with disabilities internally, and preparing them for managerial roles within key business units across the organization. With training, skilling, and career support initiatives in place, many disabled employees are moving up to more senior roles.

KFC India has 223 speech and hearing-impaired employees working across the country. Through training and support, many have progressed to leadership roles, such as shift manager and restaurant general manager. "We provide comprehensive support for their empowerment and growth encompassing a holistic 360-degree approach," said Aman Lal, Chief People Officer at KFC India.