The Disability Equality Index® marks its 10th year in 2024 with a significant expansion beyond the United States. This expansion is in response to the rising demand for effective tools to evaluate disability inclusion efforts in global corporations. Administered by Disability:IN, the index now includes seven new countries: Brazil, Canada, Germany, India, Japan, the Philippines, and the United Kingdom.
Selection Process:
The new countries were chosen based on outcomes from a two-year global pilot program involving 98 companies throughout 66 countries. This selection process ensured that countries were chosen to meet demand, while also providing global representation across diverse geographic regions and varying stages of economic and social development.
Registration for the 2024 Disability Equality Index is now open, accepting submissions until April 12 for all eight countries, including the United States.
Remarkable Growth in the U.S.:
Over the years, the Disability Equality Index has witnessed substantial growth in the United States. It has evolved from having 80 participating companies in 2015 to 485 participants in 2023. Today, 70% of the U.S. Fortune 100 companies and nearly half of the Fortune 500 trust this objective, comprehensive, and confidential mechanism for evaluating their corporate disability inclusive practices and policies.
Growing Interest Globally
The two-year global pilot program revealed a growing interest from stakeholders in multinational companies who witnessed the benefits of using the Disability Equality Index in the United States. Increasingly, financial and social materiality issues are driving corporations to examine and expand their efforts around disability inclusion. The continuously changing worldwide legislative environment, emerging regulations, and persuasive financial benefits are sparking enthusiasm for resources such as the Disability Equality Index.
The Business Case for Disability Inclusion
As per the “Disability Inclusion Imperative,” a research report conducted by Accenture and Disability:IN in November 2023, companies that excel in disability inclusion over a five-year span have experienced impressive business growth. These organizations have seen their revenue increase by 1.6 times, net income grow by 2.6 times, and economic profit double when compared to their peers.
The expansion of the Disability Equality Index® in 2024 signifies a crucial step towards promoting disability inclusion on a global scale. With the inclusion of new countries and the compelling business case for disability inclusion, this initiative is set to drive positive change in multinational corporations worldwide.
Read the original article by Business Wire here.
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