Disability Pride Month: Turning celebration into impact

Disability Pride Month exists to celebrate, affirm, and elevate the voices and experiences of people with disabilities.

The World Health Organization estimates that 1.3 billion people worldwide, more than 15% of the global population, experience significant disability. Yet, they’re often underrepresented in media, leadership, and public life.

Disability Pride Month gives us the chance to not only highlight the diverse identities and experiences of disabled individuals, but also to reflect on how inclusion transforms workplaces, communities, and culture for the better. The month of July was chosen to commemorate the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in 1990; a landmark civil rights law in the U.S. that inspired global movements for accessibility and inclusion.

The opportunities of disability inclusion

For organisations, disability inclusion isn’t just the right thing to do. It’s a powerful catalyst for innovation, creativity, and performance:

• Diverse perspectives spark innovation: People with disabilities often navigate systems in unique ways, bringing different approaches to problem-solving and new insights.
• Inclusive design has a broader benefit: Design solutions originally meant for accessibility, such as captions, often make life easier for all.
• Broader talent pool: By removing barriers, employers open doors to untapped talent and increase the likelihood of finding the right person for the job. Read our FAIRER guide to recruitment.

However, when it comes to workplace accessibility, while progress is being made, there’s still a long road ahead. Many organisations, leaders and people managers continue to feel ill-equipped to address accessibility needs or have conversations about disability. Disabled individuals are still rarely seen in senior roles, which limits mentorship and visibility.

Furthermore, many employees fear stigma or career repercussions because of their disability. Therefore, they often struggle with whether, how, or when to disclose. C.80% of disabilities are invisible, making it possible for the individual to mask, at least initially. Not being able to be yourself and mask your needs consumes a lot of energy and does not only take a toll on someone’s wellbeing, but also their productivity and ability to be at their best.

Practical steps for leaders and colleagues

Creating a more accessible and disability inclusive workplace is often straightforward. Small steps can make a big difference: 

For leaders:

• Make inclusion visible: Raise awareness, enable disabled colleagues to share their lived experiences, and normalise conversations about disability and workplace adjustments.
• Audit accessibility: Regularly review recruitment practices, physical spaces, and digital tools to ensure they're inclusive.
• Embrace flexibility: Whether it’s remote work, flexible work hours to avoid sensory overload during rush hour, or quiet spaces - simple adjustments can make a big impact.
• Invest in training: Provide practical education on disability inclusion, inclusive leadership, and accessible design.

For colleagues:

• Educate yourself: Build you knowledge of disability, language, and intersectionality. Connect with disabled colleagues to learn about their experience, and how you can support each other.
• Make use of accessible technology: Many applications have built-in tools, such as captions or an accessibility checker. For example, Microsoft Office offers a range of accessibility tools for you to use. Microsoft’s tutorials on YouTube explain their purpose and how to use best them. Download our technical accessibility checklist for more information.
• Be an ally: Inclusion is everyone’s responsibility. Speak up when you notice exclusion or barriers.
   

Disability inclusion is not just a workplace initiative. Disability Pride Month is more than a celebration. A fully accessible and disability inclusive workplace will enable colleagues with disabilities to be at their best, and enable organisations to benefit from their talents, perspectives and skills.

For more information on leading with inclusivity, explore our inclusive leadership training.