Over a third of companies pledge to accelerate disability inclusion in the wake of Covid-19.

It’s important we simultaneously celebrate the progress made over the past 30 years on the anniversary of the ADA, while ensuring the call to action in this space remains loud and clear. As economies globally look to recover and adapt to a new normal, it is vital we do not return to business as usual but learn from the lessons of Covid-19. Now is a critical time to reset business leaders’ attitudes to disability inclusion.

We are confident that The Valuable 500 community is listening intently to society – from their employees to customers – as to what they want for a more inclusive, accessible world. This includes both the online world, and physical world, in an increasingly digital age. It is also not just enough to listen – now is the time for action which shows business has taken on board new learnings, and truly appreciates the value a diverse and inclusive culture will bring to all.

It’s great to see this type of call to action go out on the 30th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Just the fact that we have laws around an inclusive society shows how far we have come, but now it’s time for businesses to step up and also take action. We are all living through unprecedented times, and as we hopefully start to come out of it, I believe it is critical for businesses to look at the type of changes that need pushing forward and make them long lasting.

For the business community – it’s important to realise that you have the power to help those who are marginalized and this in turn will influence society. Businesses need to find the marginalized people in their workforce and talk to them, listen to them and bring them on the journey to being inclusive. If a businesses is going to survive then it needs to be a place that is accessible for everyone – we are in a world where people will no longer tolerate an unfair society and hopefully this change will be around for the long-haul. Let’s put a timeline in place and make the fundamental changes that need to happen quickly.

As a next step in our global diversity and inclusion journey, we’re thrilled to join The Valuable 500. We believe that the inclusion of all employees, including those with disabilities, is the right thing to do for our people and our business. By creating a workplace and products that are designed with people with disabilities in mind, we are living our core values and driving positive change for people and the planet.

As part of our ongoing commitment to unlocking the potential of every employee at BCG and across our clients, including those with disabilities, we’re proud to join the Valuable 500. We look forward to learning from best in class organizations and leaders, contributing to the dialog, and to advancing opportunity, equality, and inclusion for all.

We’ve always championed workplace diversity and inclusion as a competitive strength, and we proudly join in this global effort that’s so important and simply the morally right thing to do,” said Steve Edwards, Black & Veatch’s CEO.

Companies that embrace a variety of backgrounds and perspectives are more successful and offer the type of workplace experience that drives better decision-making, employee engagement and career development. As an employee-owned company, we believe deeply in listening to every voice, bringing out the best in our people.

Calvin Klein is proud to be a part of The Valuable 500, alongside our parent company, PVH Corp. While we are deeply committed to being an inclusive organization that values every individual, the unfortunate reality is that disability inclusion is too often overlooked in the fashion industry. This pledge signifies our commitment to consider differently-abled people in our recruiting, marketing and product development efforts. We believe that collaboration is critical, and that together, this group has the opportunity to create significant and meaningful impact.

Dentsu is a company that has always treasured the individuality and diversity of our staff, and we have turned our respect for each other’s differences into business strengths. For a long time, we have deeply acknowledged the need of respect for diversity that V500 promotes, and thus it is a natural move for us to take part in the initiative. We will continue our endeavors to realize a more inclusive workplace, encourage our people to bring new perspectives in every small act we engage in, and expand both personal and professional potential for a better society.

I am proud that Electrocomponents is partnering with the Valuable 500 movement to raise consciousness about the work that we all need to do, to bring about equality and inclusion for all. As a global organisation we are working to ensure we not only attract diverse disabled talent but that we provide long-term sustainable employment as well. We acknowledge that we are at the beginning of our journey and that we may not always get it right, but we are 100% committed to making systemic changes within our organisation to reflect those we serve within our community, our customers and our suppliers.

We’re really focused on building an inclusive culture at Greene King and have made some good progress so far but we know there’s much more to do. We want to create a company where everyone can build a career and can feel valued for the skills they bring. Disability inclusion is an important part of our diversity and inclusion strategy going forward and we’re really pleased to join the Valuable 500.

For us, working on the inclusion agenda has not only been the right thing to do, but has also produced amazing results in terms of morale, productivity and profits.

We know that we simply cannot create the best outcomes without a diverse workforce and an inclusive culture. Nuance is proud to join The Valuable 500 and we are committed to continuing to build an environment that celebrates and values everyone equally, including people with disabilities.

Ensuring disability inclusion in the workplace is something my colleagues and I feel very passionately about and I’m thrilled that Roche Pharma UK is partnering with The Valuable500. Roche Pharma UK is recognised as a Disability Confident Employer and this partnership will help with our commitment and aspiration to become a Disability Confident Leader. We have also launched our own disability inclusion programme, called Workability – an initiative that focuses on supporting adults with disabilities (hidden or visible) to become ‘work-ready’, whilst creating an environment at Roche where everyone can thrive.

I am delighted that we can participate in such wonderful activities. In addition to public transportation such as trains and buses, the Seibu Group has also developed various other businesses such as hotels and commercial facilities. Our slogan is “Smiles ahead” and we believe that our foremost mission is to ensure safe and comfortable use by all customers. Furthermore, as our business entails a highly public nature, it is essential that we coexist harmoniously with local communities. We believe that for us to continue to fulfil our social responsibility, it will become increasingly important that we ensure the inclusion of a wide variety of people, including those with disabilities. Through our support for this initiative, we will be even more active in our efforts for the realization of a sustainable society.

Software AG is proud to join forces with The Valuable 500. Initiatives like this are what we need to help make progress on issues of inclusion and diversity. There is so much we can both learn and achieve by connecting with one another in these discussions. At Software AG, we know that diversity makes us stronger and we strive to be better on inclusion in all of its forms. Disability is an important area that we shouldn’t overlook, and we should remain open to address any instances of discrimination or lack of inclusion wherever or whenever it exists.

We are absolutely delighted and honoured to be on-board The Valuable 500 campaign. Our company’s operations in logistics and infrastructure development solutions are spread across 20 states in India, a country filled with diverse colorful cultures. We enjoy the luxury of a geographically and religiously diverse growing team, which is our biggest strength. We are committed towards continuing efforts in improving diversity and inclusivity in our policies for employees, vendors, clients and other stakeholders. In the current unprecedented times, everyone across the globe is learning to align with the dynamic ‘new normal’. With disability now on our board agenda, we are excited to set afoot our plans to empower Persons with Disabilities.

More than ever, we are standing behind our commitment to be a brand and business that ‘Wastes Nothing and Welcomes All.’ Joining The Valuable 500 alongside our parent company, PVH Corp. strengthens our commitment to attracting diverse talent, creating an inclusive workplace, and developing innovative products to serve diverse consumers. Launching the Tommy Adaptive range was one of the many steps we have taken to champion disability inclusion, and we are proud to come together with other companies and leaders who share the determination to continue driving their industries forward.

Voya Financial stands with The Valuable 500 and its leaders around the world to advance disability inclusion. We understand that all stakeholders — including customers, employees, investors, legislators and regulators — are increasingly looking to business to help foster a more-inclusive society. Through our Voya Cares® program, we are committed to disability inclusion, and to making a difference in the lives of individuals with disabilities, as well as their families and caregivers.

Inclusion has been part of Weil’s founding DNA. To continue living up to that legacy, we are proud to join the Valuable 500 to deepen our commitment to disability inclusion. In particular, mental health and wellness is a significant priority for our Firm that has become even more important for us to be mindful of now.

As a leading Middle East mobile operator, we have been actively addressing the issue at Board level over the last 12 months, promoting equitable and inclusive systemic change. We firmly believe that people with disabilities offer new and diverse perspectives and employing them can lead to a more positive and inclusive culture.