(Arlington, VA, Wednesday, May 15, 2019) – Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD) is on May 16, and the purpose is to promote digital accessibility and inclusion for people with all disabilities.

According to a recent report, companies that embrace the best practices for employing and supporting more persons with disabilities in their workforces have outperformed their peers. While previous research has shown that employees with disabilities offer substantial business benefits — including increased innovation, improved productivity and a better work environment — the new research reveals that best-in-class companies that embrace diversity and people with disabilities also performed better financially.

Chad Jerdee, general counsel & chief compliance officer at Accenture, explains the findings.

SOUNDBITE #1:

THE FORTY-FIVE COMPANIES WE IDENTIFIED AS EXEMPLARY FOR LEADERSHIP IN DISABILITY EMPLOYMENT AND INCLUSION REALIZED SUBSTANTIAL FINANCINAL GAIN OVER A FOUR-YEAR PERIOD. ON AVERAGE THESE LEADERS SAW TWENTY EIGHT PERCENT HIGHER REVENUE, DOUBLE THE NET INCOME AND THIRTY PERCENT HIGHER ECONOMIC PROFIT MARGINS THAN THEIR PEERS.

SOUNDBITE #2:

PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES CONTINUE TO BE UNDERREPRESENTED IN CORPORATE AMERICA. DESPITE THE STRENGTH OF THE U.S. LABOR MARKET, ONLY TWENTY-NINE PERCENT OF WORKING AGE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES WERE EMPLOYED AS OF JULY TWENTY EIGHTEEN, THIS COMPARES WITH SEVENTY-FIVE PERCENT OF THOSE WITHOUT A DISABILITY. THIS GROUNDBREAKING RESEARCH SHOWS THAT GDP COULD GROW BY TWENTY-FIVE BILLION DOLLARS IF COMPANIES INCREASED THE NUMBER OF PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES THEY EMPLOY BY JUST ONE PERCENT.

To learn more about inclusion and diversity, visit accenture.com/diversity.