Emily's update

On the eve of International Day of Persons with Disabilities 2024 I had the privilege of speaking at a parliamentary session on Ensuring Fairness in Work for People with Disabilities marking almost 30 years since the Disability Discrimination Act.

While progress has been made, the reality is that disabled people are still twice as likely to be unemployed compared to non-disabled people - a clear sign that we have much further to go. For those who are employed, barriers persist: limited career progression, inadequate accommodations and lingering stigma. Acknowledging the problem isn’t enough. Change requires action.

Disability inclusion isn’t just about adding a voice to the table when decisions are already being made. Disabled people must be integrated into every facet of the workplace - not as afterthoughts but as key contributors to strategy, design, leadership and innovation.

Very often organisations take a reactive approach to disability: they address barriers only when someone speaks up. We need to shift that mindset to designing processes, tools and workplaces that are inherently inclusive.

Employees don’t just need to hear about inclusion - they need to see it, feel it, and experience it in their day-to-day work.

To truly advance disability inclusion, we must stop working in isolation. This is not just a challenge for HR teams or DEI leaders - it’s a collective responsibility. When we work together as organisations, governments and advocates, we can create workplaces that are not just inclusive, but truly transformative for disabled people.

A key focus of the session was that the voice of lived experience must lead the way. Disabled people should be included in every conversation, every decision and every solution.

One quote shared by Laura Davis, originally from Bethany Hamilton, has stayed with me since that day: "We don't need easy, we just need possible."

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Real change demands more than policy, it requires action. Inclusion must move from a conversation to a lived reality.

It was a truly inspiring event and I was surrounded by incredible people working hard for change. Here's to more conversations, more insight and most importantly, more change. Thank you to Better Hiring Institute for making this happen and organising such a fantastic event.

Also feel very lucky to have been able to speak at a parliamentary session about a topic that means so much to me - a big pinch me moment that I still can't quite believe happened!