Profiles in Excellence Archives | Solutions Marketing Group

Microsoft Makes Accessibility a High Priority

March 27, 2018

By Joan Leotta

Chief Accessibility Officer for the Microsoft Corporation, Jenny Lay-Flurrie has been working to give the company’s internal accessibility programs a wide reach in the disability community. One of her latest efforts is to create a hiring program that identifies and trains people with autism. Lay-Flurrie, herself deaf, has held many positions within the company. Her own road to corporate success reveals her commitment to success for herself and others with disabilities. She graciously agreed to be interviewed by SMG. The live links in the article will take readers with further interest in Microsoft to more detail about its Autism Hiring Program and other Microsoft Accessibility programs.

SMG: What has your employment journey been like and what advice would you share with others with disabilities who are looking for employment?

Ms. Lay-Flurrie: Well, it’s a bit of a long, winding story, but I have always had a passion for music. Some folks are surprised to learn that I started out by getting a music degree back in the UK. It was a lot of fun, but it wasn’t long before I realized that I needed money to pay rent and music wasn’t cutting it. That led me to start working at a newspaper in London on their IT help desk, which was really the start of my career in the IT industry. At that point in my life, my deafness wasn’t something I wanted to call attention to. After I moved into an IT startup, it became increasingly difficult for me to hide it. I actually got to the point where I tried to resign because I was offered a promotion and I didn’t think I could do it with the state of my hearing being as it was. I had to ask for help. Fortunately, my manager at the time was wonderful and worked with me to get digital hearing aids. It was life-changing!

By the time I got to Microsoft in 2005, my hearing had continued to slide and with so many thick accents and folks talking at the same time, I needed to ask for help again. In short order, I was provided captioning and a sign language interpreter. It was at that time that I also became increasingly involved with employee resource groups at the company, which helped me to really be proud of who I am and open about my disability. My advice to you is this: Learn from my journey, but don’t follow it to the letter. Make it your own. Be honest about everything that makes you who you are, and remember, disability is a strength, so embrace it!

SMG: Do you think society subtly pushes people with disabilities, both visible and invisible, into specific jobs that do not fully tap into that person’s potential?

Ms. Lay-Flurrie: I think sometimes assumptions are made about what people are capable of and oftentimes that simply comes from a place of ignorance. It’s an opportunity to educate as well as recognize the talent that people with disabilities bring to the table. It’s happened in my own life. There was a time when someone told me that I would never achieve much, but I’m happy to say that they were dead wrong! We’re also seeing it in applicants to our Autism Hiring Program. We’ve had candidates with multiple PhDs who held part time jobs at Safeway – clearly an example of an untapped pool of talent that is gold dust for both Microsoft and other companies to latch onto. We’re now working with over a dozen companies on our Autism program, and by sharing our learnings, our thinking is that if we can help more companies hire people with disabilities, then we will be able to impact the unemployment rate, which is our end goal.

SMG: Microsoft has risen as a corporate leader in disability inclusion. What have you done to truly integrate people with disabilities within the company’s culture?

Ms. Lay-Flurrie: At Microsoft, we believe it’s essential to have a diverse workforce and an inclusive culture. With more than one billion people with disabilities in the world, organizations and companies are missing a trick when they don’t think about disability inclusion as part of the diversity conversation. With this in mind, we’re approaching disability inclusion in a number of different ways. Our Disability Employee Resource Group (ERG), has been a key part of this, and is now more than 1,000 strong, representing employees with a number of different conditions such as hearing loss, blindness, and mobility disabilities, to name a few. The Disability ERG champions many of our efforts in the company, including our annual Ability Summit, which provides a forum for innovative thinking related to accessible technology. We have an annual hackathon that includes ‘Ability Hacks’ focused on empowering people with disabilities. This also continues to grow, and this year we had 150 projects. The hackathon really is an incubator for accessibility innovations. Previous Ability Hack winners included the Eye Gaze Wheelchair and Learning Tools for OneNote.

We also host a number of job fairs, as well as offer annual disability scholarships for high school students, and partner with vendors and employment agencies to run a Supported Employment Program. We’ve also created many company-wide trainings, including an Accessibility 101, which is now also available externally. We’ve made a lot of progress in this space, but it’s a journey and we know that there is so much more to be done.

SMG: What are the key elements for disability inclusion to be successful?

Ms. Lay-Flurrie: I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, disability is a strength! When you recognize that people with disabilities are the experts, having them in your workforce simply makes products better. Creating this type of culture involves many factors, but I think it comes down to a few key things:

First and foremost, hire talent with disabilities. Ensure that recruiters have undergone disability etiquette training and understand how to post jobs in an accessible manner. Conduct inclusive interviews that allow all candidates to bring their A game. Once again, our Autism Hiring Program is a great example of this. We have designed a non-traditional interview process that involves a 5-day academy to really highlight skills that a traditional interview process might miss.
Accommodations are another key piece. Once you get folks on board, make sure to have a defined and easy process in place for providing reasonable accommodations to ensure that all employees are as productive in their jobs as possible to ensure career advancement.
Lastly, I’ve really seen how the disability community can come together in a grassroots way and make things happen. Create opportunities for employees with disabilities to connect and feel empowered, and there is no limit to what they can accomplish.

SMG: What advice would you give other corporate leaders who want to advance disability inclusion? How can they start?

Ms. Lay-Flurrie: I get this question a lot, and it’s a good one. First of all, you don’t have to do this alone and there are TONS of resources out there to help you get started. One resource that we’ve found particularly helpful is the Disability Equality Index (DEI), which was created to help businesses advance their disability inclusion policies. The DEI provides a confidential opportunity to evaluate disability inclusion policies and a benchmark to identify areas of improvement. It’s a great tool that’s used by 80+ companies, including Microsoft. Once you understand where you need to focus, consider taking the approach of ‘crawl, walk, and then run.’ Start slowly, identify the right roles and opportunities for people, and then build on that. We’ve also started to document our learnings, so have a look at our Disability Inclusion Sway to learn more about what we’ve been up to and to access resources that can help you get started.

Need a Ride?

December 15, 2017

By Joan Leotta

Malcolm Glenn, Uber spokesperson and Strategic Partnerships Manager

Need a Ride? The founders of industry wunderkind, Uber, believe that the answer to this question is a resounding “yes,” heard from people of all abilities, all over the world. As the ride-sharing platform continues to expand, the fundamentals of the company blueprint remain unchanged. Exciting inroads have been made to connect Uber to people with disabilities—mobility and otherwise – as both riders and drivers. To better understand the company’s evolution in accessibility, SMG interviewed Malcom Glenn, Uber spokesperson and Strategic Partnerships Manager.

SMG: When did Uber integrate accessible transportation into its business model?

Glenn: Accessibility has been a part of our platform since the beginning. We certainly didn’t start as a company with the mission to deliver transportation to everyone, but over time we’ve realized that there’s an amazing appetite for transportation from many communities for which transportation has been a barrier – including people with disabilities. In the last couple of years, we’ve really started to make internal changes to create a renewed focus around accessibility, creating specific teams and accessibility-focused roles, making significant improvements to the platform, and extensively engaging with members of the disability community to get feedback and learn where we can improve.

In the two years since I’ve joined the company, I’ve been heartened to see how much of a focus this has been across all functions. We still have a lot of work to do, but I think with continued engagement with the community, we’ll continue to find the best solutions and ultimately come that much closer to fulfilling our mission of providing reliable transportation for everyone, everywhere.

SMG: What accessibility options are available on your app?

Glenn: Using Uber is really two different experiences; first, it’s interacting with the app (from both a driver and a rider perspective), and second, it’s interacting with another person in the real world (again, as both a rider and a driver). For riders who are blind or have low vision, we’ve made the app accessible with VoiceOver iOS, Android TalkBack, and compatible with wireless braille display. We’ve also taken significant steps to provide drivers with information about their obligations to transport riders with service animals. Audio is not needed to use the Uber app, though assistive technology such as visible and vibrating alerts can help riders who are deaf or hard of hearing.

There are now thousands of deaf and hard of hearing drivers on the Uber platform in the US who are providing more rides per month on average than hearing drivers. Drivers who are deaf have collectively earned well over $10 million, after we made changes to the app a few years ago that allows drivers to self-identify as deaf or hard of hearing. This unlocks features that improve the experience for both drivers and riders. For this work, we were recognized last year by the Ruderman Family Foundation as one of 18 companies leading the way in supporting people with disabilities.

When it comes to riders with mobility needs, we’ve launched our UberWAV (wheelchair-accessible vehicle) in many US cities, connecting riders with drivers in cars equipped with ramps or lifts. UberWAV is currently being piloted in several US cities using a variety of models – everything from working with commercial partners to taxi providers to leasing/rental models. A more in-depth look at our accessibility offerings is at https://accessibility.uber.com/

SMG: Did Uber consult with any disability organizations to develop the Uber WAV program?

Glenn: Working with disability organizations has been paramount to growth of all of our accessibility offerings, including UberWAV. We’ve talked extensively with various national and local organizations about our different UberWAV models, and their feedback has helped inform our getting pilots out onto the road. The leading organizations representing blind people were also integral in helping us improve app accessibility and get into place a robust service animal policy. Finally, we partnered with the Communication Service for the Deaf, the largest deaf-led nonprofit in the United States, to expand opportunities for deaf men and women. We’ve also worked with members of the deaf community including the National Association of the Deaf and Telecommunications for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (TDI) to design and implement a series of fully optional product capabilities to improve the driver experience.

SMG: At present, we see WAV only available in NYC, DC, Chicago, and Portland. Are there plans to expand it to other cities? If so, which ones?

Glenn: In addition to those cities, we’ve recently launched pilots in Philadelphia, Boston, and Toronto, and additional WAV options exist in cities like Austin, Houston, and San Francisco, not to mention internationally in places like London and Sydney. We’re always looking for new partnerships that can help expand the number of cities where UberWAV is an option.

SMG: Can you estimate the percentage of Uber riders who require accommodations for Deaf/HoH, Blind/Low Vision, and Limited Mobility?

Glenn: Because we don’t ask for this information from riders, it’s very difficult to estimate the number of riders who have disabilities. But more than 10 million rides take place on the Uber platform every day all across the globe, and we regularly receive feedback from riders and drivers that leads us to believe that a sizable number of both riders and drivers with disabilities are benefiting from the platform.

SMG: What are the limitations for WAV when a rider has a wheelchair? Does WAV only cover manual wheelchairs? How do you address power chairs and scooters?

Glenn: All drivers are expected to accommodate riders using walkers, canes, folding wheelchairs or other assistive devices to the maximum extent possible. Because the nature of the Uber platform in most places is people using their own vehicles, driving when and where they want, we look to form partnerships in order to have vehicles on the platform that can accommodate power wheelchair users and larger scooters. These are the users that benefit most from our UberWAV service, as previously mentioned. (Read more about what Uber is doing to accommodate riders with mobility disabilities.)

SMG: Does the company require a rider to input specifics about how much assistance a wheelchair user will need?

Glenn: Riders do not input information about accessibility needs; in fact, drivers only see a few pieces of information when they’re matched with a rider – the rider’s first name, the rider’s current rating (out of 5), and the rider’s current location. (Drivers are also notified if the rider is going to a location that is expected to be at least 45 minutes away.) It’s important to minimize the information drivers receive in order to remove any conscious or unconscious bias, though we do encourage riders to communicate with their drivers about any identifying information that they deem relevant. Most riders with disabilities can be accommodated by any one of our products, and we encourage riders with power wheelchairs to request the UberWAV or similar service where they’re located.

SMG: Recently, your company was accused of not being accessible enough, especially for people with limited mobility issues. Can you explain what the company has done to address the issue of physical barriers?

Glenn: We certainly haven’t always gotten these things right on our platform, and much of the criticism in the past has been justified. We started out only offering expensive black car rides and over time we’ve evolved to a much more ambitious mission to make a product that everyone can use. So that’s meant lots of community engagement, finding partners who can help us expand the nature of our model, and really focusing on what people need. Publicly stating our commitment to accessibility has helped, and we need to continue to improve how the platform serves users with physical disabilities. Continuing the lines of dialogue is key in working towards that.

SMG: How many Deaf/HOH driver partners does Uber have?

Glenn: We don’t know exactly how many deaf or hard of hearing drivers we have on the platform, because the value of creating features for deaf drivers is that many hearing drivers have recognized the benefits and activated those features, too. It’s a great example of the usefulness of universal design – building products that work for everyone means that people with disabilities and without disabilities all have a better experience.

SMG: Has the company placed focus on disability inclusion and employment at headquarters and in staff offices?

Glenn: Disability inclusion has been a priority for us, both from the perspective of making our platform accessible as well as making sure we’re including people with disabilities in our employee population. This year we’re proud to have participated for the first time in the Disability Equality Index, a joint venture by the American Association of People with Disabilities and the U.S. Business Leadership Network. The DEI helps make businesses more inclusive for people with disabilities, and we look forward to working with other organizations in this field.

One of the benefits of Uber is that we’re very decentralized as a company, meaning that city teams are empowered to build relationships with local organizations and structure their offices in a way that’s reflective of the diversity of the cities they serve. That’s been a real opportunity to see innovation around inclusion come from many different parts of the company and many different geographies. Our diversity and inclusion team and many other folks in headquarters are leading the charge on lots of our disability inclusion work, but I love seeing people in other functions and in offices across the globe contributing to making our company as diverse and inclusive as possible.

SMG: Uber’s mission statement says it focuses on six core areas relative to accessible transportation: Efficiency, Ease, Reliability, Accountability, Responsiveness, and Economic Opportunity. How are these being implemented throughout the organization?

Uber: These areas are at the core of the experience we want all of our riders to have, whether they are riders with disabilities or riders without disabilities. Efficiency, ease, and reliability are at the core of the product, and one of the key value propositions for using Uber instead of other options: it’s efficient and easy to do everything from downloading the app, inputting your information, and ultimately requesting and completing a trip. Accountability matters in terms of making sure that issues with drivers are minimized, and when they do occur there’s a concrete mechanism in place to deal with them. Responsiveness, unsurprisingly, is necessary to have true accountability.

Finally, economic opportunity is the reason that drivers, continue to decide to drive with Uber. One of the unanticipated aspects of Uber when the company started was how many people had a need for reliable transportation, but we also hadn’t anticipated how many people were looking for flexible work opportunities. To the degree that we can continue to provide people with those opportunities, we’re doing our job.

SMG: How does Uber determine which transportation partners it engages with? How does this make consumer experience seamless for passengers with disabilities?

Uber: We take feedback from advocates, have exhaustive conversations with potential partners, and look closely at the assets they have to assess whether they’re a fit for our platform. Whomever we choose as partners, we’re committed to making sure the experience is the same across our various products. The experience should be seamless no matter which product you’re using, and our partners have to be able to help in providing that experience.

SMG: Your guidelines for drivers are very comprehensive. In addition to those guidelines, are there any hands-on classes for drivers to help them understand people with disabilities?

Uber: All drivers are provided extensive materials when they partner with Uber, and UberWAV drivers receive additional, more extensive instruction. We also have a product available in more than 40 cities around the world, UberASSIST, that is designed to provide people who would like a helping hand with additional assistance. With UberASSIST, top-rated driver-partners may obtain independent training from third-party organizations to assist riders into vehicles.

SMG: What are your plans for making Uber even more accessible in the future—for both riders and drivers?

Uber: We’re always thinking about how we can improve – and we know we have lots of ways in which we can do so. We’re always looking to increase the number of deaf and hard of hearing drivers on the platform, decrease the number of issues with service animals, improve app accessibility and increase the number of places where UberWAV exists, as well as improve = the reliability of the product in the cities where we operate.

We appreciate the opportunity to talk about the work we’re doing, how we’re thinking about improving, and to acknowledge that we haven’t always gotten this right. There are newfound efforts across the company to make the platform as accessible as possible, and we look forward to engaging with the community in order to truly get this right.

SMG: Thank you, Malcom Glenn and Uber!

Target Scores Bulls-Eye Again

December 13, 2017

By Joan Leotta

Last summer, Target launched the children’s clothing line, “‘Cat & Jack,” a fun blend of creativity and functionality designed to meet the needs of modern families. This past fall (2017), Target expanded the line to include a selection of stylish adaptive pieces for toddlers and kids living with disabilities.

In describing this innovative launch, Julie Guggemos, senior vice president of Product Design and Development at Target, stated, “It’s our goal at Target to always make sure we have products that fit our guests’ needs, and all at a reasonable price point. We heard from our guests – and members of our own team—that there’s a need for adaptive clothing for kids that is both fashionable and affordable, so we set out to create exactly that.” She added, “since launching sensory-friendly apparel earlier this year and receiving such positive guest feedback, we’re now focused on continuing to evolve and expand Cat & Jack to meet the needs of even more of our guests.” Target spokesperson Meghan Roman further explained the vision behind the new line of clothing and the role Cat & Jack plays in the company’s overall commitment to shoppers with disabilities.

SMG: What made Target aware of the need for adaptive clothing?

Roman: Target heard from real kids and parents – and members of their own team – that there’s a need for adaptive clothing for kids that is both fashionable and affordable. It all started when Stacey Monsen, a design director for AVA & VIV, Target’s own plus size line brand, and her teammates saw an opportunity to design pieces that are more accommodating for all guests–including their own kids. With this insight, Target set out to introduce a limited selection of sensory-friendly and adaptive kids’ clothing, within Cat & Jack, that’s affordable and offers kids stylish options to feel comfortable and confident enough to take on the day. Since the product launch last year, real kids, including those with sensory processing sensitivities, have played a key role in the development of the Cat & Jack brand. The feedback and insights Target gathered from this unique demographic were so invaluable that we have continued to tap kids from season to season to ensure we are meeting the wants and needs of our guests.

SMG: What items are available now?

Roman: The adaptive assortment features 40 items for boys and girls, including puffer jackets, long-sleeve tees, short-sleeve tees, hooded sweatshirts, leggings and bodysuits. Cat & Jack’s selection of adaptive apparel features details like outerwear created with zip-off sleeves and side and back openings to help make dressing easier for kids who are lying down or sitting. We also offer footless sleepwear to minimize discomfort for children who have sensory processing sensitivities or for those who wear additional supports on their legs and feet; we carry clothing with hidden openings that allow for abdominal access as well as diaper-friendly leggings and bodysuits.

SMG: Are (and were) disability organizations and people with disabilities involved with developing and marketing this line?

Roman: In addition gathering feedback from our guests and members of our own team, Target’s design team met with several organizations such as Pageant of Hope (a pageant for girls with special needs and challenges), Mind Body Solutions (a non-profit specializing in adaptive yoga), The National Federation of the Blind Minnesota and The Minnesota Autism Center, a group which facilitated our understanding of how clothing can help meet the everyday needs of children with disabilities and sensory processing sensitivities.

SMG: Are the clothes available online, in stores or both? What are the sizes and price points?

Roman: The Cat & Jack adaptive apparel assortment is available exclusively on Target.com. Based on the current brand styles, Target’s internal design team created the 40-item assortment with features like side and back snap and zip closures and hidden openings for abdominal access, all in an effort to make getting dressed easier for everyone (kids and parents!). Cat & Jack adaptive apparel comes in sizes 2T-5T (Toddler) and XS-XXL (Big Kids). Prices range from $4.50 to $39.99, with most items priced at under $19.99.

The Target.com website boasts a unique online experience with online sizing tools meant to make it easier to find clothing that fits the specific needs of children. The online experience also showcases the design attributes and provides inspiration of how to mix and match the styles.

SMG: Cat & Jack is available exclusively for children right now. Will adult clothing be available at a later date?

Roman: Yes, the line is only for children at present. Target will continue to evaluate all of our apparel assortments from kids to adults to ensure that guests feel welcomed and inspired by our products.

The best way to summarize our plans for the future of Cat & Jack is to quote Stacey Monsen, the Target design person who initiated our involvement in this line: “The Target team has immense passion and collective knowledge, and I love that we’re using it to develop products and solutions that will change people’s lives. My goal is to keep being an advocate, for my daughter and for others.”

Cat & Jack products are available now on Target.com.

JPMorgan Chase and the Four-Pronged Approach to Inclusion

July 10, 2017

An Interview with Jim Sinocchi, Head of JPMorgan Chase’s Office of Disability Inclusion

By Joan Leotta

Industry standard-bearer, JPMorgan Chase & Co., has further cemented its commitment to diversity and inclusion with the hire of James (Jim) Sinocchi, Head of the Office of Disability Inclusion. A vanguard in his own right, Sinocchi has promoted disability inclusion awareness for decades. In this new position, he will partner with JPMorgan Chase’s senior leaders to establish consistent standards and processes supporting employees with disabilities and employees who care for family members with disabilities. Prior to joining JPMorgan Chase, Sinocchi served as the co-chair of the IBMers with Disabilities Global Task Force. While there, he collaborated across multiple internal and external channels to create awareness and understanding of policies, initiatives, and Human Resources and Diversity programs. Sinocchi uses his considerable skillset to serve the community as a board member of organizations committed to supporting people living with disabilities. His business acumen makes him sought-after, but his empathy and passion have made him a pioneer. Since 1980, Sinocchi has lived with C5-C6 quadriplegia, the result of a New Year’s Eve surfing accident. In this month’s SMG Profile, Jim reflects on the intangibles and tangibles that sustain innovation and inclusion in the workplace.

SMG: When did JPMorgan Chase institute the Office of Disability Inclusion?

Sinocchi: JPMorgan Chase has for years worked on improving access to people with disabilities and fostering a culture of inclusion for employees. The company long sought to improve the employee experience, engage with outside organizations (particularly with advocacy organizations), products, and services for people with disabilities. One of our nine firm-wide business resource groups is dedicated to providing a voice for employees with disabilities and those who serve as caregivers.

A little over a year ago, our executives decided they needed to take the step of creating an Office of Disability Inclusion to increase focus on matters related to employee accessibility and drive consistency in our methodology, standards and practices.

SMG: Jim, when did you join the company?

Sinocchi: I joined in June 2016.

SMG: How has the direction of disability inclusion changed over the last twenty years?

Sinocchi: The mindset of companies 20 years ago was, “Let’s hire people with disabilities. Let’s give them jobs.” Today’s mindset – at forward-thinking companies – is, “Let’s hire people with disabilities, and see who among them has leadership potential.” Stereotypes and attitudes have changed and people with disabilities are being promoted to middle and upper management roles. However, people with disabilities continue to face barriers to equal opportunity at work.

I use The Four A’s to serve as a roadmap for hiring people with disabilities and enabling them to contribute to the company, and the country. The Four A’s are: Attitude, Accommodations, Accessibility and Assimilation. If companies work on those four areas, they’ll become part of the new era of hiring people with disabilities and enabling them to contribute to the company and the country.

SMG: How did you develop the Four A’s? Why do you like it as an approach for inclusion?

Sinocchi: I was trying to come up with an answer to the question: “How can a company make someone with a disability feel truly comfortable and help that individual succeed?” Companies can teach people with disabilities how to be leaders just as they do with able-bodied people. When people with disabilities are seen as C-suite leaders, accessibility and inclusiveness will enrich that company’s culture.

We can also teach managers and executives to recognize leadership potential in a person with a disability. Here’s a secret: it’s the same methodology used with an able-bodied person. That acknowledgment alone will change paradigms and break the glass ceiling for the employee with a disability. We’ve done it with gender, with orientation, with race, with religion – but we haven’t done it – yet – for people with disabilities.

Assimilation will be the real game changer – the mark of a great company. When people with disabilities can assimilate with their able-bodied colleagues, when people talk to a colleague with a disability and don’t think about their disability, we will know we’ve made a lasting difference.

SMG: How do the four A’s work, specifically at JPMorgan Chase? Has disability inclusion changed at JPMorgan Chase since the Office of Disability Inclusion began?

Sinocchi: JPMorgan Chase looks at the whole employee when they join the company. We look first at what the individual can contribute to both the company and our clients. We make it clear that we want people for their intellectual capacity and talent and we will do everything we can to accommodate them in a reasonable manner.

The Four A’s codifies this though, making it easy for people to understand what we’re trying to accomplish. Rather than use medical jargon or scientific data, The Four A’s are already in people’s vocabulary and represent the standard dictionary definition of each word; it’s straightforward so that people who manage and work with colleagues with disabilities realize it’s just about how we treat people and make sure we’re not afraid of being politically incorrect.

To help break down the barrier of “political correctness,” we launched a video series called “The Disability Dialogues,” where senior managers sit down with employees who talk about their disabilities. They speak openly about challenges they face and any they’ve overcome at work, and invite colleagues to ask questions they may have once been afraid to ask.

The Office of Disability Inclusion is a global, firm-wide operation. Our company has offices in more than 60 countries and reasonable accommodations are a part of how we do business around the world. So, if a candidate has the talent and skills to do a job well, we want them. And, we will provide as many tools as we can to help them do their jobs to the best of their abilities.

SMG: Can you share any data on the number of company employees who identify as having a disability? Has that number increased since the Office of Disability Inclusion began operations?

Sinocchi: As you imply in your question, disability is something that people self-identify. We know that many have disclosed their disabilities for the first time since the Office of Disability Inclusion was established. And we know that many were afraid to disclose their disabilities because they thought it might hinder their career. But we also know that we have more employees who are still getting comfortable with self-identifying and we’re working on making sure that they know we can help set them up for success. On the flip side, our employees who work with and manage people with disabilities are also adjusting to the new environment of openness where employees are self-identifying and openly speaking about their disabilities.

SMG: Are there any partnerships with disability organizations that make the Office more effective?

Sinocchi: JPMorgan Chase has an Office of Nonprofit Engagement (called ONE internally), which reaches out to specific communities and serves as a central point of contact for those communities to reach out to us as well. ONE has a robust and growing program to engage nonprofit organizations dedicated to helping people with disabilities lead full and barrier-free lives. Through ONE, we partner with many of the nation’s leading disability organizations to raise awareness of and provide solutions to some of the challenges facing specific communities. This level of formalized engagement gives our business leaders and product developers’ valuable information about how we can better serve our customers and employees.

SMG: Have you developed any innovative training techniques that you would like to share—for the other employees as well as for the employee with a disability to form an integrated workforce? How do you think this will affect conversation on disability in the workplace?

Sinocchi: We’ve been focused on creating a culture that encourages conversations about disabilities, which we believe will help to accomplish the fourth A: Assimilation. The more people can talk openly about disabilities, the more it means that able-bodied people can see beyond the disability and people with disabilities feel at ease.

The Road to Inclusion in India: An Interview with Ferose V. R.

May 24, 2017

By Joan Leotta

Known to his English and American audiences by his first name only, Ferose Velloparampil Rasheed — or simply, Ferose — is a champion of disability rights in India. Though presently residing in the United States, he remains at the forefront of the movement to increase inclusion awareness in his homeland. Ferose’s efforts have resulted in an improved understanding of the abilities of people identified as “with disabilities”, a shift he hopes to see gain even more momentum in the workplace in India. In an interview with SMG, this game-changer gave insight into his labor of love, the cultural shifts that come with inclusivity and the vision of the India Inclusion Summit.

SMG: In the essay on inclusion on your web page, you describe the work of the India Inclusion Summit, a community-driven initiative. Are you the founder?

Ferose: While I founded the initiative, it is truly community driven. Hundreds of volunteers spend their time and energy to make the event a possibility. We created a non-profit organization called the India Inclusion Foundation, where I am the managing trustee and have put a governance model to drive the topic of inclusion across the country. It is 100% community driven as there are no paid members in the foundation.

SMG: In the five years since organization was established, has disability inclusion improved in India? In the workplace? Socially?

Ferose: Our core idea of starting the foundation was to spread awareness. My personal realization was the “awareness” was the lowest common denominator to any challenge. By spreading awareness (on disabilities) we make people sensitive and sensitive people act towards improving the conditions. In India (and many parts of the world), people with disabilities are looked down upon and not included or integrated into society. In many cases, they are seen as a burden. There is a certain stigma attached and we need to fundamentally change that narrative. We should celebrate people’s differences instead of rejecting them for things they cannot do . The India Inclusion Summit is a celebration of the human spirit – of people overcoming odds in their own ways and making a difference. There are many ripple effects of the work we started. One of the ideas we incubated along with a non-profit, Enable India, was to support the creation of an employment manual for people with disabilities, which later led to the creation of an online academy. When a group of like- minded people, willing to make a change and share their personal journeys, come together we build a larger “goodwill network”. Every year, I hear so many heartwarming stories and the ripple effect of the movement is far and wide. During one of the earlier summits, we had launched the documentary of India’s relatively unknown Deaf and Mute wrestler, Virender Singh – this opened up multiple opportunities and the documentary went on to win the National award! Also, one of the artists (on the autism spectrum) whose paintings we had used during the event went on to be part of the opening with the torch at the Rio Olympics! Sometimes providing the first opening/opportunity is the most important step.

SMG: On your website, http://indiainclusionsummit.com, you describe the steps your organization has undertaken to make inclusion a reality in India. You state: “I’m often asked how an event is going to bring about change? But it’s a four-step process that we’re looking at: the first being the event; second, building a community; third, driving sustainable projects, which will ultimately lead to the final stage of architecting the future”. Based upon this road map, by your estimation, what stage is the country in now?

Ferose: I have seen the topic of inclusion at different stages in different parts of the world. The US is a very progressive society, maybe only matched by the UK. India is still decades behind, especially rural parts compared to urban India. I believe the challenge is in changing mindsets and this can take a whole new generation. Being a technologist, I believe tech has a huge role to play in accelerating the inclusion movement across the world.

The India Inclusion Summit started as an annual event to celebrate our differences. While the event is a great platform to bring everyone together, we are now focused on building a community of people that is engaged and working all year round to drive Inclusion. With the Inclusion Fellowship that we started last year we are also looking at investing in various projects and initiatives that support inclusion. The goal is that through such fellowships we can scale the efforts in this space and also build a more tightly knit community working towards a common cause. Eventually such a community would be able to ‘architect the future’.

SMG: What is necessary then to move inclusion to the next level?

Ferose: Change is a collective process. Today different parts of the community are working in silos – the NGO’s, schools, government, civil society, corporations – all of them need to come together. India has the opportunity to leapfrog into a new inclusive world using the power of technology. But ONLY if everyone works together. Sadly, I don’t see a lot of emphasis on the topic of inclusion around the world – surprisingly, even at the United Nations level, supporting people with disabilities is not one of the Sustainable Development Goals!

SMG: Has your own experience of living in California influenced your strategy on dealing with disability in India, especially related to autism, which you say is not even recognized as a disability there?

Ferose: Yes, I moved to California to provide better care for my son. The experience has been fantastic. However, the special needs care depends entirely on the school district. Also, the costs are very high and I feel a need to democratize this – so every parent has access to the same facilities for their children.

After many years, the list of disabilities has been updated in India and autism is now one of the recognized disabilities. I am however speaking for everyone and every disability – not just autism alone. There has personally been a lot of learning for me in each area living here— whether it is the use of technology in diagnosis, learning, caregiving and job matching or the set-up of systems which allow for ‘time off’ for parents of children with disabilities or early mentorship and inclusive schools for education so that the children are better set up for employment. Of course, we are talking about a completely different scale in a country like India which comes with its own set of challenges and need for unique solutions. The family system and strong community network is a unique aspect of India. The west calls it “inter-Generational living.” In India, we have been practicing that for centuries!

SMG: Do you (in India Inclusion) partner with any national or international disability organizations to formulate goals and solutions to issues?

Ferose: Yes, we have partnered with Enable India, one of the leading NGO’s working in the disability space. While our focus is on awareness, we are now building a strong community of Inclusion Fellows, who would do the groundwork to find solutions for people with disabilities. We have also partnered with other corporations like ANZ, Allegis and CISCO.

SMG: Have you been able to measure your impact since the initiative began? Are there specific statistics, for instance, to indicate how many people with disabilities have gained employment?

Ferose: As I mentioned, our goal is to reach 10 million people with the message of inclusion by 2021 (10 years since we started!). While this is a bold goal, we are confident that we have built a network to amplify the message of inclusion via our various media, the majority of which are online.

SMG: Can you give us anecdotal examples of improvements in social inclusion—housing, accommodations, public transit, etc.?

Ferose: There are many examples – for instance, one of the employees at Sap Labs India,.who was hired as part of the Autism at Work initiative, got married last month. This is a huge step towards living a normal life like everyone else. There are many people who are working towards creating a safe assisted living environment for people with special needs – most of them are however largely driven by individuals.(Note: SAP stands for Systeme, Anwendungen und Produkte in der Datenverarbeitung; or Systems, Applications & Products in Data Processing. It’s a German-founded multinational software corporation that makes enterprise software to manage business operations and customer relations.)

SMG: You have written a book, GIFTED —how do you think that book has helped parents of children with autism and other disabilities?

Ferose: The purpose of writing the book was to share the stories of ordinary people who have overcome extraordinary hardships to live a meaningful and fulfilling life, in spite of the disabilities. The idea was to provide a platform for many unsung heroes. The book has become a bestseller and is now translated into four languages! Just like the Summit, the book is meant to celebrate the human spirit. To me, every time I receive a letter or note from a parent, a caregiver or a person with a disability that the book instilled new hope in them, I feel the book had its desired impact. If we managed to affect the life of even one person, I am satisfied. At the core, GIFTED is about providing hope – that understanding and the right opportunities can unleash the best out of anyone!

SMG: What is your ultimate goal related to disability inclusion at SAP? How do you think it has influenced other companies?

Ferose: SAP is already recognized is one of the most diverse and inclusive companies – we have won numerous accolades and are also the Inaugural Signatory for White House Tech Inclusion Pledge. SAP’s commitment came as part of President Obama’s Global Entrepreneurship Innovation Summit 2016.

As part of the Autism at Work program, our corporate goal, by 2020, is to employ 650 people on the autism spectrum. Currently, nearly 120 employees fill more than 20 different positions and the program is active in nine countries, including Australia, Brazil, Canada, Czech Republic, Germany, India, Ireland, South Korea, and the United States.

SMG: Is there anything else you would like to tell share with our readers about the work of inclusion in India?

Ferose: One of our realizations is that the best time to a person’s change mindset is at a younger age – so this year, we will focus on “Inclusion for Kids”. We are working on various dimensions – one of the areas we are working is to do a better matching for jobs. With the advancements in technology, we have the opportunity to connect people’s abilities with jobs instead of trying to fit people into a given job. Traditional hiring processes are fundamentally flawed in that we reject candidates for what they cannot do rather than select them for what they are good at. If we can change this, we can truly transform employment.