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Everyone benefits from disability-inclusive firms Achara Deboonme http://www.nationmultimedia.com/business/Everyone-benefits-from-disability-inclusive-firms-30208090.html A hearing-impaired employee of KFC communicates with customers through sign language. More than a billion people, or about 15 per cent of the world's population, live with some form of disability. In Asia-Pacific, there are 650 million persons living with disabilities - a market twice the size of the euro zone. By catering to the needs of persons with disabilities, enterprises can expand their market share and tap into a new pool of potential customers that has sizeable purchasing power. The private sector can play a vital role in promoting disability-inclusive societies, and companies' efforts will be recognised through the pioneering "ESCAP-Sasakawa Award for Disability-Inclusive Business in Asia and the Pacific" scheme. The award scheme, developed in partnership by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), the Nippon Foundation, and the Asia-Pacific Development Centre on Disability, recognises the leadership of companies that provide enabling working environments, deliver inclusive products and services, and are innovative in their disability-inclusive approach. This is in recognition that employees with disabilities also have special expertise and tacit knowledge to help businesses reach a larger customer base. Disability-inclusive business is thus neither charity, nor an afterthought, but a core part of a successful business model. In Thailand, several business enterprises have opened doors to people with disabilities. Advanced Info Service (AIS) has recruited blind employees to man its call centres, making it one of the first Thai companies in this regard. At present, the call centre in Bangkok encompasses 21 disabled staff, while the one in Chiang Mai has eight. Starting the project in 2007, AIS aims to create jobs for disabled persons who are capable of making use of IT in their work. The ultimate aim is to create self-esteem among the disabled. To enable this, the Text to Speech Engine program is installed, to indicate the windows on blind staffers' computer screens. Another piece of software is also installed to read texts for the employees. HIRING THE HEARING-IMPAIRED In 2008, the help was extended to those with hearing problems. Eight hearing-impaired people were recruited by AIS to handle some customers' requests through SMS, as well as communicate with hearing-impaired clients through computer screens. This year, in cooperation with the Redemptorist Foundation for People with Disabilities, AIS has recruited eight new staff members with at-birth diseases and who cannot walk. These employees are able to type and use a computer keyboard. Pruksa Real Estate also hires a person with a hearing disability in its prefabrication factory, where the individual is in charge of machinery cleaning. Early this year, Yum! Restaurants International (Thailand), operator of the KFC brand, recruited 120 employees with hearing disability, inspired by a KFC project launched in India. They are assigned to serve at three branches: Times Square, Gateway Ekamai and Major Ekamai. The company said some equipment would have to be replaced to accommodate the workers. "Yum! Thailand aims to conduct its business alongside caring for all communities that KFC and Pizza Hut branches are located in," said Anita Sony, director of human resources. "Moreover, Yum! Thailand believes in the potential in every individual, especially the disabled, to live a quality life in our society. They should be given diverse job opportunities, so Yum! Thailand has come up with the 'We Hear Every Dream: KFC's restaurant service by the hearing-impaired project to welcome the hearing-impaired and communication-challenged to work with KFC to promote self-dependence and generate income for them and their families, as well as provide them with a promising career," she said. Sony also has another social responsibility project under its vow to back sustainable community development. New graduates from Suan Dusit Rajabhat University and Ratchsuda College, Mahidol University, are encouraged to work at KFC. They will be trained by restaurant managers, who will give them guidance while they work, and support from HR-related units. "Their real potential will be brought out and implemented in their work with KFC. We also have tailored training programmes conducted in sign language, and our knowledge has been translated into Thai, and placed in our Learning Zone for our staff to access. The knowledge includes the recipe for each menu and service skills. The hearing-impaired and communication-challenged will also have access to this knowledge, so they can enhance their ability and knowledge for a better career and higher income. "In terms of performance, I believed that hearing-impaired staff could work the same as normal staff. Actually, I would say that the hearing-impaired employees are very enthusiastic and hard-working. I asked them and they said that they appreciated the opportunity to work with KFC, so they would do their very best. They are very happy working with the Yum! family," she said. Breaking down barriers Barriers for the disabled can take a variety of forms, including those relating to the physical environment or information and communication technology, those resulting from legislation or policy, and societal attitudes or discrimination. The result is that persons with disabilities do not have equal access to society or services, including education, employment, healthcare, transportation, political participation or justice. Evidence and experience shows that when barriers to their inclusion are removed and persons with disabilities are empowered to participate fully in societal life, their entire community benefits. Barriers faced by persons with disabilities are, therefore, a detriment to society as a whole, and accessibility is necessary to achieve progress and development for all. Companies with programmes to help the disabled can apply for the ESCAP-Sasakawa Award for Disability-Inclusive Business in Asia and the Pacific. Applications are open until August 19 and businesses can apply under one of three categories: Disability-inclusive multinational enterprise; Disability-inclusive national enterprise; and Disability-inclusive entrepreneurial business. All winners will receive ongoing public recognition for their excellence and innovation in the field of disability-inclusive business. The winner of the entrepreneurial business category will additionally receive a grant in the range of US$$50,000 to $100,000 (Bt1.5-3 million). The first awards will be conferred on December 3 in conjunction with the commemoration of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities.