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Involve your company in the objectives of the EYPD and prepare an action plan
Take a look at the corporate participants of the EYPD and how they are involved:
The EYPD considers that an important contribution to the aims of the EYPD and to the integration of people with disabilities into society can come through a voluntary involvement of the business sector in the EYPD.
Companies play an important part in society as provider of products, services, employment, mobility, social contact etc. This is also true for people with disabilities because companies can play a vital role in overcoming discrimination. This has a knock-on effect into other spheres of life, e.g. a person with disabilities who is in employment, has own means of income and social contacts and will be more socially, politically, culturally and economically active in society.
EYPD corporate participation aims to:
- Create awareness and support for the EYPD via companies’ internal and external communication channels
- Undertake actions within companies with a view to acting in a socially responsible manner towards people with disabilities in relation to promoting employment and training opportunities, developing designed-for-all products and services as improving accessibility to assistive technologies, etc.
- Initiate long term commitment of companies to disability issues.
The EYPD encourages companies to make a voluntary commitment towards people with disabilities through awareness raising, volunteer work, employment, education and training, product design, accessibility initiatives, and to demonstrate the added value of participation and inclusion for their business. In fact, respect for human rights is increasingly viewed as the most fundamental feature of successful market systems. Thus, the business community's assistance in promoting the human rights of people with disabilities will not only help reduce the suffering by human rights abuse, but could also promote economic development and open new markets for companies.
There are various ways of contributing to the success of the EYPD in particular:
Awareness raising
- Support the EYPD campaign at national and European level.
- Internal communication activities on disability issues and the efforts made by the company as regards mainstreaming of disability issues into the company's activities and strategies.
- Initiate and support employee volunteering on disability issues, e.g. organising community projects around the Year with the support from the disability community.
- External communication activities on disability issues and the efforts made by the company (advertisement mailing clients/customers, a mention on the company’s website about its involvement in the Year etc.) The EYPD name and logo should not be used in any manner that suggests a direct endorsement of any product or services.
Employment
Review of recruitment, promotion, training, job retention, accomodation policy with regard to inclusion of disabled employees.
Accessibility
Improve access to and within companies’ buildings and services (incl. website).
Product Design
Review product design process in terms of accessibility for all (Design for all).
Education/Training
- Educate workforce in dealing with customers and employees with disabilities.
- Development/improvement of services for persons with disabilities
Interested in becoming an EYPD corporate participant? See the model for your commitment statement and prepare your action plan.
For further details on how to participate in the European Year of People with Disabilities at European level and/or to prepare an action plan, please contact:
If you prefer to participate in the European Year only at national level, please contact the National co-ordinating bodies.
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