OPPORTUNITY

This publication was made possible by the support of Australian Government Department of Families, Housing,
Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, NSW Department of Ageing, Disability and Home Care, Westpac Banking Corporation,
McDonald’s, KPMG and Sparke Helmore Lawyers.
First published by Switzer Media & Publishing 2008 www.switzermedia.com.au
Copyright © Australian Employers’ Network on Disability
Opportunity is owned and conceived by Australian Employers’ Network on Disability


PAGE 1 - A WORD FROM US

Bill Shorten, Parliamentary Secretary for Disabilities and Children's Services

As Parliamentary Secretary for Disability and Children’s Services,
I have been able to personally meet many people with disability
around the country. This includes people of formidable talent and
ability who would, given the opportunity, excel in any workplace.
Successful businesses know employing people with disability
works. People with disability are as productive and reliable as any
employees and they tend to have better attendance records, remain
longer and have fewer injuries at work.
I believe Australian businesses want to do more to include people
with disability. This is why the Australian Government is proud to
sponsor this publication and is keen to work in partnership with the
business community to help achieve this goal.
I call upon Australian businesses to consider this publication and
realise the potential of people with disability.

Suzanne Colbert, CEO, Australian Employers' Network on Disability

This booklet has been developed to clearly articulate the relevance
of people with disability to Australian businesses. With 20 per cent
of the Australian population with disability, the issue – and more
importantly, the opportunity – is too big for businesses to ignore.
There are real and tangible business benefits to be gained from
understanding how your business can build ‘disability confidence’.
Disability confidence is about knowing how to make adjustments to
the workplace to retain employees who acquire a disability, and how to
make changes to recruitment processes to allow skilled and talented
jobseekers with disability to compete on a level playing field. Disability
confidence is also about delivering accessible customer service that
provides a great experience to customers who may have disability.
We hope this booklet inspires you to assess your organisation’s
disability confidence and commit to taking the small steps that can
make a big difference.

PAGE 2 - DISABILITY: IT'S YOUR BUSINESS

Is disability a business issue? The answer is ‘yes’. Potential
employees and customers with disability represent a substantial
opportunity to business. In Australia’s competitive marketplace
and skills-constrained economy, you simply can’t afford to ignore
this market segment. A recent report from the Business Council
of Australia found that in order to remain competitive, business
needs to reconsider methods of attracting and retaining employees.
Attracting, recruiting and retaining people with disability can
provide a significant and often overlooked opportunity for business,
and a solution to Australia’s skills crisis.
Disability is almost certainly more common than you think and is
not always immediately obvious. The Australian Bureau of Statistics
defines a person as having disability if they have one or more
impairments that impact on their daily life and lasts for six months
or longer. The key aspect is not the impairment, but its effect.
For some people it can be anything from migraines to arthritis,
from dyslexia to back pain. Chances are you already have
people with disability in your workforce and as your customers,
shareholders and suppliers.
According to Australian Bureau of Statistics figures, 20 per cent
of the Australian population, almost four million people, have
a disability. Australia’s most successful companies are already
welcoming skilled and talented people with disability and reaping
the rewards. They are tapping into a motivated talent pool, gearing
their businesses towards welcoming a diverse customer base, and
appealing to investors with Corporate Social Responsibility and
sustainability interests. These companies already understand the
business case for including people with disability and as a result
they continue to flourish.

“At Westpac, we value every customer and employee as
an individual. We want to delight all our customers and
to do this we need the most talented and engaged people
working for us, including people with disability. Being a
leader in accessibility assists us to reach all our customers
and attract employees who can truly delight them.”
Gail Kelly, CEO, Westpac

“In 2008 the gross disposable income of people with disability
in Australia is estimated at A$54.5 billion.”
Suzanne Colbert, CEO,Australian Employers’ Network on Disability

PAGE 3 - GRAPH - LABOUR FORCE STATUS OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITY AGED 15-64 YEARS, BY DISABILITY GROUP, 2003

Acquired Brain Injury
123,900 working
147,300 not working

Intellectual disability
91,600 working
145.500 not working

Physical/diverse disability
906,400 working
896,900 not working

Psyhiatric disability
216,700 working
373,400 not working

Sensory/speech disability
286,100 working
273,200 not working

For many people the difference between working and not working is opportunity.

PAGE 4

"Having a disability hasn't stopped me from having a very successful career."
Bill Moss AO, (former) Group Head Banking and Property Group, Macquarie Bank

Among the OECD countries, Australia is currently ranked a disappointing 13 out of 19 in employment rates for all people with disability.

PAGE 5 - WHAT'S HOLDING US BACK?

Outdated ideas about what people with disability can and can’t do
prevent inclusion. In Australia and internationally there has been a
shift in thinking about people with disability, giving way to a more
contemporary and progressive view.
In the past, people with disability have been considered the
responsibility of government or charity, and were not seen as
relevant to business. However this way of looking at people with
disability is redundant and unsustainable in today’s business and
social environment.

The Commonwealth Disability Discrimination Act (1992) (DDA)
provides protection for everyone in Australia from discrimination
based on disability. The Australian Government has also recently
ratified the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons
with Disabilities, which supports ongoing obligations to include
people with disability in all areas of life.

There are three key reasons that necessitate a change in thinking.
Firstly, people with disability no longer accept less than equitable
and fulfilling opportunities, both in the workplace and in daily life.
Secondly, technology has removed many barriers faced by people
with disability and enabled more people to reach their full potential.
Finally, the economic and social cost of inaction is unsustainable.

Leading Australian organisations such as Westpac, McDonald’s,
KPMG and Sparke Helmore already reap the benefits of including
people with disability as employees, customers and clients. They do
this by actively embracing strategies to increase the number of people
with disability in their workforces, and by improving the accessibility
of their products and services to customers with disability

A disability confident organisation:
Understands how people with disability relate to their business as potential
and existing employees, as customers, suppliers and stakeholders;
Creates a culture of inclusion and removes barriers to people with disability;
Adjusts their processes or services to enable individuals to contribute as employees,
customers and stakeholders.

“Disability confidence is an integral part of our core philosophy as an organisation.”
Peter Bush, CEO, McDonald’s Australia

PAGE 6 - MAXIMIZING YOUR MARKETS

Organisations that understand the impact of disability on their
customers will reach a wider market. A UK survey found that
a staggering 83 per cent of people with disability had avoided a
business, having been unable or unwilling to make a purchase.
Common factors included inaccessible premises, rude or
prejudiced staff and poorly designed products.
Businesses that fail to make their products and services accessible
to people with disability, or don’t build their expertise in welcoming
customers with disability, risk missing out on a great deal of
business. Apart from the 20 per cent of Australians who have a
disability, family members, friends and colleagues will also avoid
businesses that are not accessible. Research conducted by Tourism
Queensland indicated that the majority of people with disability
travel with between two and five others and, on average, 80 to 90
per cent of all travel by people with disability is with a partner
and/or family and friends. Accessible products, services and
premises as well as appropriate customer service for people with
disability have a substantial flow-on effect.
An Access Economics report forecasting consumer trends from
2001 to 2011 predicted that mature consumers are the largest
growth market in Australia, accounting for half of all growth in
retail spending in the decade. It’s clear that mature consumers are
more likely to have higher disposable incomes, and statistics show
they are also more likely to have a disability. The rate of disability
increases to over 56 per cent by age 65. If your business wants to
tap into this lucrative customer base, it has to be accessible.

Westpac provides customers who are deaf with the
opportunity to have an accredited sign language
(Auslan) interpreter present in any face-to-face conversations
at all Westpac branches nationally, free of charge.

GRAPH - percentage of population with disability by age group
15-24 years 9%
25-34 years 11%
35-44 years 15%
45 - 54 years 22%
55 - 59 years 30%
60-64 years 39%

PAGE 7 - Image of John Little

“My partner and I enjoy good restaurants and travelling in
Australia and overseas. Like everybody, we also shop for
everyday things such as food and clothes. I check out all new places
on the internet beforehand and accessible businesses providing
good information will always be my first choice. Last year we
spent many tens of thousands of dollars on travelling, food and
clothes, but not one cent went to a business that wasn’t accessible.”
John Little, Principal, Successful Resumes Australia, wheelchair user.

PAGE 8 - Image of Rania Saab

“As a litigator, I face huge challenges every day, often made
even more challenging due to my disability. These challenges
make me work harder and better, and strengthen my resolve and
professionalism. As a result I am resilient, dedicated, and
importantly, extremely loyal to my employer. I simply would not
work for an organisation that did not assist, support and encourage
people with disabilities.”
Rania Saab, LLB/BA Comms, who has a hearing impairment

PAGE 9 - TAPPING INTO TALENT

There are already many people with disability successfully
employed in the Australian workforce, and more than one third
are employed in professional, managerial and administrator roles.
People with disability bring high potential and a diverse range of
skills and abilities to the marketplace and work in a wide range
of occupations and industries.

Contrary to common misconceptions, many people with disability
have completed tertiary education, or attained vocational or other
professional qualifications.

Employing people with disability is likely to attract new skills
and bring new and valuable perspectives to your organisation.
Not only will this increase talent in your business but by
accommodating people with disability you are gaining loyal and
committed employees who will support you in achieving your
business objectives.

The benefits of employing people with disability are immediate
and measurable. An Australian Government review of research
found that workers with disability are no more likely to be injured
at work than other employees. Similarly, studies conducted in
Australia and overseas have found no differences in performance
and productivity, and found that employees with disability actually
have fewer scheduled absences than employees without disability
as well as increased tenure. On average, employing people
with disability does not cost any more than employing people
without disability. Assistance with the cost of making workplace
adjustments is available through the Australian Government
funded Workplace Modifications Scheme. For more information
visit www.disabilityconfidence.org.au

“The number of students with disability enrolling in Vocational Education
and Training (VET) has almost doubled in less than 10 years.”
Dr Mark Bagshaw, Co-Chair, National VET Disability Advisory Taskforce

PAGE 10 - REAPING THE BENEFITS

The Australian workforce is facing a major labour skills shortage,
with a shortfall of 195,000 workers predicted from 2009 onwards.
Our ageing population means many existing employees are
approaching retirement age. To secure our workforce for the
future, organisations need to take a more open-minded approach
to identifying and hiring talent.

Benbro Electronics, an engineering based electronic equipment
design and manufacturing company, recognises and actively
promotes the benefits of including people with disability in their
workforce. Director Steve Bennett attributes much of the business’s
success to their employment policies:

“Our father had a disability after being injured during military
service. When he came out of service, he had difficulty finding
a civilian job due to his disability. So when we started our own
business, we decided to give people with disability a go. Our adage
is there’s only one question that’s important and that’s: ‘Can they
do the job?’ As long as the answer is ‘Yes’ – that’s all that matters.
Currently, 35 per cent of our employees have some type
of disability.

“People sometimes think that employees with disability are doing
menial tasks, but they forget there are people with disability that
have run countries – like Roosevelt and Churchill.
“We have employees with various disabilities in a range of highly
skilled roles, like electrical engineers, as well as in less skilled
roles. As a result of our policies we have a loyal and committed
workforce with high morale and productivity.”

Benbro snapshot
Profitable
Manufacturing business over 22 years
Innovative
Design and manufacture mission critical electronic equipment
Safe
Zero days lost due to accident or injury
Zero workers compensation claims
Efficient
Almost no recruitment costs for the past 15 years
Average length of service is 9.83 years
Highly engaged and productive employees
Low absenteeism
Multiple award winning
Work and Family Awards
Prime Minister’s Employer of the Year Awards.

PAGE 11 - Image of Benbro Electronics employees

“We have employees with various disabilities in a range of highly
skilled roles, like electrical engineers, as well as in less
skilled roles. As a result of our policies we have a loyal and
committed workforce with high morale and productivity.”
Steve Bennett OAM, Director, Benbro Electronics

PAGE 12

“IBM is 100 per cent supportive in a phenomenal way - when I
tell people about the benefits I received following my accident
it takes their breath away. IBM has been caring, understanding
and flexible. This pays off in many ways, including engendering
the loyalty I feel towards my employer. Today I’m a walking
advocate for IBM.”
Dr Tim Littlejohn, New Employee Learning Lead for IBM Australia, who had a traumatic brain injury

“At the end of this decade there will be a change in the
dynamics of the Australian labour market: more baby boomers
will exit the workforce than Generation Ys will enter, leading
to an exacerbation of the skills and labour shortage that is
already restraining the capacity of the Australian economy. An
open mind and an understanding of the looming labour crisis is
what is required to start to tap into labour from non-traditional
sources, including people with disability. Here are vast pools of
talent and labour that can make a valuable contribution to this
nation’s economic output in the early years of the new decade.”
Bernard Salt, Partner, KPMG

PAGE 13 - THE RIPPLE EFFECT

All suppliers, whether they provide IT or recruitment
services, or preferred supplier agreements with hotels and
airlines, can each contribute to an organisation being
accessible to employees and customers with disability.

Businesses that have the vision to welcome people with disability in
their day-to-day operations have a powerful impact on the whole of
society. In Australia this will help to level the playing field for people
with disability and boost the competitiveness of our economy.
For example, IBM has a global corporate instruction that all
products must include important accessibility features and
functions, so that products, tools, applications and services are
either directly accessible or compatible with assistive technology.

In Australia and New Zealand, IBM has accessibility built into its
supplier engagement process to ensure that all products and
services are accessible to people with disability.
Manpower Services is a key recruitment and contractor workforce
supplier to IBM and is actively engaged in assisting IBM to achieve
its diversity goals. As a result, Manpower is increasingly gaining
a reputation as a ‘barrier-free’ recruitment company, and is
now helping other Australian organisations also attract more
candidates with disability.

Australian businesses have a compelling opportunity to tap into the
potential of this talent pool while also retaining existing employees
with disability. Targeting this market with products and services
will also boost business performance and increase marketshare.
By realising human potential and addressing disability-related
exclusion we will create a sustainable society. Taking advantage
of this opportunity will result in far reaching benefits, not just for
individual businesses, but for Australian society as a whole.

PAGE 14 - MAKING IT EASY

In today’s business environment it makes sense to include all
talented and motivated people with disability in the workforce, and
to recognise the needs of customers with disability. How do you
rate as a disability confident business?

Here are two checklists to find out where you currently rank and
what you need to do to become disability confident.

As a provider of goods and services:

Where possible we have ensured our physical premises are accessible to people with a range of disabilities
We communicate the availability of our accessible products and services
We regularly review and update our premises, products and services and ensure they are accessible to people with disability
We provide training in ‘Disability Awareness’ and ’Welcoming Customers With Disability’ to our customer service staff
Our website is clear and uncluttered with high colour contrast, meets W3C guidelines and is accessible to people with a range of disabilities
We provide information in a variety of formats
We use an accessibility checklist to ensure events are accessible to all
We have an organisation-wide policy on our product and service standards in relation to customers with disability
We encourage our suppliers and contractors to also become disability confident businesses
We recognise and respond to people with disability as suppliers, shareholders, employees and members of the community
We monitor the success of our customer service policies in relation to customers with disability at an executive level


As an employer:

People with disability routinely apply for positions
We have reviewed our recruitment processes to ensure they are barrier-free to people with disability
We have a policy and procedure to make adjustments that are reasonable for employees with disability that is available to all
We have a good understanding of the accessibility features and barriers in our workplace
Our human resources team knows how to make adjustments for candidates and employees with disability
We offer flexible work conditions
Our employees know the procedure when an employee discloses a disability
Employees with disability participate in training and development as frequently as other staff
When redundancies are made, we review the demographics and ensure that people with disability are not over-represented
Employees with disability are represented in our workforce 
We have a good understanding of the business case for including people with disability in our workforce
We have a reputation as being an employer of choice for people with disability
We have implemented a Disability Action Plan
There is internal top level support for the inclusion of people with disability in our organisation

For more tools and information on how your business can become more disability confident, visit www.disabilityconfidence.org.au.

PAGE 16 - SOURCES

Pages 02-03
Participating in Prosperity – Removing Barriers to Workforce Participation, Business Council of Australia, May 2007.
(table) AIHW analysis of ABS 2003 Survey of Disability, Ageing and Carers.
Pages 06-07
The Walk Away Pound Survey, Employers Forum on Disability and Royal Association for Disability and Rehabilitation (UK), 2006.
Disability Tourism, Research by Tourism Queensland, 2002.
Population Ageing and the Economy, Research by Access Economics Pty Ltd, January 2001.
(graph ) Australian Bureau of Statistics Disability, Ageing and Carers Report, 2003.
Pages 08-09
Are People with Disability at Risk at Work? A Review of the Evidence, Australian Safety & Compensation Council, March 2007.
Graffam, J., Shinkfield, A., Smith, K. & Polzin, U. (2002), Employer Benefits and Costs of Employing a Person with a Disability, Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation (17), 251-263.
Hernandez, B. & McDonald, K. (2007), Exploring The Bottom Line: A Study of the Costs and Benefits of Workers with Disabilities, DePaul University.
Pages 10-11
Workforce Tomorrow: Adapting to a More Diverse Australian Labour Market, Australian Government Department of Employment and Workplace Relations, November 2005.

PAGE 17

The Australian Employers’ Network on Disability is a not-for-profit organisation funded by its
members to take a leadership role in advancing the equitable inclusion of people with
disability in all aspects of business.

Platinum Members
The Australian National University, Benbro Electronics Pty Ltd, The Children’s Hospital
at Westmead, Compass Group, IBM Australia Ltd, McDonald’s Australia Ltd,
Sparke Helmore Lawyers, Westpac Banking Corporation.

Gold Members
Attorney General’s Department of NSW, Cisco, NSW Department of Ageing, Disability & Home Care,
Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Fisheries & Forestry, Australian Government
Department of Education, Employment & Workplace Relations, Australian Government Department
of Families, Housing Community Services & Indigenous Affairs, Australian Government Department
Foreign Affairs & Trade, Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing,
Australian Government Department of Immigration & Citizenship, Australian Government Department
of the Prime Minister & Cabinet, Disability Services Commission, Freehills, Manpower Services
Australia, Merrill Lynch, KPMG, Qantas Airways Ltd, Telstra Corporation, UBS AG,
University of Western Sydney, Woolworths Limited.

For further information and advice about any of the contents of this publication
please visit www.disabilityconfidence.org.au
For more information about the products and services offered by the
Australian Employers’ Network on Disability, or to speak to one of our consultants,
visit our website at www.aend.org.au or call us on 1300 363 645

BACK COVER

Principal Sponsors
We acknowledge the funding and support provided by the Australian Government Department
of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs.

Major State Sponsors
NSW Department of Disability, Ageing and Home Care

Major Corporate Sponsors
Westpac
McDonald's Australia

Minor Corporate Sponsors
KPMG
Sparke Helmore Lawyers

Australian Employers'Network on Disability
Darling Park, Suite 3, Level 18, Tower 2, 201 Sussex Street, Sydney NSW 2000
Phone: 1300 363 645 Fax: (02) 9261 3966 Web: www.aend.org.au