Diversity in the workplace: An overview of disability employment disclosures among UK firms. (11th September 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Khan, Nadeem; Korac‐Kakabadse, Nada; Skouloudis, Antonis; Dimopoulos, Andreas
• Is Part Of: Corporate social responsibility and environmental management. Volume 26:Number 1(2019)
• Page Start: 170
• Page End: 185
• Publication Date: 2018-09-11
• Subjects: corporate disclosure -- employment -- people with disabilities -- social sustainability -- sustainability accounting and reporting -- United Kingdom; Environmental management -- Periodicals; Environmental auditing -- Periodicals; 658.408
• DOI: 10.1002/csr.1669
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1535-3958

Abstract

Abstract: People with disabilities (PWDs) defined as the world's largest minority stakeholder group continue to face significant barriers to labor market entry and corporate inclusion. The associated social and economic costs of supporting non‐working PWDs can be high and long term. Yet, their potential contribution and impact on human capital, firm productivity, and the innovative capacity of business entities are valuable but underutilized. The employment of PWDs has institutional and managerial implications for equitable opportunities, social mobility, and workplace diversity. This study assesses the quality of corporate disclosure on disability issues by firms in the United Kingdom, as a stepping stone for mainstreaming integration of PWDs into labor markets under the scope of corporate social accountability. We benchmark 274 UK sustainability reports against PWDs‐adapted indicators of the Global Reporting Initiative guidelines, highlighting trends pertaining to disability employment. The findings suggest that corporate disclosures on the employment of PWDs are lacking. The implications for PWDs are highlighted considering firm employee and managerial policies and national and transnational regulatory frameworks, towards more meaningful reporting for better alignment between PWD expectations and firm practices.