How inclusive are Australian businesses?

The APM Disability Diversity and Inclusivity Index (DDI Index) highlights the barriers people with disability face trying to enter and maintain employment in Australia.

Capturing attitudes, perspectives and actions, the DDI Index measures the state of Australian businesses in terms of their inclusion of people with disability.

In the 2023 DDI Index, 82 per cent of businesses want to build a more inclusive workplace environment.

The same amount also say they treat people with disability the same as those without disability, yet the research reveals people with disability still face a high amount of prejudice, particularly those with non-visible disabilities.

What are the real issues facing job seekers with disability?

The DDI Index sheds additional light on the challenges the 2.1 million people with disability of working age in Australia currently face in finding and staying in employment.

It also raises the issue of pay prospects, which combined with sustainable employment, provides a concerning disparity to the national average of working Australians without a disability.

Critically, the DDI Index highlights disparity in not just finding a job, but in ongoing job security for people with disability.

By providing this view of Australian workplaces, it is hoped the DDI Index can encourage further evolution in terms of attitudes and behaviours, and result in more businesses becoming inclusive of individuals with injury, illness or disability.

Download the APM 2023 DDI Index today to learn more about how organisations can address the challenges facing people with disability in Australia today.

2023 Disability Diversity Inclusivity Index
Jessica smiling at work

2022 Disability Diversity & Inclusivity Index

For 2022, the DDI Index returned a score of 57.2 out of 100.

An increase on 2021’s score of 56.2, this result was still in the neutral range and on par with the inaugural benchmark of 57.6 in 2020.

The 2022 research revealed many insights about how businesses were shifting their focus around employee wellbeing as they continued to recover from the impact of COVID-19.

2021 Disability Diversity & Inclusivity Index

Results in the 2021 DDI Index showed how job seekers were struggling to get past the myths and misconceptions of people with disability in the workplace.

More than 97% of employers believed there were benefits in hiring people with disability but many also said they believed they had no suitable roles for people with disability.

While most businesses embraced the benefits of disability employment, in many cases businesses believed it was altruistic, benefiting the employee, rather than the business itself.

Sharon smiling at work

Australia’s Disability Diversity & Inclusivity Index 2021

For 2021, the Disability Diversity and Inclusivity Index returned a score of 56.2.

Although still within the neutral range, this is down slightly on 2020’s inaugural benchmark of 57.6.

This indicates continued challenges to greater employment and inclusivity.

Impact of COVID-19 on people with disability

This research lays bare the impact of COVID-19 on people with disability.

Conducted in May 2020 the powerful survey signals the extent to which people with disability want to have their voice heard, as they navigate challenges such as job loss, job insecurity, reduced hours and mental health issues.

Australia’s Disability Diversity & Inclusivity Index 2020

The inaugural Disability Diversity and Inclusivity Index of Australian Workplaces that sets the benchmark from which improvements can be tracked over time.

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