Inclusive corporate culture and employment
of persons with disabilities:
analysis of CSR strategies of multinational
enterprises in Norway and the UK
Yuliya Kuznetsova
PhD student/ Marie Curie DREAM Research Fellow
Disability Rights Expanding Accessible Markets (DREAM) Project
NOVA – Norwegian Social Research Institute
yuliya.kuznetsova@nova.no / www.nova.no
Norwegian Social Research
Research
methodology
Paper objective
Conduct overview how MNEs
embed their CSR strategies
into ‘inclusive corporate
culture’ to address persons
with disabilities (PwD) among
their workforce and in
communities where they
operate
1.
2.
3.
Meetings with employers’
organizations in Norway and
the UK
Selection of the MNEs
represented both in Norway
and the UK actively
implementing social
responsibility and inclusive
corporate policies towards
persons with disabilities
Analysis of information
presented on these
companies websites and in
CSR reports
How do large companies comply with new social
responsibility norms towards employing PwDs and how do
they incorporate these CSR strategies into corporate culture?
Norwegian Social Research
Traditionally, CSR has been defined as the
corporation’s responsibility to comply with the laws
and responsibilities to its shareholders
CSR
Interconnectedness and interdependence
of business and society
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Problems/Background
‘Medical model’ and segregated forms of
employment of PwD
2. Discrimination and negative attitudes
and prejudices
3. Low employment rates of PwDs in the
mainstream labour market
4. Changes from redistributive to
regulatory anti-discrimination policies
1.
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Labour market
policies (ALMP
towards
inclusion of
pwds)
Image,
competitive
advantage,
trust-based
relationships
Company
CSR guidelines,
nondiscrimination
legislation and
recognition of
PwDs human
rights (including
the right to
employment)
CSR
‘Social model’
and social
inclusion
(disability
organizations
and society at
large)
Expansion of
companies:
global and
multicultural
environment
(PwDs as a
‘social minority
and ‘human
diversity’)
Factors influencing the company CSR to address and promote
inclusion of PwDs into the workforce
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CSR
Employment of persons with disabilities
Corporate culture
Inclusive corporate culture
Artefacts (visible):
architecture, behavior,
climate
‘Espoused values’:
strategies, goals,
philosophies, policies
Inclusive working
environment:
Senior and middle
management
involvement;
proactive recruitment
and retention policies
accommodation,
accessibility, attitute
‘Underlying shared
(tacit)
assumptions’:
unspoken values,
norms, beliefs,
perceptions
Work culture: equal
treatment, support,
cooperation, attentive
to needs, coworkers
attitudes
Embedding CSR into company corporate culture
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Sector
IT
Telecommunication
Business services
(consulting)
R&D
Financial services
Pharmaceutical
Number of
companies
2
1
2
1
1
1
3
1
Head office
USA
Norway
USA
Norway
USA
Norway
UK
USA
Countries of
operation
NO/UK
NO/UK
NO/UK
NO/UK
NO/UK
NO
UK
NO/UK
Companies selection:
Employers’ organizations
Qualitative content analysis of the CSR annual reports and
information represented on the selected companies
website:
1) organization norms, values, beliefs;
2) HR policies, such as hiring, selection, accommodation and
retention;
3) working environment in relation to providing support,
accessibility, flexible work arrangements, and positive attitude.
•
•
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Conclusion
CSR dimension/ coverage
Organizational norms and values
HR policies
Work environment
1.
2.
3.
High
coverage
(all or almost
all aspects
are
important)
9
5
4
Low coverage
(only several
aspects are
important)
Very low coverage
(only one aspect is
important)
3
5
4
0
2
4
Mainly all the selected MNEs address disability in
organizational norms and values as presented in
their CSR strategies
Incorporating disability in the recruitment
process seems to be a challenge
Inclusive working environment: high level of
integration, support, involvement and
development for employees with disabilities and
high sensitive to the needs of such employees
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Including disability into CSR strategies and embedding
into corporate culture:
The common features for those MNEs that have the highest
rate as including disability in their CSR strategies:
1) embracing disability as a part of their overall organizations
norms and involving senior leadership and management;
2) articulating clearly disability issue in recruitment,
workplace accommodation as well as caring about
advancement opportunities of such employees and retention
of those who becomes disabled at the workplace;
3) providing inclusive, accessible and supportive work
environment for persons with disabilities through equal
treatment, flexibility, personalized management style,
sensitivity to the employees’ needs, focus on workers’
performance and abilities, employees awareness trainings as
well as addressing disabled customers.
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Thank you!
Norwegian Social Research