Newsletter September 2015
Canadian Business
SenseAbility
– Year in review
Photo above: Canadian Business SenseAbility launch at the Sony Centre for
the Performing Arts, Toronto, Ontario held September 17, 2014. Pictured
here: Business executives from a myriad of industries introduce SenseAbility
to the Canadian business community.
It’s time to reflect on the progress we have made in the last, very busy and
rewarding twelve months.
During our launch, Kathy Martin, chair of the SenseAbility Board, stated:
"There is a strong business case for hiring people with disabilities. It's good
for business in terms of higher employee retention, lower absenteeism,
improved safety, innovation and revenue growth." Together, speakers proudly
announced SenseAbility as the Canadian business organization focused solely
on the needs of business offering expertise and resources to convert the
talents of people with disabilities into business success.
Over the last year, SenseAbility has developed and formalized its offer to
member companies. This includes a member-only portal, a one-stop source of
information, resources and best practices from a Canadian business
perspective geared to building organizational disability confidence and
reducing guesswork and risk. In addition, the SenseAbility team provides
practical, one-on-one support through its advisory services based on
individual business needs.
To benchmark and measure ongoing success, SenseAbility has created the
Disability Inclusion Index (DII), an online assessment tool that measures key
aspects of disability inclusion and accessibility practices in our member
organizations and identifies opportunities for ongoing improvement. Our
SenseAbility experts help guide member organizations through this process
with tips, best practices, and research support.
Since its inception, SenseAbility has received amazing encouragement and
support from the business community. Many have joined the SenseAbility
network creating a strong alliance of progressive, inclusive and forwardthinking companies dedicated to the hiring, retention and advancement of
employees with disabilities. These private-sector champions recognize that
being disability confident is an on-going process and see the real value (and
the bottom line benefit) in having inclusive business practices.
What’s next? As we continue to build the SenseAbility network, look for
member events, a revamped public website, as well as an expanded presence
on social media. Use the hashtag #SenseAbility to find us on Twitter,
LinkedIn, or Facebook. We invite you to join the conversation and help
spread the word. For more information, please contact us and visit us on
YouTube to learn more.
HIGHLIGHT
Join the network
SenseAbility offers both the resources and expertise to help you turn
disability into an opportunity for your business. As the one-stop source of
information and advice on disability inclusion from a Canadian business
perspective, we reduce the risks and guesswork.
SenseAbility is the answer for companies seeking the best talent, but are
unschooled in recruiting, employing and retaining applicants with disabilities.
We offer one-on-one consultations to help your company quickly gain
We offer one-on-one consultations to help your company quickly gain
expertise; practical tools for training and benchmarking; and regular
opportunities to learn from and network with other organizations.
For more information on joining our network, please contact us. Watch our
latest video on YouTube.
IN THE NEWS
Ontario to work with all businesses
to create a culture of inclusion in the
workplace
In response to a recent report by the Partnership Council on Employment
Opportunities for People with Disabilities, Ontario's Economic Development
and Employment Minister Brad Duguid says the government will work with
businesses of all sizes to create a culture of inclusion in workplaces.
Full Story Statement Backgrounder
RBC promotes inclusion
and diversity by developing
talent through Career Edge
Our Canadian Business SenseAbility corporate network believes in learning
from the experiences of others. Most of all, we believe in sharing our learning.
This month we are honoured to tell the story of a successful long-term
partnership between RBC and Career Edge, an organization offering a variety
of internship programs to organizations.
“At RBC we have a strong commitment toward supporting our communities
and so diversity and inclusion are important values within our organization.
We are mindful of the barriers that persons with disabilities face in finding
employment and recognize the key value they bring to our organization and
the community. As a result of our efforts, you can find Career Edge intern
alumni throughout our organization who are now playing key roles at RBC.” Sharon Singh, Diversity Sourcing Specialist at RBC
Career Edge offers four to 12 month paid internships for recent Canadian
graduates and internationally qualified professionals, including those with
self-declared disabilities. They are passionate about connecting highly
motivated, well-qualified interns with career opportunities. Career Edge’s
sourcing team has been very successful in matching talented people with
disabilities to RBC’s business needs. Says Singh “Career Edge has a very
effective pipeline for candidates. They are very pro-active and they truly
become part of the team. We have bi-weekly calls and yearly planning
sessions so we can continue to grow our partnership and align for our future
business needs.”
Diversity and growth are at the heart of RBC’s business. Through continuous
learning, RBC has discovered that their success is tied to understanding and
drawing on strengths when hiring, retaining and engaging talented
employees. Supporting the abilities of all employees by providing the tools
and environments they need to be successful, helps drive RBC’s success.
RBC is clearly demonstrating how to open its doors wider to people with
disabilities, driving corporate innovation, growth and performance.
Learn more: RBC Diversity, Career Edge, SenseAbility
Carleton University promoting career
success for recent grads with
disabilities
Carleton University in Ottawa, Ontario is working hard to showcase the
immense talent in their recent graduates with disabilities. Larry McCloskey,
Director of the Paul Menton Centre at Carleton, is actively promoting the
employment of its nearly 2000 students. “We are graduating astonishing
numbers of students with disabilities, yet the unemployment rate is still high.
So there’s disconnect, and the problem isn’t on the post-secondary education
level,” McCloskey said.
McCloskey and his team are trying to close that gap by creating a support
program that will prepare students with disabilities to enter the workforce. The
number one concern held by his students is how and when to disclose, a
topic McCloskey is helping to address. But he also wants to emphasize that
this shouldn’t be the first thing considered during the hiring process;
employers should see the disability as secondary to the talents and abilities
of the candidates. “Hiring a person with a disability is no different from hiring
anyone else.” McCloskey added.
Most recent graduates are also concerned about accommodations in the
workplace. McCloskey, however, has noticed that the majority of his
graduating students don’t need accommodation, even if it was necessary in
school. “The most common accommodation is extra time on exams or a
quieter place to write a test. These are accommodations they won’t need to
be concerned about once they enter the workplace.”
Over the next year, McCloskey is hoping to partner with post-secondary
institutions across Canada to help break down barriers to employment for
graduates with disabilities. He is confident that his work will help employers
see the untapped potential that exists within his talented, qualified and able
students.
Photo below: Carleton University, Paul Menton Centre staff on left, and Larry
McCloskey, Director, Paul Menton Centre on right.
Vision
Success accelerated through the talents of people with disabilities.
Mission
To help Canadian businesses recognize and act on the strategic
advantage of the large, untapped talent pool of people with disabilities.
To achieve its vision and mission, Canadian Business SenseAbility
educates, identifies opportunities, and provides practical tools for
sustained and measurable business success.
STAY CONNECTED
If you would like to stay updated on Canadian Business SenseAbility, visit our
website, www.senseability.ca, or follow us on social media:
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