Toolkit for companies – How to recruit and include people with disabilities

Portugal is still a country with lower numbers in terms of people with disabilities who are actually employed. The law itself is not enough to overturn entrenched prejudices in the corporate world or to lead to the construction of good practices in inclusive recruitment.

Organizations focused on this kind of issue believe that it is mandatory to promote equal opportunities for everybody, as well as to recognize the skills and knowledge of disabled people. Organizations and companies need to define strategies focused in the social inclusion of disabled people in the labour market and in maintaining their job.

This is the reason why GRACE -  a Portuguese non-profit, public utility business association that works in the areas of Social Responsibility and Sustainability – developed in collaboration with Santa Casa da Misericórdia de Lisboa - an institution governed by private law and of public administrative utility that has guided its activities, together with the community, by the defence of priceless social values, in a perspective of proximity, respect and defence of good causes.

The toolkit aims to be a tool that gives the opportunity to inspire and encourage the development of inclusive employment programs with sustainable results, providing company managers and employees with a set of tools necessary for the integration of people with disabilities in their companies.

Year(s): 2021 – ongoing

Target group(s): Managers and employees of companies and training services that work with people with disabilities

Website or other online channels: https://backoffice.scml.pt/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Toolkit-para-Empresas_Grace_SCML_Como-recrutar-e-integrar-pessoas-com-deficiencia_compressed.pdf

Methodology

The toolkit comprises several topics that companies need to take into consideration, raising the awareness of employers and directors to establish inclusive strategies in their working places.

It was developed based on the previous knowledge on Santa Casa da Misericórdia de Lisboa and on key information from effective international guides, and it shows the cumulative experience of several companies of GRACE. This set of experiences allowed to build the toolkit under 5 main axis: assuming the strategic commitment; preparing the action; recruitment and selection; welcoming and integration; development of lasting relationships.

The five steps are described in the practical guide for company managers and employees, in an easy-to-read-and-understand way. The pdf document is freely available for download.

Type of product

Paper-based material Online resource

Brief description of the outcomes

The development of this toolkit too into consideration key topics for the promotion of equality and inclusion of people with disabilities in companies and other community organizations. For the development of an inclusive employability program, organizations must consider 5 steps that are deeply explain in the toolkit: 1) defining a strategic commitment, 2) preparing to act, 3) recruitment and selection, 4) welcoming and integration, and 5) developing fruitful relationships. In this way, organizations can start thinking on a new integration program or they can consult the toolkit if they already implement a program, for checking the recommendations of the steps that they still need to take.

Impact on target groups / Transferability potential

This toolkit is in line with the Agenda 2030 and Sustainable Development Goals, namely in terms of “No one is left behind”.

The toolkit was developed to raise awareness and make companies aiming to develop an inclusive and participatory approach and seeing diversity as a crucial contributor for social recognition and commercial valorization of organizations by key actors as the communities, customers, suppliers and also by the professionals that are working on those companies with an inclusive approach.

With this toolkit, it is expected that people will recognize and give an added value on the rights of disable people and, consequently, more open and inclusive societies.

People who want to download this document will have the opportunity to get access to tools that were developed and shared to: Comply with applicable legislation; Develop strategies to promote inclusion; Design inclusive recruitment processes; Identify and overcome barriers to the integration of people with disabilities, whether physical, communicational or behavioral/attitudinal; Collaborate with social organizations that promote the integration, employability and employment of people with disabilities; Deepen good practices using examples of successful inclusion.

Promoter of the initiative: GRACE – Empresas Responsáveis

Country: Portugal

Languages available: Portuguese

Website or other online channels: https://grace.pt/