Myanmar Centre for Responsible Business (MCRB), AAR Japan and the International Labour Organization (ILO), co-hosted second multi-stakeholder workshop on Promoting Employment Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities on 6 and 7 March at Rose Garden Hotel, Yangon. Read more: https://www.myanmar-responsiblebusiness.org/news/second-multi-stakeholder-workshop-people-with-disabilities.html

1. National Business and
Disability Networks
(NBDNs)
Yangon, March 2019
Peter Torres Fremlin
External Collaborator, ILO

2. Business Case for Inclusion
• Win-win of disability inclusion
• Access to talent, innovation
• More engagement and retention
• Everyone benefits from an inclusive workplace

3. ILO Global Business and
Disability Network
• Growing and diverse membership
– 27 global companies
– 28 national and 1 regional networks
– 8 not-for-profit organisations
• Disability charter spells out commitments
• Regular exchange
• Support to national initiatives
Further info on businessanddisability.org

4. Business members

5. What are NBDNs for?
• Promoting disability-inclusion
• Putting the business-case into practice
• Provide platform for peer exchange
• Connecting with business and disability sectors
internationally

6. What do NBDNs do ?
• Nationwide platform for and by business
• Peer-to-peer support and exchange
• Developing technical ability
• Creating links with disability organization
• Communications and awareness-raising
• A voice for business on disability issues

7. NBDNs across the world
More than 28 national business and disability networks.
Regional network in Latin America and GBDN is a global network.

8. Rapid growth of NBDNs
• Business Disability Forum founded in UK in 1991
• Employers’ Federation of Ceylon (Sri Lanka) formed a
business network in 2000
• Global Business and Disability Network (2010)
• Some examples…
– Chile Network of Inclusive Businesses (REiN), launched in
2015, hosted by employer organization (SOFOFA) has 74
business members
– Bangladesh Business and Disability Network was launched in
2016, with the Bangladesh Employers’ Federation, has 40
business members and has supported 300+ disabled people
into work.
• Launch of networks in China (2018), India (2019)

9. Membership
• Open membership for business
– Companies committed to disability inclusion
– National, Multinational companies and subsidiaries
• Engaging civil society
– Civil society organizations can be advisors
• Formalizing membership
– Clear on expectations of and benefits to members
– May include commitment / charter

10. Governance and structure
• Governance
– Steering committee
– Technical secretariat
• Needs continued support from partners
– Resources, facilitation
• Credibility from strong “host” organization
• Employers’ associations make good hosts:
– Sustainability and “business” ownership
– Benefits from but not limited to their membership

11. NBDN activities
Based on companies’ needs and facilitated by the
network’s secretariat
• Collection of good company practices
• Technical guides, e.g. on accessibility, provision of
reasonable accommodation
• Communication and awareness-raising products or
campaigns
• Support to companies on accessibility and inclusion
• Activities to train or place persons with disabilities in
jobs
• Face-to-face conferences

12. Common challenges
• Growing the network after initial attention
• Ensuring business leadership of the network
• Engaging with and increasing members
• Linking disability and business sectors in
productive way
• Gender-responsive network and activities
• Strengthen supply of persons with disabilities
– Training and job-placement

13. Sustainability
• Committed companies
• Credible host organisation
– With strong facilitation and support
• Competent technical secretariat
• Diversified funding streams, for example:
– Membership fees (if possible)
– Project-funding
– Contributions of partner organizations

14. First steps to form a network
• Identify potential host organization
• Explore interest and needs of business
– Best practices that exist
– Interest in taking further
– Leaders from business sector
– Contributions that can be made
• Key partner organization
• Other sources of support

15. Questions for business
In your your work on inclusion of persons with
disabilities:
1. How are you going forward, and what
challenges do you face?
2. Are there issues that can be addressed by
collaboration with other businesses and the
disability sector?
3. What kind of network role and activities could
support your work on disability inclusion?

16. Thank you!
Peter Torres Fremlin, peter@desibility.org
External Collaborator, ILO
Presentation prepared with Jürgen Menze,
Disability Inclusion Officer, ILO