10 global consulting firms sign up to The Valuable 500
Global disability inclusion movement The Valuable 500 now has 300 signatories, including 10 global consulting firms. The organisation still need 200 supporters in under than 200 days if it is to achieve its key target before Davos 2021.
In 2018, research by Big Four consultancy EY found that disability was still woefully absent from the majority of board level discussions globally. A majority of 56% of global senior executives rarely or never discussed disability on their leadership agendas, something which sees millions of talented individuals still marginalised by employers. Seeking to combat this, Caroline Casey launched The Valuable 500 at Davos 2019, seeking 500 global businesses to commit to putting disability on their board agendas.
The Valuable 500’s goal is to persuade 500 multinational companies that have at least 1,000 employees to make a public commitment to advance disability inclusion in their organisation. By engaging the most influential business leaders and brands, it aims to create a tipping point within business that unlocks the business, social and economic value of the 1.3 billion people living with disabilities around the world, and the millions of people who will become disabled over time. Having approached over 2,800 leaders across the globe to commit to put disability performance on their leadership agenda, the initiative has garnered 300 signatories so far.
The target of 500 organisations remains a distant prospect, and as a result, the deadline to join the Valuable 500 has been extended to January 2021, coinciding with the World Economic Forum’s Annual Meeting in Davos. If indeed the project does collect an extra 200 members by then, it will initiative its second phase. This will see it develop a peer-to-peer network of CEOs committed to inclusion, and empowering them to integrate disability across the entire value chain.
At present, 10 global consultancies have signed up to the Valuable 500. The historical Big Five of Deloitte, PwC, EY, KPMG and Accenture (formerly part of collapsed professional services giant Arthur Andersen) were each quick to sign up for the proposal. One year on, meanwhile, Capco became the latest member of the consulting industry to join the campaign, ahead of Davos 2020.
Michael Ethelston, Capco’s UK Managing Partner, said at the time, “In 2020 we will identify, develop and implement strategies that address our most pressing inclusion needs, with a disability inclusion roadmap put in place by the start of 2021.”
More recently, Atos, CGI, Willis Towers Watson and Boston Consulting Group (BCG) have also become members. The firms take their place on the initiative beside new signatories from across the business spectrum, including Black & Veatch, Greene King, Mesoamerica, Nuance Communications, PVH Corporation brands Tommy Hilfiger and Calvin Klein, Voya Financial and Weil, Gotshal & Manges
Commenting on the news, Rich Lesser, the CEO of BCG, said, “As part of our on-going commitment to unlocking the potential of every employee at BCG and across our clients, including those with disabilities, we’re proud to join the Valuable 500. We look forward to learning from best in class organizations and leaders, contributing to the dialog, and to advancing opportunity, equality, and inclusion for all.”
The news coincides with the release of new research from The Valuable 500, which highlights how companies are working to improve their diversity and inclusion policies. The findings highlight the impact of Covid-19 on diversity and inclusion, concluding that 35% of companies are now more aware than ever of the needs of people with disabilities and are accelerating their actions and commitments to disability inclusion and accessibility.
