Nairobi — Standard Chartered Bank has joined the Kenya Business and Disability Network(KBDN) which will see the bank promote the inclusivity of Persons Living With Disabilities (PWDs) in the workforce.
The move is not only aimed to make the workplace suitable for them but also to provide a channel where employers can get access to top talents of PWDs for their organizations
Speaking during a roundtable engagement with KBDN, Standard Chartered Bank Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Kariuki Ngari noted that the process should not just end at having people with disabilities in an organization but there is also a need of creating a conducive working environment for them to flourish.
Ngari noted removing barriers such as difficulties in accessing the physical working environment, lack of relevant assistive technology and negative attitudes from colleagues and employers as well will be key to achieving inclusivity.
"You can encourage diversity, but you don't encourage inclusion. We have to be very cautious as an organization to ensure that as we promote diversity, we are promoting inclusion as well," said Ngari.
He further noted that engagement with PWDs is another step that needs to be taken once they have been absorbed into the organizations.
"Once you bring in people with disabilities, you have to sit with them and listen. Once you have conversations and engagements, that is the only way these things can come to life," added Ngari.
Also present at the roundtable, Safaricom's Head of Talent Acquisition, Capability, Talent Management, and HR Peter Njioka noted that the charter by KBDN will play a key role enable unlocking confidence among Persons Living With Disabilities (PWDs) as well as empowering them in their workplaces.
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"We are confident that this platform will be an avenue to develop technical ability and confidence in disability inclusion, communication and awareness among corporates and adopt the disability inclusion roadmap as well as set targets on the same. Because if you do not measure it, then it is not going to be done," said Njioka.
People with disabilities and more so women face a huge hurdle in finding employment due to the discrimination they face in addition to difficulties in accessing workplaces.
