Disability... comes in many different forms:

Physical – problems with the body, a limb missing, a chronic illness

Sensory – problems with either sight or with hearing Intellectual – problems with learning, communicating or

concentrating Mental health conditions – like depression, bipolar disorder

Disability is not just in the person. Disability is in the environment too:

Stigma and discrimination – being underestimated or excluded from opportunities

Accessibility – not being able to physically reach a place, or understand the information given

1

� 4MIZV�IJW]\�\PM�JMVMÅ\[�WN�MUXTWaQVO�persons with disabilities.

� See what other employers have done in Bangladesh.

� Think about actions that you can take.

This booklet is for employers to

These people are loyal. Why not take

this advantage?

We saw it works. I need workers, we are not paying extra and they can do the job.

Turnover is lower. This is a good investment, a

win-win situation.

You should give them work. Your company will not

have a problem, and they will not have

lower productivity.

David HasanatChairman, Viyellatex Group

Nayeemul ChoudhuryDirector, Interstoff Apparrells

Anwar IslamSenior Executive, Aman Knittings

2

The Ready-Made Garments sector has been employing disabled peoplePeople with physical disabilities, speech, hearing and visual impairments have been working successfully. The jobs they do range from production lines to administration.

Some disabled people are recruited directly and others are prepared for work through training programmes. Employers take steps to make sure disabled people can work fully:

Placing people in the right job

Buddy-system – placing another employee with the disabled person

Counselling and HR support

Preparing supervisors and other staff

Support during emergency evacuation

Physical accessibility – like installing a ramp

Referring to medical support

In some cases, higher salaries

3

Results of Employing Disabled People

Tremendous performance

Likeother

workers

Wastelesstime

People welcome

them-NÅKQMV\

Absenteeismis less

4

What employers say about their disabled staffThey can do the work Many companies say that their employees with disability are more productive or equally productive as employees without disabilities.

Focus employers comment that disabled are less distracted from their work, and less likely to get involved in political movements.

Staying longer many companies say that their disabled employees have a strong loyalty to the company and stay longer. Staying longer means they work more MNÅKQMV\Ta��

Further gains one employer commented on things that are hard to measure – satisfaction of the workforce and social sustainability.

5

Go visit a company that is working with disabled people. See what works and what doesn’t.

Get in touch with an organisation working on disability. They can refer disabled people and show you how to include them.

Prepare disabled people to start work. At the beginning they may need a bit of coaching or on-the-job support.

How can you start?

This is not a problem for any organisation, if the

management is positive. If you can teach and

explain, they can work like any able person.

Uttam Debnath, Deputy Manager, FCI (BD)

6

7

Things to do in the long termAfter you’ve started there are a number of areas that you can work on:

Hiring encourage disabled people to apply.

Preparation some disabled people will be able to contribute more if they can be given some training or other orientation to their work.

?WZS�ÆW_ choosing and adjusting work according to disability, interest and skills will make sure disabled people are in jobs they can do.

Monitoring regular conversation and counselling with disabled employers will make sure they have everything they need to work.

Accessibility physical environment and communications may need some adjustments.

Partnership organisations working on disability can support the actions listed here.

Over 800 disabled employees: Keya GroupKeya Group is now perhaps the largest private employer of disabled people in Bangladesh. Its businesses employ over 800 people with disabilities. The majority have hearing and speech impairments. They work in cosmetics and garments factories. Many of them have come from trainings given by government through the Department of Social Services.Now disabled and non-disabled colleagues work alongside each other, often communicating in sign-language. Disabled employees are dedicated to the company, their turnover is less and they are avoiding political disturbance.

We didn’t know about how people with

disabilities could work. We were interested when we saw their

performance. Many factories don’t know this.

Md. PorimolGeneral Manager (P&D)

Keya Cosmetics

8

Many companies in Bangladesh have employed people with disabilities Some of them are listed here.

AKH Garments – 18 people, working in a range of sections.

Aman Knittings – 36 people, working as operators and helpers

Banglalink –���XMWXTM��_Q\P�I�ZMKMV\�LZQ^M�NWZ�KIZMTQVM�WNÅKMZ[�

Bentex Limited – 40 people, mainly as operators and helpers

Fakhruddin Textiles, 27 people

FCI (BD), 15 people

Interfab Shirt Manufacturing, 44 people

Interstoff Apparells Ltd, 73 people

Keya Group, over 800 people

Renata Limited (pharmaceuticals), 16 people

Square Fashions, 25 people

Viyellatex Limited, 29 people

(Data Collected as of December 2013)

9

Questions<PM�J]QTLQVO�PI[���ÆWWZ[��LQ[IJTML�XMWXTM�KIV¼\�_WZS�PMZM' Not all disabled people have problems climbing stairs. And those that LW�KIV�JM�XTIKML�WV�TW_MZ�ÆWWZ[�

It isn’t safe for disabled people to work here? Safety is important for all workers. You can make sure it’s safe for LQ[IJTML�_WZSMZ[�Ja�OQ^QVO�I�TQ\\TM�\QUM�\W�TWWS�I\�\PMQZ�[XMKQÅK�VMML[�

We can’t afford to include people with disabilities?Inclusion isn’t necessarily expensive. And employing disabled people _QTT�JZQVO�JMVMÅ\[�\W�\PM�KWUXIVa�

It’s good for disabled people to work, but they can’t work here? Give it a try. You will be surprised at what disabled people can do!

Disabled people can’t do the work? In a lot of cases they can. They just need to be given the chance.

10

ResourcesThe Rights and Protection of the Persons with Disability Act, 2013 (National legislation on disability.)

The National Skills Development Council is developing a Strategy on Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities in Skills Development.

The ILO’s Global Business Disability and Disability Network is where multinationals, business networks and employers’ representatives come together.

Managing Disability in the workplace (2002) is the ILO’s code of practice on disability inclusion for employers.

A Values Route to Business Success: The Why and How of Employing People with Disabilities (2009). Produced by the Confederation of Indian Industry, this manual advises businesses on employing disabled people.

11

Contacts

International Labour Organization147�,PISI�7NÅKM��:WIL�����0W][M���Dhanmondi R/A, Dhaka 1209.Phone : +880-2-8114705, E-mail: dhaka@ilo.org

Bangladesh Employers Federation Chamber Building (4th Floor)122-124, Motijheel C/A, Dhaka-1000. Phone : +880-2-9565208-10. E-mail: sg@mccibd.org, info@mccibd.orgweb: www.bef.org.bd

12