For Marketers to Target Disabled Audiences, They Must First Look Within Their Own Companies

“Nothing about us without us” became a clarion call for disability rights activists in the 1990s, and the slogan is still repeated today as a reminder that no policy or decision should be made without the involvement of those it affects. That rallying cry is just as relevant for the marketing industry when it comes to disability inclusion. While a handful of disability-focused campaigns from brands have garnered attention or awards, the sector comes up short in representing disabled people in its workforce and in leadership roles. The World Federation of Advertisers’ first Global DEI Census in 2021, which surveyed the global marketing industry, found that just 7% of respondents self-identified as disabled. This is below the global population level of 15%—about 1.3 billion people—who are disabled, according to World Health Organization estimates. This disparity suggests the industry is “nowhere near as inclusive, welcoming or encouraging of disabled talent as we should be,” said Casey Shaw, activation manager at U.K. broadcaster ITV and co-chair for its disability network ITV Able. Adweek spoke to ITV and other media brands that prioritized inclusivity about how companies can better recruit and retain more disabled employees. Advocates warn that without greater representation and inclusion in the workforce, the marketing industry lacks the authority to speak to the disabled community—and could lose customers as a result. Taking stock Beyond the need to be more inclusive, many marketers lack awareness of the disabled employees they already have. Of the 7% in WFA’s census who identified as disabled, just 44% of those claimed that their company was aware of their disability or health concerns. WFA advised that a crucial step in fostering inclusive workplaces is to encourage visibility by asking employees to share their disabilities. This call to action mirrors a recent effort from Valuable 500, a global collective of 500 CEOs focused on disability inclusion, which this year urged businesses to address the “disability data gap” by asking employees to disclose disability and adopting a standard set of KPIs that would track progress. However, collecting such data will only be possible with “a healthy organizational culture in which employees feel comfortable to self-disclose,” the Valuable 500 report said. In the marketing industry, research suggests that most disabled employees do not experience this sense of comfort. The 2021 All In Census—conducted by U.K. trade bodies the Advertising Association, IPA and ISBA—found that 19% of disabled employees feel they do not belong at their company, compared to 9% of non-disabled people, and 29% believe disability hinders career progression. Disabled people “report the most career obstacles when compared with other minority groups,” according to the WFA. “Where there are no disabled colleagues at senior management level, this could give the impression that progression is not an option if you are a disabled person,” Shaw said. “A lack of knowledge and understanding of visible and non-visible disabilities and how these can impact people’s day to day lives can sometimes lead the employer to consciously exclude a disabled candidate if they feel they can’t accommodate their needs and requirements in the workplace.” One recent step taken to encourage visibility and better meet employees’ needs came from a group of U.K. media brands including ITV, Channel 4, the BBC and Paramount. Last year, the broadcasters instituted “access and inclusion passports,” which allow staff to confidentially share their adjustment needs. These are now widely used across various departments to inform managers of the support they should offer, Shaw said. Encouraging transparency There are other ways marketers can support wider organizational efforts to create cultures of transparency and belonging, industry leaders said. Valuable 500’s report suggested actions such as identifying and promoting leaders within the business who could talk openly about disability, using channels including social media and internal communications to tell stories and train employees about inclusion, as well as creating public messaging that attempts to change attitudes both internally and externally. But it also starts with changing recruitment practices, and some companies are already increasing their efforts to recruit disabled talent. For example, Walgreens Boots Alliance committed last year to increasing disabled representation in its U.S. workforce by adding this an incentive metric to its annual bonus plan. Telefónica also set a target of doubling the number of disabled employees globally by 2024. “To meet the challenges posed by the digital revolution, we need to make the most of the skills and abilities of the best talent,” Tatiana Espinosa de los Monteros, director of labor relations and diversity at Telefónica, said of the company’s motivation. “We incorporate diversity management as a key element of our global strategy because … it allows us to attract and retain the best talent, foster innovation and approach a diverse and changing society.” Belle Cartwright, head of global data solutions for activation at media agency EssenceMediacom, said it is also imperative to have advocates within a team who “openly discuss inclusivity within interviews” and the workplace. As a disabled person, “I personally try to be an advocate by publicizing my own disabilities,” she said. “From my own experience, I found that when I was interviewing at more junior levels and I needed to put in an additional ask for extra needs or discuss my disability, I felt it would disadvantage me.” Meanwhile, U.K. broadcaster Channel 4 has set a target of having 12% of its workforce who describe themselves as disabled by the end of 2023; it is currently at 11%. It has made changes across teams including requiring hiring managers to go through inclusive recruitment training, offering adjustments for interview processes and hiring a disability specialist in its recruitment team. Being authentic As a marketer, Channel 4 has won numerous awards for its long-standing Paralympics campaign “Superhumans,” which has also helped shift public perceptions about disability, according to its own research. But this would not be possible “without having lived, authentic experience of disability within our workforce. This is vital to creating authenticity and trust with our audiences,” said Jane English, Channel 4’s head of equity and inclusion. The problem is that campaigns such as “Superhumans” are still rare and usually only come “around key inclusivity moments” such as the Paralympics, Cartwright said. For marketers to truly represent all of society, including disabled people, they must first look within their own companies. “My wish for us, as an industry, is that we create more marketing that genuinely reflects the population at all times of year,” she continued. “To bring these ideas to life, prevent gimmicks and make sure they get the airtime, investment and coverage, we need voices that represent at all stages of ideation and the decision-making process.” This piece has been produced as part of Adweek’s partnership with the World Federation of Advertisers (WFA) as it releases its second DEI Census from March 15-April 15. If your company would like to participate, learn more on the WFA’s website. This story is also part of Adweek’s New Consumer digital package, which focuses on diversity in all the ways it manifests for consumers—including gender, race, age and ability—and how marketers need to reach people where they are and meet their unique needs.