The Godrej DEI Lab’s second event in 2023, 'PwD Inclusion in Workplaces: Strategies for Success' was organised in collaboration with Keshav Suri Foundation on 8th December 2023. It was an afternoon that yielded substantial ideas, insights, and inspiration shared by speakers and industry leaders. On the theme of ‘Advancing the Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities in Society,’ speakers included Vineet Saraiwala, founder, Atypical Advantage; Dr Anita Sharma, founder, Drive On My Own Foundation; Vinaya Chinnappa, CEO, Incluzza; Akshay Tyagi, head DEI at The Lalit Suri Hospitality Group; and Siddhant Shah, co-founder of Access For ALL.

The panel was skillfully moderated by Maira, DEI Lead at Godrej Capital and a dedicated advocate for DEI and accessibility. Our audience had the privilege of gaining insights directly from Saraiwala about the collaboration between Atypical Advantage and Nestlé in the success of PwD-accessible factory operations in Sanand, Gujarat. Chinnappa brought her extensive experience in disability inclusion to explain and analyse India’s existing laws and provisions for PwD.

Sharma's journey from being a driver with a disability to becoming a driving instructor for PwDs resonated as a crowd favourite story. Tyagi illustrated The Lalit's commitment to hiring and retaining employees with disabilities, showcasing significant progress resulting from the alignment of intent and action. Shah, in professorial mode, engaged and captivated the audience with Access For ALL's mission to enhance the tactile and overall accessibility of museums and heritage spaces for PwDs.

Maira skillfully moderated the panel discussion with authenticity and charm, while Asma from Access For ALL provided sign language interpretation for the event.

Key highlights from the event include:

• The world premiere of Access for ALL’s inaugural print publication, 'IDEAS,' an A to Z guide for inclusion and ESG goals.

• Public launch of ENAbLE, Godrej Capital's newest ERG for employees with disabilities: The Employee Resource Group is a testament to Godrej Capital’s commitment to supporting PwD within the organization.

• A showcase of Godrej Properties Limited's innovative approach to sensitizing their workforce on PwD inclusion through ‘ThisAbleMe.’ The training video is aimed at making employees with speech and hearing impairment (SHI) feel more welcome. ThisAbleMe takes off on the popular video game Super Mario to educate and inform users.

• We also had a Curated Exhibition – Global Ability Photograph Challenge 2023 by Youth4JobsFoundation, SwarajAbility and Not Just Art. The exhibition showcased photographs captured by persons with disabilities. Furthermore, we had a gift stall by Mann - Center for individuals with special needs, and "PLEASE DON’T TOUCH," a tactile Braille art exhibition by Access For ALL was also set up.

• Parmesh Shahani gave a short masterclass on DEI fundamentals with students from Symbiosis Institute of Business Management, Pune, Symbiosis Centre for Management and Human Resource Development, ATLAS SkillTech University, and Tata Institute of Social Sciences. The discussions brought together students to explore strategies, share dreams of equitable futures and address challenges in creating truly inclusive workplaces.