Transcript for ‘2017-18 Access and Inclusion Benchmark Report’

Overlay:Suzanne Colbert AM, CEO. Australian Network on Disability logo

Overlay:2017-18 Access and Inclusion Benchmark Report.Australian Network on Disability logo.

Description:Suzanne Colbert is seated in her office.She is wearing a white top, with a navy white and orange striped jacket. In the wide shot, there is a jug, glass of water and plant on a white, round table. Suzanne also has some papers and a pen in front of her. The walls are white.

Suzanne Colbert AM, CEO, Australian Network on Disability

I’m Suzanne Colbert Chief Executive of the Australian Network on Disability and I’m talking about the Access and Inclusion Index Benchmark results for 2017/18

Many organisations are committed to improving accessibility and inclusion for people with disability but are unsure how to go about their journey, how to set their priorities and how to measure their progress.

The Australian Network on Disability’s Access and Inclusion Index is an online tool that assists organisations to build understanding, check progress and benchmark their performance.The Index measures maturity across 10 key business domains.

The Benchmark Report each year announces the three top performers. I’m pleased to announce that this years’ leading organisations are the Federal Department of Human Services, ANZ Bank and the Australian Taxation Office.

These three organisations have demonstrated their long-term commitment, and their investment, in Access and Inclusion for people with disability as customers, employees and stakeholders.

I sincerely congratulate employees with disability, diversity and inclusion teams, executive sponsors and the leadership of these three organisations.

We thank all 28 organisations that completed the Access and Inclusion Index and contributed to the 2017/18 Benchmark Report.

Through using the Access and Inclusion Index and contributing to the Benchmark Report, organisations are building shared understanding, growing expertise, knowledge and leadership on inclusion of people with disability.

AND is seeing the Access and Inclusion Index being used differently by organisations to progress their maturity.

I welcome the participation of organisations who are new to their Access and Inclusion journey – using the information provided in the Report as a roadmap helps measure progress, achieve goals and build capability to welcome people with disability as employees, customers and stakeholders.

Of the 28 organisations contributing to the Benchmark Report this year, 8 completed for a second time and on average and increased their maturity scores by almost 20%.

I encourage you to read the Good Practice Case Studies in the Benchmark Report – which will be released in May and I thank the Federal Department of Human Services, the ANZ Bank and Medibank for sharing their good practice initiatives.

In closing, once again I congratulate the Federal Department of Human Services, the ANZ Bank and the Australian Taxation Office for their success. They will have a new badge to display on their website and materials as a leading organisation. I also sincerely thank the other 25 members for participating – they also will have a badge to display.

The Access and Inclusion Index is available to all members of the Australian Network on Disability – if you’re not a member – join today!

I strongly encourage you embrace the tool and measure your organisation’s progress.

I hope you participate in the Benchmarking process and demonstrate to Australians with disability that we are committed to Access and Inclusion and to building a disability confident Australia.