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Inclusive Recruitment Fair 2021 cum CareER Disability Inclusion Index Dissemination Ceremony

平等機會委員會主席朱敏健先生致辭(只備英文版)

16/10/2021

Walter (Walter TSUI, Co-founder and CEO, CareER), honourable guests and friends, good morning. It is my pleasure to be invited to speak at the fair today, and a delight to finally take part in a physical event off the Internet. How refreshing it is, after a year of COVID scares, to have hearty, face-to-face conversations with fellow champions of diversity and inclusion (D&I).

The EOC’s connection with CareER goes way back. In the past, Walter has given interviews for our publications, appeared in our videos, and attended our events to talk to employers, dispelling myths about hiring people with disabilities. What we share is an earnest hope for a society where the potential and skills of people with disabilities can be fully recognised and unleashed through gainful employment.

Our common vision is driven not only by a commitment to equal opportunity, but also by a firm belief that it would benefit businesses looking to innovate and expand into new markets. What is more, it offers Hong Kong a way out of the conundrum that is our dwindling workforce, a result of the city’s ageing population and low fertility rate. According to projections by the Labour and Welfare Bureau in 2019, in the worst-case scenario there would be a shortfall of more than 250,000 workers by 2027. To ensure the sustainable development of our economy, we need to pull out all stops to attract and retain talents from different backgrounds.

No doubt, then, that we were thrilled to be part of the Disability Inclusion Index, CareER’s latest initiative. It is a most sensible solution to a clear problem: while employers increasingly embrace the value of a disability-inclusive workplace, they can be at a loss when it comes to setting goals, tracking results, and fostering tangible change. They are no longer asking why, but how.

As a Knowledge Partner of the Index, the EOC helped review the set of indicators designed to gauge an organisation’s progress in realising disability inclusion. We also delivered a training session to CareER, sharing our knowledge of the anti-discrimination legislation and our experience in enforcing the law, specifically the employment and service-related provisions under the Disability Discrimination Ordinance. Like Walter said, the Index presented to you today is a comprehensive assessment tool, covering everything from recruitment and workplace accommodation to product development and service provision.

Now, let me share a few figures that will help everyone really appreciate the importance of the work CareER is doing. Year after year, a significant proportion of the complaints handled by the EOC is disability-related. Take the financial year 2020-21 as an example. Around 50% of the complaints we handled were lodged under the Disability Discrimination Ordinance. Over 60% of those complaints were employment-related.  

Although the majority of these cases had nothing to do with recruitment and selection processes – rather, they concerned dismissals following sick leave and work injuries – they indicate that some employers can be quick to pass judgments. Some believe that the slightest difference in physical or mental status could jeopardise an employee’s ability to do his or her job, while others assume that any accommodation would be so costly it would bring the business down.

Which goes back to why raising awareness and creating role models are so crucial. Since 2013, CareER has been reaching out to corporations big and small, global and local, with the simple but powerful message that “talent knows no boundaries”. To date, they have succeeded in matching over 200 higher-educated graduates with banks, insurers, retailers, airline companies and many other organisations. This is no small feat, and they deserve a big applause.

There is more good news. For the past nine years, there has been a steady rise in the number of students with special educational needs at the eight universities funded by the University Grants Committee. The figure rose from 196 in the academic year 2011/12 to 748 in 2020/21. One can foresee that Hong Kong’s pool of higher-educated talents with disabilities will continue to grow, thanks to ongoing efforts by the Education Bureau to enhance the support for SEN students as they transition from secondary to higher education. These include, for instance, provisional plans to allow post-secondary institutions to obtain information, such as past assessment reports and accommodation measures from secondary schools, with the consent of the students or their parents.

It is now up to employers to echo these investments in inclusivity. This can be a challenge in the aftermath of COVID-19. The world has yet to grasp the long-term economic impact of the pandemic. There are real fears that COVID-hit industries will focus on staying afloat and roll back their D&I commitments. If a company has decided to lay off employees or put them on furlough, will it make its picks based on their abilities and performance, as well as the genuine operational needs of the business? Or will assumptions once again get in the way?

Events like the fair today are therefore more timely than ever. They remind us that D&I is much more than a box to tick in a CSR checklist or an ESG report. It is about truly believing that having a diverse team is good for business, that people with disabilities can be an asset even in times of crises and uncertainty.

Data shows that inclusive organisations perform better during a recession. In 2019, the Fortune magazine released a report which looked at the performance of nearly 2,000 publicly traded companies in the US during the Great Recession of 2007-2009. They found that while the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index suffered a 35.5% decline in stock performance, companies that remained inclusive boasted a 14.4% gain.

Of course, it will take more than hard data to influence minds and hearts. We need more case studies, more success stories. That is why we at the EOC have been stepping up our own employer engagement efforts. Last year, we launched the inaugural edition of the Equal Opportunity Employer Recognition Scheme. First of its kind in Hong Kong, the Scheme aims to recognise and showcase best practice in advancing workplace equality not only for people with disabilities, but also women, people with family responsibilities and ethnic minorities.

In the end we received 420 applications and recognised 160 organisations as Equal Opportunity Employer, among which 42 won in the category “Equality for Diverse Abilities” for having implemented concrete, disability-inclusive measures.  For those who wish to join this growing network of D&I allies, I encourage them to take the time and check out CareER’s Index. It will sure help you develop the roadmap you need.

Before I end, allow me to thank all the organisations who have shown up today. You are here because you care. You are making an active decision to bring about meaningful change. My only hope is that you will be joined by more companies next year. I also want to give my best wishes to all the students and graduates here. Life has its dark moments, but today is your chance to shine. Good luck with your interviews, and have a lovely and fruitful day. Thank you very much.

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