Why Caroline Casey does not believe in à la carte inclusion: TechShare Pro 2019

Mark.Gaddes | 20 Nov 2019

Opening TechShare Pro 2019, The Valuable 500's Caroline Casey said we need to move beyond token gestures on inclusion. 

"I do not believe in à la carte inclusion' she said, 'I fundamentally believe in a world where we are all unique and valuable." Caroline is leading The Valuable 500 campaign and started by playing the DIVERSish video - below - which dramatises the astonishing statistic that 90% of companies prioritise diversity, but only 4% prioritise disability.

Caroline Casey on stage at TechShare Pro 2019Caroline implored leaders to take action and join her movement, "I don’t want anymore for disability to be on the sideline… particularly when there’s a solution." The campaign asks business leaders to make the choice to put disability on the business leadership agenda - we need their heads and their hearts. Caroline ended her talk with the message, "Let's get those leaders on board now."

'We need to move beyond Diverse-ish'

We were delighted to hear from Caroline Casey as a keynote speaker at TechShare Pro 2019 - the UK's leading accessibility and inclusive design event. 

On The Valuable 500 website the adjective 'diversish' receives a dictionary description: 

'Selectively inclusive of some types of people within a company, group or business, depending on which type suits the company best.' 

The video generates emotions from sadness to anger and ends with a stark message: 'If disability is not on your agenda, neither is diversity.' The message from Caroline at TechShare Pro was clear, "Let's use all of our intelligence, all of our hearts, and let's collaborate to break the glass ceiling."

Speaking on stage at TechShare Pro Caroline said, "I do not believe in à la carte inclusion… I fundamentally believe in a world where we are all unique and valuable."

Caroline implored leaders to take action and join her movement, "I don’t want anymore for disability to be on the sideline… particularly when there’s a solution." With great passion Caroline asked business leaders to make the choice to put disability on the business leadership agenda - we need their heads and their hearts. Caroline ended her talk with the message, "Let's get those leaders."

The Valuable 500 initiative

The goal of The Valuable 500 global movement is to put disability on the business leadership agenda of 500 national and multinational, private sector corportations - and in that way to be the tipping-point to unlock the business, social and economic value of people living with disabilities across the world. At the time of writing this there are 320 sign-ups in progress and 65 days remaining.

Strategic partners of the initiative include the OmnicomGroup, Virgin Media, and One Young World. Those who sign up are committing to table disability performance on their board agenda, make one commitment to action and share the action within their organisation. 

Find out more about signing up to join The Valuable 500 movement

About TechShare Pro

Now in its third year, TechShare Pro 2019 is hosted by Google and supported by some of the biggest technology names on the planet. The conference offers two days to connect, learn and share with people from all over the world who are building a more accessible and inclusive digital world.

Panelists and workshop hosts include Apple, Google, the International Association of Accessibility Professionals, Barclays, RNIB, Uber, Disability Rights Advocate (USA), Disability Rights UK, European Disability Forum, Aira, BBC, Sony, Scope, Fraunhofer, Verizon Media, Amazon, Netflix and Channel 4.

Learn more