In Australia, 18% of people or about 4.4 million people have a disability. Another 22% of people in Australia have a long-term health condition but no disability (ABS 2019a). Recognising this, we aim to foster an inclusive environment that supports all our people to contribute and thrive.
Our first dedicated Disability Inclusion and Access Action Plan 2023-2026 (the Plan) aligns our vision, purpose and objectives to build community and champion networks, resources and facilities that foster accessible and supportive work environments for people with disability and carers of people with disability.
The Plan is a key pillar of the CSIRO Diversity Inclusion and Belonging Strategy 2023-2026, which outlines how we will advance science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) by embedding the diversity and talent of our people within a genuinely inclusive culture. Furthermore, it acknowledges the effect of disability intersecting with other inequities, and the benefit for all in implementing access and inclusion strategies. We are continuously evolving how we work, collaborate, support each other, and make decisions.
The voices of our people
Thank you to the Disability Working Group (DWG) who developed this Plan in consultation with our staff with disabilities and those caring with family members with disabilities, passionate staff and senior leaders.
This DWG was formed in March 2019 to represent our people with disability and those with carer responsibilities, and to ensure CSIRO is supportive of everyone who has, or may develop, a disability.
CSIRO policies, procedures, practices and training were reviewed, and best practice consulted when developing this Plan. Focus groups with our people were conducted in 2020, with insights shaping the Plan and participants engaged further to validate potential solutions.
The DWG identified the need to have a plan and found that organisations that implemented a disability action plan made significant progress in addressing the types of challenges that we aim to address.