Ulyana Pcholkina, Chair of the Board of “The League of the Strong” public association, took part in a discussion at the Ukraine Recovery Conference entitled “Making the Human Dimension Future-Proof”. Her speech focused on the economic benefits of an inclusive approach for businesses and investors, as well as accessibility, the employment of people with disabilities, and the economic benefits of an inclusive approach for businesses and investors.
“Accessibility is not an optional extra. It is part of the quality, liquidity and sustainability of an investment. We have no right to rebuild yesterday’s barriers with money intended for the future. There are already over 3.4 million people with disabilities in Ukraine. These are the official figures; unofficially, the number is significantly higher. Every new school, hospital, flat, transport hub or digital platform can either perpetuate exclusion or expand people’s participation,” said Ulyana Pcholkina, Chair of the Board of “The League of the Strong” public association.
During the discussion, Ulyana Pcholkina emphasised that accessibility should be seen as an advantage for businesses and investors.
“Leading American companies in the field of inclusion for people with disabilities have demonstrated 1.6 times higher revenue, 2.6 times higher net profit, twice the economic profit and 25 per cent better productivity figures. This does not mean that a single ramp automatically generates profit. It means that companies which remove barriers are better at attracting talent, understanding customers, driving innovation and managing risks,” said Ulyana Pcholkina, Chair of the Board of “The League of the Strong”, during her speech.
Source: the report “The Disability Inclusion Imperative”, prepared by Accenture in partnership with Disability:IN and the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) in 2023. The study analysed 346 US companies that participated in the Disability Equality Index.
“The League of the Strong” participation in the Ukraine Recovery Conference aims to draw the attention of international partners to the fact that accessibility and the inclusion of people with disabilities must become an integral part of Ukraine’s reconstruction and a criterion for the quality of future investments.
We would like to remind you that the Gdańsk Declaration, Building a Stronger, Smarter and More Inclusive Recovery for Ukraine, was signed today in Gdańsk; “The League of the Strong” is among its initiators. The document calls for human rights, accessibility and inclusion to form the basis of all Ukraine’s reconstruction processes, as well as for the integration of universal design principles and the meaningful participation of people with disabilities in all reconstruction projects.
“The League of the Strong” also provides advice to businesses on accessibility. Its experts help assess employees’ needs, identify suitable solutions and understand how to adapt the working environment without incurring excessive costs. The organisation emphasises that, in many cases, creating an inclusive workplace simply requires targeted changes and taking an individual’s specific needs into account. Businesses can seek advice by emailing info@ls.org.ua or book an introductory meeting to discuss their enquiry.