Why supportive work environments are important
Rosemary Wairimu shares her journey to employment after joining Coca-Cola Beverages Africa (CCBA) in Kenya as an industrial chemist in September 2019.
Before it was very hard but now the attitudes have changed – they think of me as an educated person. That makes me happy. I feel comfortable working with other people and they love my work.
Rosemary has a hearing impairment. She was not born deaf, but at eight years old developed a short illness which resulted in profound hearing loss. Like many people with disabilities, she has faced many challenges in finding a job suited to her education, skills and abilities.
Barriers to employment
“The main challenges I faced were discrimination against my disability and communications with prospective employers. I did apply for a lot of work. They would see I was a learned person, but the moment they realised I was deaf, they would terminate everything.
“Many people think people with disabilities can’t do anything – they’ll think you can’t hear anything so you can’t do anything.”
Rosemary’s experience changed when she applied for a role at CCBA.
What CCBA are doing right
She found that the selection process was unbiased and based on educational merits. “The interview was more about what I could give to the company. I felt like I had a lot to offer.”
And so did the interview panel. She was offered a job as a quality controller in the juice manufacturing team.
“CCBA has given me an opportunity to prove myself,” Rosemary adds. “They have paved the way for me to work and earn a living. They have made it easier for other companies to consider me for employment if need be.”
What reasonable adjustments were made
Coca-Cola Beverages Africa have also made reasonable accommodations for their disabled employees. They made the work environment ‘safe and conducive’ for Rosemary and other staff with hearing impairments. They provide sign language interpreters and have made employees aware of Rosemary’s disability.
“They do not see me as that deaf girl. They are supportive and go out of their way to make me feel like part of a team,” Rosemary explains. “My hard work is recognised and my perseverance is finally paying off. People with disabilities can find work. Disability is not inability.”
Diverse and inclusive culture
Kamal Daisy Onyango, CCBA’s L&D OD and Talent Manager, says the company is committed to creating ‘a diverse and inclusive culture’.
“Our target is at least 8-10% of our workforce should be persons with disabilities by 2025,” Kamal says.
‘We look at it more as an investment than an additional cost. To get this culture right it will require us to make some investments and adjustments.’
‘Has the journey been easy? No. Has it taken a lot of hard work? Yes. It’s a learning experience for us.’
Working with other organisations
CCBA is a member of the Kenya Business & Disability Network (KBDN). KBDN was established in November by the International Labour Organization (ILO), the Federation of Kenyan Employers (FKE) and Leonard Cheshire’s Innovation to Inclusion (i2i) programme.
KBDN showcases business leadership on disability inclusion. It is a single voice for businesses on disability issues and provides a platform for engagement with workers and government.
"One thing we did right was engage Deaf Empowerment Kenya (DEK). They made the journey so much easier for us, addressed challenges we had and gave us access to such a diverse talent pool,"Kamal says.
Jackline Kiambi, of DEK, says her organisation aims to give more employers access to a pool of talented people with disabilities with appropriate skills to fit their companies.
"We can provide that. When we approached CCBA they were very receptive,"Jackie adds. "Most employers have the aspect of inclusivity in their companies. However, they lack the confidence to follow through and accommodate people with disabilities. This kind of partnership provides confidence for these employers."
Our i2i programme
The Innovation to Inclusion (i2i) programme – managed by a consortium led by Leonard Cheshire – believes effective partnerships with the private sector are essential to support persons with disabilities into work.
i2i is trying to engage businesses like CCBA in future disability-inclusive programming.
With recruitment specialists Fuzu and Kenya’s National Council for Persons with Disabilities (NCPWD), i2i has developed the NCPWD Career Portal, an online space for people with disabilities to get career advice, access training and be matched with jobs.