Disability and Employment: Research Promoted by Fondazione CDP Presented in Milan
The study, conducted by SDA Bocconi in collaboration with Accenture Research, captures the perspectives of people with disabilities and caregivers and calls for inclusion to be measured by the quality of employment.
The study “Disability and Employment: Listening to People’s Voices”, conducted by SDA Bocconi in collaboration with Accenture Research and promoted by Fondazione Italiana Accenture ETS, Fondazione CDP, the non-profit organisation of the Cassa Depositi e Prestiti Group, and E-work, was presented today in Milan at the SDA Bocconi School of Management.
The study examines the relationship between disability and employment, drawing on the first-hand experiences of people with disabilities and caregivers to assess how inclusive the labour market really is and identify the barriers that continue to prevent people from participating fully in working life.
The findings show that hiring a person with a disability is not, in itself, enough to ensure genuine inclusion. Indeed, 50% of respondents report high levels of stress, while 40% say they have experienced discrimination. One of the main challenges is the constant pressure to prove their professional worth, in a workplace environment where fewer than four in ten feel that their skills are valued or are confident about their future career prospects.
The study therefore proposes measuring inclusion not only in terms of access to employment, but also on the basis of the quality of the working experience: the opportunity for everyone to contribute fully, develop their skills and pursue a career path aligned with their aspirations.
The study calls on businesses and institutions to make inclusion a shared and integral responsibility, ensuring that the recognition of rights translates into genuine recognition of skills and abilities.
During the event, Francesca Sofia, General Manager of Fondazione CDP, said: “The study highlights the continued need to invest in a culture of inclusion capable of overcoming the stereotypes and prejudices that prevent people with disabilities from gaining genuine access to employment and all too often result in inequalities. Addressing this challenge requires a collective effort involving institutions, businesses, the Third Sector, foundations and civil society. Foundations can play an important role in this process by generating knowledge, fostering dialogue and supporting the development of innovative models that can translate research findings into concrete action.”
The research builds on the work initiated by the same team with the study People with Disabilities and Employment: Beyond the Barriers, which focused on the perspective of businesses. By complementing the views of employers with those of people with disabilities and caregivers, the new study provides a more comprehensive understanding of the challenges that remain and the conditions needed to promote effective and lasting inclusion in the workplace.
