National Disability Independence Day, celebrated annually on July 26, commemorates passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act, the U.S. law prohibiting discrimination against those with disabilities.
Diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS) later in life, Matt Nesci discusses his experiences living with MS and how Salesforce's accessibility initiatives and collaboration with the National MS Society benefit professionals with disabilities.
Salesforce’s Workforce Navigators program not only aids in skill building for professionals with disabilities, but also promotes an accessibility-first design approach prioritizing digital inclusion from the start—benefiting all users.
Salesforce’s vice president of product accessibility advocates for inclusive design and meaningful engagement of people with disabilities throughout the design process, rejecting the outdated practice of post-development usability studies.
Effective training in disability etiquette for accessibility volunteers and staff is crucial to avoiding ableist interactions, and ensures a positive experience for attendees with disabilities at in-person events.
Salesforce’s 2024 Stakeholder Impact Report showcases its 25-year legacy of advancing accessibility and inclusion through strategic partnerships, innovative training programs, and global initiatives—all aimed at empowering professionals with disabilities.
Continual improvements to Salesforce’s Trailhead program are informed by accessibility testing and ongoing feedback received from participants with disabilities.
Microvalidations counteract the corrosive effects of microaggressions in the workplace through small acts of affirmation and inclusion, supporting marginalized or stigmatized groups.
Salesforce is enhancing accessibility at TrailblazerDX 2024 by including a Disability Help Desk, a Quiet Zone, captioning in all keynotes and breakout sessions, sighted escorts, sign language interpreters, over 100 accessibility staff volunteers, and more.
To create a remote team that embraces accessibility, inclusion, and belonging, you should adopt flexible work policies, implement ‘access checks,’ record all virtual meetings, use chat features judiciously, and recognize team members’ contributions.
Providing better support for professionals with disabilities and their families centers around challenging stigmas, prioritizing flexible work options, facilitating disability awareness events, creating affinity groups, offering parental support, and encouraging mental health days.
When communicating about your disability inclusion plan, ensure it's accessible for all, integrated into your regular meeting structure, uses marketing collateral to inform, and is discussed consistently and frequently among employees and external stakeholders.
Through a combination of grassroots affinity groups and committed leadership, Salesforce has become a major advocate for greater accessibility and inclusion in the tech industry and wider professional world.
To better recruit and retain professionals with disabilities, you should embrace accessible hiring practices, adopt inclusive interviewing processes, prioritize disability leadership representation, implement digital inclusion, and create an inclusive and belonging culture.
Create an accessible work environment that empowers individuals with cognitive and learning disabilities and promotes organizational success.
Implementing generalized accessibility strategies, asking employees to declare their disability status, and expecting HR departments to always lead out on accessibility are a few ways organizations mistakenly approach inclusion and disability issues.
Disability:IN 2023 highlighted the importance of inclusive language, approaching disability with authenticity, respecting others’ language preferences, being a better ally, and experiencing solidarity with other professionals with disabilities.
After becoming blind and struggling for years to find consistent employment, Strini Naidoo explains how Salesforce’s Trailblazer program has given his professional career a new life.
To make workplaces more accessible for employees with mobility impairments, companies should eliminate physical barriers, adopt flexible work options, provide assistive technology, modify specific policies, and foster a more inclusive workplace culture.
Creating an accessible workplace for d/Deaf employees means conducting accessibility trainings, providing assistive technology, and using inclusive communication methods.
A champion of greater inclusion and accessibility in tech, Salesforce rolls out a new website dedicated to its Workforce Navigators program for professionals with disabilities.
