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THE infrastructural and cultural changes necessary to facilitate universal access in corporate Jamaica was the main topic of discussion during Digicel Foundation's high-level conference on 'Overcoming Challenges to Workplace Inclusivity' last week. The panel of local and international advocates explored how legislation, technological developments and mindset shifts can help to bridge the employment gap for persons living with disabilities, during a thought-provoking one-hour session with host Dr Terri-Karelle Reid.The event's panel featured UWI Centre for Disability Studies director, Senator Dr Floyd Morris; Jamaica Association of Intellectual Disabilities Executive Director Marilyn McKoy; Jamaica Council for Persons with Disabilities Executive Director Dr Christine Hendricks; Jamaica Association for the Deaf Executive Director Kimberley Marriott-Blake; Digicel Foundation CEO Charmaine Daniels; and, from Washington, DC, chief partnerships officer at The Valuable 500, Crosby Cromwell.Against the backdrop of the soon-to-be implemented Disabilities Act (2014), Floyd Morris kicked off the discussion by highlighting the need for a rights-based approach at the core of the national discussions about inclusion. "The Act will move Jamaica forward to achieve inclusivity by requiring companies of all sizes to implement measures to accommodate persons with disabilities. Both the Government and private entities will have to include people with disabilities in the recruitment process, and there will be repercussions for discrimination. New frontiers will open up in the labour market for this community."As businesses prepare for the Disability Act to take effect in February 2022, Dr Hendricks explained how construction practices need to adapt to achieve universal access for all. She highlighted parking space size and location, ramps, railways, building entrances and exits, bathrooms and counters as the most common infrastructural features for attention.Acknowledging that the novel coronavirus pandemic has forced a shift in the way people work and the role of technology in productivity, Kimberley Marriot-Blake pointed to the simple tools - like video conferencing and voice-to-text technology - that can now be implemented to create more inclusivity. However, Marriott-Blake also emphasised the need to push Jamaican Sign Language classes to 'front-facing' staff to better accommodate the needs of those who are deaf.While the technological, physical and legislative needs of the country were discussed, the panel almost unanimously agreed with Marilyn McKoy when she identified negative stigmas and beliefs as the largest hurdle to achieving workplace exclusivity. "The best way to address stigma is through education, because inclusivity is achieved when the necessary changes are made to not only physical space but also the support strategies and workplace culture," explained McKoy. "Employers need to conduct sensitivity training to show staff how to interact with intellectual disabilities. Companies also need a system of support to allow these persons to integrate into the work environment. It is also important for employers to understand their role in promoting the success of people with disabilities in the organisation and establish a no-tolerance approach to discrimination."As the first and one of the largest corporate foundations to focus on special needs, Digicel Foundation and its parent company has led the charge on workplace inclusivity, with six employees with special needs currently employed at its global headquarters and more employed across the group of companies."From inception, Digicel established a strong stance as an inclusive employer," said Charmaine Daniels, CEO of the Digicel Foundation, who has been a part of the Digicel Group since 2006. "As we prepare for the roll-out of the Disabilities Act, we too are looking at how we can make our physical space more accessible. We did a lot of work to make the [Colm] Delves Building accessible for those with physical disabilities, but there's more we can do, especially for the blind. We are also using our platform to advocate for inclusivity and calling on the private sector to join us. Together we can be the change needed to usher in a new era of inclusivity."Digicel Group is currently a member of The Valuable 500 - a global initiative to table disability issues at the board level for major corporations. Speaking on behalf of The Valuable 500, Crosby Cromwell stressed the importance of further discussion and action at the level of corporate leadership to change the way disabilities are viewed in the corporate space. She concluded by encouraging eligible Jamaican entities to enter The Valuable 500 partnership of global corporations advocating for inclusivity.