Disability Action Plans are good for business

Disability Action Plans are a good tool for organisations to demonstrate how they will reduce the risk of people being discriminated against on the basis of their disability by making their buildings, workplace and services accessible.

Disability action plans are also good for business. By addressing barriers to access a disability action plan can:

• Help to create new markets for your business – having good physical access to your premises means that parents and grandparents with prams and strollers can access your building, so can older people with mobility aids as well as people with a disability. More people through the front door can lead to more business.
• Help create a stable loyal workforce. Research has shown that employees with a disability have fewer days of absenteeism, higher rates of productivity and fewer occupational health and safety incidents than employees without a disability .
• Provide a risk management strategy to help meet your obligations under the Commonwealth Disability Discrimination Act (1992) in the event a complaint of discrimination is made against the business.

In 2011 Equal Access worked with the Museum of Australian Democracy in Canberra to develop its first three-year disability action plan. The Museum was assisted to develop realistic goals that could be achieved within the time frame and within its resources. Examples of changes that have already been made include: