European Day Of Persons With Disabilities 2023: A Guide

As an employer, you are responsible for staying on top of conversations and changes in disability and inclusion laws. One way to do that is to observe important events such as the European Day of Persons with Disabilities 2023.  This event is a landmark event that brings leaders together to take action on matters like inclusivity, diversity, social responsibility, and disability awareness.

Employers paying attention to this type of event demonstrate their dedication to being disability-friendly. As a result, you can foster a more supportive work environment that actively contributes to positive change in our society.

This handy guide covers everything employers should know about the European Day of Persons with Disabilities (EDPD). 

What Is The European Day Of Persons With Disabilities 2023?

Organised by the European Commission, this annual conference runs in partnership with the European Disability Forum. The goal behind the event is to create a space for over 400 policy-makers, disability experts, and advocates to come together, listen to concerns, and create an open dialogue with public authorities. 

These stakeholders aim to work together to guarantee that people with disabilities enjoy equal rights and fair opportunities across Europe.

When Is The European Day Of Persons With Disabilities 2023?

The European Day of Persons with Disabilities 2023 is a live, two-day event that will take place in Brussels on 30 November and 1 December 2023.

Programme Of Events

2023’s conference will kick off by announcing the 2024 Access City Award winner. Then, there will be discussions about how leaders can ensure everyone can effectively exercise their right to vote and stand for elections. 

In addition, the conference will hear from people with disabilities about the challenges they still face in public and political life.

Following this, conference attendees will explore strategies to enhance the skills of people with disabilities and look back at the main achievements of the EDPD.

How To Get Involved

As there are limited places for the European Day of Persons with Disabilities, participation in the event is by invitation only.

Organisations that wish to participate can write to EMPL-EDPD-ACA@ec.europa.eu to express their interest.

Why Is The European Day Of Persons With Disabilities Important For Employers?

While the event is open to those with an invitation only, employers should pay attention to this day. Keeping up with the themes and outcomes is essential for employers for the following reasons: 

• Legal compliance – Following the events of EDPD ensures employers are keeping up with equality laws and regulations.
• Talent acquisition – Actively participating in events and dialogues surrounding diversity ability helps your organisation attract (and retain) a wider pool of diverse talent.
• Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) – Aligning your organisation with initiatives like the European Day of Persons with Disabilities 2023 showcases your commitment to social causes.
• Potential partnership opportunities – Staying abreast of this type of event can create networking opportunities. In turn, this could lead to valuable partnerships and collaborations with disability advocacy organisations.
• Education – Initiatives like EDPD serve as a learning platform to raise awareness and build empathy in the workforce.

Ways To Celebrate The European Day Of Persons With Disabilities 2023

Marking the European Day of Persons with Disabilities (EDPD) in the workplace is an excellent way to raise awareness, establish dialogues around disability and inclusion, and support employees with disabilities.

In this section, we’ve compiled some ways your organisation can celebrate and leverage the occasion to educate employees.

• Hold accessibility workshops and seminars to educate employees about disability awareness and inclusivity best practices. You could also distribute some materials about EDPD and its impact. If you don’t already provide disability awareness training, this is an ideal opportunity to implement it.
• Share employee stories and experiences about their disabilities, challenges, and achievements. For example, this could be via live panel events or your corporate internal communication tool.
• Carry out an accessibility audit to ensure that your workplace meets the needs of all employees.
• Partner with disability charities to organise fundraising events, volunteering opportunities, or donation drives.
• Publicly pledge your organisation’s commitment to creating an inclusive workplace for employees with disabilities. Then, create clear goals and metrics to measure your success.
• Gather feedback from employees on how you can become a more disability-friendly employer. Some common examples include flexible working arrangements, reasonable adjustments, joining the Disability Confident scheme, etc).
• Advertise your job vacancies on disability-friendly job boards to attract a more diverse talent pool. 

Stay Ahead Of The Curve

Want to keep your finger on the pulse with all the latest news, trends, and insights related to inclusive employment? Sign up for our newsletter today.

What’s more, browse our employer resource hub and blog offer comprehensive guides and advice on how to become more inclusive, attract and retain diverse talent, and do your part for equality.