Eighty-eight percent of Americans want companies to prioritize accessibility for people who are blind or visually impaired
A new nationwide survey commissioned by National Industries for the Blind (NIB), the nation’s largest employment resource for people who are blind, found that the majority of Americans want workplaces to prioritize diversity, including hiring people who are blind or visually impaired. However, most believe it is difficult to make workplaces accessible. Findings include:
- Nearly seven in ten Americans (68%) are more likely to support a company that prioritizes diversity;
- Eighty-eight percent of Americans (and 90% of those ages 18-34) believe companies should prioritize making workplaces accessible to people who are blind or visually impaired;
- Even with overwhelming support for accessibility, 56% of Americans believe it is difficult for companies to make workplaces accessible to people who are blind or visually impaired.
“For companies to realize the full value of workforce diversity, they must include people who are blind or visually impaired in their recruitment and professional development strategies,” said Kevin Lynch, president and CEO of NIB. “These survey findings solidify two important facts: people want more accessible workplaces, but many don’t know where to start. For more than eight decades, NIB has worked to break down barriers to employment for people who are blind or visually impaired. With the increased focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion, our work has become more important than ever.”
NIB is making significant strides in educating employers about workplace accessibility with the creation of its new talent management enterprise NSITE— a valuable resource that pairs employers with job seekers who are blind or visually impaired. A major portion of NSITE’s work is challenging the myth that it is difficult and expensive to hire employees who are blind.
“This survey illustrates the misconceptions that people who are blind or visually impaired are up against when searching for meaningful employment,” said Jonathan Lucus, head of NSITE. “In a landscape where employers are willing but don’t know where to turn, NSITE is the bridge between companies seeking to diversify their workforce and job seekers who are blind or visually impaired. The connections we make produce a culture that increases productivity and improves an organization’s competitiveness.”
To learn more about NIB’s new enterprise NSITE, visit NSITE.org.
###
About National Industries for the Blind
Since 1938, National Industries for the Blind (NIB) has focused on enhancing the opportunities for economic and personal independence of people who are blind, primarily through creating, sustaining, and improving employment. NIB and its network of associated nonprofit agencies are the nation’s largest employer of people who are blind through the manufacture and provision of SKILCRAFT® and other products and services of the AbilityOne® Program. For more information about NIB, visit NIB.org.
About NSITE
NSITE provides a continuum of employment services that connect employers with talented, dedicated people who are blind, visually impaired, and/or veterans to meet their workforce needs. NSITE works with employers and job seekers alike to provide support throughout the career life cycle. Learn more at NSITE.org.
