Eurofirms Foundation launches its campaign “We are changing the approach” to mark International Day of Persons with Disabilities. The timing this year falls in early December, highlighting the ongoing work to raise awareness about disability in the workplace and to shift public perception toward a more inclusive and positive view of disabled people.
Discrimination remains a major barrier for people with disabilities, especially in employment. Unconscious biases and prejudices underpin many decisions, with studies suggesting that a large portion of actions are guided by beliefs people may not even recognize. Evidence shows that individuals with disabilities are less likely to secure employment, even when skills and experience match job requirements. In Spain, there are more than 1.8 million people of working age with a disability, composing about 6.2% of the national workforce. Of these, around 638,600 are active, and approximately 485,900 are currently employed, according to the National Institute of Statistics. (Source: National Institute of Statistics; Canadian and U.S. labour market context corroborates ongoing inclusion challenges around disability in the workplace.)
Raising awareness remains a central pillar of the Eurofirms Foundation’s mission to foster inclusive workplaces. Participation is essential to generate real impact and to create environments where every employee has opportunities to join, grow, and feel a sense of belonging. The Foundation’s inclusive environments report, based on interviews with 750 disabled employees, indicates there is still significant room for improvement; 44% of respondents do not feel fully included at work. (Source: Eurofirms Foundation inclusive environments report; broader regional context reflects similar experiences in North America.)
The “Changing the Approach” campaign underscores a rapid first impression: we form a judgment in roughly nine seconds. If people look beyond those initial moments, they may find that their prejudices were unfounded. To spread this important message, the Foundation invites audiences to explore the stories of four ambassadors who are helping to break down stereotypes surrounding disability and to illustrate concrete examples of inclusion in the workplace. (Attribution: Eurofirms Foundation internal outreach materials.)
In addition, the Foundation invites a social media challenge: share something surprising about oneself — something others might not expect at first glance — to challenge prejudices that exist whether or not a person has a disability. The campaign carries the message with the hashtag “If you exceed 9 seconds, you will notice…” and the tag #ChangeFocus. (Attribution: Eurofirms Foundation campaign guidelines.)
The Foundation will participate in Disability Week, running from late November to early December, and will offer companies a suite of initiatives designed to raise awareness and to expand job opportunities for disabled people. Initiatives include training that addresses unconscious bias and neurodiversity within teams, alongside corporate volunteering that provides employees with direct, experiential learning with people who have disabilities. (Reference: Disability Week program notes; cross-sector collaboration facilitates broader impact.)
For more information about the Changing the Approach campaign and planned actions, audiences are encouraged to visit the Eurofirms Foundation website page dedicated to the initiative or follow the Foundation on social networks. (Source attribution: Eurofirms Foundation communications.)
ABOUT EUROFIRMS FOUNDATION:
Eurofirms Foundation operates across Spain, Portugal, Italy, and Chile to support the inclusion of disabled people into society. In Spain, the Foundation helped integrate 1,484 disabled individuals into the workforce in 2022 and aims to increase that figure in 2024 and beyond. The Foundation counsels companies on complying with disability-related regulations and promotes inclusive practices through alternative measures. It also supports employers with structured programs to assist disabled employees. (Contextual note: regional activity reflects ongoing policy goals in Europe and Latin America.)
The organization has been a finalist in multiple categories at the European Diversity Awards, including Charity of the Year, Diversity in Technology Enterprise, and Outstanding Disability Network. These nominations underscore the Foundation’s sustained social action to improve workplace inclusion. The Eurofirms Foundation emerges from the broader Eurofirms Group’s social commitment and works across the group to guarantee equal opportunities for all, regardless of disability status. (Attribution: European Diversity Awards listings; corporate context aligns with North American diversity initiatives.)