Care to Compete: ILO Report Urges Corporates to Invest in Disability-Inclusive Care Policies
SDG 5: Gender Equality | SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth | SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities
Institutions: Ministry of Labour and Employment | Ministry of Women and Child Development (MWCD)
This report by the ILO Global Business and Disability Network (GBDN) provides business-focused insights into the care and support needs of employees with disabilities and employees with dependants with disabilities. It argues that implementing robust care policies, such as paid leave, flexible work, and specialized benefits, is a critical business lever for competition, not merely a compliance cost.
Key Findings on Business Impact:
Productivity and Retention: The majority of enterprises surveyed recognize the business case, with almost 75% reporting that care policies increase productivity, and 91.8% agreeing that they improve employee retention.
Career Barriers: Despite the positive intent, the lack of effective support severely impacts career trajectory: 42.9% of employees caring for dependants with disabilities reported that their career progression was βsignificantly hinderedβ. Employees with disabilities also reported that care needs hindered their careers.
The Psychological Toll: Two-thirds (66.7%) of employees with caregiving responsibilities reported experiencing symptoms of burnout or overwhelm, with half experiencing these effects multiple times per week.
Structural Challenges Hindering Access:
The report identifies a critical gap between policy and practice:
Low Awareness: Despite 82.4% of surveyed companies offering care and support policies that go above national mandates, awareness remains shockingly low. For example, only 41.9% of employees with disabilities were aware of relevant paid/unpaid leave policies, and just 12.9% knew about financial support programs.
Inconsistent Implementation: The top challenge reported by multinational enterprises is inconsistent policy implementation across different regions and local markets (40% of respondents). This uneven execution undermines trust and equity.
This ILO report is a direct call to action for the Ministry of Labour and Employment and the MWCD to move beyond legal mandates toward assuring qualitative enforcement of rights. The findings on low awareness and career hindrance signal a failure in the workplace culture and managerial execution of existing disability and care laws. To leverage care policies as a strategic tool for economic growth (SDG 8), the government must compel companies to implement accountability mechanisms that normalize caregiving, ensure confidential access to benefits, and proactively audit career pathways for bias against caregivers.
What is the Care Economy?β As defined by the ILO Resolution concerning Decent Work and the Care Economy (2024), the care economy encompasses both paid and unpaid care work, direct and indirect, delivered in households and institutions. It is aimed at supporting the well-being and dignity of individuals across all life stages. The report highlights that women perform roughly 75% of all unpaid care work worldwide, emphasizing the deep gender inequality in the division of labour.
Follow the full news here: Care to Compete: Corporate Policies and Practices on Care and Support for Employees with Disabilities and Employees with Dependants with Disabilities