The Invisible Ceiling for Disabled Leaders
Every year, The Shaw Trust produces a list called ‘The Power 100’, highlighting the 100 most influential disabled people in the UK. This list predominantly features entrepreneurs and individuals from the public or non-profit sectors, with minimal representation from the corporate world. This underrepresentation is concerning yet not surprising.
The Corporate Gap
A study by Ernst & Young in collaboration with The Valuable 500 found that only 7% of global leaders or C-suite executives have a disability, and strikingly, 80% of these leaders conceal their condition. This likely stems from fears of being judged on their disability rather than their skills and potential.
Reflecting on my own experience, I was born with an upper limb difference, with my left arm finishing just below my elbow. Although it was difficult to hide, I initially concealed it behind cardigans and clothing at the start of my career. Thanks to a supportive mentor and a company that championed my success, I began to grow in confidence with my disability at work, and this was when my career began to soar. However, I still had to navigate being the only disabled person in the room. When presenting to the board, I had to ensure that my self-assurance and the quality of my presentations overshadowed my physical difference. It turns out there were most likely more people with disabilities in the room; they just didn’t feel comfortable showing them. I had no role models to look up to, and having them would have made a world of difference.
Great strides are being made, but more needs to be done to change perceptions of disability. We need to encourage people to be open about their disabilities without fear of discrimination and provide opportunities for growth to advance their careers. This is why we do what we do at Pioneers of Change.
The Invisible Ceiling
Despite ongoing campaigns against the glass ceiling for women, LGBTQ individuals, and BAME communities, the glass ceiling for disabled people remains unaddressed and more formidable. Disabled individuals are almost a third less likely to be employed compared to their non-disabled peers, a statistic that has remained stagnant for over a decade.
Initiatives for Change
Alongside Pioneers for Change, several organisations are striving to change this narrative, including Business Disability Forum, PurpleSpace, and Scope. The Valuable 500, for example, urges businesses to prioritise disability inclusion, yet only 4% of companies have specific disability-inclusive programmes.
PurpleSpace's annual global campaign, #PurpleLightUp, celebrates the economic contributions of disabled people, raising visibility and awareness.
By raising awareness through these narratives, we can collectively work towards smashing the glass ceiling for disabled individuals or, at the very least, making significant cracks in it.
