Episode 1: About this Guide

Hello and welcome to this Australian Disability Network miniseries podcast on how to make Australian boardrooms more accessible, and inclusive. 

My name is Andy McLean and in this the first of five episodes, I'll talk you through what to expect from the miniseries, and how you can access a director's guide that supports directors and boards to build their disability confidence and encourage more people with disability to take a seat at the boardroom table. 

So, let's jump in and get started. Episode One, about this miniseries podcast. 

The business case for greater diversity and inclusion has been well made and widely accepted by boards of directors across Australia. While progress remains slow towards making workplaces and boards more accessible and inclusive for people with disability. Many employers are spearheading initiatives to change that. With a strategic focus on disability inclusion in the workplace, backed by robust processes, your board can establish an environment that not only welcomes directors with disability, but also role models inclusivity across the wider organisation, while reflecting the community that you serve.

In this podcast series, we're going to talk about a whole bunch of really practical proven tips to help directors make this happen. We'll cover topics such as education and awareness, adjustments in the boardroom, culture and communication and recruitment. All the suggestions that you'll hear are recommendations that have been informed by directors who have lived experience of disability. 

Together, let's make Australia's boards the best that they can be. 

Now, that business case that I just mentioned for greater diversity and inclusion comes with a whole stack of different benefits. Those include, number one, widening your talent pool. Number two, improving innovation, number three, better understanding your customers, number four, retaining your board members. And number five, attracting not just board members, but also other talent into your wider workforce. So, let's talk about each of those five in turn. 

So, number one, widening your talent pool. 

In Australia, there are 2.1 million people of working age who have a disability. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, obviously, that's a vast pool of talented, skilled and knowledgeable people. So, the more accessible and inclusive your borders, the more likely you are to be able to tap into that talent pool. 

Number two, innovation. People with disability have experience of navigating a world that does not always cater to them. Many routinely overcome barriers which gives them strong innovation and problem-solving skills, and their lived experience disability can offer diversity of thought to board decision making. 

Number three, better understanding your customers. So, if like most organisations you seek to serve a diverse customer base, then having directors with lived experience of disability can help your board anticipate and respond to the needs and interests of more customers. 

Number four, retention. When your board is more accessible and inclusive for people with disability, then quite simply, you're more likely to retain your talented directors. 

And finally, number five, talent attraction. Having a diverse board of directors sends a powerful message to the marketplace that yours is an organisation that celebrates and elevates people with disability. This helps you to recruit future talent to your board as well as to your wider workforce. 

Thank you for listening to this Australian Disability Network miniseries podcast. In the next four episodes, we'll reveal how boards of directors can increase their representation of people with disability. From director education initiatives to making boardroom adjustments from culture and communication to recruitment practices will leave no stone unturned. Each episode features input from directors who have lived experience of disability and provides practical suggestions and recommendations that board directors can put into action today. 

All of our episodes are now available on our website, AustralianDisabilityNetwork.org.au That's Australian Disability Network, all one word .org.au And that's where you'll also find our comprehensive directors guide on improving access and inclusion in the boardroom. 

And so, until next time, this is me Andy McLean saying thanks very much for listening. And goodbye for now.