In this article, we shall discuss the 20 most disabled-friendly countries in the world. To skip our detailed analysis of the importance of diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I) practices within the current business landscape in 2023, go directly and see 5 Most Disabled-Friendly Countries in the World.
According to a 2018 report by McKinsey, the correlation between disability inclusion and the probability of financial outperformance will only continue to strengthen and bolster with the passage of time. Based on one of the organization’s most extensive data sets ever conducted in the most disabled-friendly countries in the world, the report discovered that slow growths in diversity and inclusion initiatives within an organization almost always lead to hyper polarization amongst employees in specific, and a tenuous and inhospitable work environment within the company, in general. The report also highlights that companies which tend to make enormous strides in incorporating a DE&I approach to their human resource machinery often undertake a business-led view. The McKinsey report outlined clearly that companies which accommodate disabled individuals within their workforces tend to outperform less inclusive peers dramatically. According to the report, companies in the top-quartile for disability inclusivity on executive teams were 45% percent more likely to have above-average profitability than companies in the fourth-quartile. The greater the level of inclusion, the higher the likelihood and scale of outperformance.
Gender diversity and inclusion is another factor which is causally related with outperformance in business. Companies with more than 30% women executives are generally better-positioned to outperform companies where women represent less than 10% of the workforce. Despite the fact that overall progress on gender and disability inclusion has been slower than initially expected, this does not consistently apply across all organizations, many of which are located in some of the most disabled-friendly countries in the world. Companies like Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL), Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT), and Mastercard Inc. (NYSE:MA) have gone further than most companies to ensure diversity, equity, and inclusion in their respective operations and have paved the way for other companies to follow suit. To know more about companies which incorporate a robust diversity and inclusion policy, check out our article on the 20 Best Companies to Work For in 2023.
Ensuring Digital Accessibility For The Visually-Impaired
Post the pandemic, consumer interaction with digital devices has quadrupled. However, companies are only now waking up to the fact that although digitization has streamlined everyday tasks for many consumers, it has not always provided an optimal customer experience for everyone. More than two billion people around the world identify as visually-impaired or low vision. The current state of the technology industry either ignores or misunderstands the enormous potential that this market represents. According to an article by McKinsey, there is enormous opportunity for companies like Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL), Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT), and Mastercard Inc. (NYSE:MA) to cultivate strong, loyal relationships with this enormous segment of the market, especially in some of the most disabled-friendly countries in the world. The article projects that companies with inaccessible websites and digital strategies lose more than $6.9 billion annually as frustrated consumers with disabilities shift to competitors who offer more inclusive customer experiences. This cost to companies is expected to surge by 2030 as demand for accessible products and services skyrockets amidst rising life expectancy and a rapidly aging population.
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Visually-impaired internet users forego more than 70% of their e-commerce and social media interactions because of inaccessibility, forcing them into considering more accessible options. In a survey, McKinsey discovered that disabled respondents cite digital trust as one of the most important considerations when purchasing a product, followed by product cost and delivery time. In other words, to navigate around inflationary pressures and other macroeconomic headwinds, companies can bolster resilience by engaging and securing this segment of the market which is relatively less concerned about product pricing. According to respondents, inaccessibility drives them to abandon entire market segments and companies altogether. To navigate around this, companies are diverting greater investments in some of the most disabled-friendly countries in the world to build up an accessible portfolio and improve customer experience for people with disabilities. One of the ways companies tend to achieve this is by activating accessibility and equity through inclusive design. Respondents have continually cited that cohesive user interfaces, collaborative design practices, and persistent improvements and upgrades are the foundational elements of good design and that good design and inclusive design tend to go hand-in-hand. Investing in good customer experience across the board is more cost-effective than addressing accessibility concerns after the fact.
Another way in which companies can retain the disabled segment of their consumer base is by investing in cohesive customer experiences. As companies raced to optimize customer experience in recent years, they began to prioritize customer’s end-to-end journeys over individual touchpoints. These strategies need to be focused on attracting and retaining disabled consumers. Including a specially crafted digital persona for consumers with disabilities can facilitate digital-product developers and designers in ensuring accessibility and inclusivity into the overall customer experience from the very get-go. Companies must also engage in codesigning and collaborative practices to ensure that people with actual lived experiences serve as designers, developers, and advisers in some capacity, which in turn will pave the way for the company to deliver a market-leading, popular product and secure market share in some of the most disabled-friendly countries in the world.
The Importance of Digital Trust: An Overview
According to a survey conducted by McKinsey in some of the most disabled-friendly countries in the world, companies like Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL), Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT), and Mastercard Inc. (NYSE:MA) are diverting greater investments in establishing trust in products and experiences which leverage gen AI, data, and digital technologies to sustain growth. Research indicates that companies which are best positioned to cultivate digital trust amongst their consumer base are also more likely to have a robust diversity, equity and inclusion policy framework in place and are also expected to generate an annual growth rate of 10 percent or more on their top and bottom lines. Consumers are convinced that digital trust tenets like data protection, data ethics, and accessibility and inclusion practices are the most important factors when it comes to purchase decisions and many companies have begun to recognize this and comply. For instance, in their latest iPhone, Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) has ensured new features for cognitive and visual accessibility like live speech, personal voice commands, and Point and Speak in Magnifier. According to a press release by the company, these updates draw on improvements in hardware and software, and “expand on Apple’s long standing commitment to making products for everyone”.
Furthermore, the digital world is an incredibly dynamic and transformational place, with constant upgrades and innovations rendering once-accessible features completely obsolete. Companies are now focusing on creating a culture of continuous improvement and upgrade which will build internal potential in developers to check for changes in inclusivity as soon as new upgrades are put on the market. Although this can be outsourced to accessibility organizations which provide guidance and support, the sheer volume in which digital updates are carried out demands companies to invest in those who work on the products directly.
Our Methodology
To compile our list of the 20 most disabled-friendly countries in the world, we decided to undertake a consensus-based approach using a diverse variety of credible sources and research which studied accessibility and inclusion in different countries (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7). We then shortlisted more than 42 countries which appeared most frequently during our research. Since disability-friendliness is an incredibly multifaceted and complex phenomenon, we established a three-pronged criteria to measure the overall accessibility in each country; the criteria is premised on accessibility in infrastructure (20 points), employment opportunities (15 points), and social inclusion (10 points). We then proceeded to award each country a cumulative score according to the aforementioned criteria and selected 20 countries which scored the highest points. Subsequently, we ranked each entry based on the total points scored, from lowest to highest. Where there was a tie, we broke it based on the accessibility in infrastructure in each country.
Most Disabled-Friendly Countries in the World
Photo by Robert Ruggiero on Unsplash
You can also read about some of the least disability friendly countries in the world in our coverage of the 11 Worst Countries for Disabled Travelers.
Most Disabled Friendly Countries in the World
20. Mexico
Total Score: 11
In recent years, Mexico has made substantial efforts to make the country more accessible for people with disabilities. Approximately 98% of the buses in Mexico are accessible; in fact, disabled people can travel using public buses for free.
19. Italy
Total Score: 12
In 2016, a city in Italy, Milan won the EU Access City Awards because of their work to make the city inclusive and accessible. Italy, in general, facilitates disabled people by offering them low-level buses and disabled-friendly railway stations.
18. Greece
Total Score: 14
The infrastructure in Greece is exceptionally disabled-friendly, especially in islands like Corfu, Kythnos, and Crete Rhodesi. The subway stations in Greece were recently developed ensuring maximum accessibility for people with disabilities.
17. Ireland
Total Score: 16
In Ireland, there is a law that obligates all public buildings to facilitate people who are disabled. Much of the public transport in the country, including trams, buses, and trains are disabled-friendly, and allow them to travel with ease.
16. Spain
Total Score: 16
Spain is one of the most disabled-friendly countries in the world, primarily because of its transport system that aids disabled people by providing them with facilities like ramps. Spain is known to create facilities for people with different kinds of disabilities.
15. Sweden
Total Score: 20
The Swedish government has recently implemented policies and regulations to ensure that public spaces are accessible for people with different disabilities. Thus, Sweden is known for its sidewalks and its accessible transport system, making it one of the most disabled-friendly countries in the world.
14. Singapore
Total Score: 21
Singapore has successfully implemented a universal barrier-free accessibility standard throughout the country. Public transport in the country includes facilities to aid people using wheelchairs or individuals with visual or hearing impairments.
13. United Kingdom
Total Score: 22
The United Kingdom is highly accessible as the public transport in the city includes ramps and elevators to facilitate people who are handicapped. Various public spaces and iconic landmarks also offer sign language and audio descriptions to make them more disabled-friendly.
12. Australia
Total Score: 24
Australia has implemented various policies to prohibit discrimination against the disabled. In fact, in Sydney, there are programs that ensure mobility access for wheelchairs, sign language availability, and paths that are suitable for the visually-impaired.
11. United Arab Emirates
Total Score: 24
Since the infrastructure in the United Arab Emirates is fairly modern, it includes facilities to accommodate disabled people. Recently, the United Arab Emirates has made extensive changes in their laws to assist people with special needs, making the UAE one of the most disabled-friendly countries in the world.
10. Barbados
Total Score: 25
Barbados is one of the most disabled-friendly countries in the world as it allows disabled people to roam freely and with ease in public transport. In the country, the infrastructure facilitates disabled people with various landmarks and public spaces being incredibly disabled-friendly.
9. Thailand
Total Score: 26
Recently, Thailand has made extensive improvements to make the country accessible for disabled people. The public spaces and transport facilities are equipped with options to accommodate people with disabilities, especially wheelchair users.
8. Brazil
Total Score: 28
Brazil is one of the most disabled-friendly countries in the world, mainly because of its infrastructure. In the country, sidewalks are exceedingly accessible to people with disabilities. Rio is widely regarded as one the most disabled-friendly country in South America.
7. France
Total Score: 28
There are numerous disability-friendly taxis in France. The public transport system, in general, promotes the easy mobility of people with disabilities. The sidewalks in France have curb cuts and are made of paved walkways that are fully accessible.
6. Portugal
Total Score: 30
The transport system in Portugal facilitates people with disabilities as its metro and buses are absolutely accessible for wheelchair users. The restaurants in the country are also designed in a way that it helps navigate stairs and avoid cramped interiors.
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Disclosure: None. 20 Most Disabled Friendly Countries in the World is originally published on Insider Monkey.