Godrej DEI Lab Report Reveals the Biggest Barriers to Workplace Accessibility Are the Ones You Can’t See
Report introduces a four-pillar framework to help organisations move beyond compliance and build workplaces that work for everyone
Mumbai, 17 July 2026: Marking Disability Pride Month, Godrej DEI Lab, the diversity, equity and inclusion initiative of the Godrej Industries Group, released its latest research report, Accessibility and Inclusion in Indian Corporate Workplaces: Designing Workplaces That Work for Everyone, written by Lab researcher Pushnami Kasture. Based on the lived experiences of employees with disabilities, HR professionals, accessibility consultants, architects and DEI practitioners across industries, the report finds that while organisations have made visible progress in improving physical accessibility, the biggest barriers employees continue to face are invisible, embedded in digital systems and workplace culture.
Disability inclusion is no longer just a social imperative: it’s a business necessity. According to the India Brand Equity Foundation (IBEF), India employs just 11.3% of its estimated 30 million persons with disabilities, and nearly 70% of employable disabled individuals remain jobless (Centre for Labour Laws, NLIU). At the same time, global research by Accenture, found that disability-inclusive organisations reports 28% higher revenue, 30% higher profit margins, and nearly double the net income of their peers, highlighting accessibility as both a business advantage and an inclusion imperative.
True accessibility goes beyond ramps and infrastructure. The Godrej DEI Lab report recommends concrete ways to make workplaces genuinely inclusive: accessible HR platforms, caption-enabled meetings, thoughtful communication, and cultures where persons with disabilities can participate, contribute and grow with confidence. Complimenting these insights, employees with disabilities recount real stories that show how small, deliberate changes in access to information, communication and culture can transform participation, independence and career growth.
Speaking at the launch of the report, Parmesh Shahani, Head – Godrej DEI Lab, said, “Accessibility is often viewed through the narrow lens of infrastructure. Our research shows that truly inclusive workplaces are built just as much through technology, communication and culture as they are through ramps or elevators. As organisations rethink the future of work, accessibility presents an opportunity to design systems that work better for everyone. We hope this report serves as a practical resource for business leaders who want to embed inclusion into the way their organisations operate and grow.”
Drawing from these insights, the Godrej DEI Lab report introduces a four-pillar framework spanning physical, digital, communication and attitudinal accessibility, allowing organisations to develop a roadmap which goes beyond compliance & embedded inclusion into everything that drives how workplaces, technology works and culture is built.
The full report, Accessibility and Inclusion in Indian Corporate Workplaces, is available at www.godrejdeilab.com.
About the Godrej DEi Lab
The Godrej DEI Lab empowers inclusion ecosystems both within and outside the Godrej Industries Group.
About Godrej Industries
At the Godrej Industries Group, we serve over 1.1 billion people globally through a diverse portfolio of businesses, united by our purpose of Crafting tomorrow. With sales of USD 6.1 billion in FY25 and a market capitalization of about USD 20 billion as of 31 March 2026, we operate across FMCG, real estate, financial services, agriculture, and chemicals.
We are the leading player in India across several business categories, including residential real estate, animal feed, crude palm oil, oleochemicals, household insecticides, hair colour, and air care.
We are committed to building a more sustainable future through our Good & Green programme, with ambitions of net-zero operations by 2035 and responsible supply chains by 2047. In 2025, Godrej Consumer Products and Godrej Properties were both ranked number one globally in their respective categories on the Dow Jones Best-in-Class Sustainability Indices.
For more information, please visit: www.godrejindustries.com