A Conversation with Haben Girma: Global Accessibility Awareness

A Conversation with Haben Girma: Global Accessibility Awareness

We envision a world where every person and business has access to the technology that allows them to achieve their own intelligent transformation. Over the past 30 years at Lenovo, I’ve led key parts of our business, from HR to running our smartphone business to developing our strategy and telling the world who we are as Chief Marketing Officer. I have had a unique vantage point to watch us deliver this vision of smarter technology for all. Staying connected has become more important than ever before as we deal with the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on our global and local communities. It highlights our responsibility as a global technology company to helping businesses transform and to improving people’s lives.

Recently we recognized Global Accessibility Awareness Day across the company, and I’m reminded how much technology has improved the lives of people with disabilities and just how much more opportunity we have to be a changemaker through innovation.

I’m a member of our Diversity and Inclusion Board, and one of our company-wide projects this year is creating stronger processes across product development to ensure we are designing devices with diversity in mind. We’ve also started an employee resource group called ABLE (A Better Lenovo for Everyone) for employees with disabilities and those who support people with disabilities.

We’re fortunate to be working with Haben Girma, an internationally acclaimed disability advocate and the first Deafblind graduate of Harvard Law School. Haben has challenged us to think deeply about how to make the experiences of our customers and our employees more accessible. Recently, I asked her to share her reflections on this important day.  

This is the fifth year that the world has celebrated Global Accessibility Awareness Day. How far have we come in this space and what does marking this recognition mean to you?

Numerous accessibility barriers still exist online. Deaf people are being excluded from Zoom meetings that lack captioning or ASL interpretation. Blind people miss critical health information on websites that are incompatible with screenreaders. The technology to render information accessible has existed for years now, and there are free resources available for those who want to learn about the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines or mobile app accessibility guidelines. Inclusion is a choice. Celebrating Global Accessibility Awareness Day is one of the many ways advocates educate the tech community on the need to design with disabled people in mind.

What are some of your highlights from the work you’ve done with Lenovo so far being our first adviser on accessibility and inclusion? What opportunities lie ahead for you and how do you plan to make an impact in this role?

Meeting with the talented people who work at Lenovo, at the office in Raleigh and around the world, was a highlight from last year. I find myself going back to those memories now that it’s no longer safe to travel. Lenovo joining The Valuable 500 and pledging to include disability on the board’s agenda this year was another highlight. Many companies ignore disability, and disability has become one of the largest untapped talent pools. I’m excited Lenovo is continuing to promote inclusion even during these challenging times. I’m working on plans to increase workplace accessibility, from software to coffee machines, creating a culture where employees can feel proud to identify as disabled, and launching the new disability employee resource group.

What are tech brands getting right at the moment when it comes to building accessible technology? What are some of the most pressing gaps we still have?

Technology has the potential to remove barriers for disabled people, but a lot of current and future tech developers are failing when it comes to accessibility. The best way to ensure tech will be accessible is to plan for accessibility early in the design process. Designing a new service or product with access in mind is easier than trying to jury-rig accessibility after the product or service has been created. Some tech companies have created an accessibility team for this reason. More companies should establish accessibility roles and increase hiring of disabled people. 

What do tech brands need to have in mind in their approach to building products and services that are accessible and inclusive for all?

There are more than sixty million disabled people in the US, and over a billion around the world. Companies that choose to invest in accessibility benefit by reaching this large market. It’s also important to remember that disability drives innovation. Disabled people sparked the creation of many of the technologies we use today, from vegetable peelers to email. Organizations that choose inclusion benefit from the talents of disabled employees. Research by Accenture shows that the companies leading in disability employment and accessibility experience 28% higher revenue, double the net income, and 30% higher economic profit margins than their less accessible counterparts.

What is your favorite piece of accessible tech or app that you use every day?

Text messaging and social media apps allow us to stay connected while physically distancing. The apps have a long way to go before becoming fully accessible, and I’m hopeful Global Accessibility Awareness Day will help spotlight the more than one billion disabled people around the world.