Welcome to Value Inclusion

Founded by Ashlea Lantz and Bob Ludke, Value Inclusion is the only consultancy that combines actionable, C-suite strategy, evidence-based research, and first-hand experience driving competitive, integrated employment of persons across the disability spectrum, thereby driving brand, reputational, and bottom-line growth.

This is the first edition of our bi-weekly newsletter. From now on, you will receive a newsletter every other Tuesday with five actionable insights about the value proposition of disability inclusion and steps every organization can take to seize that value proposition and benefit its brand, reputation, and bottom line.

It is our bedrock belief that disability inclusion is about creating value, not imposing values on others. It is about reaching an $13 trillion global market, innovating products and services with accessibility and universal design at their core, and achieving competitive, integrated employment for every person with a disability.

If you demonstrate that disability inclusion creates value for your organization and all its stakeholders, you will have an advantage in the marketplace. Conversely, your reputation and initiatives are at risk if your commitments are about charity, quotas, and making exceptions.

The Value Inclusion team is here to serve as a resource or thought partner for anyone who wants to collaborate and achieve a more inclusive future for all.

Please email us to schedule a conversation about Value Inclusion and our mission.

[email protected]
[email protected]

Organizations, investors, and policymakers often ask us to provide data points and facts that support the case for employing persons with disabilities with a mindset of competitive, integrated employment. There is an urgency for all of us to forcefully convey the value proposition of disability employment at this moment, particularly as we respond to the efforts by 17 states to have Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act declared unconstitutional.

By competitive, integrated employment we mean that all employees – including those with disability have, for example:

• Accessible pathways into the hiring process
• Sustained career opportunities, including mentorship, access to training, and constructive feedback that allows for promotion and growth in responsibilities
• Equal pay and benefits
• Representation at all levels of the organization, including the board of directors

Here are some facts we often use to demonstrate the value proposition of competitive, integrated employment:

• Disability is intersectional – a fact of life is that every human being experiences disability
• 3.4 billion people experience a disability or are a close friend/family member of a person with a disability
• They have a combined spending power of $13 trillion (Return on Disability)
  • In the U.S., the spending power of persons with disabilities is roughly $500 billion (American Institutes for Research)
• Inclusive companies are twice as likely to have higher total shareholder return, 1.6X higher revenue, and outperform peers on revenue by employee – $845 vs $781 (Accenture, 2023)
• 92% of consumers have a more favorable perception of companies that hire people with disabilities (American Institutes for Research)
• 33% of consumers prefer to give their business to companies that employ people with disabilities (American Institutes for Research)