The Dubai Chamber Sustainability Network Task Force on Diversity & Inclusion recently organized a webinar advising businesses on use of assistive technologies that can best support People of Determination during COVID-19. The webinar, titled Role of Assistive Technology for Providing Accessibility to People of Determination during COVID-10, examined various types of assistive technologies such as tools, software, apps and products that are widely used to empower, improve, sustain, or advance remote working capabilities of People of Determination. These above-mentioned technologies are designed to help People of Determination with communication, mobility and accessibility to places and information and eliminate any barriers preventing them from working efficiently and smoothly. During the event, a panel of experts was joined by Dr Ally Dunhill, co-founder & researcher, Accessible AD; Deepika Gopalarao, rehabilitation services coordinator, Al Noor Rehabilitation and Welfare Association for People Of Determination; and Auhood Khalfan Alshamsi, graduate in international relations from Zayed University. The panelists shared their experiences and advice for businesses on how to best use such assistive technologies to support People of Determination within their organizations. One of the main recommendations from the panelists was the need for business to make workplaces more inclusive and accessible by removing physical and mental barriers and creating products and services that meet the Universal Design Code. According to the panelists, assistive technology is crucial to enhance functioning, increase independence, increase productivity, promote self esteem and improve quality of life for People of Determination. The experts also stressed the value that People of Determination bring to the workplace, which goes far beyond numbers, adding that these individuals embrace innovative thinking, which is essential to helping companies reinvent and enhance products and services. "The COVID-19 pandemic has presented a unique challenge to the business community in successfully engaging People of Determination remotely," said Dr. Belaid Rettab, senior director, economic research and sustainable business development sector, Dubai Chamber. Dr. Rettab noted that the webinar proved to be an ideal platform for member companies of the task force to share best practices and learn guidelines on attracting, recruiting, engaging and retaining People of Determination. He added that the event highlighted the need to raise awareness among employees to support diverse and inclusive workplace. The Dubai Chamber Sustainability Network is an essential platform for the business community to exchange information and experiences on matters related to corporate social responsibility and sustainability. — SG
