Marvin OnumonuTech giants met with disability charities and Government officials to look at how technology can make workplaces more accessible for disabled people.
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) brought together Google, Meta, Microsoft and Amazon, as well as leading UK disability charities, to discuss practical ways technology could remove barriers to work.
Current solutions included screen readers, real-time captioning and artificial intelligence (AI)-powered visual description tools.
The meeting was part of wider Government plans to support disabled people into work, including the Connect to Work programme and engagement with employers after the Keep Britain Working review.
Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden said: “We must harness the power of technology to open more opportunities for disabled people to work.
“By bringing together the biggest names in tech with those who understand the barriers disabled people face, we can identify the tools and approaches that will help build workplaces that truly support everyone.
“This is part of our wider mission to Get Britain Working – investing in employment support and working with employers to create genuinely inclusive workplaces.”
Maxine Williams, vice president accessibility and engagement at Meta, said: “Technology has the power to unlock opportunities for everyone, and we’re committed to building tools that help people live, work, and connect on their own terms.
“Our AI-powered wearables are transforming accessibility by providing real-time support that helps people with disabilities navigate work and public spaces independently, unlocking new possibilities for employment and connection.”
Mark Hodgkinson, chief executive at Scope, said: “There are a million disabled people who want to work, but many face barriers such as inflexible workplaces, negative attitudes and outdated systems.
“We need government, employers, and others to come together to tackle these barriers.
“To make it easier for disabled people to get in work and stay in work.
“The current pace of technological development and growth in the availability of accessibility features is an opportunity which cannot be missed.”
The groups explored how existing technology could be adopted more widely at work, and encouraged further collaboration on tools designed for employment settings.
Some workplaces have started using assistive features, like AI-powered glasses for visually impaired users, but awareness and uptake varied.
Jaqui Sampson, director of workforce staffing at Amazon, said: “At Amazon, creating an accessible workplace goes far beyond simply doing the right thing.
“It’s about unlocking talent. When barriers are removed and technology is designed inclusively, people are better able to thrive at work.
“By working with government and disability organisations, we’re helping to ensure innovations are meaningfully embedded in everyday workplaces.”
Sampson added: “This approach strengthens our teams, broadens opportunity and helps build a more inclusive and resilient workforce across the UK.”
Alex Pepper, head of accessibility, diversity, equity and inclusion at Guide Dogs UK, said: “It’s encouraging to see major technology companies coming together to open opportunities in the workplace.
“Assistive technology can remove barriers at work, but it is not a solution on its own. Without accessible recruitment, the right training and affordability, it risks creating new exclusions.
“At Guide Dogs, we see technology, human expertise and guide dogs as a blended solution – and the same joined-up approach is essential if workplaces are serious about inclusion.”
Jeff Banks, CEO at Lightyear Foundation, said: “Today’s roundtable was an incredibly valuable opportunity to move beyond broad commitments and focus on how AI and assistive and accessible technologies can be embedded into real working environments.
“For deaf, disabled and neurodivergent people, the issue is not whether the technology exists, but whether employers understand it, adopt it well, and involve disabled people in shaping how it is used.
“Collaboration between government, tech companies and disabled-led organisations will be essential if we are serious about turning innovation into more inclusive employment opportunities in the future.”
Robert McLaren, director of policy, Policy Connect, said: “We know Assistive and Accessible Technology is vital to the success of disabled people – I certainly wouldn’t be able to do my job without these tools.
“That makes the adoption of this technology, in business and the public sector, one of the great challenges and opportunities for our economy.”
Amy Low, CEO at Ability Net, said: “At AbilityNet we have seen tech advancements in the past 5 years alone blow the doors off the art of the possible when it comes to disability inclusion in the workplace.
“This gathering was exciting as in the room we had all the right people – big tech, government departments and third sector representatives, many of us with lived experience of disability and neurodivergence – to mount a collaborative campaign to drive this awareness at every level in an organisation.”
Diane Lightfoot, CEO at Business Disability Forum, said: “Technology is moving at pace. Disabled people need to be involved in the design of AI-powered tools from the very beginning to ensure they are designed inclusively.
“Employers must also be at the heart of these conversations to make sure solutions are practical, scalable and meet wider business security and compatibility requirements.
“By coming together, we can harness the potential of technology to remove barriers in the workplace and beyond.”
