.png){kind=logo}
October’s Diversity Observances: Creating Accessible and Inclusive Workplaces
October’s Diversity Observances: Creating Accessible and Inclusive Workplaces
October brings several opportunities to recognize the people and experiences that shape our workplaces and communities. It is National Disability Employment Awareness Month, Global Diversity Awareness Month, and LGBT History Month, and each invites us to reflect on how we welcome others and support their full participation. These observances are a reminder to look at the everyday conditions, from accessible spaces to inclusive practices, that allow everyone to contribute their skills and perspectives.
For COCPA and the broader accounting profession, that reflection begins with everyday experiences. Are professional events accessible to the people we hope to reach? Can colleagues share their ideas in ways that allow their knowledge to be heard? Do people feel comfortable asking for the support they need? These questions connect the recognition of diversity with the experience of belonging.
A focus on accessible workplaces and global belonging asks us to examine both how work is organized and how people are treated. Someone may be invited to a meeting yet have difficulty using the materials being shared. Someone else may have a useful perspective but need more time or a different way to contribute to the discussion. Paying attention to these details is part of creating an inclusive environment.
National Disability Employment Awareness Month recognizes the contributions of people with disabilities to America’s workplaces, including those whose disabilities are not immediately visible. For employers and professional organizations, the observance offers an opportunity to consider whether people have the tools and support to use their abilities fully.
One practical step is to make accessibility part of routine planning. Sharing accessible materials in advance, making captions available for online events, and asking about access needs can help people participate. Conversations about support should include the individual’s own preferences. The people using an adjustment or resource should have a voice in whether it works for them.
Support should also extend to career development. Access to training, professional networks, and meaningful assignments gives people opportunities to demonstrate their capabilities. Asking colleagues about their goals helps keep their ambitions at the center of those conversations. Decisions about someone’s potential should draw on their work and interests, with care to avoid assumptions about what they can do.
Global Diversity Awareness Month invites similar attention to the experiences people bring to a workplace. Colleagues and clients may have different cultural backgrounds, communication preferences, or expectations about professional relationships. Using clear language and allowing time for questions can make conversations easier to navigate. Curiosity is useful when it leaves room for individuals to describe their own experiences and preferences.
That learning also includes Indigenous Peoples’ Day, observed this year on October 12. The Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian encourages learning that includes Indigenous perspectives and contemporary communities. Here in Colorado, reading an Indigenous author or participating in a program led by an Indigenous community organization offers a way to continue that learning.
October is also LGBT History Month, an observance established in 1994. Recognizing this history provides an opportunity to reflect on how respect and acceptance are experienced today. In the workplace, that includes how colleagues speak about one another, how families and relationships are acknowledged, and whether people feel welcome in professional and social settings.
Respect also includes allowing people to decide how much of their personal lives they wish to share. Using the language people use for themselves and addressing dismissive comments are actions any colleague can take. When sharing someone’s story, even to celebrate their contributions, asking permission gives that person control over what is shared.
COCPA’s See Me series offers a way to continue these conversations through the experiences of members. The recording Breaking Down Barriers as a Blind CPA, featuring Cody Bair, is one place to begin. Listening to a colleague’s experience can prompt questions about practices we may have taken for granted.
As we recognize these October observances, COCPA members and readers across our communities can consider one practical action that would make participation easier. That might mean reviewing how an event is organized, improving the way information is shared, or asking whose perspective is missing from a discussion. Following through and listening to feedback can help turn that choice into a lasting practice.
October gives us a reason to begin that work and return to it throughout the year. The aim is a profession where people can use their abilities, contribute their judgment, and feel that their participation is valued.
To learn more about the DE&I Committee, contact Stacy Svendsen at stacy@cocpa.org