ISS has joined the new ‘Generation Valuable’ training and mentorship programme, initiated by non-profit organisation Valuable 500.
Through matching a c-suite mentor with a talented employee with a disability, the purpose is to foster an inclusive leadership culture and a diverse management talent pool.
Research shows that marginalised talents often face systemic barriers to promotion, leading to a low number of disabled people in leadership positions – particularly within the executive level and c-suite.
Generation Valuable is a new programme that seeks to address this challenge. This is done by creating an opportunity for a rising leader with a disability to receive training provided by some of the world’s leading disability inclusion and leadership development experts.
Over the course of 12 months the mentors will be championing the development of their mentees by sharing industry insights, encouraging growth mindsets, and equipping them with the strategic tools necessary to flourish in business.
The mentors and mentees will devise a “Blueprint for Action” which will serve as a tangible roadmap that will advise their companies on how they can build upon their existing disability inclusion practices.
Corinna Refsgaard, group head of people and culture, and member of ISS’s executive group management, will be the mentor in ISS’s programme.
“ISS has a clear ambition to become the company of belonging,” Refsgaard said.
‘This means that everyone should feel safe, be who they are and become what they want. Successful companies and leaders acknowledge people’s abilities rather than disabilities. It is every person’s unique contribution that makes us diverse and strong – this goes for all levels across the organisation, not least the management”.
“I very much look forward to helping lead the way for one of our great talents, and I know that this mentorship will equally be as much a reversed mentorship, as I will learn a lot too.”
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