Why expanding the talent pool can unlock better decision making

Expanding the talent pool to include more directors with a disability could be a game changer for boards seeking to unlock more diverse decision-making.

Whether it’s a not-for-profit or an ASX-listed company, people with a disability can most definitely add value in the boardroom. All they need is to be given a fair go and provided with the right support and mentoring. So says Deborah Homewood MAICD, a non-executive director with Smartgroup Corporation and the former CEO at the Australian Disability Network (AusDN).

Australian Bureau of Statistics figures show that 2.1 million people of working age have a disability — but employment rates for people with a disability remain significantly lower than for the general population. Although data on the number of directors with a disability on company boards and senior leadership positions is lacking, Homewood argues their representation is similarly low. “There are very few directors with a lived experience of disability in boardrooms today.”

Unconscious bias

One underpinning factor was unconscious bias — the assumption that people with disabilities couldn’t possibly operate at the very highest level of publicly-listed organisations. “Disability is framed, in this country and globally, as a negative outcome of some terrible event, rather than something that’s positive or just who you are,” says Homewood, noting that concern about saying the wrong thing also contributes.

“Over and over again, we hear this comment around the fear of getting it wrong inadvertently. They either avoid asking the question or avoid hiring someone with disability because there’s this fear it will cost more, take more time or cause damage to the person or organisation.”

Disability confidence training, such as that offered by AusDN, helps individuals to recognise unconscious bias and develop practical strategies to counter it in their hiring and management processes. “By developing this awareness, individuals can put safeguards in place so their unconscious bias doesn’t take over,” says Homewood.

Directing change

To improve access and inclusion in the boardroom for people with a disability, the AICD collaborated with AusDN to deliver the Directing Change Scholarship, a program designed to boost the representation of people with disability on boards.

The program ran from 2022–24, supporting 54 leaders with disability to strengthen their governance skills through participating in AICD programs such as the Company Directors Course.

It also included an intensive eight-month mentoring program delivered by AusDN, in which participants with disability were paired with experienced board directors, providing a two-way learning experience.

“We did have members who went on to work on paid boards, which they wouldn’t have done without the program,” says Homewood.

A director’s guide

Following the mentoring program, AusDN produced A Director’s Guide: Improving access and inclusion in the boardroom, a resource for directors, which includes practical, actionable steps to support boards in becoming more accessible and inclusive. For example, it devotes one section to “adjustments” — those small tweaks that enable someone with a disability to participate equitably as a board member.

“Everyone thinks it’s going to be harder than it is,” says Homewood. “There’s a fear that if you open that door, it will be expensive or they’re going to ask for something we can’t do.”

However, adjustments can be made without compromising the board’s operations or efficiency — and they often involve little to no expense.

“It’s just having the courage to ask the question and not to be frightened of the answer,” says Homewood.

Inclusive culture

The guide also outlines several practical steps to help to achieve a positive, inclusive culture that can maximise the talents and experience of all directors. Being open to diverse perspectives is one of the first and most important steps.

“Often, boards draw from similar networks and backgrounds, which can limit the range of perspectives,” says Homewood, adding that setting clear targets and expectations for disability inclusion, then regularly tracking and reporting on progress, is also important.

AusDN’s evidence-based Access and Inclusion Index gives organisations a comprehensive process to measure their progress against best practice standards. It offers self-assessment tools and expert evaluation to help companies to identify genuine opportunities for improvement and to track meaningful change over time. The average 25 per cent difference between an organisation’s self-assessed score compared with AusDN’s evaluated score demonstrates why independent assessment is so valuable. It reveals blind spots that organisations often can’t see from the inside.

The Director’s Guide also provides best practice about the accessibility of board documents. For example, using descriptive links and providing image descriptions are two small changes that could help to make documents more accessible.

New directions

Homewood came into the CEO role at AusDN in January 2025. In September, she handed over to Amy Whalley, who had previously worked with the organisation from 2012–22, including more than six years as deputy CEO. Whalley was most recently head of strategy for the Valuable 500 in the UK. The Valuable 500 is a collective of 500 CEOs from top global organisations who have committed to advancing disability inclusion within their organisations and on their board agendas.

Whalley also held a senior executive role in disability accessibility with the AICD, leading the implementation of the institute’s first disability inclusion strategy. “Amy comes with a broad range of experience and deep sector knowledge,” says Homewood. “The team is looking forward to having her back.”

Homewood will drive the continued impact of the Directing Change Scholarship and the guide, with its digestible content designed for busy people in boardrooms.

“These initiatives show if you shine a light on the issue and offer mentoring support, then people with disability can absolutely add value and have a really important role and place on both NFP and ASX-listed boards,” she says. “No-one has to reinvent the wheel anymore, because someone has probably walked that path before. We know we can be greater than the sum of our parts by sharing all this knowledge and information.”

This article first appeared under the headline 'Across the board' in the October 2025 issue of Company Director magazine.