Jason Lehmbeck’s Post

Imagine ordering a pizza, and not getting an option to choose the toppings of your liking. What’s the solution in this case? You find another place to order pizza from, right? Now, imagine it’s not just some toppings but your identity. Now that’s a serious issue. To liberate the users, companies and brands are moving towards an inclusive design approach. Inclusive designs offer a varied selection for the users. Be it gender, economic status, language, and/or appearance, etc. Inclusive designs aim at making the user experience as welcoming as possible. What are you doing to be inclusive? #InclusiveDesign #Inclusion #DesignWisdom

Our final speaker to give us her perspective on our #supermarketguide is Rebecca Oates, a retail designer at the John Lewis Partnership (@johnlewispartnership). For more on Rebecca and our other speakers’ thoughts, you can register your online place at our event: https://buff.ly/3PaEp7E #autism #autistic #sensoryprocessing #sensory #spd #neurodiversity #disability #research #inclusion #accessibility #retail #grocery #supermarket [ALT Text: A photo of Rebecca Oates and a quote: 'The retail landscape is changing and a new generation of consumers will increasingly choose businesses with a social conscience. By delivering spaces that are more inclusive of more people, retailers can not only improve their brand perception and profit but will also support broader social change towards a more accepting society.']

It's a great IDEA! There are lots of acronyms for inclusion efforts: D&I - Diversity and Inclusion. DEI - Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. EDI - Equity, Diversity and Inclusion. IDE - Inclusion, Diversity and Equity. The list goes on, but what doesn't change amongst those acronyms is that the majority of company strategies do not include disability inclusion or accessibility. A Harvard study in 2020, only 4 years ago, showed that only 4% of such strategies include disabilities. Plus, some of those that do include disabilities, only include very tokenistic actions. Did you see my recent post on tokenism? I must admit, I never used to consider it important what acronym a company used, for me it was about the intent and actions that came along side it. But, language can be very powerful. It's not about semantics, it's about sharing intentions company wide and adding some accountability. I saw a post from Catarina Rivera, MSEd, MPH, CPACC last week on explicitly including accessibility in the acronym and it really made me think. We need a language shift if we are going to see the necessary changes in company strategies. I'm leaning towards IDEA - what do you think? #PeopleSmart #StrategicThinking #DisabilityInclusion #Accessibility Image shows a cartoon version of Jodie, in a Be #PeopleSmart Ltd#PeopleSmart Ltd#PeopleSmart Ltd#PeopleSmart Ltd branded t-shirt, grinning and pointing to the shining lightbulb above her head. The title reads from Idea A to IDEA-B and the message reads Ensuring Inclusion, Diversity and Equity strategies include Accessibility and lead to a culture of Belonging.

Loads of great information in this new RetailX report exploring how brands from around the world sell to shoppers… “When shoppers can find and easily buy the products they want, they are more likely to return to buy in the future”. Exactly, so how can we make it easier for the world’s biggest minority(people with disabilities) to search and buy what they want? #internetretailing #fashionforall #styleability #retailx

🌟🤔 I love to see how far the fashion, sports, and beauty industry have come with diversity in the models they use for campaigns. It's inspiring to witness the power of inclusion and diversity. But let's ask ourselves, are these brands digitally accessible?   In my personal opinion, before using a person with a disability to be the face of your brand, you should make the effort to make your brand inclusive and digitally accessible. Otherwise, isn't it contradictory? 🤷♀️💔   BRAND POV:   📣 Here is our product – we want everyone, no matter who they are, to buy it.   ACCESSIBILITY CONSULTANT POV:   But what if the person in the campaign can't access it digitally?   It's a thought to ponder. 🤪   #InclusionMatters #DiversityInFashion #DigitalAccessibility  #BeInclusive

The supermarket industry has considerable marketing and promotional hurdles. Men account for 49% of grocery store buyers and 59% of Costco Wholesale customers, however, Kantar's Link Ad Testing model shows that 71% of all grocery advertising in the United States are geared toward women. Taylor Farms green goddess salad mix, my favorite salad, was even marketed as "be the girl that gets it". Despite being a Costco offering, 59% of shoppers are convinced not to purchase it. I feel that corporations are no longer performing research and instead rely on assumptions about their target market. Alienating more than half of your customer base is terrible for business, and men are increasingly shopping for their families as women pursue incredible professions. This is not a negative post about women's lack of shopping, but rather a reflection on our society's progress as sexist notions fade and true equality emerges. Instead of "Be the girl that gets it," consider "They get it, you should too." #marketing #advertising #readthedata #equality

Target reported weaker second quarter sales, acknowledging that some of it was due to backlash over its annual pride month collection in May, first from shoppers who reacted negatively to items like children’s clothing in front-of-store displays, then from LGBTQ groups angered by the company’s response. However, Target’s earnings beat expectations, $1.80 per share vs. the analyst consensus of $1.39 per share, leading to a stock boost. New CFO Michael Fiddelke attributed the profit performance to being lean on inventory and efficiency efforts including automation. Operating income saw a massive jump, up 51.5% to $1.2 billion. https://bit.ly/3sfUOik

"To inspire and nurture the human spirit- one person, one cup and one neighbourhood at a time." This is Starbucks’s mission statement from their website. 1 in 6 human beings (16%) on this planet is with disabilities according to WHO. When we realize that another 10% do not inform anybody about their disabilities this proportion jumps to over 1 in 4. In 2021, Starbucks partnered with McKinsey to create elements of a completely new store design concept aimed at reducing barriers for people with disabilities. They pinpointed and addressed accessibility challenges throughout the customer journey and used heatmaps to reveal issues related to store entry, ordering, and navigation, including areas like the drive-thru and restrooms. Central to this approach was the involvement of individuals with disabilities at every stage, who suggested modifications such as wider spaces for wheelchair users, enhanced signage, and varied sound and lighting zones to cater to different sensory needs. Employee areas were also redesigned to get more accessibility as a priority. The new concept also contains more inclusive equipment, such as a drip brewer with a larger dial and both visual and haptic feedback. The proposed solutions were tailored for Starbucks but also adaptable for other retailers, for “They wanted to develop guidelines to help change the retail industry at large.” Amazing! Isn't it? --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From my perspective as a founder and CEO of a shopfitting company MIA Interiors Beyond Space, this is a great inspiration for how to adapt to a changing environment with a completely new store design; a truly out-of-the-box concept with numerous benefits for all people with disabilities who can be included now. On the other hand, as an executive coach passionate about strong company culture, I recognize it as the next step in company developmeny after their firts shift when they began treating their 200,000 employees as partners, offering competitive pay and supporting their education with stakeholder-oriented, and annually adapted goals: climate change actions, supply chain transparency, community support, etc. Through initiatives like C.A.F.E. (Coffee and Farmer Equity), Starbucks has also reoriented its business to prioritize ethical sourcing and stakeholder engagement. Consequently, this led to remarkable growth and a renewed focus on customer and community connections. At last purpose over profit is a true example here of how it needs to be properly executed. It’s not about a grand vision to transform the world; Starbucks inspires by empowering communities to grow with it. When an industry leader understands their mission in leading the way in sustainable business full of social responsibilities, real change in the world begins. A link to the McKinsey & Company text is in the comments below along with the link to the book where the Starbucks company culture part comes from.

I have the honor of working with Josh Loebner, Global Head of Inclusive Design at VML, and I am so incredibly proud of him and this important, critical work. Learn more as Josh discusses the power of inclusivity in creative campaigns. From strategy to execution, learn how brands can amplify diversity and creativity. Discover how brands can embrace inclusivity and empower creativity while amplifying disability representation during his conversation with Amazon Ads.  #WeAreVML #InclusiveAdvertising Image description - Standing outside, a man with short dark hair and glasses is looking directly ahead, smiles and waves.

Step by step the right direction!!