Susan Scott-Parker OBE is an internationally recognised creative thought leader on how to mobilise business leadership behind disability equality. She works where the aspirations of persons with disabilities and the needs of business coincide.
She founded the world’s first business disability network, now Business Disability Forum (UK) and its Technology Taskforce. Under her leadership BDF launched the first benchmarking tool to measure a corporation’s disability related performance across the business – and the world’s first leadership development programme for persons with disabilities. In 2016 she established business disability international with Barclays, GSK and Infosys and now advises a growing global community on how to work productively with business as valued allies and potential partners.Susan has helped to establish business disability networks from Sri Lanka, Saudi, Australia, Austria/DACH region to British Columbia.
In 2003 Susan ‘invented’ the concept and language of ‘Disability Confidence’ – knowing that if we can change the way people talk about the world, we make it easier to change the world. She continues to connect leaders from her extensive international multi-stakeholder networks, enabling new and productive conversations between business, persons with disabilities and public policy makers.
With IBM and Oxford Brookes University’s Institute of Ethical AI, the ILO Global Business Disability Network,New York University,Gerard Quin, the UN Special Rapporteur, the European Disability Forum and other thought leaders, she leads the global campaign – “And what about Disability? “ addressing the serious risks to the life chances of persons with disabilities generated by AI Powered Recruitment tools and by ‘HR Tech’ more widely.
Susan sits on the steering group for the Global Action on Disability network; advises the German International Development Agency, GIZ; the ILO Global Business Disability Network; Purple Space and the Valuable500: Susan is a global ambassador for the Essl Foundation’s ZeroProject in Vienna and the Australian Employers Network on Disability.She also acts as an Ashoka Foundation mentor helping social entrepreneurs in low income countries, with and without disabilities, to maximise their impact.
A Canadian who has long lived in the UK, Susan sits on the boards of the Central Ballet School and Light for the World (UK). She was awarded her OBE in 2000 and her Honorary Doctorate by Bradford University, and is particularly proud of the Carleton University ‘Susan Scott-Parker Scholarship Fund’ for outstanding undergraduates with disabilities, which gives preference to female students.