Research

The IWSCC is a community-informed and research-led organization. As part of our mission to support Veteran-Owned and Disabled-Owned businesses in Canada we participate in, and lead, projects that support Veterans and persons with disabilities in their professional endeavors.

Image: A crowd of wooden figures are divided by a wooden board.

Invisible Disabilities in the Workplace:
Barriers to Inclusion

Beyond the typical barriers, people with invisible disabilities deal with barriers that impact their productivity, privacy, happiness, and meaningful participation at work. This research will focus on the hard to quantify barriers that impact the emotional and mental state of employees including barriers that cause or amplify confusion, prolonged sadness, anxiety, and other related emotional states associated with episodic and permanent cognitive and neurodiverse conditions such as anxiety disorders, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), dyslexia, clinical depression, Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), and other similar conditions. The project also aims to understand how to ensure meaningful participation in the workplace and how the physical environment needs to be designed to ensure that participation.

Image: A bright red ball crashes its way through a grey and dreary maze.

Accessible Procurement

The Accessible Procurement Research Project (APRP), conducted by Adaptability Canada in collaboration with the Inclusive Workplace and Supply Council of Canada (IWSCC), the Accessibility Institute at Carleton University, and Ernst & Young (EY), explores the systemic barriers preventing people with disabilities and disabled-owned businesses from fully participating in procurement processes. The research, conducted from January 2022 to December 2024, identifies key challenges, organizational resistance, and potential solutions to foster an inclusive procurement environment in Canada.

Webinars

IWSCC hosts learning opportunities guided by diverse educators ready to share their expertise year-round. Catch up on our past webinars with the recordings below, or look into our next live virtual learning event when you visit our calendar.

Banner: A stylized virtual call window features a photo of guest educator Jenine Lillian and their logo: Tall thin lettering can be read as "Artist" and "Autist" as the letters "R" and "U" share space.

Navigating Neurodiversity

Transform your understanding of neurodiversity in the workplace through the unique lens of someone who’s lived it. Join neurodivergent consultant and educator Jenine Lillian (they/them) for an engaging session that combines personal experience as a late-diagnosed autistic professional with over 30 years of expertise in education and professional development.

Banner: A stylized virtual call window features a photo of guest educator Jeff Tiessen and the light blue logos for his businesses Disability Today Network and Mindset.

Disability Literacy 101

Mindset’s Disability Literacy 101 seminar challenges assumptions, stereotypes and biases with authentic lived-experiences shared by highly-regarded subject-matter experts representing various disabilities. Wherever you may be in your diversity, equity and inclusion journey, mindset is fashioned to help you move the dial.

Banner: A stylized virtual call window features a photo of guest educator Liz Cripps and the red square logo for her business WACADs Group Inc.

A.I. & Automation for Small Businesses

A.I. is the modern technical revolution. In such a rapidly changing field, it can be difficult for a busy entrepreneur to wrap their head around the wealth of options, solutions, and tools hitting the marketplace. What can A.I. do for small businesses? WACADs Group is here to help you get started.