We don't want Purple Washing

The Way We Roll

Since its launch in 2019, the Valuable 500 has signed up more than five hundred senior executives from worldwide companies and organisations to put disability on the board agenda. So far, so pretty good. But as the Valuable 500 matures, it is now asking more of its members and wants them to report back on progress. It is holding a meeting in Tokyo in December 2025.
At the centre of this is our guest, Stephan Leblois, Chief Community and Programmes Officer for Valuable 500. Stephane leads programme development and community building, playing a pivotal role in rallying for progress and fostering accountability among the members.
We asked Stephane how he got involved in disability inclusion and about his relationship with disability. He tells us about fantastic examples of inclusive practice, from a multinational pharmaceutical company to a prestigious hotel in Scotland. These trailblazers share their knowledge and become known as the ‘Iconics’.
But what do you do about the companies that sign up but don’t make any meaningful change – is that purple washing? How do you harmonise more than 500 organisations' disability inclusion efforts when they are in different places geographically and in terms of resources? Luckily, Stephane has the answers.
Links
https://www.thevaluable500.com
https://www.thevaluable500.com/about
https://disabilitypower100.com/project/stephane-leblois/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephaneleblois/