The Valuable 500 is a global organisation of 500 partners and companies working together to end disability exclusion.
- New Engagement Team formed to advance disability inclusion in business.
- Delphine Leveneur appointed as new Chief Engagement Officer, joining existing Executive Team members Katy Talikowska, Gitika Kalra, Ryan Curtis-Johnson, and Stephane Leblois.
- Amy Whalley appointed as Regional Account Manager for UK/EMEA.
- Anessa Powell appointed as Regional Manager for North and South America.
- Emi Aizawa appointed as Regional Manager for Japan and Asia Pacific.
London, 30th April 2024 — The Valuable 500 today announced the formation of its new Engagement Team, led by Delphine Leveneur as the organisation’s new Chief Engagement Officer.
Delphine brings over 16 years of expertise in working with organisations and their people to enact positive change on DEI issues. Prior to joining the Valuable 500, she was the Global Accommodations Program Manager at Meta and a Senior Consultant at Business Disability Forum. As Chief Engagement Officer, Delphine leads the Valuable 500’s strategy to support their Companies and Partners to achieve progress against the three Synchronised Collective Actions in Leadership, Reporting, and Representation.
The new Engagement Team, led by Chief Engagement Officer Delphine Leveneur, will be instrumental in harnessing the power of the Valuable 500’s Partners and Companies to end disability exclusion in business. This team will build on a period of unprecedented growth and momentum for the Valuable 500 – driving forward an ambitious new phase to foster more accessible and inclusive workplaces, marketplaces, and global communities.
The team has an important role to play in stewardship towards the highly anticipated SYNC25, the Valuable 500 Accountability Summit in Tokyo in 2025. This pivotal event will witness member companies reporting on actions undertaken across the three fundamental pillars of leadership, reporting, and representation to end disability exclusion.
The Valuable 500 also announced the appointment of three new Regional Account Managers who will be instrumental in driving the organization’s mission to engage more businesses globally to become disability-inclusive through the Valuable 500.
Amy Whalley, Regional Account Manager for UK/EMEA: Amy brings nearly a decade of experience in disability inclusion, having worked at the Australian Network on Disability and the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
Anessa Powell, Regional Manager for North and South America: Anessa is a disability advocate who founded AllAbility Solutions, a disability employment firm, after being diagnosed with Addison’s Disease in 2013.
Emi Aizawa, Regional Manager for Japan and the Asia Pacific: Emi has over 20 years of experience in international development focused on the social participation of persons with disabilities, having lived and worked across Asia and South America.
We are thrilled to welcome Delphine to our Executive Team as we continue to grow our global impact and make strides towards ending disability exclusion. The establishment of our new Engagement Team comes at a critical time, as we work to scale our movement and drive systemic change through our partners and companies. Delphine’s leadership and expertise in stakeholder engagement and disability inclusion will be invaluable on the road ahead.
Disability inclusion is critical to unlocking the full potential of the one billion people living with disabilities around the world. With this experienced Engagement Team, we are well-positioned to accelerate our work towards ending disability exclusion. This starts with fostering meaningful connections and collaboration among businesses, empowering them to support each other in their disability inclusion journeys. By working together and sharing best practices, we can accelerate progress and create a more equitable and accessible future for all.
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For any interviews and enquiries, please contact:
Charlotte Armstrong
Valuable 500
[email protected]
About Valuable 500
Launched at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in January 2019, the Valuable 500 is the global business partnership of 500 companies working together to end disability exclusion.
Since its creation, the Valuable 500 has achieved its initial goal of getting 500 multinational organisations to make a public commitment to disability inclusion in their organisation, igniting a historic global movement for a new age of diversity in business. The Valuable 500 and their global impact partner The Nippon Foundation, will be working closely with the World Economic Forum and International Disability Alliance – bringing together a leading philanthropic organisation with the most prestigious global business network and the voice of the global disability community.
By engaging with the world’s most influential business leaders and brands, the network now has a market cap of over $23 trillion, combined revenues of over $8 trillion and employs a staggering 22 million people worldwide. It includes 15 iconic global CEOs and companies who will be spearheading the programmes and services to be offered under Phase 2 of the transformation programme.
The Valuable 500 is determined to create a community that supports and empowers the 500 to systematically transform their businesses via synchronised collective actions, so they include the 1.3 billion people living with disabilities worldwide, thereby unlocking their business, social and economic potential. We believe that if business takes the lead, society and government will follow. Truly inclusive businesses can build truly inclusive societies.
