1.3 billion people worldwide live with a functional limitation, representing an overlooked talent pool for food and beverage employers.
Discover the strategies leading global employers use to turn ability-focused hiring into a competitive advantage.
Canada’s food and beverage manufacturing sector — the largest manufacturing industry in the country — is heading into a serious labour crunch, with roughly 173,800 additional workers needed by 2034. At the same time, an enormous pool of talent remains largely untapped: over one billion people worldwide, and nearly a million working-age Canadians, live with a disability or functional limitation, many of them unemployed or underemployed despite being ready and able to work. This report looks at how leading food and beverage companies around the world are closing that gap, turning what has traditionally been framed as a compliance issue into a competitive advantage.
Drawing on global case studies from companies like PepsiCo, Nestlé, McCain Foods, and Purdys Chocolatier, this section explores the practical strategies employers are using — from inclusive recruitment and skills-based hiring to accessible workplace design and product innovation. The goal is to show what strategies are being used for success: the specific programs, partnerships, and cultural shifts that allow companies to attract, retain, and grow a workforce that reflects the full range of human ability. For Canadian employers facing mounting labour shortages, these examples offer a clear, evidence-based roadmap for action.
Companies that excel at disability inclusion aren't just doing the right thing — they're seeing 28% higher revenue, 30% higher profit margins, and double the net income of their peers, and this report breaks down exactly how they're doing it.
Canada's food and beverage sector needs 173,800 more workers by 2034, and nearly a million unemployed Canadians with disabilities could help close that gap.
This report uncovers the real-world strategies, case studies, and data driving a new era of ability-focused workforce innovation in food and beverage.
