Tetra Tech Recognizes International Day of Persons With Disabilities

Tetra Tech recognizes International Day of Persons with Disabilities and is committed to supporting inclusive workplaces and communities where people with disabilities can thrive.

According to the United Nations (UN), more than 1 billion of the world’s 7 billion people live with a disability, including physical, sensory, cognitive and learning, and invisible disabilities. In the United States, 30 percent of the workforce fits federal definition of having a disability, and 76 percent reported that they have not disclosed their disability at work.

Tetra Tech values the full participation of people with disabilities* in our workforce and communities and is working with our employees to enhance opportunities for people with disabilities through our Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Program and global Employee Resource Groups. Tetra Tech is proud to be recognized by Newsweek as one of America’s Most Responsible Companies 2021 and by Forbes as one of America’s Best Employers for Diversity 2021 and strive for continuous improvement in these areas.

As a member of the UN Global Compact, Tetra Tech shares the UN’s commitment to addressing equity of participation for people with disabilities through our work, including employing technology to make communities more accessible.

Using technology to support accessibility and participation

Physical access to communities and buildings is critical to participation for people with disabilities. Tetra Tech’s geospatial mapping experts support communities to comply with applicable regulations for community accessibility. Employing our Tetra Tech Delta suite of surveying and mapping technologies, we have completed dozens of ramp models to support Americans with Disabilities Act Compliance.

The Tetra Tech High Performance Buildings Group creates accessible spaces that use technology to enhance public access, such as Australia’s Rod Laver Arena, which meets accessibility requirements and achieved LEED Gold certification.

Participation in community life is no longer limited to the physical realm, and Tetra Tech’s Federal IT Solutions team supports government clients to make sure that their websites and other outreach and communication activities are compliant and accessible. Our user experience designers, web and mobile application developers, and quality control experts help clients disseminate vital program information to the public and data for research among government agencies, academia, and international organizations in a way that is accessible to all.

Supporting people with disabilities in developing countries

According to the UN, 80 percent of disabled people live in developing countries. Tetra Tech’s International Development Services Group integrates access for people with disabilities throughout our services and projects.

Supporting inclusive design to enhance economic opportunities: We supported the inclusive design of an innovative training center in Congo to be accessible to people with disabilities and fully functional for humans of all shapes, sizes, and strengths.

Driving change and supporting equity in the utility sector: Our teams support utilities to create more inclusive workplaces and created the Engendering Utilities Best Practices Framework. Partner organizations have used these principles to enhance programming for people with disabilities, including an award-winning program in India to increase awareness and prevent discrimination against people with disabilities at a utility in India.

Supporting human resource development: Through the Laos Australia Institute, our teams are supporting the capacity of people with disability, disabled persons’ organizations, and organizations involved in disability-inclusive development to help improve economic prospects in one of the poorest countries in the region.

Promoting educational opportunities in Indonesia: Through the Australia Awards in Indonesia program, we are supporting the inclusion of persons with disabilities in education and economic opportunities, including:

• Using fabric waste to empower people with disabilities
• Fighting for inclusion of people with disabilities in COVID-19 responses
• Giving voices to voiceless communities during the pandemic
• Striving for quality education for children with multiple disabilities

Person with a disability or disabled person?
We use both person-first (person with a disability) and identity-first (disabled person) language in this article. We understand that self-identification is an individual decision and support our employees, clients, and partners in self-identifying in a way that is authentic for them. We encourage you to learn more about person-first and identity-first language.