Remarkable was founded in 2016 and is the startup venture arm of Cerebral Palsy Alliance. They are on a mission to create a future that is accessible, equitable and inclusive by accelerating Disability Tech startups, catalysing investment and harnessing networks of support.
Remarkable facilitates a range of global startup acceleration programs, fellowships, funding opportunities, a podcast series, industry events, and a thriving global ecosystem. They have expanded our Accelerator program to the US, in partnership with Cerebral Palsy Alliance Research Foundation (CPARF).
the Field:
Thanks for taking the time to talk to us, Viv! To start, which role did you fill through the Field?
Vivien:
Remarkable hired the wonderful Kirilly Conroy, who originally joined us as Campaign and Engagement Manager and has since been promoted to Digital Marketing Manager.
the Field:
How did you come across the Field as a platform for hiring candidates with disability?
Vivien:
I discovered the Field while scrolling through LinkedIn and was immediately drawn to its mission.
the Field:
What motivated your organisation to advertise through the Field?
Vivien:
Remarkable is deeply committed to the guiding principle of “Nothing About Us Without Us.” This important idea from the disability rights movement shapes everything we do. The Field’s focus on accessibility and inclusivity, along with its dedication to acknowledging and valuing everyone’s unique qualities, made it the perfect platform for us.
the Field:
What does hiring candidates with disability mean to you and your organisation?
Vivien:
Hiring candidates with disability is essential to Remarkable’s mission of accessibility, inclusivity and equity. It brings diverse perspectives and talents to our team, reflecting our commitment to true community representation. As Kirilly mentioned in her blog post, ‘Approximately 1 in 5 people live with disability and they are natural problem solvers, as they often have to navigate a world which is not always built for them’, it’s this reason that having a team that is led by people with lived experience is essential to the work Remarkable is doing in driving the future of Disability Tech.
the Field:
Amazing, and can you tell us a bit about your hiring experience on the Field?
Vivien:
The Field is a brilliant platform that taught us so much about accessibility and how to effectively communicate our commitment to it. The resources provided were invaluable in making our hiring practices inclusive and aligned with our values.
the Field:
In what ways did the hiring process on the Field differ from your experiences with traditional job sites?
Vivien:
Remarkable, a division of CPA, is a proud equal opportunity employer. We were really excited to discover the Field platform because it helped us tap into a diverse pool of talent for our job opening when looking to employ our Digital Marketing Manager (previously our Digital Campaign and Engagement Manager). Unlike most traditional job sites, the Field does more than just connect candidates with employers. It offers innovative, accessible, and trustworthy solutions for people with disability.
The Field has great tools, like the Inclusive Language tool, and resources that helped us improve the accessibility and inclusion of our communications and processes. This platform breaks down barriers and helps hiring managers bring in amazing talent (like Kirilly Conroy 😊) from all industries, roles, and levels of experience.
the Field:
What specific accessible or inclusive features of the Field did you find beneficial or appreciated? Did you use any of the Field resources, e.g. Learning Workshops, or the inclusive language tool?
Vivien:
We found the inclusive language tool incredibly helpful in ensuring our job description was accessible and inclusive. Additionally, the prompts to list accessibility features of our job offerings were beneficial for transparency.
the Field:
And what was your overall impression of the Field? Would you use it again?
Vivien:
Our overall impression of the Field was extremely positive. We would definitely use the Field again for future hiring needs and highly recommend it to others.
the Field:
Did using the Field help you build confidence hiring people with disability?
Vivien:
Absolutely, using the Field boosted our confidence in this area. Remarkable acknowledges that we are on a continuous learning journey of how we can improve our commitment to accessibility and inclusion and the resources provided by the Field continue to support us on this journey. By using this platform we learnt how to improve the detail of the accessibility information we provide and were reminded that when it comes to accessibility not one type of accessible feature suits every person with disability. By ensuring the details on job listings are as transparent as possible it allows job seekers to not only find a workplace already suited to their needs, but also empowers them to share their individual accessibility needs should there be anything additional required.
the Field:
Based on your experience hiring candidates with disability through the Field, do you have any tips or recommendations for other employers looking to do the same?
Vivien:
We recommend that other employers (or anyone eager to learn more about accessibility and inclusion) fully utilise the resources offered by the Field. Making job postings, recruitment processes and communications in general accessible and inclusive not only benefits candidates with disability but also enriches the organisation as a whole.
To learn more about Remarkable, click here.
