New free guide helps South African employers hire and support people with visual impairments

At the Trialogue Business in Society Conference, Absa and Primedia, in association with the Hein Wagner Academy, launched a free practical business guide to help employers hire and integrate people with visual impairments across the full employment journey.

Designed for businesses of all sizes, the guide offers step-by-step, plain-language guidance on accessible hiring and workplace support, informed by lived experience and South African workplace examples.

It includes practical tools and advice across the employment lifecycle:

• Preparing to recruit and running accessible interviews
  
• Onboarding and workplace adjustments
  
• Assistive technology and day-to-day ways of working
  
• Performance management and retention
  
• Templates and checklists to help teams take action at each stage

“At Absa, we’ve seen what’s possible when the right support is in place. This guide draws on that experience to help other businesses take practical steps to hire and support employees with visual impairments, and to build workplaces where inclusion strengthens performance,” said Manoj Puri, chief security officer at Absa Group.

The launch comes as South African businesses face persistent skills gaps, high unemployment and growing pressure to deliver inclusion with measurable impact.

“Many businesses want to hire inclusively but hesitate because they don’t know how to integrate people with visual impairments into their teams. This guide removes that uncertainty with practical steps any organisation can implement,” said Trish Taylor, head of Primedia Cares.

“As we look to the future of work, it’s imperative that opportunity expands to reflect the diverse society we serve - and that employers have practical tools to act on their commitments,” Taylor added.

The guide is informed by Absa’s experience through its Cybersecurity Academy, established in 2021 in partnership with the Hein Wagner Academy. The programme trained 10 students with visual impairments through a three-year cybersecurity course.

Five graduates are now in sustained employment, including roles at Absa and Primedia. Absa hired four graduates and Primedia employed one graduate in its Technology department. A second cohort is currently completing its first year at the Hein Wagner Academy.

The guide was launched alongside broader discussions at the Trialogue Business in Society Conference. It is positioned as a practical extension of national conversations about inclusion, economic participation and the future of work.

The aim is simple: help businesses translate intent into action - quickly, practically and at scale.

Download the free guide: https://www.absa.africa/cybersecurity-academy/