In February 2026, we had the opportunity to attend the Global Business and Disability Network (GBDN) Conference organised by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and the annual Zero Project Conference (ZeroCon26), both taking place in the United Nations Office in Vienna. 

Three of our Tilting the Lens team members, Sinéad, Emma, and Laia, spent the week connecting with industry professionals and absorbing all the knowledge shared during sessions, fireside chats, and quiet conversations in the corridors of the UN facilities.

Sinéad’s ZeroCon 26 opening keynote on Tilting the Lens’ co-design approach

As part of the experience, Sinéad (CEO and founder of Tilting the Lens) gave the opening keynote at Zero Project Conference, sharing the Tilting the Lens approach and principles with all conference attendees. 

Sinéad’s insights and the Tilting the Lens co-design approach resonated with the audience, becoming one of the most cited concepts in the following sessions. 

Co-design must be:  

  • Intersectional: We understand the intersectional expression of disability and the need for policies, practices, and behaviours to be tools to dissolve the barriers and biases experienced by those from multiply-marginalised backgrounds.
  • Lived experience as intellectual property: We position Disabled people as equal partners, recognising and valuing their lived experience as a vital form of expertise. We take deliberate steps to ensure our research is paid, respectful, and community-led.
  • Accessibility as baseline: Meaningful and deliberate accessibility builds dignity, equity, agency, innovation, and pride. All co-design projects must have accessibility at their core.
  • Multimodality: Our solutions are about designing multiple pathways. Much like fashion, one size does not fit all. We deliberately design solutions to be flexible, equitable, and multimodal, so that people have agency and control.
  • Power sharing: Co-design involves collaborative methods and is rooted in power-sharing and equitable exchange. We deeply understand that an individual’s identity cultivates unique insights, solutions, and ways to break down barriers.
  • Continuous feedback loop: Within our process, centering those who have lived experience and insight into the problems we are solving creates robust, sustainable, and pragmatic solutions. We must engage them from ideation to validation, creating a continuous feedback loop that ensures solutions are aligned with insights and experiences. 

Read the full transcript of Sinéad’s keynote speech

Sinéad, Emma, and Laia, members of the Tilting the Lens team, are holding conference name badges toward the camera. The focus is on their hands and the badges. Each badge is white, featuring the ZeroCon26 logo at the top. The badges display each person’s name, organisation, and location. From left to right: Laia’s badge reads, “Laia Cargol Martinez – Tilting the Lens, Spain”; in the middle, Sinéad’s badge reads, “Sinéad Burke – Tilting the Lens, Ireland”; and finally, Emma’s badge reads, “Emma Shaw – Tilting the Lens, United Kingdom.
Tilting the Lens team members with their Zero Project Conference passes.

Tilting the Lens team members' ZeroCon takeaways to shape the work ahead

With three of us on the ground, we were able to embrace the ZeroCon experience. By dividing our time, we could collectively attend a wide range of sessions, covering topics such as disability leadership, disability and human rights, the European Accessibility Act, disability and employment, and successful case studies led by Disabled people. This gave us a comprehensive perspective on the current state of the industry.

Emma Shaw’s reflection

The definition of disability differs in each country. In Italy, for example, if you have ADHD or epilepsy, you do not fit within the national definition of disability. This is not unique to Italy, but many countries have yet to expand their definitions of disability to include neurodivergence and non-apparent disabilities. What does this mean for global businesses where employees who work for the same company, but in different territories, have different access and rights to reasonable adjustments?

In a world defined by constant movement, where organisations operate across countries, it is not enough to rely on local legislation as the benchmark for inclusive employment. We need business-wide definitions of disability. Standardised, proactive systems that ensure Disabled employees can thrive, succeed and be promoted regardless of geography. If companies are global, their internal disability strategy should be too.

“A key discussion at ZeroCon was around self-ID, disclosure, KPIs, and percentages. I believe companies should look beyond these metrics to evaluate disability data, emphasising human experiences rather than just statistics. This involves tracking the number of reasonable adjustments or accommodations provided, their implementation, and evidence of effectiveness. What challenges were encountered? How many Disabled employees have been promoted? When considering self-ID and disclosure, it’s essential to understand the reasons behind these actions—employees need clarity on how and why their information is used. Such understanding helps us recognise genuine progress and meaningful change.” – Emma Shaw, Senior Consultant

Laia Cargol’s reflection

The European Accessibility Act was a significant topic throughout the week. The urgency it has triggered within in-scope businesses is tangible and necessary. But we have a responsibility to remind partners and clients that compliance alone will not build inclusive systems. There is so much more to achieve beyond a checklist.

Accessibility is most authentically achieved through co-design, and that must be led by Disabled people, it must create economic advantage, it must be accessible, multi-modal and intersectional by design, it must include consistent follow-up with the participants to share how the learning is being mitigated, and it must foster dignity, interdependence and psychological safety as outcomes.

“The European Accessibility Act is a catalyst for opening conversations and bringing organisations on the accessibility journey. However, it should be just the beginning of that journey. We should help organisations to see beyond legislation and create meaningful solutions with and for the Disabled community, not just ones that align with requirements.”- Laia Cargol Martinez, Consultant 

Sinéad Burke’s reflection

ZeroCon created a space for discussing new standards, technologies and solutions that are revolutionising the accessibility scene, some of which are being led by Disabled people. We need more of that. Disabled leaders cannot just be considered beneficiaries of solutions. Systems must be redesigned so that the Disabled community can be more than just consumers; they must be the thinkers and creators behind the solution-building process. That is what makes co-design successful and creates meaningful, long-term change.

A tangible example of this came from my fireside conversation with Microsoft’s Jenny Lay Flurrie about greater representation of Disabled people in AI-generated imagery. Earlier this year, Jenny was promoted from Chief Accessibility Officer to Microsoft’s Head of Trusted Technology. Together, we talked about the ways in which Disabled leaders create system change across the organisation and how businesses can move from not just measuring the spending power of Disabled people, to the value and innovation that is and can be created.

“When and how do we move from considering Disabled people as end users or consumers, and instead, create pathways, systems and pipelines of talent that support Disabled people to be successful, and to have a pathway to become leaders.” – Sinéad Burke, CEO and founder 

In-person relationships and building new connections

ZeroCon wasn’t just about the official agenda; it allowed us to meet so many people doing great things, turning our usual online connections into in-person collaborations. 

It gave us the opportunity to bring some of our clients with us to witness accessibility work in action, and for them to keep growing and evolving in their own inclusion journey.  

Beyond the sessions, ZeroCon created the space to celebrate the pride we take in our work and the community we build.

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