Business, Belonging, and Beyond

Standard Chartered

Business, Belonging, and Beyond is a Standard Chartered podcast series created in collaboration with Open for Business. The series explores how inclusion drives better outcomes for individuals, teams and organisations – and how a sense of belonging can become a genuine business advantage. In each episode, leaders, experts and advocates share practical insights on building inclusive cultures, supporting diverse talent, and unlocking opportunities across global markets. Whatever your line of work, the podcast offers clear, actionable ideas you can use right away. From navigating cross-border challenges to fostering behaviours that empower people to thrive, Business, Belonging, and Beyond connects stories, research and real-life examples to help organisations grow through inclusion.

Episodes

  1. Oct 16

    Beyond the “Ideal Worker”: Disha Mehta on Disability, Trust and Belonging

    In this episode of Business, Belonging, and Beyond, we explore how language, workplace culture and accessibility shape the experience of colleagues with different abilities.   We are joined by Disha Mehta, Global Strategy and Talent Change & Enablement Lead at Standard Chartered, who shares insights drawn from both her professional experience and lived experience of navigating the workplace with a visible disability.   Disha challenges some of the assumptions that can quietly exclude - from the language around workplace adjustments to the idea of an “ideal worker”, and the tendency for leaders to make career decisions on behalf of colleagues with different access needs.   We also explore what meaningful accessibility looks like in practice, why disclosure depends on trust and tangible support, how tools such as “workplace adjustment passports” can give colleagues greater agency, and how leaders can move beyond good intentions towards genuine accountability.   Looking ahead, Disha discusses the potential of AI to create more accessible and flexible workplaces, and why technology alone isn't enough. The real shift, she argues, is from a compliance mindset to a curiosity mindset: asking not what people can’t do, but what becomes possible when barriers are removed.   A conversation about accessibility, belonging, leadership and the future of work, while reminding us that inclusion isn't about making people fit the environment. It's about creating environments where people can bring their whole selves and their full potential to work.

About

Business, Belonging, and Beyond is a Standard Chartered podcast series created in collaboration with Open for Business. The series explores how inclusion drives better outcomes for individuals, teams and organisations – and how a sense of belonging can become a genuine business advantage. In each episode, leaders, experts and advocates share practical insights on building inclusive cultures, supporting diverse talent, and unlocking opportunities across global markets. Whatever your line of work, the podcast offers clear, actionable ideas you can use right away. From navigating cross-border challenges to fostering behaviours that empower people to thrive, Business, Belonging, and Beyond connects stories, research and real-life examples to help organisations grow through inclusion.