ESRS S1: Own Workforce·Disclosure Requirement S1-11
Disabilities
Practical guidance for preparing this disclosure. Use this card to identify the information to prepare, verify claims and organise supporting evidence. For exact requirements, always refer to the official European Commission source.
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ESRS S1: Own Workforce
Disclosure Requirement S1-11 · 2026-5010-final
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LRA educational guidance · Not issued or endorsed by European Commission
Disclosure focus
This disclosure asks an organisation to explain how it supports and includes people with disabilities across its own workforce. In practice, the report should describe the main policies, processes and workplace adjustments in place, and how these are applied in day-to-day employment matters such as recruitment, access to work, development, progression and retention. The emphasis is on what is actually in place and how it works in practice, rather than a general statement of commitment.
The practical focus is on coverage and consistency: whether arrangements apply across the whole organisation and relevant locations, or only in selected teams, sites or flagship offices. It should be clear how the organisation identifies needs, provides reasonable adjustments or equivalent support, and monitors whether disabled workers can participate on an equal basis. Where implementation differs by country, site or business unit, the report should make that variation clear.
This LRA educational guidance supports disclosure preparation. For the exact requirements, always refer to the official European Commission source.
Before you start
Before you start
A quick mental checklist before you prepare this disclosure — tick each as you settle it.
Preparation
Key information to prepare
| Preparation field | What to capture | Evidence hint | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Disabled employee share | The percentage of the workforce who are recorded as disabled for the reporting period, using the organisation’s agreed definition and the same headcount basis used for the wider workforce measure. | HRIS or workforce reporting extract, plus the definition used for disability status and the calculation showing the disabled count over the total workforce base. | HR / People Analytics |
How to prepare it
Request the data
Request the disability workforce share data
Translate the disclosure into an internal business question — then adapt it to your organisation's own language.
What share of our employees have self-identified as disabled in the reporting period, using the organisation’s own people data and definitions?
Use your organisation’s own people-data terms first, then map them to the disclosure. For example, ask for the internal disability status field, employee headcount basis, and the reporting cut-off date rather than using framework wording in the request.
Weak request
Please provide the ESRS S1-11 disability disclosure data for the reporting period.
Why it fails: It uses framework language only, does not say which internal system or field to use, does not define the employee population or counting basis, and does not ask for the supporting metadata needed to check the figures.
Better request
Please provide the employee disability status data from [HRIS/source system] for [reporting period], using our internal field names and agreed headcount basis. Include the total employee population in scope, the count who self-declared as disabled, any other response categories we use, the cut-off date, and a short note on how blanks or non-response are handled. This is a possible LRA training template only; adapt it to your organisation and check the official source before sign-off.
Formal email template
Subject: Request for people data on disability status for [reporting period] Hi [name/team], Could you please share the people data needed for our sustainability reporting pack for [reporting period]? We need the following, using your usual internal definitions and source system: - total employee count for the agreed population - count of employees who have self-identified as disabled - the basis used for the count (for example, point-in-time headcount or another internal basis) - the field name and any category mapping used in the source data - the cut-off date and reporting period covered - any notes on missing, blank, or undisclosed responses Please return the data in a table and include a short note on how it was prepared. This is a possible LRA training template only; please adapt it to your organisation and check the official source before sign-off. Thanks, [preparer name]
Short Teams / Slack version
Hi [name/team] — could you send the people data for [reporting period] on our employee disability status, using your normal HRIS fields and headcount basis? Please include total employees, the count self-declaring as disabled, the cut-off date, and any notes on blanks or missing responses. This is a possible LRA training template only; adapt it to your organisation and check the official source before sign-off.
Industry examples
Retail
Context. A large store-based employer with a central HR system and separate payroll records.
Adapted request. Please pull the store and head-office employee data from [HRIS] for [reporting period], using our internal disability status field and the same employee population we use for workforce reporting. Include total employees, the count self-declaring as disabled, the response categories in use, and any notes on staff who joined or left during the period.
Example response. A table with period, population, total employees, disabled count, other response categories, and a note that the figures come from the HR system at period end.
Manufacturing
Context. A multi-site employer with site-level people records and a central people analytics team.
Adapted request. Please provide the workforce disability status figures for all production sites and offices for [reporting period], using the internal people-data field and the agreed employee count basis. Include the site breakdown, total workforce, count self-identifying as disabled, and any exclusions such as contractors or temporary labour if they are not part of the internal workforce measure.
Example response. A site-by-site table showing total employees, disabled employees, and the percentage share, plus a note confirming contractors were excluded from the workforce count.
Draft your disclosure
Notes that turn data into a disclosure
LRA training templates — adapt them to your organisation, and check the official source before sign-off.
Method note
State how the organisation defines a disabled employee for this disclosure, what population was counted, and whether the figure is a headcount or another basis of measurement.
Context note
Explain what the figure says about the make-up of the workforce and how it helps readers understand inclusion across the organisation.
Fluctuation statement
If the share moved materially, note whether the change reflects hiring, departures, reclassification, or better data collection, and say whether the underlying workforce size also changed.
Content index entry
S1-11 Disabilities — [location / page] / [notes]Download Centre
Preparation tools & forms
Professional preparation tools for S1-11 — free with an LRA Community membership. Register once (it's free) and every download unlocks, together with the Disclosure Library, templates and the LRA AI Assistant.
Assurance readiness
For each claim, check the evidence
| Claim | Risk | Evidence to check |
|---|---|---|
| We prepared the figure using our own working method and the underlying records we relied on, and we can show how the inputs were gathered and combined. | An assurer may test whether the method was applied consistently, whether the source data were complete and accurate, and whether the calculation can be reproduced from the evidence held. | Calculation workbook or system output; source extracts from HR or other relevant records; data mapping or transformation notes; version history showing the method used; reviewer sign-off on the final figure. |
| We used a defined set of assumptions where the raw data were not enough on their own, and we documented the main limits of the estimate. | An assurer may probe whether the assumptions were reasonable, whether any important limitation was omitted, and whether the estimate could materially change if different assumptions were used. | Assumption log; methodology note; sensitivity or reasonableness checks; evidence of management review; records showing any known data gaps or estimation constraints. |
| We added the context needed to read the figure properly, including any factors that affect how it should be interpreted. | An assurer may ask whether the context is sufficient, balanced and not misleading, and whether it explains any unusual movements or comparability issues. | Draft disclosure text; supporting narrative papers; internal review comments; evidence for any explanations of trends, one-off effects or scope changes; approval trail for the final wording. |
| We set out the calculation approach, the kinds of data used and where those data came from before publishing the figure. | An assurer may check whether the stated approach matches the actual calculation, whether the data types and sources are complete, and whether any manual adjustments were properly controlled. | Method statement; data source register; system reports or extracts; reconciliation between source data and reported figure; evidence of controls over manual entries or overrides. |
| We reported the percentage as a share of our workforce and used percent as the unit, with the numerator and denominator defined in our working papers. | An assurer may test whether the percentage is calculated on the right population, whether the unit is shown consistently, and whether the underlying headcount basis is clear and supportable. | Population definition; numerator and denominator workings; headcount or employee register extracts; calculation sheet showing the percentage; final published table or narrative showing the unit used. |
Evidence pack to prepare
Common reporting gaps
Common gaps
Mistakes to avoid when collecting the data
Where judgement is often needed
Examples
Illustrative examples
Synthetic, written by LRA — not from a company report, not text from any standard.
We counted our workforce at year-end and identified the share of employees who told us they have a disability.
- In our manufacturing group, 48 of 1,200 employees self-identified as disabled, which is 4%.
- We present this as a simple workforce mix indicator for the reporting period, using our own internal headcount records.
This example shows how to disclose the proportion of employees who self-identify as disabled, using a clear year-end headcount basis and a numerically consistent percentage.
We reviewed our staff records at the reporting date and calculated the portion of our people who reported a disability.
- In our financial services group, 27 of 900 employees were recorded as disabled, equal to 3%.
- We use this as a straightforward workforce composition measure for the period, based on our internal employee data.
This example shows the same disclosure for a different sector, with a different workforce size and a matching percentage derived from the count of disabled employees.
Company reports
How companies report S1-11 in practice
Examples of full and partial reporting practice. These are evidence-led reviews, not exact disclosure templates to copy.
Ask the Study Studio AI Assistant about this disclosure
Get practical answers for your reporting context. Your first two answers are free — join LRA Community for free to continue without a limit.
Check your understanding
Scenarios to work through
A preparer is drafting the people section and has the headcount split by disability status from HR records. The figure is available for the reporting period, but the team is unsure whether to present it as a percentage of all employees or as a headcount.
A group reporter has data from one subsidiary that classifies disability using local HR self-identification records, while another subsidiary uses occupational health records. The team is considering combining the figures without checking whether the underlying definitions match.
The sustainability team has a draft table showing the percentage of employees with disabilities, but the number is based on last year’s workforce file. The current reporting period has a different employee population after a restructuring.
A preparer has a draft narrative that says the organisation supports inclusion and accessibility, but it does not include any numeric information on employees with disabilities. The team wonders whether the narrative alone is enough.
Framework references
Relevant ESRS requirements and related disclosures
Available framework references and nearby disclosures relevant to preparing this requirement.
ESRS
S1-11
within ESRS S1: Own Workforce
Related & explore
More in ESRS S1 → Browse full catalogue → Disclosure Library home → Search all disclosures →
FAQ
Questions this page answers
Use the page’s plain-language explainer and the step-by-step ‘how to prepare’ section to frame the disclosure, then focus on the one datapoint listed for preparation: disabled employee share. The page is designed to help you turn that into a draft, not to act as an official standard.
The page says the datapoint to prepare is disabled employee share, so you should gather the underlying workforce data needed to calculate that figure. The page does not add extra metrics, so keep the scope tied to that datapoint and document how you derived it.
The page gives a step-by-step preparation section, so use that to define what workforce population is included and how the share is calculated. Keep the methodology consistent, and make sure it is clear enough for review and assurance.
The page is aimed at sustainability/ESG managers, HR or data owners, and assurance reviewers, so ownership should sit with the team that can coordinate the data and evidence pack. In practice, that usually means assigning one accountable owner and clear support from the relevant data source owners.
The page includes an evidence pack with five items for assurance readiness, so use that as the basis for your file set. Build the pack around the source data, calculation support, and any documents needed to show how the disabled employee share was prepared.
The page says there are five assurance claims to verify, each with a claim, risk and evidence prompt. Use those claims to test whether your draft is supported by the underlying records before you finalise the disclosure.
The page lists common reporting gaps and mistakes, so use that section as a pre-submission check. It is there to help you spot missing support, weak methodology, or gaps between the data and the narrative before assurance or publication.
The Download Centre includes a Prep & Assurance workbook in .xlsx format, which is intended to help you organise the preparation and assurance steps. Use it to capture the data, evidence, and review points in one place before drafting.
The Download Centre also includes a printable Library Card in .pdf format. Use it as a quick reference while you work through the preparation, evidence, and draft-output sections of the page.
The page has a draft-output section with visualisation ideas, narrative starters, and a content-index line. Use those prompts to convert the prepared disabled employee share data into a short narrative and a clean draft structure.
More questions this page can help with
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