Inclusion as a buzzword has grown louder in recent years. While inclusive progress has already been made in some sectors, such as public service or transportation, attention should also be paid to inclusion in the private sector. Businesses have to promote inclusive business practices, which means intentionally integrating marginalised individuals into the value chain of the company at various levels.
Discussing inclusive business practices requires us to go beyond hiring quotas or disability-friendly facilities. It means building systems that integrate people of all conditions and backgrounds into every level—as suppliers, employees, and, crucially, as consumers. It involves developing inclusive product design and packaging, accessible digital interfaces, and customer service infrastructure that accounts for all types of consumers. It also means recognising persons with disabilities not only as beneficiaries, but also as consumers with the same rights and expectations as other consumers and treating them without discrimination.
There is a pressing need for inclusive business practices. Research has shown that consumers with disabilities exhibit loyal behaviour to products or services if these meet their needs. As a result, businesses that implement inclusive practices or treat consumers fairly typically gain a good reputation. Far from being a cost burden, inclusion becomes a competitive advantage—one that enhances brand reputation, consumer trust, and ultimately, profitability.
When businesses cater to the specific needs and preferences of marginalised consumers, they empower consumers to make informed, independent choices. It also helps prevent unfair treatment by businesses. Consumers have the right to access accurate, updated, and unbiased information about the products and services they purchase.
Barriers remain
The road to inclusion still faces numerous challenges. Despite the progress made, inclusion remains more promise than practice. One obstacle is the absence of adequate laws and regulations. While some ASEAN Member States have introduced laws on persons with disabilities, provisions on business/consumer-related matters need to be strengthened. Similarly, consumer protection or competition laws have not yet adequately entrenched inclusive practices that protect consumers with particular needs or disabilities. Without effective laws and regulations, no one will assume responsibility to implement inclusion.
Uncertainties and limitations in the regulation have some major consequences for businesses. As businesses are not incentivised to apply inclusive business practices, they are not duty-bound to implement inclusion in their chain and, at times, even create barriers for consumers with disabilities. Walin Hartati’s comment, made at the Regional Workshop on Inclusive Business Practices organised by the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ) in Bangkok in February this year, is an example of how businesses have failed to provide distinct and accessible packaging and labels to help consumers with disabilities differentiate between products.
E-commerce businesses also tend to prioritise aesthetic over usability in their platforms. Eye-catching images or audio-visual content are displayed without any accompanying texts or subtitles. In addition, some businesses only offer limited channels of communication to consumers; for example, customer care is available exclusively by phone. For many consumers with visual or hearing impairments, these challenges make shopping frustrating when it should be enjoyable.
What about compensation when things go wrong? In case consumers receive products that are not as promised or advertised, or worse, damaged, consumers may seek refund, repair, or return. As one of the core principles of consumer protection, complaints from consumers should be handled in a timely manner in accordance with the laws on consumer protection. When consumer complaints are not solved, consumers may escalate their complaints to dispute settlement bodies, such as the court or mediation agencies. By far, complaint handling and dispute resolution mechanisms—whether phone-based hotlines, in-person service desks, or court and alternative processes—are rarely designed with accessibility in mind.
In the online marketplace, new challenges are already emerging and likely to be more prevalent. Businesses should promote transparency and truthfulness, yet some of them still provide inaccurate information, such as by not disclosing the potential harmful side effects of products to consumers. One challenge is the proliferation of “dark patterns”—deceptive design strategies that manipulate users into choices they might not otherwise make, such as unintentionally subscribing to a service or purchasing add-ons. These are particularly harmful to consumers who rely on assistive technologies and may not have access to full contextual information.
Equally concerning is the rise of algorithmic decision-making, where users are steered towards specific products based on opaque data models. While personalisation may enhance convenience, it apparently narrows one’s choices and raises serious ethical questions about autonomy and transparency. Consumers must be able to understand and contest the digital systems that influence their purchasing decisions. In fact, consumers have the right to choose from a variety of options and to speak with companies about applicable terms and conditions..
Breaking the barriers
Dismantling all these barriers must begin with a top-down solution. Lawmakers should introduce and enforce legislation that balances inclusive business practices with the needs of consumers with disabilities. Understanding this as a crosscutting issue, lawmakers and governments are urged to work across sectors and mainstream inclusion in all line ministries instead of working in silos. Once the laws and regulations are available, enforcement should be taken into account with more commitment.
Meanwhile, businesses must commit to universal design principles—for products, services, packaging, and digital platforms. They must ensure that accessibility is embedded from the outset and not retrofit as an afterthought. Additionally, businesses should be encouraged to offer consumers a variety of communication methods in pre-sales, during sales, and after-sales. More importantly, user-testing should include persons with disabilities, and feedback mechanisms must be meaningful and ongoing.
Accessible complaint handling and dispute resolution are a must. Businesses should make it easy for consumers to seek recompense and should have various communication channels where consumers’ needs and preferences can be addressed. Meanwhile, governments must ensure courts and mediation systems are inclusive and navigable for everyone. Redress systems must be accessible, timely, and equitable—a critical element in building long-term consumer trust.
Moreover, to be more transparent , businesses should commit to providing accurate information about the products they sell in stores and online. They should also avoid using any dark patterns and algorithmic decision-making that will mislead and limit the choices available to consumers. Businesses should also refrain from imposing a “take it or leave it” policy on consumers and offer room to negotiate the terms and conditions that may apply.
Collective responsibilities
Governments and businesses are indeed the key players, but they cannot do it alone. Civil society organisations, including consumer associations and organisations of persons with disabilities (OPDs) must serve as the watchdog. Their nature and longstanding experience in the grassroots make them essential partners in ensuring that the regulations and their implementation support inclusive practices. Through strategic partnerships with government agencies and the private sector, these groups can monitor progress, raise awareness, and help design solutions that are grounded in lived experience. They can also provide direct support to consumers, offering guidance in resolving disputes and advocating for systemic change.
In the ASEAN context, these strategic partnerships on inclusive practices shall be initiated by the ASEAN Committee on Consumer Protection through the implementation of the upcoming ASEAN Strategic Action Plan on Consumer Protection 2026-2030.
The drive for human rights
Ultimately, upholding the inclusion principle and translating it into action requires a concerted effort. Governments, businesses, consumer associations, OPDs, and all relevant actors should work together to ensure that no consumer is left behind, since translating policy into practice requires political will, commitment, and collaboration. Existing references such as the ASEAN Enabling Masterplan 2025 and several sectoral documents, including the ASEAN Guidelines on Consumer Protection in E-Commerce and ASEAN Guidelines on Unfair Contract Terms (UCT), should serve as a guide for ASEAN Member States in mainstreaming the rights of persons with disabilities, including consumers, in business-to-consumer relations. These references and recommendations can shift people’s perspective towards pursuing inclusive business practices as an investment rather than merely a cost. Inclusive business practices are not just charity or corporate social responsibility; they are a commitment to protecting and fulfilling human rights.
The ASEAN-Germany cooperation project “Consumer Protection in ASEAN II (PROTECT II)” is commissioned by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and implemented by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH. The project runs from 2023 to 2026. Working in partnership and guidance of the ASEAN Committee on Consumer Protection (ACCP), PROTECT II strengthens regional and national consumer protection systems. It aims to empower consumers, promote inclusive business practices, and contributes to the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) 2025 by addressing the challenges of increasing cross-border and digital transactions.
The views and opinions in this article are solely those of the authors and do not represent the policy or official position of ASEAN.
