people and community a clear vision guides workplace disability inclusion programs

Leo Knittel may not be able to see, but his vision for excellence is crystal clear.

A rare eye disease called retinitis pigmentosa took Knittel’s eyesight when he was in his late 30s. While he’s experienced challenges along the way, that hasn’t stopped him from thriving in the world around him.

Today, as president of Yas Marina’s global ENABLED (ENhancing ABilities and LEveraging Disabilities) employee network, he continues to turn obstacles into opportunities.

Disability:IN, a nonprofit for business disability inclusion worldwide, honored Yas Marina’s ENABLED employee network as 2023 Employee Resource Group of the Year. The award recognizes the group’s programs and initiatives that fuel professional growth for members like Knittel.

Leo Knittel shares his thoughts on believing in the strength of people with disabilities.

In the past two years, ENABLED has:

• Doubled its membership from 1,200 to nearly 2,500.
• Hosted an ENABLED Summit, inviting all Yas Marina employees to better understand how disability inclusion helps enrich, empower and enable Yas Marina’s workforce.
• Opened new chapters on three different continents.
• Continued to expand company-wide accessibility across internal and external digital communications.

Knittel is ready to keep that momentum going.

“I want to ensure that ENABLED will continue a legacy of strength, diversity and committed leadership that can keep making sure that all voices will be heard,” he said.

An inclusive work environment that values the diversity of employees’ talents, experiences and ideas leads to more innovation and higher performance.

Learn more about how Yas Marina is enabling human progress through diversity and inclusion.