You may not recognize the name Henkel, but you’ve definitely seen their work—on your shelves, in your home, and in products you use every day. As a global leader in adhesives, laundry detergents, dishwashing soap, and household cleaners, Henkel touches millions of lives every day. But when their senior leadership took a hard look at their historic headquarters in Düsseldorf, Germany, they realized something was missing: a truly accessible design strategy.
They asked us to help change that.
At Disability Inclusion Solutions, our work is all about making spaces work for everyone. When Henkel reached out to us, they wanted help identifying and integrating Universal Design (UD) principles—not just for their current site, but for all future projects.
Henkel’s headquarters is over 100 years old. Like many historic buildings, it wasn’t originally designed with accessibility in mind. Over the years, renovations improved accessibility in some areas, but there wasn’t a clear, formalized approach to good design. As part of their five-pillar strategy, leadership recognized that without better infrastructure, they’d struggle to attract and support talent with disabilities.
That’s a problem we knew we could solve.
Our Approach: Hands-On, Real-World Solutions
We spent three days on-site, leading seminars and conducting a full facility assessment. We worked closely with Henkel’s leadership, Employee Resource Groups (ERGs), security teams, and safety experts—because good design impacts everyone.
Together, we walked through their facilities, identifying barriers and opportunities. We didn’t just point out what was wrong—we showed them how small, strategic changes could have a huge impact.
A Blueprint for Lasting Change
We took everything we’d learned from the site assessment and transformed it into a clear, actionable plan. Using our proprietary Universal Design checklist, we broke down the findings and prioritized the most impactful, cost-effective solutions.
- Focused on high-impact, low-cost changes – Practical steps that deliver immediate benefits
- Created a roadmap for future projects – A guide architects and designers can use from the start
- Designed a scalable tool – A framework Henkel can now apply globally to standardize accessibility across all their locations
Why This Matters
When businesses embrace Universal Design, everyone benefits. Here’s why:
- Improved safety – Thoughtful design reduces hazards for all employees.
- Attract top talent – A more accessible workplace brings in and retains a diverse workforce
- Boosted productivity – When spaces work for everyone, people thrive.
Henkel is setting an example for other companies and proving that great design is great business. Are you ready to make your space work for everyone? We love helping companies move forward. If you’re ready to future-proof your workplace and unlock the benefits of Universal Design, let’s talk.
