Emily Yates

Now head of accessibility and inclusive design at multidisciplinary design agency Mima, Emily worked with MetroRio ahead of the 2016 Paralympic Games to ensure stations would be accessible to all, and authored the Lonely Planet Guide to Accessible Rio de Janeiro. She has also worked with Heathrow Airport, the National Railway Museum and COP28. Emily’s expertise lies in standards and guidance writing, access consultancy, lived experience workshop facilitation and disability awareness training.

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Introduction by Conference Chairs

Panel discussion: Designing inclusive airports fit for the future passenger experience

Airports of the future need incremental changes and innovation that anticipate diversity and seek design solutions so that all can travel and work with dignity and inspiration. The panel will expand on the current inclusive design thinking, seek to identify the benefits to the passenger and to the airport, and highlight the interdependencies with sustainable airport development solutions.

The audience will learn:

• How inclusive design is being used in new and existing airport developments
• The benefits of inclusive design to the passenger and the airport
• How to design for a broad spectrum of diversity
• How to make inclusive design standard
• Integrating inclusive design with processes

Panel discussion: Inclusive retail – expanding revenues through accessible shopping experiences

This panel will explore how making airport retail more accessible and barrier-free can unlock new revenue opportunities while enhancing the shopping experience for passengers with disabilities. Learn how airports design their commercial spaces (retail, dining and lounges) to cater to a wide range of accessibility needs, from physical disabilities to cognitive and sensory impairments. Panelists will discuss how creating ergonomic retail environments, offering accessible wayfinding solutions for all and implementing universal design principles in retail, lounge and gate areas positively impact non-aeronautical revenues.

The audience will learn:

• How inclusivity measures can also be profitable, maximizing enjoyment and encouraging spend
• The importance of considering those with physical, sensory and cognitive access requirements within retail spaces
• Hints and tips and ‘quick wins’: take home actions that you can implement now
• How to become a more inclusive employer by designing for staff members within retail areas, too