Restaurant India News: KFC India Partners with Atypical Advantage to Bridge Workplace Communication Gap

On the occasion of International Day of Sign Languages, KFC India announced the expansion of its Kshamata program with the launch of a written English comprehension initiative for speech and hearing-impaired (SHI) employees. Developed in collaboration with Atypical Advantage, a leading livelihood platform for people with disabilities, the initiative is aimed at training 100 percent of KFC’s SHI workforce in written English by 2026.

The program addresses a critical gap many SHI employees face — limited exposure to languages outside of Indian Sign Language (ISL). As most workplace communication is conducted in written form, the new training is designed to help SHI employees engage more independently, communicate with confidence, and advance in their careers.

The structured 50-hour virtual program will cover grammar, reading comprehension, and email writing. The curriculum has been developed to meet the specific needs of SHI employees, many of whom received early education only in ISL. While ISL continues to serve as their first language, English comprehension will provide an added advantage in professional interactions.

Aman Lal, Chief People Officer, KFC India, said, “KFC Kshamata reiterates our commitment towards feeding people’s potential and building a more inclusive world. Communication is key to bridging the ability gap & while we continue to focus on raising awareness for Indian Sign Language, this year, we’re also looking at it from the lens of written communication. The written English comprehension program will lower barriers to communication & equip our SHI teams with tools to navigate workplace communication independently. Atypical Advantage are front-runners in creating pathways for persons with disabilities, and have been instrumental in shaping this program. With an aim to train 100% SHI team members by 2026, it’s a powerful step towards fostering inclusion at scale.”

Vineet Saraiwala, Founder & CEO, Atypical Advantage, added, “At Atypical Advantage, we’ve always believed that true inclusion begins when persons with disabilities are equipped with the tools to thrive independently. This partnership with KFC India is a landmark step towards unlocking the potential of speech and hearing-impaired talent by building their confidence in written English — a critical workplace skill. It is incredible to witness KFC’s inclusion initiatives, where on one hand they are expanding the reach of Indian Sign Language, and on the other, strengthening English skills among speech and hearing-impaired team members. This dual approach is a powerful example of how inclusion can bridge the communication divide.”

The program builds on milestones achieved under the Kshamata initiative. KFC India has doubled the number of SHI employees and Special KFCs (restaurants run by SHI staff) over the past five years. Currently, 5 percent of SHI employees hold restaurant leadership roles. In 2024, the company became the first QSR brand in India to implement mandatory Sign Language training for all employees, with more than 18,000 staff members trained in ISL to date. Other measures include appointing a dedicated Sign Language coach, integrating subtitles and ISL in all restaurant training modules, and tailoring training material to SHI requirements.

KFC India has also set a target to maintain 2 percent of its total workforce from the SHI community in the coming year, underlining its goal of becoming one of the most inclusive QSR employers in the country.