New Delhi, September 23, 2025: On the International Day of Sign Languages, KFC India announced the launch of a written English comprehension program for its speech and hearing-impaired (SHI) team members. The initiative, developed in partnership with Atypical Advantage, aims to train 100% of KFC India’s SHI workforce in essential written communication skills by 2026.
The program is designed as a 50-hour virtual training module covering grammar, email writing, and reading comprehension. It addresses challenges faced by SHI employees who primarily use Indian Sign Language (ISL) but require English for workplace communication.
Speaking about the initiative, 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 initiative builds on KFC India’s Kshamata program, under which the company has doubled the number of SHI team members and Special KFC outlets in the past five years. The brand also introduced mandatory sign language training for all employees in 2024, with over 18,000 staff trained in ISL to date.
