The CEOs of six US corporate giants have issued a letter urging other Fortune 1000 companies to participate in the Disability Equality Index (DEI), a benchmarking tool that helps leaders develop a roadmap for disability inclusion.
The letter is signed by Accenture’s Julie Sweet, CVS Health’s Larry Merlo, Intel’s Bob Swan, Microsoft’s Satya Nadella, Voya Financial’s Rodney O Martin, Jr and Walmart’s Doug McMillon, confirmed Disability:IN.
Although, corporate America has made progress with underrepresented groups such as women, people of colour, veterans and the LGBTQ+ community, disability remains a great unknown, largely due to lack of understanding and measurement, according to Disability:IN.
The DEI, created by non-profit organisations American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) and Disability:IN, however, provides companies with an unbiased and confidential way to benchmark disability inclusion in the workplace, and improve it. “It only publishes top scores; any score below 80 remains confidential, and companies can build their inclusion roadmap and focus on learning,” confirmed Jill Houghton, President and CEO of Disability:IN.
COMPELLING BUSINESS CASE
In the letter, the six CEOs not only make a compelling business case for signing up to the DEI, but also highlight how their respective companies are successfully leveraging it to help build better products, stronger workforces and innovative supply chains: “We at Accenture, CVS Health, Intel, Microsoft, Voya Financial and Walmart are leveraging this by hiring inclusively, contracting with disability-owned business enterprises, and creating accessible tools and technology for all. We do this because it’s the right thing to do and it makes good business sense. Research reveals that leading disability-inclusive companies stand to gain as much as 28% higher revenue, double the net income and 30% higher economic profit margins than their peers.”
As many as 1 in 4 Americans have a disability, and ‘it is a strength’, the letter points out. Yet, despite a near-historic low unemployment rate, only 33% of working age people with disabilities are participating in the labour force, compared to 63% workforce participation rate for people without disabilities, according to Disability:IN. American GDP, however, can be boosted by up to $25 billion if companies hire just 1% of the untapped talent with disabilities, the letter reveals.
POSITIVE RESPONSE
The response to the letter to date has been positive. “The letter was mailed to CEOs of Fortune 1000 in the beginning of the year, and we’re already seeing results,” Houghton told Fair Play Talks. “We are pleased to gain the proud support of six CEOs of the Disability Equality Index. Not only is disability inclusion the right thing to do – but it makes business sense. These CEOs view inclusion as a way to ignite innovation and ensure sustainability. We hope more companies follow their lead and register for the Disability Equality Index before 31st January 2020.”
Click here for more information on the DEI, or to register.
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