Lifeworks Community,
Last month, the 2023 Best Places to Work for Disability Inclusion list was released, featuring over 400 companies. The list is based on a nationwide benchmarking resource that measures companies’ efforts toward disability inclusion in their workplaces.
When I initially saw the list, I was eager to see which businesses have emphasized disability inclusion enough to be considered the best workplaces. However, seeing that 292 corporations received a perfect score on disability inclusion confounded me. While this resource is a helpful tool to measure efforts and create action plans to advance disability inclusion, I couldn’t help but think of what an illusion it creates by stating almost 300 companies have achieved perfect disability inclusion!
Many of these companies are certainly on the path to disability inclusion, but our collective work is far from over. A long list of perfect scores will not dissuade Lifeworks from continuing our intentional efforts to advance disability inclusion. It will take more than a perfect score or being named a best place to work for disability inclusion to truly create the radically inclusive communities Lifeworks envisions alongside people with disability.
Throughout the rest of the year, you will see Lifeworks challenging perceptions the broader community has about our neighbors and coworkers with disabilities. We are encouraging folks to think about people with disabilities differently by asking: How inclusive are your hiring practices? How are you supporting your neighbors with disabilities?
If you or your business are ready to be a part of creating a radically inclusive future, reach out to Lifeworks about hosting a disability listening session or disability inclusion training to take the first step. You can contact our team at lbrutger@lifeworks.org.
I appreciate your support in advancing disability inclusion throughout our state and nation! The Lifeworks community is an incredible network I’m honored to be a part of.
Warmly,
Gertrude
