Disability:IN

The 2024 Disability Equality Index? Report is here! For the first time, scored benchmarks were available in eight countries. Based on this year’s findings, we have identified five measurable actions that companies and individuals can take to continue to work toward sustainable and inclusive performance. Discover the five actions and read the report now at https://lnkd.in/gKHQYuE9 #AreYouIN? [ID: Dark blue gradient background behind large text reading: 2024 Disability Equality Index Report. The AAPD and Disability:IN logos are below.]

Are you #OpenToWork and ready to advance your IT career with a mission-driven organization? Disability: IN is expanding! We are #NowHiring for a Vice President of Information and Technology to lead our IT infrastructure, cybersecurity, and data privacy efforts while driving innovation to support our international growth. If you are or know someone passionate about using technology to advance #DisabilityInclusion, please TAG them in the comments or SHARE this post with your network! To learn more about the position or to apply, please visit https://lnkd.in/g3NVzV4q. [ID: Blue gradient backdrop with decorative accessibility icons behind text, Disability:IN Candidates Wanted!]

Registration is Now Open for The Disability Equality Index?! As the leading resource for multinational corporations' annual benchmarking of?#DisabilityInclusion?policies and programs, the tool is now trusted by more than 70% of the Fortune 100 and nearly half of the Fortune 500. This year, a record number of 542 corporations joined in to benchmark their inclusion efforts. Ready to build your organization’s roadmap for disability inclusion? Companies operating in Brazil, Canada, Germany, India, Japan, the Philippines, the UK, and the US can now register at https://lnkd.in/gtp4Bztv #AreYouIN? [ID: A blue hue image of a group of diverse professionals representing various disability identities meeting around a conference table with back windows overlooking a city skyline. At the top is a white banner with blue text, 2025 Registration is now open! In the middle, a white rectangle border includes the same image behind the Disability:IN and Disability Equality Index logos. On the bottom right is a Disability:IN-branded QR code above a white banner with text, Register Now.]

In honor of Disability Employment Awareness Month (#DEAM), ADHD Awareness Month, and Dyslexia Awareness Week, Disability:IN is proud to share our latest #PeopleINDisability video spotlighting Marissa Woodbeck, Head of Digital Accessibility at U.S. Bank! Check out Marissa's video below as she reflects on her disability journey with ADHD and dyslexia highlighting the importance of advocacy to create accessible and inclusive environments. As we celebrate the turning tide of inclusion during DEAM, Marissa’s story reminds us how individuals and leaders can help create a ripple effect contributing to global progress in #DisabilityInclusion. After Marissa's story, learn how you can join the Disability:IN community in celebrating DEAM at https://bit.ly/3ZjGGmI #DisabilityRepresentation VD:?Title card is a white background with green text, People IN Disability, before transitioning to Marissa Woodbeck sitting in her home office wearing black glasses, and a silk, floral dress shirt with?art and home decor behind her. As she speaks, captions populate the bottom of the screen. A blue backdrop of accessibility icons, a Disability:IN logo, and text, #PeopleINDisability borders the video. Transcript: Hi, my name is Marissa Woodbeck and I am the head of Digital Accessibility for Experience Design at US Bank. But most importantly, I'm a proud member of the neurodivergent community, having both ADHD and dyslexia. My journey to where I am today has not been the easiest, but I wouldn't trade it for the world. From being labeled a lazy learner in elementary and middle school to being denied the proper services in high school, it wasn't to receive a formal diagnosis and accommodations in college that I truly understood my potential, but also the power of advocacy. From there, I embarked on a career over the last 25 years has allowed me to advocate for others in a variety of settings. From a 504 IEP advocate to a VP of Crisis Services. I always wanted to make sure that process, procedures and programs and products were accessible, but also inclusive. My personal journey and being a person with disabilities has allowed me to really create customer experiences and environments that are inclusive, accessible because I understand the frustration when that's not provided. I always encourage those who work with me and work with other professionals with disabilities to never allow their assumptions to limit that person's potential. And I always tell my fellow colleagues with disabilities, never be afraid to advocate for yourself. But if you can't advocate for yourself, find a champion. Find a resource. Find someone like me who will help you advocate through your journey.

Today is World #CerebralPalsy Awareness Day, and we are proud to recognize this vital community and the immense value people with cerebral palsy bring to the workplace and beyond. As we continue celebrating Disability Employment Awareness Month (#DEAM), we recognize the importance of highlighting successful professionals with cerebral palsy in the workplace to help change perceptions and smash stigmas around the community. As we honor today, we want you to meet Shannon Maher, Disability:IN's NextGen Leader Program Manager who shares how embracing her disability helped her thrive professionally. Our NextGen Program connects college students and recent graduates with disabilities to corporate mentors, helping them turn their unique experiences into career strengths. Learn about the program at https://lnkd.in/dqe56AFA. [VD: Title card slide is a green-blue-white diagonal backdrop with text, Celebrating World Cerebral Palsy Awareness Day with Shannon Maher. Below is a rectangle frame with Shannon's headshot with a blue filter. On the bottom right is a Disability:IN logo. The title card transitions to Shannon Maher sitting in her home office recording a selfie-style video with captions populating the screen as she speaks. Shannon is a woman with curly red hair wearing a cream dress and a diamond necklace.] Transcript: Hi everyone, this is Shannon Maher and I am so excited to be here with you guys on World Cerebral Palsy Day. I have the privilege of working with Disability:IN as the manager of the NextGen program, and I was born with cerebral palsy. I was born ten weeks early, and I've spastic cerebral palsy, affecting both of my legs from the waist down. And when I was graduating college about ten years ago, I did not know that my disability could be an asset in my career. Nobody told me that my life experience and qualities that I gained due to my disability could help me get a job and in the working world post-graduation. I tried to cover up my disability because I didn't think I would be hired if they saw I wore orthotics, or if I use my wheelchair during the interview. there's no hiding my cerebral palsy, which I am so proud of on this World Cerebral Palsy day. Because I'm here to tell you now that I work for Disability:IN and I have a background in HR. I'm able to help these college students and recent graduates in our NextGen program embrace their disability identity and help them in their future career path. Because as a disabled college student and graduate, you have the ability to communicate more effectively, to be more adaptable in situations, to advocate for yourself and your accessibility needs, and probably to collaborate well with others. So I'm just excited to be here with you guys today and to share with you our awesome NextGen program of college students with disabilities who are really going to be the next leaders in the boardroom and in corporations. And I hope you guys have a great day.

October is packed with opportunities to celebrate and support the #Disability community! Join us this month in raising awareness for the many disability-related causes and communities we honor. Whether through advocacy, education, or company events, you can help create a ripple of #Inclusion. Explore the key awareness dates for October, and let us know how you’ll be participating! Together, we can drive understanding and celebrate the diversity within the larger disability community. Discover more awareness days across 2024 by visiting https://lnkd.in/gHcPyqxw #DisabilityRepresentation ID1: Blue-green gradient backdrop behind a bulleted list of October Awareness Months including ADHD Awareness Month, Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Depression Education and Awareness Month, Disability Employment Awareness Month, Down Syndrome Awareness Month, Dwarfism Awareness Month, Dysautonomia Awareness Month, Dyslexia Awareness Month, Eczema Awareness Month, Liver Cancer Awareness Month, Learning Disability Awareness Month, Rett Syndrom Awareness Month, Selective Mutism Awareness Month, and Spina Bifida Awareness Month. At the top right is a circular frame including two professionals with disabilities collaborating on a laptop working in an office space. At the bottom right is a white Disability:IN logo. ID2: Blue-green gradient backdrop behind a bulleted list of October Awareness Days including American Veterans Disabled for Life Awareness Day (Oct. 5), World Meningitis Day (Oct. 5), World Cerebral Palsy Awareness Day (Oct. 6), International Trigeminal Neuralgia Awareness Day (Oct. 7), Team Margot Stem Cell and Bone Marrow Awareness Day (Oct. 7), PANDAS / PANS Awareness Day (Oct. 9), World Mental Health Day (Oct. 10), World Sight Day (Oct. 10), Metastatic Breast Cancer Awareness Day (Oct. 13), World Thrombosis Day (Oct.13). At the top right is a circular frame including two professionals with disabilities collaborating in an office space. At the bottom right is a white Disability:IN logo. ID3: Blue-green gradient backdrop behind a bulleted list of October Awareness Days and Weeks including White Cane Safety Day (Oct. 15), Disability Mentoring Day (Oct. 16), Breast Reconstruction Awareness (BRA) Day (Oct.18), World Osteoporosis Day (Oct. 20), World Hydrocephalus Day (Oct. 20), International Stuttering Awareness Day (Oct. 22), World Polio Day (Oct. 24), World Stroke Day (Oct. 29), and International Epidermolysis Bullosa Awareness Week (Oct. 25-31). At the top right is a circular frame including a professional sitting in a wheelchair in an office space while on the phone and working on a laptop. At the bottom right is a white Disability:IN logo.

Embracing disability inclusion in businesses can have a far-reaching ripple effect. With emerging European legislation and a growing workforce of disabled professionals worldwide, this has exciting implications for business professionals in Marketing and Communications. Check out the graphic below to learn how these new directives can potentially impact the work you do as a marketer or communications professional. Interested in learning more? Gain a deeper understanding of disability inclusion in the EU by reading the full report at https://shorturl.at/6ea7s. [ID: A light blue background with a dark blue silhouette of Europe behind two boxes. Above the boxes is a dark blue banner with the text EU Directives are Shaping the Future of Marketing & Communications. The first box on the right has the title Brand Reputation with text underneath that reads Disability-inclusive messaging is a business imperative that can position companies as disability inclusion leaders, enhancing brand reputation and trust. There is an ampersand in center and the box to the right has a title Communication Compliance with text underneath reading Businesses embracing clear communication strategies in the EU can show regulatory compliance and commitment to inclusion, boosting global brand reputation. In the bottom right hand is the Disability:IN logo. ]

With the start of Disability Employment Awareness Month (#DEAM), we can continue creating ripple effects that help accelerate #DisabilityInclusion and employment worldwide. This year, the Disability Equality Index? identified five key actions companies and individuals can take to achieve sustainable and inclusive performance, including leveraging disability-focused Employee/Business Resource Groups (E/BRGs) to gain valuable insights and enhance inclusion strategies. To spark meaningful conversations, we are excited to engage our community to learn how companies worldwide are leveraging E/BRGs to advance #DisabilityEmployment and inclusion during DEAM (and beyond). As you engage in events, programming, initiatives, and more, be sure to SHARE your happenings on social and TAG Disability:IN! If you are seeking additional ways to join IN for DEAM, visit https://bit.ly/3ZjGGmI [ID: Gradient dark blue background with white and green gradient curved lines creating a layered circle behind a white banner with a green gradient globe and text, Learning from our community during Disability Employment Awareness Month:. Below the banner is text, Is your company leveraging its disability-focused E/BRG to advance disability inclusion & employment during DEAM? Below the text is another white banner with text, Share & tag Disability:IN so we can highlight your DEAM initiatives! At the bottom is a white Disability:IN icon logo and a green-blue gradient line bordering the bottom.]

In Case You Missed It: We are partnering with Noun Project, SVA MFA Interaction Design, and Canva for an Iconathon focused on #Accessibility and #InclusiveDesign! This free workshop brings together creatives to develop public domain icons representing important accessibility concepts like universal design and #DigitalAccessibility. For additional information, check out this post below from the Noun Project!

Thank you to our incredible community for joining us during yesterday's public webinar to recognize the turning tide of #DisabilityInclusion, and to celebrate the ripple effect of companies advancing #Inclusion during Disability Employment Awareness Month (#DEAM) (and beyond)! With opening remarks Jill Houghton, the webinar analyzed corporate responsibilities under new #EU disability inclusive legislation, including the European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS) and their implications for companies. Thank you our moderator Reid Jewett Smith, Ph.D. for guiding this important discussion, and to our panelists Dr. Julia Sitter (of White & Case LLP), Frank Justus (of Bayer), Giulia Faedo (of EFRAG), and Ted Kennedy, Jr. (of Epstein Becker & Green, P.C. for sharing their expertise! Key takeaways from the conversation include: + The ESRS aims to enhance transparency and accountability in sustainability reporting, focusing on environmental, social, and governance issues. Companies must audit their sustainability reports to ensure compliance. + The EU’s sustainability directives require companies to disclose their actions and impact on people with disabilities, emphasizing the need for case-by-case assessments. + The new directives highlight the importance of disability inclusion and its connection to profitability. Companies are encouraged to measure and report on the workforce participation of people with disabilities, with guidance from the Disability Equality Index? and the EU report from White & Case LLP, Thomson Reuters Foundation, and Disability:IN. + The new EU legislation can drive disability inclusion and accessibility across entire value chains, with global implications for companies doing business in Europe. Although we've made significant progress, we can each play a part in advancing inclusion! Learn how you can contribute by visiting https://bit.ly/3ZjGGmI. [ID: Dark blue backdrop with blue and green decorative shapes behind an illustrated screen with Ted Kennedy, Jr., Reid Jewett Smith, Julia Sitter, Frank Peter Justus, Giulia Faedo, and ASL Interpreter Amy all connecting from their home offices. They are each wearing business casual clothes with some having digital or blurred backgrounds. White text at the top reads, Disability Inclusion in the EU: A Legal Analysis to Guide Corporate Responsibilities Under New EU Disablity Inclusive Legislation.]