What makes a company a good employer for people with disabilities (and their allies)? It isn’t just accommodations and flexible work schedules, although those are certainly important. Information collected as part of The 2011 DiversityInc Top 50 Companies for Diversity survey shows these companies make a concerted effort to recruit, retain and promote people with disabilities and to create an inclusive corporate culture for people with both physical and hidden disabilities.

To determine this list, we used information submitted to the DiversityInc Top 50 on employee-resource groups (ERGs) for people with disabilities, workplace accommodations and work/life benefits, and recruitment and talent-development efforts aimed at people with disabilities. We also examined supplier-diversity initiatives aimed at businesses owned by people with disabilities (and certified by the US Business Leadership Network) as well as veterans with disabilities. And we looked at the company’s websites, philanthropic efforts, diversity training and outreach to customers/clients.

Here are some facts about these top 10 companies:

• All of them have employee-resource groups for people with disabilities vs. 72 percent of the DiversityInc Top 50 and 40 percent of all survey participants (there were 535 participants this year)
• They average 7.1 percent of employees as members of their disabilities ERG vs. 2.9 percent for the DiversityInc Top 50
• All of them have formal recruitment programs for people with disabilities vs. 82 percent of the DiversityInc Top 50
• Sixty-two percent of them do business with certified suppliers owned by people with disabilities vs. 32 percent of the DiversityInc Top 50

Here are the top 10 plus a notable fact about each of them:

No. 1: IBM

No. 7 in the DiversityInc Top 50. Also No. 4 in The DiversityInc Top 10 Companies for Asian Americans; No. 3 in The DiversityInc Top 10 Companies for LGBT Employees; No. 1 in The DiversityInc Top 10 Companies for Global Diversity

IBM’s inclusive attitude toward employees with disabilities extends to the senior-most levels of the company. What sets IBM apart is that its efforts aren’t just about bringing in people with disabilities but are also focused on creating global opportunities for advancement.

No. 2: KPMG

No. 29 in the DiversityInc Top 50. Also No. 1 in The DiversityInc Top 10 Companies for LGBT Employees; No. 6 in The DiversityInc Top 10 Companies for Global Diversity

KPMG has a strong disabilities employees-resource group and excellent mandatory diversity training. To commemorate Disability Employment Awareness Month in October, the firm’s Disabilities Network group held a training, called Learning Disabilities: Enhancing Our Understanding, which helped employees understand how having a learning disability can impact a person’s life at work.

No. 3: Kaiser Permanente

No. 1 in the DiversityInc Top 50. Also No. 4 in The DiversityInc Top 10 Companies for Recruitment & Retention; No. 3 in The DiversityInc Top 10 Companies for Blacks; No. 2 in The DiversityInc Top 10 Companies for Latinos; No. 6 in The DiversityInc Top 10 Companies for Asian Americans; No. 4 in The DiversityInc Top 10 Companies for Executive Women

As a healthcare company, Kaiser clearly cares about people with disabilities, but the company goes way beyond that for its employees. Its benefits are amenable to accommodating disabilities and its disability employees group has been in existence for more than 10 years and includes 5 percent of the total employee population.

No. 4: Aetna

No. 19 in the DiversityInc Top 50. Also No. 4 in The DiversityInc Top 10 Companies for LGBT Employees

Aetna’s commitment to people with disabilities is clearly part of its business mission. CEO and President Mark Bertolini has a disability and is an outspoken advocate for people with disabilities.

No. 5: Ernst & Young

No. 5 in the DiversityInc Top 50. Also No. 2 in The DiversityInc Top 10 Companies for Recruitment & Retention; No. 10 in The DiversityInc Top 10 Companies for Latinos; No. 7 in The DiversityInc Top 10 Companies for Executive Women; No. 5 in The DiversityInc Top 10 Companies for LGBT Employees; No. 2 in The DiversityInc Top 10 Companies for Global Diversity

Ernst & Young’s website says it all: “Looking for a disabilities-friendly workplace?” The firm’s AccessAbilities effort about building “an enabling environment for people with disabilities” includes accessibility, internal communications, meetings, training, technology, education on disability-appropriate etiquette and language and inclusive work habits, and raising awareness of non-visible disabilities.

No. 6: Procter & Gamble

No. 25 in the DiversityInc Top 50. Also No. 9 in The DiversityInc Top 10 Companies for Recruitment & Retention; No. 5 in The DiversityInc Top 10 Companies for Latinos; No. 9 in The DiversityInc Top 10 Companies for Asian Americans; No. 5 in The DiversityInc Top 10 Companies for Executive Women; No. 8 in The DiversityInc Top 10 Companies for Global Diversity

The consumer-products company has exceptional benefits that accommodate flexible work schedules and has had a disability employee-resource group for more than 10 years.

No. 7: Merck & Co.

No. 15 in the DiversityInc Top 50. Also No. 10 in The DiversityInc Top 10 Companies for Supplier Diversity; No. 9 in The DiversityInc Top 10 Companies for LGBT Employees; No. 7 in The DiversityInc Top 10 Companies for Global Diversity

Vice President and Chief Diversity Officer Deborah Dagit is a major advocate for people with disabilities. The company has a strong resource group for employees with disabilities and is a philanthropic supporter of Career Opportunities for Students with Disabilities (COSD).

No. 8: Deloitte

No. 8 in the DiversityInc Top 50. Also No. 8 in The DiversityInc Top 10 Companies for Latinos; No. 1 in The DiversityInc Top 10 Companies for Asian Americans; No. 8 in The DiversityInc Top 10 Companies for Executive Women; No. 5 in The DiversityInc Top 10 Companies for Global Diversity

Deloitte is a leader in flexible benefits that benefit people with disabilities. The company also has a strong employee-resource group and thorough diversity training throughout the organization.

No. 9: Sodexo

No. 2 in the DiversityInc Top 50. Also No. 5 in The DiversityInc Top 10 Companies for Recruitment & Retention; No. 3 in The DiversityInc Top 10 Companies for Supplier Diversity; No. 7 in The DiversityInc Top 10 Companies for Blacks; No. 3 in The DiversityInc Top 10 Companies for Latinos; No. 3 in The DiversityInc Top 10 Companies for Executive Women; No. 7 in The DiversityInc Top 10 Companies for LGBT Employees; No. 4 in The DiversityInc Top 10 Companies for Global Diversity

Sodexo’s philanthropy includes a strong percentage for disability organizations. In addition, the company’s training and mentoring are highly attuned to cultural competence for an inclusive organization, including people with disabilities.

No. 10: Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide

Also No. 2 in The DiversityInc Top 10 Companies for Asian Americans

Starwood’s philanthropy also includes disability organizations. The company has excellent benefits as well as an active resource group for employees with disabilities.