By the Editors of DiversityInc

© DiversityInc 2007 ® All rights reserved. No article on this site can be reproduced by any means, print, electronic or any other, without prior written permission of the publisher.

 

1. Eastman Kodak
2. Merrill Lynch
3. PricewaterhouseCoopers
4. Marriott International
5. Procter & Gamble
6. SC Johnson
7. Wachovia
8. JPMorgan Chase
9. Ernst & Young
10. Deloitte & Touche

There are an estimated 54 million people with disabilities in this country. They represent a tremendous market of underutilized talent. Only 32 percent of working-age Americans with disabilities are employed, but two-thirds of those who are jobless would rather be working, according to the National Organization on Disabilities (N.O.D.) (See also: Helping Students With Disabilities Find Jobs)

N.O.D. also notes that the disability community represents nearly one-fifth of the U.S. population, which is an untapped market worth more than $220 billion in collective spending power. Everyone has a friend or relative with a disability—and those people support companies that are good to people with disabilities.

How are companies recruiting, retaining and promoting employees with disabilities? How are they using disability employee-resource groups to reach this community and their supporters? Which companies are having the most success answering these questions? The DiversityInc Top 10 Companies for People With Disabilities. To calculate this list, we used questions asked in The 2007 DiversityInc Top 50 Companies for Diversity^® survey about people with disabilities and also studied their web sites for images and content supportive of people with disabilities.

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Here are some key points about the DiversityInc Top 10 Companies for People With Disabilities:

• All have employee-resource groups for people with disabilities, compared with 55 percent of the Top 50.
• All have active programs to recruit people with disabilities, compared with 82 percent of the Top 50.
• All have web sites that feature images of people with disabilities, compared with 66 percent of the Top 50.
• All have alternative career tracks for parents or others with long-term family-care issues, compared with 42 percent of the Top 50.
• They have an average of 49 percent of managers participating in mentoring programs, compared with a 31 percent average for the Top 50.

Here are the 2007 DiversityInc Top 10 Companies for People With Disabilities:

No. 1: Eastman Kodak

Also No. 43 on The 2007 DiversityInc Top 50 Companies for Diversity list, No. 8 for Supplier Diversity, and No. 6 for GLBT Employees

A longtime disability-supporting company, Kodak's work/life programs include Personal Absence and Family Leave and Confidential 24/7 LifeWorks Resource & Referral Service. Diversity training, including dealing with disabilities, is mandatory for the entire work force, compared with 58 percent of the Top 50.

No. 2: Merrill Lynch

Also No. 8 for GLBT Employees and one of the 25 Noteworthy Companies in 2007

With an aggressive Disability Awareness Professional Network, Merrill Lynch is very strong on recruiting and retaining employees with disabilities. The company, which also markets financial programs for people with disabilities and their relatives, offers its employees onsite medical clinics, an onsite wellness program, a health and productivity management program and an employee-assistance program.

No. 3: PricewaterhouseCoopers

Also No. 12 on The 2007 DiversityInc Top 50 Companies for Diversity list, No. 2 for GLBT Employees, and No. 4 for Asian Americans

All of its managers participate in the mentoring program, which is particularly valuable to employees with disabilities. This compares with a 31 percent average for the Top 50. The accounting giant offers reimbursement for emergency backup care, reduced hours, family sick days, and a work/life resource and referral service.

No. 4: Marriott International

Also No. 46 on The 2007 DiversityInc Top 50 Companies for Diversity list

The hospitality company, a longtime national diversity leader, has healthcare spending accounts, family-care spending accounts, and a leave-sharing donation program in which associates can apply for additional paid time off when their available leave has been exhausted due to illness or hardship. Marriott also offers mandatory diversity training for the entire work force, including disability awareness, compared with 30 percent of the Top 50.

No. 5: Procter & Gamble

Also No. 14 on The 2007 DiversityInc Top 50 Companies for Diversity list, No. 9 for Recruitment & Retention, and No. 9 for Asian Americans

A long-time workplace disability leader, Procter & Gamble introduced one of the first sickness-disability programs for its workers in 1915. These days, its People With Disabilities Task Force is focused on accessibility in workplace accommodations, recruitment, retention, training and partnerships with organizations, such as Career Opportunities for Students With Disabilities (COSD).

No. 6: SC Johnson

Also No. 7 for GLBT Employees

The company, which has received the Employer of the Year Award from The National Business & Disability Council (NBDC) and Abilities, has mandatory diversity training, including disability awareness, for its entire work force, compared with 30 percent of the Top 50.

No. 7: Wachovia

Also No. 11 on The 2007 DiversityInc Top 50 Companies for Diversity list and No. 2 for African Americans

The bank, a longtime diversity leader, recently named its first vice president for employment compliance and disability. The company offers programs including Time Away From Work, Lifeworks Family Resource Program and dependent care flexible-spending accounts.

No. 8: JPMorgan Chase

Also No. 9 on The 2007 DiversityInc Top 50 Companies for Diversity list, No. 9 for Latinos, No. 7 for Executive Women, No. 4 for GLBT Employees, No. 4 for African Americans, and No. 6 for Recruitment & Retention

The bank has a strong employee focus group for people with disabilities, has a disability mentoring day, and partners with disability organizations to recruit new employees.

No. 9: Ernst & Young

Also No. 43 on The 2007 DiversityInc Top 50 Companies for Diversity list, No. 5 for GLBT Employees, and No. 2 for Asian Americans

One of only six companies to receive the first annual Disabilities Matters Award, the accounting giant also has a strong mentoring program, with all of its managers participating, compared with a Top 50 average of 31 percent.

No. 10: Deloitte & Touche

Also No. 19 on The 2007 DiversityInc Top 50 Companies for Diversity list and No. 6 on the Top 10 for Executive Women

The company's work/life programs include an emergency backup dependent-care program and dependent-care flexible spending. Diversity training is mandatory for its entire work force, compared with 30 percent of the Top 50.