Originally published at newsroom.cigna.com. Cigna ranked No. 24 on The Fair360, formerly DiversityInc Top 50 Companies for Diversity list in 2022.
Cigna’s commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion is reflected in every aspect of our business. We pride ourselves on creating a culture that values and respects each and every one of our Cigna colleagues.
We know that in order to bring about significant positive change we must hire, serve and enable people of all abilities, and ensure their unique values and strengths are leveraged in support of the business on behalf of our employees, customers and patients.
And for the eighth consecutive year, the company has achieved the distinction as a “Best Place to Work for Disability Inclusion.” Cigna scored a 100 on the 2022 Disability Equality Index, which is considered the most robust assessment for disability inclusion in business. The benchmarking tool is a joint initiative of Disability:IN, a global business disability inclusion network, and the American Association of People with Disabilities.
This year, 415 corporations participated in the Disability Equality Index. Below are just some of the reasons why Cigna achieved high marks.
Culture and Leadership
This year, Cigna’s Achieving Better Lives for Everyone (ABLE) employee resource group (ERG) is launching a Digital Accessibility Steering Committee, meant to strengthen Cigna’s culture of inclusivity, acting as an agent of change to eliminate digital accessibility barriers and to empower all employees to achieve their full potential. The committee will be made up of a group of cross functional leaders across the enterprise who will advocate for digital accessibility and inclusion to support improvements in our work environment. The group will help set priorities and enable resource and funding requests around key initiatives to make impactful changes that engrain digital accessibility into our culture.
At the employee level, ABLE helps to foster a supportive community — not just for colleagues who have disabilities, but also for their caregivers and allies. From recruitment through employment, ABLE assists at each stage of an employee’s career. The group works to support inclusive hiring practices, provides education and resources for employees and helps to improve accessibility at all Cigna workplaces.
In addition, ABLE raises awareness on wide variety challenges people may face, such as mental illness, autism and rare diseases. It also sponsors webinars on financial wellness and resilience. In 2022 so far, the ABLE ERG has sponsored 11 events that were meant to raise awareness and educate employees on the broad range of both seen and unseen disabilities.
Employment Practices
A company’s employment practices are critical in the hiring and retaining of employees with disabilities. Cigna has forged partnerships with organizations that connect employers to people with disabilities. For example, Cigna participates in the Disability:IN Next Gen annual “matchmaking” session, and this year, the company is sponsoring an overview and networking session for attendees of the Disability:IN Conference.
In partnership with the Starkloff Disability Institute, a St. Louis-based nonprofit, Cigna supports high school students with disabilities learn more about exciting employment opportunities. Through the organization’s annual “DREAM BIG Career Camp” and “Innovate Week,” participants have an opportunity to connect and network with Cigna employees.
Community Engagement
Community engagement is core to Cigna’s DNA, and the company sponsors a number of nonprofits dedicated to helping individuals with disabilities, including the National Multiple Sclerosis Society and the Immune Deficiency Foundation. In addition, the Cigna Foundation has awarded a $50,000 grant to the Fenwick Foundation in Virginia for Project ADAT, which provides in-home dental care to limited-resource, long-term care residents who have physical or mental disabilities, as well as a $75,000 grant to VELA in Texas, which provides caregiver wellness support for Hispanic/Latino parents of children with disabilities.
Cigna’s leaders are also personally involved as board members of a number of nonprofits, such as the Alzheimer’s Association, the Central Institute for the Deaf, the YMCA, UCP Heartland and the Epilepsy Foundation.
A Champion of Employees of All Abilities
ABLE’s purpose is to serve as a champion for employees of all abilities by fostering a supportive community that’s dedicated to creating a more diverse, inclusive and accessible work environment.
“Advancing a culture of inclusion — and providing an accessible workplace — goes to the heart of our mission of improving the health, well-being and peace of mind of those we serve,” Stith said.
