CEO STORIES: Jill Houghton, Disability:IN

INCLUSION AND EQUALITY

Disability:IN grew out of the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act, which is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year. While the law provided legal protection for the disabled, there was recognition that work needed to be done to change attitudes around the disabled to ensure inclusion and equality. Her work stems from her own experiences with a learning disability, and being identified as “different.”

DISABILITY EQUALITY INDEX

Disability:IN partnered with the American Association of People with Disabilities to create the Disability Equality Index, a tool that helps businesses take a deeper dive into their policies, practices, and culture, and identify opportunities for improvement. Disability:IN also offers programs such as mentoring and certification for disability-owned businesses, and consulting.

SURPRISING STATISTICS

One in four people is recognized as having a disability – ranging from physical challenges such as blindness and deafness, to diseases like diabetes, to conditions that include anxiety and depression. And some 70% of disabilities are considered non-visible, raising the stakes for companies to be aware and for people to feel comfortable identifying as having a disability. Research has shown that businesses that are inclusive of people with disabilities have 28 percent higher revenue, 30 percent greater economic profit margins, and two times the net income of their industry peers.

CONCRETE STEPS

Houghton recommends the following steps for companies that want to be more inclusive: Having employee resource groups for people with disabilities; leverage tools like the Disability Equality Index; and work with peers to create awareness and prioritize inclusion.