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May 27, 2022

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Disability:IN provides resources for businesses around the world

By Brenda Beveridge

The roots of Disability:IN stem from ties to the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, a civil rights law that prohibits discrimination based on disability, requires employers to provide reasonable accommodations to employees with disabilities and imposes accessibility requirements on public accommodations. 

Founded in 2007, Disability:IN took it one step further and actively collaborated with corporate America to work closely with suppliers with disabilities. The organization is now the leader in advancing business disability inclusion in the world. Disability:IN’s network of more than 400 corporations and 25 affiliates helps expand the conversation of supplier diversity to include disability-owned businesses. 

“Through our campaign ‘CEOs are IN,’ over 100 CEOs have joined IN and have committed to advancing disability inclusion across the enterprise. It is important for CEOs not only to join IN and take a public stance, but [also] to follow that with a plan, actions and measurement,” said Jill Houghton, president and CEO of Disability:IN. “We know that when CEOs make disability inclusion a top-level priority, then other parts of the business — such as employee/business resource groups, supplier diversity or even accessible technology — will be better supported.”

Disability:IN certifies disability-owned business enterprises or DOBEs, including veteran-owned or V-DOBEs and service-disabled veteran-owned or SDV-DOBEs. 

“Disability knows no race, ethnicity or gender, and it is a class anyone can join at any time of [his/her/] their life,” Houghton said. “Considering this [truth], we encourage corporations to take an intersectional view of supplier diversity and encourage businesses to seek multiple minority-related certifications. We provide the link between corporations seeking to diversify their supply chains and DOBEs interested in corporate procurement contracts.”

Another of the organization’s goals is to go beyond disability employment because despite the achievements, the labor force’s participation rate for people with disabilities sits at 32.8% compared to 77.1% with no disabilities, according to the nonprofit Cultivate Ability. 

“We want full and meaningful participation — whether the individual chooses self-employment or employment within a corporation — that provides meaning and purpose,” Houghton said. “Disability is a strength, and talent with disabilities can provide great leadership. When the economy caters to this demographic and reduces the unemployment and underemployment rate, then we’ll see true sustainable, long-term performance and innovation.”

She said some of the important lessons she has learned as a leader of her organization is DOBEs’ keen abilities to innovate, problem-solve and overcome challenges — including getting through a global pandemic.

“Like everyone, the pandemic has impacted our members differently across our community. For some, it was devastating to their businesses. But for many, they adapted; they changed course. They thrived through adversity. After all, people with disabilities are skilled at overcoming adversity in their everyday lives,” Houghton said. “We were there to help them — providing them with resources, business development opportunities and, most importantly, telling their stories and elevating them within the business community.”

Disability:IN’s focuses for 2022 include:

• Reuniting with friends and colleagues in Dallas, Texas, on July 18-21, 2022, for the 25th Annual Disability:IN Global Conference & Expo “ARE YOU IN?” Folks can register on the conference website at disabilityin.org/2022conference.
• Accessibility as an important topic for both suppliers and corporate procurement leaders. With Disability:IN’s Accessible Technology Procurement Toolkit, it helps drive digital tools — including software applications and other technologies — that are accessible to and usable by employees and applicants with disabilities. 
• Expanding beyond the borders of the United States to help Disability:IN’s multinational corporate partners advance disability inclusion. For supplier diversity, the nonprofit organization has begun certifying disability-owned business enterprises outside the U.S. Its first non-U.S. DOBE is Delsion Ltd., a UK/Wales-based people and development consultancy.