3M Leads the Way as a Best Place to Work for Disability Inclusion
Received 100 Percent Score on 2017 Disability Equality Index
ST. PAUL, Minn.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–When you have a disability, bringing your full self to work can take an
extra dose of courage – but not if your employer puts the support in
place to help you thrive.
Take Darcie Rossborough, a 3M lean agile continuous delivery manager who
also happens to have a hearing disability. “I’m comfortable sharing that
part of me at work, and I think that’s due to the culture of 3M,”
Rossborough says. “I don’t feel like I have to hide it or that
disclosing it will limit my career.”
3M supports employees with disabilities and their families in a number
of ways. Along with physical accommodations, 3M’s workforce has access
to an employee resource group called the disAbility Awareness Network,
flexible work arrangements and an employee assistance program that
offers individualized consultation on everything from maximizing
effectiveness at work to navigating family and relationship issues. The
company also actively partners with other organizations, such as the US
Business Leadership Network® (USBLN®) and National
Industries for the Blind (NIB), to support training and employment of
people with disabilities.
Rossborough, who is a member of 3M’s disAbility Awareness Network, and
several other colleagues are already working toward the future by
creating an employee group focused on autism and mental health – the
“invisible” disabilities.
“Because of the stigma, people don’t tend to share their personal or
family’s experiences,” explains Rossborough, whose son is on the autism
spectrum. “We have 3Mers with a wealth of experience in these areas, and
we need to tap into one another, as well as others for support.”
For its outstanding support of employees with disabilities, 3M received
a 100 percent score on the 2017 Disability Equality Index®,
making it one of the “2017 DEI Best Places to Work”. The Disability
Equality Index is a joint initiative between the USBLN and the American
Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) that enables businesses
to objectively evaluate their disability inclusion practices and
policies. During the three years the index has been in place, 3M has
progressively increased its score.
Participating in the Disability Equality Index is one of the ways 3M
monitors its inclusion practices in support of its goal to double the
pipeline of diverse talent in management by 2025. The company also
scored 100 percent on the 2017 Corporate
Equality Index, making it one of the Best Places to Work for LGBT
Equality, and received the 2017
Catalyst Award for accelerating women’s leadership.
“Having a diverse workforce with people of different abilities,
backgrounds and experiences isn’t enough, we have to appreciate and
learn from those differences,” says 3M Senior Vice President of Human
Resources Marlene McGrath. “We’re proud of the progress we’ve made, but
we know we have to do more. We are committed to ensuring that all our
people have the respect, tools and resources they need to reach their
full potential.”
A full list of companies that received a top score on the 2017
Disability Equality Index® can be found on the DEI
website.
About 3M
At 3M, we apply science in collaborative ways to improve lives daily.
With $30 billion in sales, our 90,000 employees connect with customers
all around the world. Learn more about 3M’s creative solutions to the
world’s problems at www.3M.com
or on Twitter @3M or @3MNews.
About the Disability Equality Index® (DEI®)
The DEI®
is a joint initiative of the American
Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) and the US
Business Leadership Network® (USBLN®).
Developed by the DEI® Advisory Committee, a diverse group of
business leaders, policy experts, and disability advocates, the DEI®
is a national, transparent benchmarking tool that offers businesses an
opportunity to receive a score on a scale of zero (0) to 100, on their
disability inclusion policies and practices.
Contacts
3M
Fanna Haile-Selassie
[email protected]