Spaulding Rehabilitation Recognized as a Top Scoring Company in the 2019 Disability Equality Index®
For third year in row Spaulding honored as a “Best Places to Work for Disability Inclusion”
Boston, MA (July 17, 2019) – Disability: IN and American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) this week released the 2019 Disability Equality Index (DEI) – the fifth year measured by the Index. Among the record 180 employers that participated was the Boston based Spaulding Rehabilitation which earned the highest score possible of 100 on the index for the second straight year. Fortune 1000 and Am Law 100 companies across twenty-eight unique business sectors participated in the 2019 DEI, with results indicating where companies are excelling in their commitment to inclusive environmental, social, and governance policies.
“To once again achieve a top score in the Disability Equality Index is a proud recognition for all of us at Spaulding. It reflects our commitment to embrace that inclusion should be part of everything we do. From ensuring our physical spaces and policies are as inclusive as possible as well as new investments into our website to break new ground on accessibility, we recognize that disability inclusion must be an ongoing part of all we do each day. We welcome any organization to join us to ensure everyone has an equal opportunity to build a career,” said David Storto, President, Spaulding Rehabilitation.
The Disability Equality Index (DEI) is a unique, joint initiative of Disability:IN and the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD). It serves as the nation’s most comprehensive annual benchmarking tool allowing America’s leading corporations to self-report their disability policies and practices. This evolving index objectively scores each corporation on a scale from 0 to 100—100 representing the most inclusive. The DEI was developed by the two national leaders in consultation with the appointed DEI Advisory Committee, a diverse and voluntary group of experts in business, policy, and disability advocacy.
In its fifth year, the DEI continues to see an increase in year-over-year participation, with the number of top-scoring companies more than tripling to 156 in 2019 as compared to 43 in 2015, signaling a steady growth in disability inclusion across all industries. These participating businesses represent over 8.6 million employees, 3.7% of which self-identify as having a disability.
“AAPD is excited to see a record-breaking number of businesses prioritizing disability inclusion and promoting accessibility,” said Helena Berger, President and CEO of AAPD. “As we approach the 29th anniversary of the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), this year’s DEI results will help businesses identify opportunities for improvement, as well as leverage their disability inclusion strategy as a competitive advantage — inching us closer to achieving the ADA’s goal of economic self-sufficiency for every disabled American.”
“The DEI is designed to promote and advance disability inclusion practices and policies within corporate America that lead to better employment outcomes for and inclusion of people with disabilities, as employees, customers and suppliers. When businesses include people with disabilities, everybody wins,” said Jill Houghton, President and CEO of Disability:IN.
The recognition of being a “Best Place to Work for Disability Inclusion” is reserved for those companies that have scored 80 or above on the DEI. To view the full report click here.
“To receive this national honor once again from Disability: IN and the AAPD validates our efforts to be a leader on work force development and inclusion. Having the opportunity to work and contribute is vital to both the individual and society. This recognition will energize us to push even further beyond compliance by creating new approaches and opportunities for all,” said Oz Mondejar, Senior Vice President of Mission and Advocacy at Spaulding Rehabilitation.
About Spaulding Rehabilitation
A member of Partners HealthCare, Spaulding Rehabilitation includes Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital, its main campus in Charlestown as well as Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital Cape Cod, Spaulding Hospital Cambridge and Spaulding Nursing and Therapy Center Brighton, as well as twenty-five outpatient sites throughout Eastern Massachusetts. In 2018, U.S. News & World Report named Spaulding as the #2 rehabilitation hospital in the nation. Spaulding is one of the few hospitals in the U.S. to be awarded the prestigious Model Systems designation in all three areas of care—Spinal Cord Injury, Traumatic Brain Injury, and Burn Injury—selected by the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living and Rehabilitation Research. A teaching hospital of Harvard Medical School, Spaulding has been recognized by Doximity Residency Navigator as the top residency program in rehabilitation in the nation. Spaulding also was recognized by the 2019 Disability Equality Index as a “Best Places to Work for Disability Inclusion”. For more information, please visit www.spauldingrehab.org.