How corporations are celebrating National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM)

Each month, Disability:IN hosts a webinar open to all corporate partners. Last month, the webinar shared how corporations are observing and promoting National Disability Employment Awareness Month, #NDEAM. Webinar slides are available for Disability:IN corporate partners through the partner portal.

Webinar presenters included:

• Alicia Hawley, Global Creative Lead/True Ability CTX Co-Lead/True Ability/NA Communications, Dell
• Nora Vele, Executive Director, Global Diversity & Inclusion, Merck
• Gerardine Mobley, VP, Senior Diversity and Inclusion Relationship Manager, Global Diversity and Inclusion, TD Bank
• Russell Shaffer, Director, Global Culture, Diversity & Inclusion, Walmart Inc.

In addition to the webinar, Disability:IN is pleased to share other corporate activities around NDEAM and #MentalHealth:

American Airlines:

• Creating custom coffee sleeves with information regarding mental wellness resources available to employees
• Publishing a news segment featuring leaders discussing the importance of emotional and mental well-being
• Increasing mental health opportunities for employees, including therapy dog time, yoga, awareness walks, and massages.
• Placed posters on each floor by the elevators with “did you know” type facts about mental health.

Boeing:

• Hosting company-wide Disability Awareness Fairs with speakers and nonprofit agencies such as NAMI, Special Olympics, etc. to provide information to employees and Business Resource Groups
• Kicking off a company-wide Self-ID campaign for disabilities and Veteran status, including electronic messaging, posters and virtual lunch and learn presentations on Self-ID

CVS Health:

• Hyong Un, Chief Psychiatric Officer, Aetna Behavioral Health, will share his insight on invisible disabilities
• Mental health expert and nationally renowned keynote speaker, Mike Veny will host an enlightening conversation on the myths and realities of mental health

Dell*:

• Employees are participating in Best Buddies International Walk in Hopkinton, Massachusetts
• Hosting a Hack-A-Thon continuing with ELS announcement of winner from the Dell SAP Hack-a-thon
• Hosting a ‘Dine in the Dark’ event
• A session on ‘Mental Health in the Workplace’ in partnership with WebMD
• Highlighting Whitney Bailey, in “A Day in the life…” showing take on relationships, wheelchairs and general day-to-day living.
• Accessibility Driving Innovation Panel with: Dell, Microsoft’s Jenny Lay-Flurrie (video), General Motors and moderated by Jack McElaney of MicroAssist

Microsoft:

• Check out the Microsoft Accessibility Blog for upcoming videos and blog posts about their vision that accessibility and inclusion are essential for empowering everyone, everywhere.
• In addition, Microsoft is teaming up with Disability:IN Washington to host the DisAbility Employment Symposium.

Merck:

Hosting the following activities:

• An Empathy Lab to help people understand and experience alternative ways of interacting with technology and other environments through hands-on access to different tools and assistive technologies
• Also hosting an Innovation Lab onsite, more info on the Ilab can be found here: https://private.disabilityin.org/partners/student-initiatives/
• A traveling art exhibition with 20 works of art from ArtLifting, an organization that empowers artists living with homelessness or disabilities through the celebration and sale of their artwork
• An Economic Impact Summit to discuss the importance of Diversity, which is critical for innovation and scientific excellence

Pratt & Whitney:

• Launching “Faces of Ability” Campaign: Combination of poster campaign & intranet articles spotlighting four employees sharing their disability story to increase awareness
• Hosting an evening event with keynote speakers, live music and information booths of local services
• Spotlighting Pratt & Whitney’s disability-focused employee resource group (ERG),  “Empower Ability”, including its vision and activities

Raytheon:

• Hosting a “Pink Event” on Breast Cancer Awareness
• Facilitating a Disability Awareness and health fair
• Conducting a series of live broadcasts on Mental Health
• Hosting a Mental illness seminar
• Members of Raytheon’s employee resource group, “Alliance for Diverse Abilities” (RADA) will attend the NortheastArc 5K for Inclusion and Family Fun Fest

TD Bank*:

• Continuing their “Project Search” initiative, which achieves meaningful employment for youth with intellectual and developmental Disabilities. The program facilitates total workplace immersion with a seamless combination of classroom instruction, career exploration, and hands-on training through worksite rotations.

Thermo Fischer*:

• Hosting an event on World Mental Health Day (October 10th) with Facebook*, AIG, and Leslie Wilson, Inclusion Works VP from Disability:IN. Video recording will be publicly available after the event.

Ultimate Software*:

• Hosting a Disability Inclusion at Work eLearning for employees to Learn more about disability inclusion and have the chance to win a prize
• Published a ‘People First Podcast’ episode featuring a conversation about Disability, Accessibility, Diversity and Belonging; featuring Greg Tronzo, Senior Facilitator of Talent Development, Angela Kuwaye, Senior Manager of User Research, Cara Pelletier, Director of Diversity, Equality and Belonging, and Derek Shields, Inclusion Works Consultant from Disability:IN
• Hosting a webcast with Eva Mendes, Licensed Mental Health Counselor, National Certified Counselor; she will talk about her book, Gender Identity, Sexuality and Autism, which explores the experiences of LGBTQ+ people who are also on the Autism Spectrum

Voya Financial*:

• Sending an all-employee awareness email
• Gathering and sharing employee stories about their connection to the disabilities community
• Publishing a robust external social media plan with posts occurring throughout October
• Sharing videos of Disability:IN NextGen Leaders on our office screens
• Hosting on-site Employee Resource Group educational events happening at our locations
• Conducting two all-employee educational webinars — one on Health Savings Accounts and another one on neurodiversity in the workplace (with Creative Spirit)
• Distributing Self-ID reminder notifications
• Reminding employees around our policies and benefits that reinforce our inclusive culture

Walmart:

• Walmart has integrated an immersive learning experience “Dining in the Dark” to raise awareness of unconscious bias related to disability in their Inclusive Leadership Education curriculum.
• Launching a storytelling campaign “My Disability. My Story” featuring more than 12 associates. Watch the “My Disability. My Story.” sizzle reel at www.vimeo.com/WalmartCDI

*Participating Inclusion Works companies