[Grapist]

The 2008 DiversityInc Top 10 Companies for People With Disabilities
By the Editors of DiversityInc. Date Posted: May 27, 2008

This very important list is calculated differently from most of the other demographic lists because we do not have real demographic data on these companies--many people with disabilities do not self-identify. We ascertain this list by factoring in the questions we ask about people with disabilities, such as whether the company actively recruits them and has employee-resource groups for them. We also examine work/life benefits that help this population, such as telecommuting and flex time. We factor in whether the company has vendors owned by people with disabilities and/or veterans with disabilities. And we separately examine each company's web site for images of people with visible disabilities and content on reaching all people with disabilities as employees, suppliers and customers.

Consider these facts about this top 10 list:

· All of them have specific programs to recruit employees with disabilities, compared with 88 percent of the Top 50
· They all offer the ability to work at home and/or telecommute, as do all of the Top 50
· They all offer job sharing, as do 80 percent of the Top 50
· Eighty percent of them offer alternative career tracks for those with long-term family-care issues, as do 56 percent of the Top 50
· All of them have employee-resource groups for people with disabilities, as do 71 percent of the Top 50

Here are these top 10 with a relevant fact about each of them:

No. 1: IBM, No. 9 on The 2008 DiversityInc Top 50 Companies for Diversity® list. Also one of the Top Global Diversity Companies, No. 2 on the Top 10 Companies for Asian Americans and No. 1 on the Top 10 for LGBT Employees.

With 77 percent of its managers participating in mentoring programs, IBM clearly takes a nurturing role toward its employees, including those with visible and non-visible disabilities. The company has a supplier-diversity component aimed at people with disabilities.

No. 2: Eastman Kodak Co., one of DiversityInc's 25 Noteworthy Companies. Also No. 6 on the Top 10 for LGBT Employees.

A longtime champion of people with disabilities, Kodak has first-rate work/life programs, including a confidential 24/7 Lifeworks & Referral Service. The company also has developed strong supplier-diversity relationships with vendors owned by people with disabilities and veterans with disabilities.

No. 3: PepsiCo, No. 28 on the Top 50. Also one of the Top Global Diversity Companies and No. 4 on the Top 10 for LGBT Employees.

The company has a strong employee group called Different Abilities. Chairman and CEO Indra Nooyi meets often with members of this and other employee groups.

No. 4: Kaiser Permanente, No. 43 on the Top 50. Also No. 8 on the Top 10 for African Americans, No. 1 on the Top 10 for Latinos and No. 5 on the Top 10 for Executive Women.

The company has a supplier-diversity component for vendors owned by veterans with disabilities and a strong employee-resource group for people with disabilities.

No. 5: Health Care Service Corp., No. 34 on the Top 50. Also No. 10 on the Top 10 for Executive Women.

The company directs 75 percent of its philanthropic efforts toward initiatives that address health and human services in the communities it services.

No. 6: Sodexo, No. 12 on the Top 50. Also No. 3 on the Top 10 Companies for Recruitment & Retention and No. 9 on the Top 10 Companies for African Americans.

With a strong employee-resource group, Sodexo Organization of disabilities Resources, Sodexo also has a philanthropic relationship with the National Organization on Disability.

No. 7: Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, No. 19 on the Top 50. Also No. 7 on the Top 10 for Executive Women.

With a valued relationship with the National Disability Council, Starwood also has supplier-diversity efforts with vendors owned by people with disabilities and veterans with disabilities.

No. 8: General Motors, No. 44 on the Top 50. Also No. 7 on the Top 10 for African Americans.

A longtime leader in this area, General Motors has a robust People With Disabilities Affinity Group and comprehensive diversity training.

No. 9: Deloitte, No. 16 on the Top 50. Also No. 7 on the Top 10 for LGBT Employees.

With 75 percent of its managers participating in mentoring programs, Deloitte makes a deep and concerted effort to ensure all employees reach maximum potential. The firm has generous and trendsetting work/life benefits that help people with disabilities, including periodic reduced-workload arrangements.

No. 10: Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corp., No. 31 on the Top 50

The company has a Caregivers Affinity Group as well as a group for People With disAbilities and Chronic Health Issues.



There are a few places to look into.