Top-scorers demonstrated commitment to disability inclusion and equality
RTI International, a nonprofit research institute and parent company of RTI Health Solutions, has been named a Best Place to Work for Disability Inclusion by scoring 100 in the Disability Equality Index® (DEI), the world’s most comprehensive benchmarking tool to measure disability workplace inclusion against competitors. To earn a top score, RTI demonstrated commitment to disability inclusion and equality, as well as broader social issues.
“We’re proud to have earned a top score on the Disability Equality Index and be a 2022 Best Place to Work for Disability Inclusion,” said Bucky Fairfax, executive vice president and chief human resources officer at RTI. “This recognition is a validation of our organizational commitment to have a diverse workforce and for all RTI employees to experience a sense of belonging.”
The 2022 DEI measured: Culture & Leadership; Enterprise-Wide Access; Employment Practices (Benefits, Recruitment, Employment, Education, Retention & Advancement, Accommodations); Community Engagement; Supplier Diversity; Non-U.S. Operations.
Of the 415 participants, RTI was one of 240 companies to receive a score of 100.
“Disability inclusion is a rapidly expanding aspect of corporate culture, and it’s gratifying to partner with 415 companies on the 2022 Disability Equality Index,” said Jill Houghton, president and CEO of Disability:IN. “These top-scoring companies not only excel in disability inclusion, many are also adopting emerging trends and pioneering measures that can move the disability agenda from accommodation to inclusion and ultimately, genuine belonging."
The DEI was launched in 2015 by Disability:IN and The American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) and is acknowledged today as the most robust disability inclusion assessment tool in business. In 2022, 69 Fortune 100 companies and 188 Fortune 500 companies used the DEI to benchmark their disability inclusion efforts.
"There is no single best way to practice disability inclusion, however, the companies taking the DEI share the desire to create a workplace that fosters the concept of bringing your whole self to the office," said Maria Town, president and CEO of AAPD. "We look forward to working with all of the participants to help identify meaningful ways to build upon their current practices as we continue on the disability inclusion journey together."