WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – Underscoring its commitment to ensuring all team members belong, Novant Health has been recognized for the fifth consecutive year as one of the “Best Places to Work for Disability Inclusion” by Disability:IN and the American Association of People with Disabilities. Novant Health achieved a score of 100 on the Disability Equality Index®, the world’s most comprehensive benchmarking tool for gauging an organization’s level of disability workplace inclusion relative to other businesses.
“Our Cause to create a healthier future and bring remarkable experiences to life includes advancing belonging for people with disabilities,” said Seb Girard, Novant Health senior vice president and chief people & belonging officer. “We are steadfast in our commitment to make every team member feel valued and respected and we are honored to receive this recognition for the fifth consecutive year.”
The Disability Equality Index rated participating organizations on criteria that included culture, leadership and the quality of their employment practices, such as benefits, recruitment and retention efforts and employee accommodations. Globally, there are more than 1 billion people with disabilities.
Examples Novant Health’s efforts to create an inclusive environment for patients and team members with disabilities, caregivers of individuals with disabilities and the broader disability community include:
- Providing the Persons with Disabilities business resource group to help understand the needs of people with disabilities in Novant Health’s workforce, patient population and the communities it serves.
- Establishing a Disability Community Voice Council comprised of patients and community leaders who provide regular input and feedback on various health equity topics.
- Leading a disability experience journey mapping study and the adoption of system standards for disability inclusion and equity in facility design and construction.
- Launching disability education for team members.
- Following the national best practice to invite employees to self-identify as caregivers and as individuals with disabilities to help Novant Health better understand the needs of its workforce.
- Becoming the first large health care system in North Carolina to join Recovery Friendly NC and designating Novant Health as a “Recovery Friendly” environment to create positive change and eliminate barriers for those impacted by substance use.
- Hosting “A RemarkABLE World” disability inclusion exercise across the Novant Health footprint that exposes individuals to a world filled with communication barriers that are experienced by people who are deaf, deaf-blind and hard of hearing.
- Creating an Accessibility Toolkit with details on how to improve Novant Health’s online education to make it accessible for all team members and provide an equal opportunity of learning
About the Disability Equality Index®
The Disability Equality Index (DEI) is a comprehensive benchmarking tool that helps companies build a roadmap of measurable, tangible actions that they can take to achieve disability inclusion and equality. Each company receives a score, on a scale of zero (0) to 100, with those earning 80 and above recognized as a “Best Place to Work for Disability Inclusion.”
The DEI is a joint initiative of the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD), the nation’s largest disability rights organization, and Disability:IN, the global business disability inclusion network, to collectively advance the inclusion of people with disabilities. The organizations are complementary and bring unique strengths that make the project relevant and credible to corporations and the disability community. The tool was developed by the DEI Advisory Committee, a diverse group of business leaders, policy experts, and disability advocates. Learn more at: DisabilityEqualityIndex.org.
About the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD)
AAPD is a convener, connector, and catalyst for change, increasing the political and economic power for people with disabilities. As a national cross-disability rights organization AAPD advocates for full civil rights for the 60+ million Americans with disabilities. Learn more at: AAPD.com.
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