ST. PAUL, Minn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--When you have a disability, bringing your full self to work can take an extra dose of courage – but not if your employer puts the support in place to help you thrive.
Take Darcie Rossborough, a 3M lean agile continuous delivery manager who also happens to have a hearing disability. “I’m comfortable sharing that part of me at work, and I think that’s due to the culture of 3M,” Rossborough says. “I don’t feel like I have to hide it or that disclosing it will limit my career.”
3M supports employees with disabilities and their families in a number of ways. Along with physical accommodations, 3M’s workforce has access to an employee resource group called the disAbility Awareness Network, flexible work arrangements and an employee assistance program that offers individualized consultation on everything from maximizing effectiveness at work to navigating family and relationship issues. The company also actively partners with other organizations, such as the US Business Leadership Network® (USBLN®) and National Industries for the Blind (NIB), to support training and employment of people with disabilities.
Rossborough, who is a member of 3M’s disAbility Awareness Network, and several other colleagues are already working toward the future by creating an employee group focused on autism and mental health – the “invisible” disabilities.
“Because of the stigma, people don’t tend to share their personal or family’s experiences,” explains Rossborough, whose son is on the autism spectrum. “We have 3Mers with a wealth of experience in these areas, and we need to tap into one another, as well as others for support."
For its outstanding support of employees with disabilities, 3M received a 100 percent score on the 2017 Disability Equality Index®, making it one of the “2017 DEI Best Places to Work”. The Disability Equality Index is a joint initiative between the USBLN and the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) that enables businesses to objectively evaluate their disability inclusion practices and policies. During the three years the index has been in place, 3M has progressively increased its score.
Participating in the Disability Equality Index is one of the ways 3M monitors its inclusion practices in support of its goal to double the pipeline of diverse talent in management by 2025. The company also scored 100 percent on the 2017 Corporate Equality Index, making it one of the Best Places to Work for LGBT Equality, and received the 2017 Catalyst Award for accelerating women’s leadership.
"Having a diverse workforce with people of different abilities, backgrounds and experiences isn't enough, we have to appreciate and learn from those differences," says 3M Senior Vice President of Human Resources Marlene McGrath. “We’re proud of the progress we’ve made, but we know we have to do more. We are committed to ensuring that all our people have the respect, tools and resources they need to reach their full potential.”
A full list of companies that received a top score on the 2017 Disability Equality Index® can be found on the DEI website.
About 3M
At 3M, we apply science in collaborative ways to improve lives daily. With $30 billion in sales, our 90,000 employees connect with customers all around the world. Learn more about 3M’s creative solutions to the world’s problems at www.3M.com or on Twitter @3M or @3MNews.
About the Disability Equality Index® (DEI®)
The DEI® is a joint initiative of the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) and the US Business Leadership Network® (USBLN®). Developed by the DEI® Advisory Committee, a diverse group of business leaders, policy experts, and disability advocates, the DEI® is a national, transparent benchmarking tool that offers businesses an opportunity to receive a score on a scale of zero (0) to 100, on their disability inclusion policies and practices.
