USBLN GFG Lessons Learned for Increased Hiring of Individuals with Disabilities Presenters: Leslie Wilson, M.S., USBLN VP, Workplace Initiatives Deb Dagit, USBLN GFG Disability Inclusion Consultant June 2018

The US Business Leadership Network® (USBLN®) is a national non-profit that helps business drive performance by leveraging disability inclusion in the workplace, supply chain, and marketplace: www.usbln.org The USBLN® serves as the collective voice of nearly 50 Business Leadership Network affiliates across the United States, representing over 5,000 businesses. It is the nation's leading third party certification program for disability-owned businesses, including businesses owned by service-disabled veterans. The USBLN Conference is the premier event for business and provides the best and brightest in disability inclusion with cutting-edge educational sessions, enhanced networking, exciting interactive programming plus high-profile speakers: 2018 USBLN Annual Conference

USBLN GFG Project Funded by: The Poses Family Foundation May & Stanley Smith Charitable Trust Going for the Gold Corporate Match

Team Jill Houghton USBLN CEO Leslie Wilson, M.S. USBLN VP, Workplace Initiatives Deb Dagit GFG Disability Inclusion Consultant Emily Malsch GFG Sourcing & Community Outreach Consultant Beth Butler, J.D. GFG Disability Inclusion Consultant Becky Curran Disability Equality Index (DEI) Program Mgr.

and meeting federal compliance requirements. GFG engages 20 corporations with the similar goal of increasing their inclusion of people with disabilities into their workforces and meeting federal compliance requirements.

What is Going for the Gold? 1st of its kind in the nation Three year program 20 companies Access to USBLN Programs: Disability Supplier Diversity Program, Rising Leadership Academy, Affiliates, USBLN Conference… Best practices Sustained success Assess Plan Source

Return on Investment Expert Consulting on Disability Inclusive Corporate Culture Benchmarking: USBLN Disability Equality Index Increased Self-Identification Increased Sourcing Relationships Sustainable “Gold Standard” Achievement Media and Business Recognition

Lessons Learned

- -Peter Drucker

-- Lori Golden, EY Abilities Strategy Leader Focus on Culture “There are more companies focusing on culture, the leadership and driving inclusion throughout all aspects of the organization rather than simply going out and recruiting,” -- Lori Golden, EY Abilities Strategy Leader

Commitment from the Executive Leadership Team EXAMPLES

Commitment from the Executive Leadership Team “The same is true for diversity programs…companies try to change the managers' attitudes and priorities…But such efforts are effective only if top executives lead them [emphasis added]. Otherwise HR is just a cheerleader for an initiative it can neither enforce nor measure; its leaders will end up pleading with line managers to take on yet another set of tasks, burning up more social capital in the process.“ --Peter Cappelli, Harvard Business Review July-August 2015 Issue

Sustainable Cultural Change

Cross-Functional Teams Example: Cross-Functional Team on Disability Inclusion Empowered Project Manager D&I, Compliance, AA Accommodations Team Digital Accessibility Talent Acquisition Human Resources Communications, Training Labor Relations Disability ERG Reps Passionate Employees

The Use of USBLN & AAPD Benchmarking Tool DEI 5 Domains: Culture & Leadership; Enterprise-Wide Access; Employment Practices; Community Engagement & Support Services; Supplier Diversity

Enterprise-Wide Disability Hiring Goals Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act Goal of 7% Across Job Groups GFG Hiring Goals – Exceeded 8,000 hires of new individuals with disabilities

Employee/Business Resource Groups EXAMPLES

Self-Identification Campaigns vs. Emails EXAMPLE: Multi-Media Campaign Percentage of employees identifying with a disability went from less than one percent to 2.8% and from a 24% response to a 44% response rate over 2 months. Cross-Functional Team for Planning of the Campaign

Disability Strategists “A strategy, even a great one,  doesn’t implement itself.” -- Jeroen De Flander Top 10 Strategy Execution Quotes EXAMPLE: Disability Strategist Position

Training on Disability Inclusion: Recruiters * 07/16/96 Examples *

Accommodations - Applicants/Employees Companies with well- publicized, committed teams, effective accommodations policies and practices - for applicants & employees – and centralized accommodations funds are more likely to be successful in recruiting, hiring and retention. EXAMPLES

Diversity Talent Advisors EXAMPLE

Flexibility and Creativity in Recruiting EXAMPLE

Active Outreach & Recruitment The GFG team is assisting the companies to not just “push out” job descriptions but “pull in” sourcing organizations. Assisting the companies to establish sustainable sourcing pipelines of candidates with disabilities, including DOBEs Virtual Career Invitational EXAMPLES

Community of Practice – The Cohort Model

Summary: The Baker’s Dozen 13 Significant Activities that Have the Greatest Impact on Sustainable Disability Inclusion Visible Executive Leadership Support Cross-Functional Implementation Teams with an Empowered Project Manager The Use of Benchmarking Tools Enterprise-wide Disability Hiring Goals Disability Specific ERGs Self-Identification Campaigns Disability Strategist Position Training on Disability Inclusion Publicized, Effective Accommodations Policy/ Practices for Applicants and Employees Diversity Talent Advisors Active Outreach & Recruitment Flexibility and Creativity in Recruiting Community of Practice

The USBLN GFG Program’s future is bright. GFG’s Future The USBLN GFG Program’s future is bright. Companies are encouraged to join. To learn more, contact: leslie@usbln.org

Your Questions Please Presenters: Leslie Wilson, M.S., USBLN VP, Workplace Initiatives: leslie@usbln.org Deb Dagit, USBLN Disability Inclusion Consultant: debdagit@gmail.com