Firm Management
Grant Thornton named to 2022 “Best Places to Work for Disability Inclusion” List
A joint initiative of Disability:IN and the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD), the DEI is widely acknowledged as the most robust disability inclusion assessment tool in business.
Jul. 26, 2022
Grant Thornton LLP, one of America’s largest audit, tax and advisory firms, has earned a top score of 100% on the 2022 Disability Equality Index (DEI). A joint initiative of Disability:IN and the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD), the DEI is widely acknowledged as the most robust disability inclusion assessment tool in business.
Top-scoring businesses on the index — those scoring 80% or higher — were also recognized as “Best Places to Work for Disability Inclusion.” This marks the fourth consecutive year Grant Thornton has been named a best place to work for disability inclusion, and it’s the third year in a row the firm has earned the highest score possible.
“This tremendous honor is a testament to the way our colleagues embrace one another for exactly who we are,” said Rashada Whitehead, national managing director of Culture, Immersion & Inclusion at Grant Thornton. “Our firm will always give our professionals with visible and invisible disabilities the space, care and opportunity to bring their whole selves to work. We are grateful to Disability:IN and the AAPD for the vital work they do to foster inclusion.”
Other leaders at the firm joined Whitehead in lauding Disability:IN and the AAPD’s efforts while committing to true equity. Ken Cunningham is Grant Thornton’s chief legal officer and a sponsor of the firm’s disability-focused business resource group, Diverse Abilities & Allies.
“At Grant Thornton, we continually look for new ways to support our colleagues and cultivate a community that is responsive and dedicated to their professional and personal well-being,” Cunningham said. “The inclusion journey is never truly finished. We look forward to continuing this vital work with Disability:IN and the AAPD.”
In addition to helping guide the firm to its top score on the Index, Grant Thornton CEO Brad Preber also signed the Disability:IN CEO Letter on Disability Inclusion. The letter’s goal is to advance equality and inclusion policies in corporate America.
“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, but many are also adopting emerging trends and pioneering measures that can move the disability agenda from accommodation to inclusion and, ultimately, genuine belonging.”
The 2022 DEI measured a range of criteria, including culture and leadership; enterprise-wide access; community engagement; supplier diversity; and employment practices such as benefits, recruitment, education, retention, advancement and accommodations.
Maria Town, president and CEO of AAPD, said, “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. 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.”