Elevating the Conversation Around DEI in the Workplace

SLIDE DECK not available - Bios and/or contact information for each presenter is linked by clicking their names.

Time: 8:00 - 9:00am 

Type: Breakout Session

Room: Peaks 11-12

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When it comes to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) we most often think about being mindful of not discriminating against someone based on race, gender, and sexual orientation. It is a topic that we hear talked about frequently on the national news, in our conference rooms, and at our board meetings. It is an important topic and signals an important shift in our culture and is well overdue. But we’re missing something.
What’s missing is that we don’t think of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) when we think of DEI. This lack of inclusivity is especially true in the workplace.

Currently, there are over 6 million people in the U.S. with IDD (200 million globally). There is also an 80% unemployment rate among this population. That number is unacceptable; especially when you consider that this country is facing a very significant hiring crisis. With 11 million jobs open nationally that are proving difficult to fill, why can’t some of them be filled by someone with IDD?

The fact is that hiring people with IDD is smart business. Data from Accenture found that businesses employing people with IDD have seen 28% higher revenue and are growing sales 2.9X faster and profits 4.1X faster than their peers.

As the president and CEO of one of Colorado’s largest nonprofits and service organizations, and as the father of a young man with Down syndrome, I have seen firsthand how powerful inclusivity is. Arc Thrift Stores’ mission is to enhance the lives of individuals with IDD and their families by providing funding to support the ARC, ACL, and other relief organizations in Colorado and nationally. When I first came to arc in 2005, we had only 500 employees and 17 stores. Today we have 1,700 employees and 35 stores. When I started, we had 10 employees with IDD (our Ambassadors); today we have over 400. Today we are a $125 million social enterprise and one of the state’s largest employers of people with IDD. I owe this success in large part to our employees with IDD. They are the heart of the organization. They work in every part of the organization, from the store level to corporate.