Guardian Recognized as Best Places to Work for Disability Inclusion
NEW YORK, N.Y., July 16, 2024 - The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America® earned a top score on the Disability Equality Index® for 2024 and was recognized as a Best Places to Work for Disability Inclusion by Disability:IN and the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) for the second year in a row.
The Disability Equality Index® is the world’s most comprehensive benchmarking tool for Fortune 1000 scope companies to measure disability workplace inclusion inside their organization and to assess performance across industry sectors. Each company receives a score, on a scale of zero (0) to 100, with those earning 80 and above recognized as “Best Places to Work for Disability Inclusion.” The 2024 index measured culture & leadership; enterprise-wide access; employment practices (benefits, recruitment, employment, education, retention & advancement, accommodations); community engagement; supplier diversity, and responsible procurement.
“We are proud of Guardian for being recognized as a Best Place to Work for Disability Inclusion for the second year in a row. As a leading disability insurer, ensuring that colleagues living with disabilities can grow and thrive and that our products are accessible is paramount. Participation in the Disability Equality Index is a critical component of validating where we are doing well as an organization, while highlighting additional opportunities to practice inclusion with our colleagues, communities and customers.” according to Laura Haines Executive co-sponsor of Guardian’s Equally Enabled employee resource group (ERG).
The “Best Places to Work for Disability Inclusion” recognition is the fruit of Guardian’s approach to equity and inclusion which is directly connected to our strategic priorities and integrated into existing practices, processes and procedures. As a leading disability insurer, Guardian has taken steps to create an environment where colleagues, consumers and partners living with disabilities can thrive. In the past few years, the company has built a growing membership in, and awareness of, its Equally Enabled Employee Resource Group (ERG), strengthened its digital accessibility standards by requiring digital accessibility training for all content creator staff and sourcing professionals, increased its digital accessibility of its external products, and continues to partner with University of Michigan Adaptive Sports and Fitness (ASF) program on their Adaptive Student Athlete Program (ASAP).
This recognition adds to the growing list of recent accolades that Guardian has received for being an employer of choice, including:
2024, 2023, 2022, 2021 Forbes Best Large Employers
2024, 2023 Forbes Best Employers for Diversity
Seven consecutive years - Human Rights Campaign – Best Place to Work for LGBTQ+ Equality – perfect score 2023-2024
2023, 2022, 2021 Best Place to Work in India
2023 Disability Matters North America Marketplace Award
To learn more about careers at Guardian, please visit Careers at Guardian.
About Guardian
Guardian makes a difference in the lives of people when they need us most. With over 160 years of stability and fiscal integrity, we are a trusted resource to generations of families and business owners, inspiring well-being and helping build financial confidence. Today, we stand behind millions of consumers, helping them prepare and plan for a bright future for themselves and their families. We help business owners care for their employees. And we help people recover and thrive in times of unexpected loss. As a modern mutual insurance company, we believe in driving value beyond dividends. We invest in our colleagues, are building an inclusive and innovative culture, and are helping to uplift communities through thoughtful corporate impact programs. Guardian, which is based in New York City, is a leading provider of life, disability, dental, and other benefits, and has received accolades for its culture and service. Our colleagues and financial professionals serve with care and experience, and our commitments rest on a strong financial foundation, which included a 2024 dividend allocation of $1.398 billion – the largest in the company's history. For more information, visit guardianlife.com or follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, and YouTube.
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About the Disability Equality Index®
The Disability Equality Index has become the leading independent, third-party resource for the annual benchmarking of corporate disability inclusion policies and programs, and is now trusted by more than 70% of the United States Fortune 100 and nearly half of the Fortune 500. Such companies must increasingly consider how emerging global reporting directives and stakeholder expectations surrounding social and corporate governance factors impact their operational, cultural, reputational and financial performance.
The Disability Equality Index is an objective, reflective, forward-thinking, and confidential disability rating tool designed to assist business in advancing inclusion practices. It is a comprehensive benchmark that helps companies build a roadmap of measurable, tangible actions across five scored categories: Culture & Leadership, Enterprise-Wide Access, Employment Practices, Community Engagement, and Supplier Diversity. Participating companies receive a score, on a scale of zero (0) to 100, with those scoring 80 or higher earning the distinction of “Best Places to Work for Disability Inclusion” for the benchmark year.
Findings from a two-year Global Disability Equality Index pilot informed the launch of a scored benchmark that opened in 2024 to seven new countries in addition to the United States. These include: Brazil, Canada, Germany, India, Japan, the Philippines, and the United Kingdom. Now in its 10th year, the Disability Equality Index has grown nearly 7x since 2015, expanding from 80 companies in its first year to 542 in 2024. Collectively, the 2024 edition received 753 submissions spanning the eight benchmarked countries.
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: www.aapd.com.
About Disability:IN®
Disability:IN is a global organization driving disability inclusion and equality in business. More than 500 corporations partner with Disability:IN to create long-term business and social impact through the world’s most comprehensive disability inclusion benchmarking and reporting tool, the Disability Equality Index; best-in-class conferences and programs; expert counsel and engagement; and public policy leadership. Join us at disabilityin.org/AreYouIN #AreYouIN.