Land O’Lakes achieved the maximum score possible on the 2023 Disability Equality Index.
The index scores participating companies from 0 to 100 on five wide-ranging categories to help highlight best business practices and set both short- and long-term inclusion benchmarks. Participating companies receive a score for each category, which include Culture & Leadership, Employee Practices, Enterprise-Wide Access, Community Engagement and Supplier.
If a company receives a score of 80 or higher, it earns a “Best Places to Work for Disability Inclusion” distinction. Land O’Lakes received a perfect score in each category, earning that distinction for 2023.
The DEI team at Land O’Lakes has been emphasizing courageous inclusion this year. During this year’s DEI Summit, Disability Awareness ERG Executive Co-Sponsor Glenda Gehl shared a story of how one act of courageous inclusion changed her whole family’s life, and she encouraged those in the audience to use the opportunities they have in their day-to-day lives to help include others.
“Think about what act of courageous inclusion you can do here at Land O’Lakes,” Glenda says. “Think about the impact you can have. As we go through this conversation, think about (how) one act of courageous inclusion can change a lot of people’s lives in a very positive way."
Since its inception, the Disability Awareness ERG has strived to increase disability awareness and inclusion of individuals with disabilities across the Land O’Lakes enterprise.
“This is a significant accomplishment,” says Disability Awareness ERG Executive Co-Sponsor Marc Carlson. “Land O’Lakes is committed to providing equal opportunities to all employees and applicants, and this designation bolsters that commitment.”
Developed by the American Association of People with Disabilities and disability advocacy nonprofit Disability:IN in 2015, the index scored nearly 500 U.S. companies in 2023.