SAS earns top score on Disability Equality Index

CARY, N.C., July 16, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- For the third consecutive year, SAS has received a top score of 100 in the Disability Equality Index^®. The index is considered 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. SAS earned a Best Place to Work for Disability Inclusion distinction for its disability inclusion initiatives that are featured in the survey, including culture, leadership and employment practices.

The Disability Equality Index, a joint initiative of Disability:IN and The American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD), is acknowledged as the most robust disability inclusion assessment tool in business. This year's survey included questions about:

• Culture and leadership.
• Enterprise-wide access.
• Employment practices (including benefits, recruitment, employment, education, retention and advancement and accommodations).
• Community engagement.
• Supplier diversity.
• Responsible procurement.

"SAS is committed to providing all employees an equitable work environment that allows them to achieve their full potential, which in turn helps our company become stronger and more innovative," said Danielle Pavliv, SAS Chief Diversity Officer. "We believe that there is always more work to be done to enhance inclusivity and accessibility. Over the last few years, we have been even more intentional in our global disability inclusion and digital accessibility efforts, which resulted in an increase in disability self-identification in the US by over 250% since 2021."

SAS believes that all employees have a responsibility to create environments that enable everyone to do their jobs without barriers. Through strengthening cross-functional partnerships, SAS has worked diligently to enhance its focus on accessibility and disability inclusion.

In 2024, 542 corporations, including 71 Fortune 100 and 220 Fortune 500 companies, utilized the Disability Equality Index to benchmark their disability inclusion efforts.

"On the 10th anniversary of the Disability Equality Index, we're extremely proud of the 542 national and international companies that are taking a proactive role in leading progress towards disability inclusion, setting a benchmark for others to follow," Jill Houghton, President and CEO of Disability:IN. "Their dedication to fostering inclusive workplaces not only attracts top talent but also drives innovation and creates sustainable performance in today's global market. Together, we are creating a future where everyone can contribute and thrive."

SAS CEO Jim Goodnight also signed the Disability:IN CEO Letter on Disability Inclusion, highlighting a commitment to ensure people with disabilities are represented at all levels of a company and encouraging other CEOs to join the pledge.

SAS continues to be recognized as a top place to work for job starters, parents and women. The data and AI leader has also been awarded for its innovative technology. Recently, SAS was recognized in Fast Company's World Changing Ideas Awards for an AI project that protects endangered sea turtles. SAS is also a top scorer on the Human Rights Campaign Foundation's Corporate Equality Index.

Learn more about SAS' commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion.

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 SAS
SAS is a global leader in data and AI. With SAS software and industry-specific solutions, organizations transform data into trusted decisions. SAS gives you THE POWER TO KNOW^®.

SAS and all other SAS Institute Inc. product or service names are registered trademarks or trademarks of SAS Institute Inc. in the USA and other countries. ® indicates USA registration. Other brand and product names are trademarks of their respective companies. Copyright © 2024 SAS Institute Inc. All rights reserved.

Editorial Contact:
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