Enel North America Recognized As Best Place To Work For Disability Inclusion

BOSTON, July 13, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Enel Group's US-based company, Enel North America today announced it has been recognized in the 2021 Disability Equality Index® (DEI) as a best place to work for disability inclusion. Celebrated by business leaders and disability advocates alike, the Disability Equality Index, a joint initiative of the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) and Disability:IN, advances the best practices that should be expected of all large employers. Of the 319 businesses to qualify in 2021 with scores of 80 or above, Enel is one of only fifteen from the energy industry to be included on this prestigious list.

"Diversity and inclusion are among the parameters by which we measure ourselves at Enel," said Enrico Viale, Head of Enel North America. "Inclusion in the Disability Equality Index list is a recognition of our continued commitment to disability inclusion and equality, as well as broader social issues. Fostering diversity and inclusion provides companies with a key opportunity to innovate, while improving the workplace environment for all."

In 2021, following the global pandemic, the Disability Equality Index was modernized to add recognition of innovative technology to advance digital and remote accessibility; mental wellness benefits; services for employees with hearing loss, and flexible work options. Enel has many important disability initiatives underway, including:

• Installing smart sensors and proximity devices for machinery,
• Assisting colleagues with impaired mobility with work-related travel,
• Redesigning office common areas to improve accessibility for all,
• Incorporating voice recognition and speech synthesis technologies to make communication easier for colleagues of all hearing abilities,
• Increasing availability of audio descriptions for the blind and visually impaired,
• Providing subtitles and sign language interpreting as part of the work environment,
• And designing activities to foster the professional development of all employees.

Enel is committed to enhancing and expanding actions regarding digital accessibility, autonomy, mobility, development and employability of people with disabilities. In 2019, the company joined the "Valuable 500", a global movement calling for the participation of 500 private companies aimed at unlocking the business, social and economic value of people living with disabilities across the world.

Enel also extends disability initiatives beyond its employee base, and directly into its business actions through the company's innovation and sustainability strategy and is committed to enhancing and expanding actions regarding digital accessibility, autonomy, mobility, development and employability of people with disabilities. For example, in January 2020, Enel X, the advanced energy services arm of Enel, introduced JuiceAbility, a charging device for electric wheelchair batteries that uses the same infrastructure available for the company electric vehicle chargers. And in November 2020, through Enel's Value for Disability strategic plan, the company launched a global "Innovability Challenge" seeking tailored approaches to improve the way in which people living with disability can move around public or private buildings, contributing to sustainable development goals (SDGs) to transform the world: SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth, SDG 10: Reduced Inequality, SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities.

"The Disability Equality Index shines a spotlight on companies that believe they have a stake in creating a more equitable society for people with disabilities. It is a conduit for our work championing disability rights for the 60 million Americans with disabilities and knocking down barriers to employment, technology and healthcare, and we're thrilled to see the progress being made today," said Maria Town, President and CEO of AAPD.

About Enel in North America Enel is a multinational power company and a leading integrated player in the global power and renewables markets, as well as a main gas operator in the retail market.It is the largest European utility by ordinary EBITDA, and is present in over 30 countries worldwide, producing energy with around 88 GW of installed capacity. Enel distributes electricity through a network of over 2.2 million kilometers, and with more than 74 million end users is the 1st network operator globally1. The Group brings energy to around 70 million homes and businesses and has the largest global customer base. Enel's renewables arm Enel Green Power is the world's largest renewable private player, with around 49 GW of wind, solar, geothermal, and hydropower plants installed in Europe, the Americas, Africa, Asia, and Oceania1Publicly owned operators not included.

Enel operates in the US and Canada through two companies: Enel Green Power North America and Enel X North America. Enel Green Power North America is a leading owner and operator of renewable energy plants with a presence in 14 US states and one Canadian province. The company operates 58 plants with a managed capacity of over 6.6 GW powered by wind, geothermal and solar energy. Enel X in North America has around 4,500 business customers, spanning more than 35,000 sites, representing approximately $10.5B in energy spend under management, approximately 4.7 GW of demand response capacity and over 70 battery storage projects that are operational and under contract. Enel X is revolutionizing the EV charging market with its smart charging solutions deploying over 70,000 charging stations in the US. www.enel.com   

About the Disability Equality Index®The Disability Equality Index (DEI) is a comprehensive benchmarking tool that helps companies build a roadmap of measurable, tangible actions that they can take to achieve disability inclusion and equality. Each company receives a score, on a scale of zero (0) to 100, with those earning 80 and above recognized as a "Best Place to Work for Disability Inclusion."

The DEI is a joint initiative of the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD), the nation's largest disability rights organization, and Disability:IN, the global business disability inclusion network, to collectively advance the inclusion of people with disabilities. The organizations are complementary and bring unique strengths that make the project relevant and credible to corporations and the disability community. The tool was developed by the DEI Advisory Committee, a diverse group of business leaders, policy experts, and disability advocates. Learn more at: www.DisabilityEqualityIndex.org.

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 50+ 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 270 corporations trust Disability:IN to activate and achieve disability inclusion across their enterprise and in the broader corporate mainstream. Through the world's most comprehensive disability inclusion benchmarking; best-in-class conferences and programs; and expert counsel and engagement, Disability:IN works with leading businesses to create long-term business and societal impact. Join us at disabilityin.org/AreYouIN #AreYouIN.

News Media North America[email protected]enel.com

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