Deluxe Named a Best Place to Work for Disability Inclusion

Deluxe recently earned a top score on the Disability Equality Index® (DEI) and was named a Best Place to Work for People with Disabilities for the third year in a row. 

The DEI, which was launched in 2015, is considered one of the most robust disability inclusion assessment tools in business. The index was designed to advance the inclusion of people with disabilities and 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.  

The DEI assesses a broad range of an organization’s inclusion efforts, from leadership and culture to employment practices and supplier diversity. Each company that participates in the DEI is rated across these categories and receives a score on a scale of 0 to 100. Organizations earning a score of 80 and above are recognized as “Best Places to Work for Disability Inclusion,” and this year, Deluxe received a score of 100.  

“Disability inclusion is a rapidly expanding aspect of corporate culture, and it’s gratifying to partner with 415 companies on the 2022 Disability Equality Index,” said Jill Houghton, President and CEO of Disability:IN. “These top-scoring companies not only excel in disability inclusion, many are also adopting emerging trends and pioneering measures that can move the disability agenda from accommodation to inclusion and ultimately, genuine belonging." 

Deluxe has made great strides over the last several years to define disability inclusion goals and work toward becoming a more inclusive workplace for all employees.  

“We’re committed to creating a culture where people can bring their authentic selves to work every day,” said Develle Turner, Inclusion, Diversity, and Equity Manager at Deluxe. “Deluxe has made significant strides in all areas of our business—from recruiting to benefits to accommodation practices to community outreach—to advance inclusion and positively impact our team members, customers, and community.”  

Here’s a look at just some of what Deluxe has accomplished over the last few years to create a more inclusive culture for employees with disabilities: 

• A council of senior leaders across Deluxe oversee our overall ID&E strategy to ensure broad representation and participation.  
• Deluxe employees implemented eight Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) to empower our diverse workforce while building educational awareness and inclusivity. One of those ERGs is called AVID, which stands for “awareness for people with visible and invisible disabilities.” 
• We continually work with our wellbeing and benefits teams to offer educational sessions and resources, such as a meditation program for stress reduction for disabled employees, and “lounge sessions” for employees to share their unique stories and challenges with disability. 
• Deluxe has a goal in place to increase our representation of individuals with disabilities, and we’ve purposefully created jobs to support individuals with Autism and special needs. We also recently attended the ABILITY Job Fair, the largest job fair for people with disabilities.  
• In 2021, Deluxe hosted a session with former Olympic athlete and motivational speaker, Lex Gillette, which emphasized achieving goals regardless of a disability, and Paralympic swimmer Jessica Long shared her inspirational journey at our largest customer event, Deluxe Exchange.  
• Our ERGs continue to partner with like-minded organizations, such as Special Olympics, to advance our inclusion efforts.  
• The Deluxe Delaware site works directly with the State and Delaware Division of Vocational Rehabilitation to support the Deaf community with opportunity for a career with Deluxe and our Operations Team. The site also works directly with The Chimes Program of Delaware to provide opportunities for individuals with different needs.  
• We've reviewed our policies, such as travel, safety, HR and ethics, and updated them to incorporate more inclusive language. 

While we know we’ve still got work to do, Deluxe is proud of its effort to be named a Best Place to Work for Disability Inclusion for the third consecutive year.  

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. Want to know more? Take a minute to explore all the tool has to offer.

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.

About Disability:IN® 
Disability:IN is a global organization driving disability inclusion and equality in business. More than 400 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 (DEI); best-in-class conferences and programs; expert counsel and engagement; and public policy leadership. Join us at disabilityin.org/AreYouIN #AreYouIN.