People with Disabilities

The nonprofit social enterprise was recognized for its exemplary inclusive hiring and employment practices

Roseville, Calif. – At the recent Annual Forum held by the National Organization on Disability (NOD), PRIDE Industries was honored as a 2021 NOD Leading Disability Employer. The award was given in recognition of PRIDE Industries’ decades-long commitment to creating employment for people with disabilities, and its success in promoting its inclusive workforce model in multiple industries.

 

“As the nation’s leading employer of people with disabilities, we are honored to be recognized by the National Organization on Disability,” said Jeff Dern, President and CEO of PRIDE Industries. “We have a vision to create a world where people of all abilities have equal access to employment. For more than five decades, PRIDE Industries has proven that inclusion of people with disabilities is essential to a positive workplace culture and access to a larger talent pool, which creates a more productive and engaged workforce.

 

Since 1966, PRIDE Industries has partnered with hundreds of customer organizations and created employment for thousands of people with disabilities. These employees perform essential functions in multiple industries. They build electronic devices and medical equipment, maintain 13,000 buildings every day, and package and ship thousands of retail products. They balance the books in finance departments, troubleshoot in IT, and contribute to all facets of a company’s operations, including leadership.

 

It was PRIDE Industries’ work in advancing workplace inclusion that brought it to the attention of the NOD. PRIDE Industries was recognized publicly, along with several other companies, before an audience of hundreds of diversity and inclusion leaders from global companies at NOD’s two-hour virtual Forum. Academy Award winner Marlee Matlin kicked off the event with an inspiring keynote address, while comedian, actress, and disability advocate Santina Muha served as the emcee.

 

In her announcement of this year’s honorees, NOD President Carol Glazer emphasized the importance of recognizing every person’s talents.

 

“NOD’s mission is to ensure that no ability is wasted, that all Americans, including those of us with disabilities, have an opportunity for enterprise, achievement, and earnings; and that corporate America knows how to put our talents to work,” she said. “These winning organizations have stepped up and are doing just that. We want to applaud their leadership and thank them for their commitment to hiring and retaining people with disabilities.”

About PRIDE Industries

PRIDE Industries delivers business excellence with a positive social impact. A social enterprise, we provide facilities operations and maintenance services, custodial services, contract manufacturing, supply chain management, packaging and fulfillment services, and staffing and recruitment services to private and public organizations nationwide. Founded in 1966, PRIDE Industries’ mission is to create employment for people with disabilities. Through personalized employment services, we help individuals realize their true potential and lead more independent lives. PRIDE Industries proves the value of its inclusive workforce model through operational success across multiple industries every day. Learn more at https://PRIDEIndustries.com.

About National Organization on Disability (NOD)

The National Organization on Disability (NOD) is a private, non-profit organization that seeks to increase employment opportunities for the millions of working age Americans with disabilities who are not employed. To achieve this goal, NOD offers a suite of employment solutions, tailored to meet leading companies’ workforce needs. NOD has helped some of the world’s most recognized brands be more competitive in today’s global economy by building or enriching their disability inclusion programs. For more information about NOD and how its professional services, Leadership Council and Employment Tracker can help your business, visit www.NOD.org.

 

Need employment placement support?

Contact our I AM ABLE Helpline to discuss your options.
Media Contact
Kat Maudru

PRIDE Industries is a social enterprise delivering business excellence to public and private organizations nationwide.

Leah Burdick, Chief Growth Officer with PRIDE Industries, joined Richard Sharp on Fox 40 News. During her interview, Leah shared the company’s story, including the announcement of the I AM ABLE job helpline. This important resource serves people with disabilities as well as military veterans, former foster youth, and trafficking survivors.

 

“Our goal is to create 100,000 jobs for people with disabilities. One in five Americans has a disability, and two-thirds of working-age Americans with disabilities are unemployed. As the nation’s leading employer of people with disabilities, we believe that people of all abilities should have equal access to achieve their employment goals. And that belief shapes everything we are as a company. We are bound by a set of core values and a shared commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.”

 

– Leah Burdick, PRIDE Industries’ Chief Growth Officer

Media Contact
Kat Maudru

PRIDE Industries is a social enterprise delivering business excellence to public and private organizations nationwide.

PRIDE Industries’ Vice President of Inclusive Talent Solutions, Matt Anderson, joins the program to discuss National Disability Employment Awareness Month. Congress declared this month in 1988 to raise awareness of the employment needs and contributions of individuals with all types of disabilities as well as to pay tribute to the accomplishments of individuals with disabilities.

Media Contact
Kat Maudru

PRIDE Industries is a social enterprise delivering business excellence to public and private organizations nationwide.

ROSEVILLE, Calif. — October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month. It’s a time to celebrate the contributions of people with disabilities in the workplace and to shine a light on the barriers they face.

 

PRIDE Industries, the nation’s leading employer for people with disabilities, works to connect people with disabilities to jobs and services they need. Sherryl Kubel told KCRA 3 that being run over by a car 4 years ago forced her to have to re-learn how to do what some consider basic tasks.

 

“It’s like living your life in slow motion. Every task becomes extremely important,” Kubel, who is a PRIDE Industries proposal development assistant, said.

 

Benjamin Dunn has worked at PRIDE Industries as a material handler for 8 years. He was happy to explain what it means to have a job.

 

“To feel that you have a purpose, you have satisfaction in the work that you do and knowing that when you do the job, you get it done right,” Dunn said.

 

Dunn and Kubel are just two of the hundreds of people living with disabilities that are being helped by PRIDE.

 

Chief Growth Officer Leah Burdick said people with disabilities are just as productive as the general workforce.

 

“If you haven’t been given the ability to shine and all of a sudden you have that chance to shine and show your talents people rise to that occasion, you will find that people rise to that occasion. We have great retention; they are very loyal,” Burdick said.

 

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1 in 4 adults in the U.S. has some type of disability.

 

Barriers often prevent people living with disabilities from getting jobs, but PRIDE Industries is changing that.

 

“We provide manufacturing, logistic supply chain, packaging and fulfillment, the gamut of facilities management. Every day we maintain 13,000 buildings across the country,” Burdick said.

 

Casandra Hatfield designed the pilot for the recently launched first-of-its-kind I-AM-ABLE employee helpline.

 

“The different resources that people provide within the community are things like employment preparation, training, job placement, interview skills, resume building, and job coaching,” Hatfield said.

 

Although she didn’t use the helpline to get a job, Kubel explained that regaining independence has changed her life.

 

“This has helped me make my dream come true,” Kubel said.

 

The employment helpline is dedicated to serving people with disabilities as well as military veterans, former foster youth, and trafficking survivors.

 

Call 844-I-AM-ABLE or (844) 426-2253 to learn about the resources available.

This article was featured on KRCA3 on October 6, 2021 by reporter/anchor Brandi Cummings:  

Read full article

Media Contact
Kat Maudru

PRIDE Industries is a social enterprise delivering business excellence to public and private organizations nationwide.

Cody Robinson was joined by Leah Burdick, Chief Growth Officer with PRIDE Industries, in a public affairs programming interview to discuss October as National Disability Employment Awareness Month and the work of PRIDE Industries.

Media Contact
Kat Maudru

PRIDE Industries is a social enterprise delivering business excellence to public and private organizations nationwide.

Companies are Overlooking Reliable Workers

It’s generally accepted that the U.S. is in the midst of a severe labor shortage. And that assertion is borne out by the data—according to the Labor Department, there were more than 10 million unfilled jobs in June. Is there an immediate solution to address our nation’s employment gap? Would shifting old workforce paradigms and broadening accepted views of talent create access for millions of unemployed workers who want to contribute to your workplace? Many companies have discovered a new paradigm and an often-overlooked demographic filled with diverse talent.

Who are these enthusiastic, reliable employees? Individuals with disabilities.

People with disabilities have the ability and desire to work. Every company’s diversity and inclusion talent strategy should include people with disabilities—labor shortage or not. Employees need training and support to be successful. When workforce investments are oriented in an inclusive manner, an individual with a disability can achieve anything. They have the very qualities and skills we often seek as employers — adaptability, perseverance, commitment, desire — because of their lived experiences. Without the opportunity to participate, these valuable traits go unnoticed.

 

There are companies across the country, from Amazon to Walgreens, that have built a competitive advantage through their talent recruitment practices. Their inclusive workforce models offer a seat at the table for individuals with disabilities, and their business results prove the model works. By providing training geared to disability inclusion, together with cost-effective adaptations to business processes, all companies can access the millions of talented workers proven to have higher-than-average retention rates and lower absenteeism.

 

But what about the cost of accommodation? A Job Accommodation Network (JAN) survey found that of 600 businesses surveyed, 56% reported that accommodating employees with disabilities added no costs, while the rest reported an average of $500 to accommodate an employee with disabilities.

So, what did companies get in exchange for $500?

A lot, according to global consulting firm Accenture’s “Getting to Equal 2020: Disability Inclusion” study. It reports that companies led by executives focused on disability engagement are growing sales (2.9x) and profits (4.1x) faster than their peers. And engagement levels of employees with disabilities are 1.5x higher in companies with the most inclusive cultures.

 

As head of the nation’s leading employer of people with disabilities, PRIDE Industries, the results of the Accenture study are unsurprising. People with disabilities are key to our success and are found in essential roles throughout our company. Our facilities professionals maintain 13,000 buildings at corporate campuses and military bases, such as Fort Bliss and Los Angeles Air Force Base. Our custodians serving businesses like VSP Vision post dramatically higher retention rates than the national average. Our manufacturing floors teem with decades-long tenured employees working with longtime customers like HP Inc., and people with disabilities bring innovation and unique perspectives to our vocational development and corporate services roles. Every day, we prove the value of an inclusive workforce across multiple industries.

 

October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM), which is celebrated annually to raise awareness of the many workplace contributions made by individuals with disabilities. NDEAM was established by Congress in 1988 when there were far fewer people with disabilities in the workplace. Since that time, there’s a greater awareness about the talents of people with disabilities and how to support them for success. Today, thousands of people with diverse abilities enrich the workplace and lead independent lives.

 

This October and throughout the year, I challenge all business leaders to normalize workplace inclusion and provide equal employment access for all. It makes business sense, and it is good for the community.

About Jeff Dern

Jeff Dern is the President and CEO of PRIDE Industries, a nonprofit social enterprise offering employment training, placement, and support services for people with disabilities, military veterans, former foster youth, and trafficking survivors. The organization also provides manufacturing, logistics, hospital housekeeping, custodial, and other business services to companies, and recently began offering staffing and consulting services to share its employment model with businesses striving to build more inclusive workforces.

This article is featured in the Sacramento Business Journal titled Another Voice: Companies are overlooking a group of reliable workers.

Media Contact
Kat Maudru

PRIDE Industries is a social enterprise delivering business excellence to public and private organizations nationwide.