SHRM Foundation, Entertainment Industry Foundation Launch Partnership Promoting Inclusion in the Workplace

 Alexandria, Va., October 22, 2020 — SHRM (the Society for Human Resource Management) and the SHRM Foundation have partnered with the Entertainment Industry Foundation (EIF) and Delivering Jobs to bring awareness to the contributions people with autism, intellectual, and/or developmental differences (IDD) can bring to the workplace through employment and leadership opportunities. The founding partners of Delivering Jobs include Autism Speaks, Best Buddies, and Special Olympics.

According to SHRM research, nearly all HR professionals (97%) and people managers (92%) say that employees with disabilities regularly perform the same or better than their peers without disabilities. Yet individuals with disabilities are a high-performing labor force who are facing employment challenges.

The partnership empowers HR professionals to hire inclusively while underscoring the unique talent, experience, and perspective individuals with disabilities bring to the workplace. Delivering Jobs aims to create pathways to 1 million employment opportunities by 2025.

"Our mission at the SHRM Foundation is to help HR create a better world by tapping into the potential of people who get left out or overlooked for no good reason," said Wendi Safstrom, Executive Director of the SHRM Foundation. "Research shows individuals who are differently abled bring tremendous perspective, talent and value as they help create a more inclusive workplace. In other words, inclusive hiring isn't just a nice thing to do. It's a good thing for society, our communities, families—and the business, too."

"It's easy to take employment opportunities for granted, but for people with special abilities it is more than a job – it's a recognition of their talent, a chance to gain financial independence and a pathway to social inclusion. Plus, it improves the bottom line for businesses small and large every day," said Anthony K. Shriver, Founder & CEO of Best Buddies International. "The confidence and accountability that comes with employment is a key component of independence, and through this campaign, we are committed to creating as many opportunities for leadership and employment as possible for people with IDD."

According to recent SHRM research, just 13 percent of U.S. workplaces have disability-specific inclusion initiatives, and more than half of people managers have not participated in any disability inclusion training at all. As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to change the way workplaces access and recruit talent, the SHRM and Delivering Jobs partnership builds awareness around the value individuals with disabilities bring to the workplace now and into the future.

To learn more, please visit deliveringjobs.org.

Media: Contact Julie Hirschhorn at Julie.Hirschhorn@shrm.org and 703-842-5152.

About The SHRM Foundation

Founded in 1966 as the philanthropic arm of SHRM, the SHRM Foundation inspires and empowers HR professionals to unlock human potential and lead social change in the workplace and beyond.  Its purpose is to elevate and empower HR and the generosity of donors to lead positive social change impacting work, workers and the workplace because our vision is to be a world of work that works for all.  The SHRM Foundation's robust and relevant programming, resources and meaningful partnerships, along with evidence-based research, educate and train HR professionals to hire diverse talent, build inclusive workplaces and help employees find purpose at work and beyond.

About Delivering Jobs

Delivering Jobs is an inclusion campaign dedicated to creating pathways to one million employment and leadership opportunities for people with autism, intellectual and/or developmental differences by 2025. A coalition made up of the Entertainment Industry Foundation, Autism Speaks, Best Buddies, and Special Olympics, the Delivering Jobs campaign is building a foundation of sustainability for inclusive workplaces through consumer awareness and community activation, skills development and job preparedness, and workforce commitment and readiness.

To learn more visit deliveringjobs.org and follow @deliveringjobs on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.