BD was recognized today as one of the Best Places to Work for Disability Inclusion by the American Association of People with Disabilities (AADP) and Disability:IN via its 2019 Disability Equality Index® (DEI). The DEI serves as a benchmarking tool for businesses to report their disability inclusion policies and practices, and measure culture and leadership, enterprise-wide access, employment practices, community engagement, and supplier diversity.

In its first year of consideration, BD proudly earned a 90% score, further exhibiting our commitment to the creation of an inclusive environment for all associates. Over the last few years, BD has increasingly focused on providing tools, resources, and a welcoming workplace for associates with disabilities. In 2018, BD launched an Associate Resource Group, Limitless, to help raise awareness of individuals’ unique abilities and create a supportive environment that enables associates who are impacted by disabilities (either individually or at home) to reach their full potential while contributing to innovation and moving our business forward.

BD partners with New Jersey-based nonprofit Quest Autism Foundation to offer vocational opportunities for young people with Autism at our Franklin Lakes, NJ corporate headquarters; as well as INTEGRATE, an autism employment advisory agency to provide opportunities for people with autism at our San Antonio, TX facility.

In Baltimore, the company is working with local and national nonprofit organizations to sponsor regional events and host employee workshops on neurodiversity (recognizing and respecting neurological differences such as dyslexia, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, dyscalculia, autism spectrum, Tourette syndrome, etc.). These educational programs focus on ways companies can attract a more inclusive talent pool, embrace neurodiversity, and increase equity within their organizations.

Additionally, through Limitless, BD has partnered with Special Olympics New Jersey (SONJ) to sponsor games and events throughout the state and is collaborating with a leading technology company to pilot assistive technology tools that help employees with various sensory issues such as vision and hearing impairments and reading challenges.

Alice Ryan is a business integrator on the Customer Care team at BD and co-leader of Limitless with Andrew Stellon, who serves as the associate director of Supply Chain Compliance on the North America Supply Chain team.