Northwestern Medicine Is a Best Place to Work for Disability Inclusion

For the third consecutive year, Northwestern Medicine has earned a top score of 90 out of 100 in the Disability Equality Index® (DEI) and was named one of the best places to work for disability inclusion for 2023.

“Recognitions like this are a testament to the work that our teams put in every day to make the workplace more inclusive,” explains Diane Wayne, MD, vice president, Administration, Northwestern Memorial HealthCare, and chief medical officer, Northwestern Memorial Hospital. “This is such an honor, and we look forward to continuing our commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion.”

According to Disability:IN, one of the organizations behind the DEI, the index serves as an evaluation tool to help organizations “build a roadmap of measurable, tangible actions that they can take to achieve disability inclusion and equality.” The DEI considers several criteria for scoring, including:

• A sustained, visible cultural commitment to disability inclusion and demonstration of visible leadership commitment to disability inclusion
• Commitment to workplace accessibility
• Commitment to benefits, recruitment practices, employment practices, and accommodation practices that fully incorporate and include individuals with disabilities
• Demonstration of public-facing engagement practices that celebrate and support individuals with disabilities
• Demonstration of supplier diversity practices that fully include and utilize disability-owned businesses

Erin Kinahan, vice president, Office of General Counsel, Northwestern Memorial HealthCare, and co-executive sponsor of the NM Champion Network Disability Chapter, says teams at Northwestern Medicine are looking forward to continuing this important work.

“It’s important that we celebrate these efforts and continue to keep inclusion at the center of everything we do at Northwestern Medicine,” she explains. “To offer the best care to our patients, we have to take care of our teams, too.”