ST. LOUIS, July 15, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- One group that can
get overlooked in the diversity, equity and inclusion conversation
are those with disabilities – but not at Ameren Corporation (NYSE:
AEE). Once again, the company has received a perfect 100% on the
Disability Equality Index (DEI), recognizing its programs and
policies that promote inclusiveness for Ameren employees, customers
and suppliers with disabilities. This is the seventh year in a row
that Ameren has received the top score.
The Disability Equality Index is the world's most comprehensive
benchmarking tool for Fortune 1000 companies to measure disability
workplace inclusion against competitors. It measures how the
company promotes inclusivity for those with disabilities with
regard to culture and leadership, benefits, recruitment, training,
retention and advancement, accommodations, community engagement and
supplier diversity.
"We are proud to once again be recognized as a Best Place to
Work for Disability Equality," said Sharon Harvey Davis, vice president of
diversity, equity and inclusion and chief diversity officer at
Ameren. "We believe a culture that values diversity and fosters
equity and inclusion is critical to our ability to fulfill our
mission – to power the quality of life for our customers and in our
communities, not only through the energy we provide but also
through volunteerism, philanthropy, energy assistance and
sponsorships."
Ameren has programs in place to create an inclusive and
successful work environment for employees with disabilities,
including:
- An employee resource group, Powering Connections for All
Abilities (PCAA), to support fellow employees with disabilities and
help advise the company on accommodations.
- Partnership with Starkloff Disability Institute to provide
disability-led educational programming and advise on inclusivity at
Ameren.
"It's important that we, as a company, support our co-workers
with disabilities, as their lived experiences and talents bring
great strengths to our work," said Amir
Lilienthal, president of PCAA at Ameren. "Approximately
30% of adults in Missouri and
23% in Illinois have a
disability. When our team reflects the diversity in our
communities, we're better able to understand and meet the needs of
our customers."
Ameren supports customers with disabilities through a number of
volunteer efforts, such as building wheelchair ramps at the homes
of injured veterans, as well as hosting a cohort of high school
students with disabilities to teach them about careers in the
energy industry and how to prepare to attain them.
For many years, Ameren has supported the critical work by
Variety to assist children with disabilities and their families by
providing Variety Kids with 107 power wheelchairs. These
specialized 'Ameren Power Chairs' allow kids and their families to
build confidence and better engage with the world around them. In
addition, Ameren's PCAA partners with Paraquad to build ramps for
abled individuals. The company also helped contribute funds towards
these builds and ramps for Paraquad's health and wellness
center. Finally, the company also spends approximately 25% of
total spending with diverse suppliers, including those with
disabilities.
In 2021, 319 corporations completed the Disability Equality
Index. Each company received a score, on a scale of zero to 100,
with those earning 80% and above recognized as a "Best Place to
Work for Disability Inclusion."
"The Disability Equality Index shines a spotlight on companies
that believe they have a stake in creating a more equitable society
for people with disabilities," said Maria Town, president and CEO of American
Association of People with Disabilities. "It is a conduit for our
work championing disability rights for the 60 million Americans
with disabilities and knocking down barriers to employment,
technology and health care, and we're thrilled to see the progress
being made today."
The DEI is a joint initiative of the 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 tool was developed by
the DEI Advisory Committee, a diverse group of business leaders,
policy experts, and disability advocates.
About Ameren Corporation
St.
Louis-based Ameren Corporation powers the quality of life
for 2.4 million electric customers and more than 900,000 natural
gas customers in a 64,000-square-mile area through its Ameren
Missouri and Ameren Illinois rate-regulated utility subsidiaries.
Ameren Illinois provides electric transmission and distribution
service and natural gas distribution service. Ameren Missouri
provides electric generation, transmission and distribution
services, as well as natural gas distribution service. Ameren
Transmission Company of Illinois
operates a rate-regulated electric transmission business in the
Midcontinent Independent System Operator, Inc. For more
information, visit Ameren.com, or follow us on Twitter at
@AmerenCorp, Facebook.com/AmerenCorp, or
LinkedIn.com/company/Ameren.
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SOURCE Ameren Corporation