On July 26, 1990, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was officially signed into law. Its purpose is to ensure that people with disabilities have the same rights and opportunities as everyone else. The civil rights law prohibits discrimination, ensures accessibility to all places open to the general public, and promotes equal employment opportunities for people with disabilities.
In July 2020, our Company celebrated the 30th anniversary of the passage of this important legislation by officially reaffirming our commitment to the values of the ADA and its promise to make the playing field equal for all persons in the United States. And today, on ADA Awareness Day, we are pleased to continue supporting disability inclusion both within our Company and in our communities.
Five years ago, our Company launched an employee-directed business resource group (BRG), the DIVERSE•abilities Network, focused on supporting our employees with disabilities, employees who are caregivers for family members with disabilities, and those who care for elder loved ones. Membership has grown steadily year-over-year, with the DIVERSE•abilities Network now nearly 500 members strong.
The BRG has improved overall awareness of the depth and breadth of the disability spectrum, launched support groups for members to share their personal experiences and resources, and introduced American Sign Language (ASL) as it’s official language. BRG members have also engaged in mentoring neurodiverse students, resulting in summer internships for two years in a row; influenced product decisions, such as the introduction of the Calm Cabin package for Chrysler; and promoted mental health awareness and helpful resources for employees and caregivers.
In 2023, the DIVERSE•abilities Network expanded globally to welcome employees from all regions where Stellantis does business.
As the Executive Sponsors for DIVERSE•abilities, we are proud of the impact the BRG has had within our Company and the progress they have made to expand disability awareness and inclusion. We are excited to see what the next five years bring as DIVERSE•abilities continues to help strengthen our Company while celebrating our collective accomplishments.
In fact, we are so proud that Stellantis has earned a top score on the annual Disability Equality Index® (DEI) for the past four consecutive years.Launched in 2015, the DEI is administered by Disability:IN and the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) and is considered the most robust disability inclusion assessment tool in business.
Our company deeply values the feedback and recommendations we receive from our participation in this survey, and we incorporate these recommendations into our long-term D&I strategies.
So, on ADA Awareness Day, we invite you to celebrate with us and commit to working to create a more diverse, accessible, and inclusive world with unlimited opportunities for everyone.
Mark Champine
Senior Vice-President, Head of Engineering Technical Centers – North America
DIVERSE•abilities Network Executive Co-Sponsor
Phil Langley
Senior Vice-President, Head of Network Development – North America
DIVERSE•abilities Network Executive Co-Sponsor
