Kohl’s today announced that it has received a top score of 100 from the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) and Disability:IN on the 2022 Disability Equality Index® (DEI). The recognition reflects Kohl’s long-standing commitment to diversity and inclusion and distinguishes the company as a "Best Place to Work for Disability Inclusion."
Globally, people with disabilities represent over one billion people. Disability is a natural part of the human experience, and it crosses lines of age, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, race, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status and religion. The DEI was launched in 2015 by Disability:IN and AAPD and is acknowledged today as the most robust disability inclusion assessment tool in business. The 2022 DEI results are determined based on culture and leadership; enterprise-wide access; employment practices (benefits, recruitment, employment, education, retention and advancement, accommodations); community engagement; supplier diversity as well as non-U.S. operations.
"Kohl’s is proud to earn a top score from the Disability Equality Index, which reflects the ongoing commitment of everyone across the business to create an inclusive workplace for all associates,” said Michelle A. Banks, Kohl’s chief diversity & inclusion officer. “Living a fulfilled life is different for each and every one of us. We believe that understanding and embracing these differences is fundamental in creating an inclusive environment for all. Kohl’s will continue to recognize the value of associates with disabilities and celebrate the unique perspectives they bring to the business. We will also maintain strong inclusion and address opportunities to strengthen belonging by evaluating and improving our policies and practices to drive equity across our business and people processes.”
"There is no single best way to practice disability inclusion, however, the companies taking the DEI share the desire to create a workplace that fosters the concept of bringing your whole self to the office," said Maria Town, President and CEO of AAPD. "We look forward to working with all of the participants to help identify meaningful ways to build upon their current practices as we continue on the disability inclusion journey together."
Kohl’s DiverseAbilities Business Resource Group Supports Associates Across the Business
At Kohl’s, we are dedicated to championing diversity & inclusion (D&I) through our actions and the commitments we have made to create a more equitable and inclusive environment for our people, our customers and our communities. As we continue to make progress against our D&I goals, Kohl’s DiverseAbilities BRG has allowed Kohl’s to bring associates together to promote mental health and support people of all physical abilities, knowing diverse perspectives make us stronger and more understanding.
Committed to Kohl’s pledge of creating an open, inclusive environment for all, earlier this year, the DiverseAbilities BRG launched d-SAN, Kohl’s DiverseAbilities support and advocacy network. The goal of d-SAN is to build relationships across the business and encourage real discussion by hosting once a month sessions that target specific topics for shared support and advocacy. Topics are specific to disabilities and supporting those with disabilities, both visible and invisible. So far the group has tackled Neurodiversity, Anger and Depression. Looking forward, the DiverseAbilities BRG will be discussing topics such as Parents of Children with Anxiety/Depression, ADHD, Caring for Aging Parents and Autoimmune Disorders.
“Expertise in these abilities can come from all angles and experiences,” said Timothy D. Eger, Kohl’s sr. manager credit and customer service operations and DiverseAbilities BRG chapter leader. “Many of us have lived-in experiences or have been caretakers and supporters, and each of these experiences have valid insight to share. During our Neurodiversity breakouts, three associates shared very openly that they were diagnosed with Autism. One individual shared that they had never felt so included before in an organization and that they were thrilled that they had a place to share and be supported for their differences. Another associate explained that she never had the courage to be open about her disabilities but that she finally found a place where she could be herself. Lastly, an associate who's never felt comfortable speaking in front of others, shared her uplifting personal story during the meeting. Her courage and bravery was amazing but more importantly she inspired so many others on the call to engage and share.”
Kohl’s Diversity & Inclusion Team Advocates for Associates with Disabilities
In addition, Kohl’s believes that our culture of care is strengthened by fostering courageous curiosity and offering associates resources to grow on our individual D&I journeys. In turn, we are proud to host Brave & Courageous conversations for the second year as a learning opportunity for associates to deepen their understanding of important topics in a safe space and engage in meaningful discussions with their colleagues across the enterprise.
In the past, Kohl’s associates have unpacked topics such as the stigma around mental health and a look into intersectionality. Looking forward, during Kohl’s October Brave & Courageous session entitled ‘Day in the Life’, our D&I team will offer insight into the everyday experiences of people with disabilities through various activities. Kohl’s pledges to serve as a place where our associates can maintain ongoing dialogues, while championing the value of diversity and inclusion.
Our People, Our Customers and Our Community
Along our D&I journey, Kohl’s is also working to offer culturally-relevant products, designs and storytelling that is meaningful to diverse customers. Since 2019, Kohl’s has been a leader in providing adaptive apparel, offering inclusive products across several of our private label brands, including our three largest, private-label’ brands - Jumping Beans, SO and Sonoma - offering customers adaptive options from baby all the way to young adults.
In addition, Kohl’s has been a proud sponsor of Runway of Dreams since 2019. This year, we are excited to be the presenting sponsor of the Runway of Dreams 2022 Fashion Shows to support their efforts in fashion inclusivity.
To access the full 2022 Disability Equality Index®, click here, or, to learn more about Kohl’s commitment to diversity and inclusion, view Kohl’s 2021 ESG Report or visit Corporate.Kohls.com. For more information about how to join Kohl’s winning team, visit careers.kohls.com.