Disability Business News
You Need to Know
August 2020
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We can and must do better as individuals
and as a nation.
"While the foundation of our mission is built around disability inclusion, we advocate for inclusion for all. We believe in the strength of our community, now more than ever and together we stand firm in solidarity against the undeniable injustice and inequality in this country and the resulting fear, pain, and frustration that continues to surround us."
Sophie Howard,
GDIT,
Chair DI DC Metro
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NBDC'S
Now Available
Introducing the Disability Employment Source!
The National Business & Disability Council (NBDC) at The Viscardi Center is pleased to announce the launch of the Disability Employment Source (DES), a platform which connects job seekers with disabilities to careers that best suit their skills.
This powerful resource provides
employers with the ability to post an unlimited number of opportunities on the DES platform and have their career pages scraped and updated regularly. The DES also provides the following:
- Candidate Searching: Provides HR professionals with access to unlimited searching of qualified job seekers with disabilities to fill their open positions
- Custom Scraping: Employers will have their openings displayed and updated regularly, directly from their company career pages
- Automatic Matching: The DES will match positions to multiple job seekers in the area who best fit the job description based on their skills and experience
- E-Learning: Over 250 training courses are available within the portal. Employers can recommend trainings that job seekers should take prior to applying for the opportunity
Learn more, schedule a demo, and find out how you can start using this dynamic resource.
For Job Seekers
The goal of the National Business & Disability Council (NBDC) at The Viscardi Center is to connect qualified job seekers with disabilities with employers who are actively seeking candidates with the talents that they offer.
Disability Employment Source (DES) connects job seekers with disabilities to careers that best suit their skills and experience. Our platform is powered by cutting-edge technology but is simple to use for applicants. The DES makes it easy for you to connect with available employment opportunities, around the U.S., that match your skill set and job criteria, such as location.
DES also provides you with a skills assessment, resume builder, and access to over 250 trainings to gain essential skills for success in the workplace. You will have the opportunity to obtain a certificate upon completion of the online trainings. As a job seeker, you also have access to mentors through the platform that can support your career goals and provide ongoing guidance along your employment journey.
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DC Metro YouTube Channel Launched
LinkedIn Group Moving to LinkedIn Page
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Our Mission
“Building the Business Network for Disability Inclusion.”
Our Vision
“Cultivate workforces and workplaces where talent with disabilities are recruited, included, promoted, retained and valued as both internal talent and innovative vendors.”
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Welcome Our New Board Members!
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Ryan Walters, Deloitte Board Member
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Crosby Cromwell
Flexability
Advisory Board Member
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Cynthia
Richardson-Crooks
DC BLN Founding Chair Advisory Board Member
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Support Our Mission by Donating Today
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In these ongoing unprecedented times, non-profits face the situation of limited funding. The DC Metro Chapter is no different. As we continue to provide education and resources with the newsletters and free virtual programming, your support is needed now more than ever. Please consider a donation to support our mission in support of our monthly efforts!
Annual Membership
Corporate
- $2,000
Gold
- $3,000
Diamond
- $5,000
Platinum
- $10,000
Non-Profit
- $750
Small Business
- $800
Government
- $2,300
Individual
- $200
Introductory Corporate Friends
- $600
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The Hon. Katherine McCary
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CEO, Executive Director
President
C5 Consulting, LLC
Director of Inclusion, GRACE Global
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Board Members:
- John Annand, Marriott International
- Jennifer Bassett, Secretary, JBG SMITH Companies
- Michelle Crabtree, Hyatt
- Ellen de Bremond, Treasurer
- Anjali Desai-Margolin, Gallaudet University
- Tom Downs, Gartner
- Dan Ellerman, Boeing
- Andrea Hall, Past Chair, General Dynamics Mission Systems
- Sophie Howard, Chair, General Dynamics IT
- Eduardo Meza-Etienne, eSSENTIAL Accessibility
- Chrisonna Palmer, Vice Chair, EY
- Carrie Schroeder, PwC
- Jamel Walker, Northrop Grumman
- Ryan Walters, Deloitte
- Myra Wilder, BAE Systems
Advisory Board Members:
- Orly Barbosa, Sandy Spring Bank
- Meghan Cadigan, KPMG
- Crosby Cromwell, Flexability
- Ron Drach, Drach Consulting, LLC
- Rikki Epstein, The Arc of Northern VA
- Sylvia Henri-Wonasue, Lockheed Martin
- Karen Herson, Concepts Communication
- Bryan Moseley, TCS Associates
- Cynthia Richardson-Crooks, DC BLN Founding Chair
- Rick Rodgers, The Resource Network
- Kia Silver-Hodge, C5 Consulting, LLC
- Bob Vetere, C5 Consulting, LLC
- Sue Werber, C5 Consulting, LLC
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Forerunner in the struggle for civil rights and equality of individuals with disabilities
Read the recent article
Americans with Disabilities Act born of Virginia's struggle for equality
from
Virginia Ability’s
Community Advisory Council partner, Virginia Department of Aging and Rehabilitative Services (DARS), by Commissioner Kathryn Hayfield. Last month celebrated the 35th anniversary of the Virginians with Disabilities Act and the 30th anniversary of the ADA.
Virginia Ability has championed this cause since its inception.
The story of Virginia Ability begins with the Business Leadership Network (BLN) that was originally established in 1994 through the President’s Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities (PCEPD). The BLN was created through various Governor’s and Mayor’s committees on disability and based on the premise that business responds to their peers, and underscoring that employers should be recognized as valued customers of the vocational rehabilitation system.
The PCEPD established a support system for BLNs in 1997 and began reaching out directly to businesses asking them to start up BLNs and serve as Lead Employers. In Virginia in 1998, Crestar Bank became the BLN founder and Lead Employer as a natural progression of its disability friendly business approach. For four years, the Virginia Business Leadership Network (VABLN) operated within the bank, which had been acquired by SunTrust Bank. The President and CEO of SunTrust Bank Mid-Atlantic established a stand-alone department, led by Katherine McCary, Accessing Community Talent (ACT), which was responsible for the growth of the VABLN as well as the expansion of the bank’s focus on serving clients with disabilities and including individuals with disabilities in its workforce. The VABLN became a 501(c) 3 incorporated in Virginia in 2003 with SunTrust’s ACT Manager serving as the VABLN Board Chair, a position held by SunTrust until 2010.
It was during this time that the BLN leaders from VA, MD, DC, NC, KY, Washington State, and AZ came together in collaboration with the US Chamber of Commerce to form the USBLN (now Disability:IN).
VABLN was renamed
Virginia Ability
in 2019 to recognize
all abilities
. Our mission continues to focus on helping businesses build inclusive communities and cultures through disAbility diversity in the workplace and throughout Virginia’s workforce.
DID YOU MISS??
F
rom Case Law to COVID-19:
The Americans with Disabilities Act Turns Thirty
We hope you were able to join us for
Virginia Ability’s
annual ADA legal update program last month hosted by the Isler Dare law firm. Our speaker, Steven D. Brown, Partner at Isler Dare PC, covered topics from new virtual work environments to recent ADA litigation trends and interesting cases. As accommodation requests grow in the wake of the pandemic, our speaker shared key considerations for HR professionals seeking to build inclusive cultures.
If you missed the webinar,
the presentation and video will be available on our website
www.VirginiaAbility.org
.
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SHOPPING FROM HOME?
Click the logo to support the Disability:IN DC Metro
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As the leading regional business on disability inclusion, it seems critical to provide our readers with important information on COVID 19 in our newsletter.
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TransCen
has organized some updated and additional resources that you might find helpful.
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WID Resources for People with Disabilities in Emergencies & Disasters
The rights of people with disabilities do not disappear in times of crisis. While disasters, emergencies, and other crisis scenarios often require sacrifices, the rights and lives of disabled people do not need to be one of them.
Access to resources in disaster is especially important for people with disabilities, who are disproportionately impacted by emergencies and disasters. Here are some resources we recommend for people with disabilities, organizations, and emergency planning and response managers:
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From Disability:IN
The coronavirus and COVID-19 crisis impact the disability community in ways that are both universal and unique. This is also true across industries. On this page, you’ll find industry-specific resources from peer-to-peer calls and knowledge sharing amongst our Corporate Partners.
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IN THE NEWS - Articles of Interest
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2020 NDEAM Theme
Increasing Access and Opportunity
This year's ADA anniversary festivities go hand in hand with another upcoming milestone-the 75th annual National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) this October, which shares the ADA 30th anniversary theme of "Increasing Access and Opportunity." The official 2020 NDEAM poster features that theme and is available for download in
English
and
Spanish
or mail order at no cost.
Ensuring that all people who want to work can work, the ADA is an affirmation of our nation's founding ideals and a key to ensuring a fully inclusive American workforce and economy. By marking ADA 30th anniversary as a crucial milestone, employers of all sizes can help demonstrate a commitment to delivering on the ADA's promise today and for the next 30 years and beyond.
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Congrats to Caroline Casey!
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This is an immense honor, and we're all so proud to have her included.
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Disability:IN recognized eleven recipients of the 2020 Inclusion Awards. Announced during the virtual Disability:IN Conference. The Inclusion Award winners are prestigious brands and individuals that are advancing disability inclusion in business.
“Disability:IN recognizes these companies and individuals as those at the forefront – leading the way in corporate disability inclusion and challenging those around them to do more,”
said Jill Houghton, President and CEO, Disability:IN.
“Each year the Inclusion Awards become more competitive, and we are excited to support the healthy competition to drive inclusion in business.”
Wells Fargo
2020 Top Corporation for Disability-Owned Businesses
Chad Jerdee, Accenture
2020 John D. Kemp Leadership Award
Google Disability Alliance
2020 ERG/BRG of the Year
Zarin Hamid, PNC Financial Services, Inc
2020 NextGen Alum of the Year
Rondu Vincent, Bristol Myers Squibb
2020 Supplier Diversity Advocate of the Year
Dragonfli
2020 Supplier of the Year
Starbucks
2020 Marketplace Innovator of the Year, Product Category
Voya Financial
2020 Marketplace Innovator of the Year, Advertising & Marketing Category
Merck
2020 Employer of the Year
Elizabeth Pinkham, Salesforce
2020 ERG/BRG Executive Sponsor of the Year
Disability:IN North Carolina
2020 Affiliate of the Year
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Global Alliance for
Disaster Resource Acceleration
Thank you for participating in our Town Halls and July 9th launch of the Global Alliance for Disaster Resource Acceleration (GADRA). Since May 4th, this effort has galvanized the interest of 838 individuals, from over 47 countries and 6 continents, who like you, responded to our call to action. Each of us recognizes the critical need to
disrupt
the
systemic
exclusion
of disability-led organizations from traditional disaster and humanitarian relief resources. By understanding the consequences of this life threatening gap, we have come to the consensus that this Global Alliance must work to connect funders with the disability-led organizations on the ground responding to immediate disaster needs. Together, we
accelerate
radical
inclusion
for whole-community disaster resilience centering our efforts with multiple-marginalized communities and Black, Indigenous, and other People of Color. A core tenet of this Alliance is a stated and genuine commitment to seeking, welcoming, and supporting the leadership of multiply-marginalized people with disabilities who are most disproportionately impacted in disasters.
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Reminder: Update Voluntary Self-Identification of Disability Form by August 4, 2020
OFCCP streamlined and revised the form based on stakeholder feedback. We believe that the updated form will increase the response rate of applicants and employees who voluntarily self-identify their disability status. Doing so will aid contractors in developing programs to increase the utilization of people with disabilities in their workforce.
OFCCP is committed to providing proactive, meaningful compliance assistance to help contractors solicit disability status information from applicants and employees and meet their equal employment opportunity obligations. For more guidance on implementing the form, please see
OFCCP’s frequently asked questions
on the topic.
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New Course on Disability Rights & the ADA
In honor of the 30th anniversary of the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), PYD has released a new online course:
Understanding disability rights & the ADA
.
This course covers the history of disability rights in the United States, the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and the current state of legal rights and protections for people with disabilities. It is an estimated 90 minutes long, and like all our courses, can be started and stopped at any time so you may take it at your own pace. This course is free and available to all NDMC members!
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Events - NOTE: Upcoming Events Subject to Change
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Friday, August 7 at 12 Noon EDT
Episode #7 of the nTIDE Lunch & Learn webinar series
Join us for our monthly webinar detailing findings of the latest Jobs Report release, announcements from the disability employment field and guest presentation by Wendy Parent-Johnson, Julie Christensen
Agenda
• 12:00 pm: Overview of National Trends in Disability Employment (nTIDE) Jobs Report Release – Andrew Houtenville, UNH-IOD & John O'Neill, Kessler Foundation
• 12:15 pm: News from the field of Disability Employment – Denise Rozell, AUCD
• 12:30 pm: Guest Panelists - Wendy Parent-Johnson, Sonoran UCEDD, U of AZ; Julie Christensen, APSE
• 12:45 pm: Open Question & Answer period for attendees
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"Disability Visibility" Virtual Book Discussion with Alice Wong & Sandy Ho
Saturday, August 8th
7-8 pm EDT
Join NDMC this August for a virtual book event with editor Alice Wong in conversation with Sandy Ho, a contributor in Alice’s new anthology, Disability Visibility: First-Person Stories from the 21st Century.
“Now, just in time for the thirtieth anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, activist Alice Wong brings together an urgent, galvanizing collection of personal essays by contemporary disabled writers.
From original pieces by up-and-coming authors like Keah Brown and Haben Girma, to blog posts, manifestos, eulogies, testimonies to Congress, and beyond: this anthology gives a glimpse of the vast richness and complexity of the disabled experience, highlighting the passions, talents, and everyday lives of this community. It invites readers to question their own assumptions and understandings. It celebrates and documents disability culture in the now. It looks to the future and past with hope and love.”
About the Presenter:
Alice Wong
(she/her) is a disabled activist, media maker, and consultant. She is the Founder and Director of the Disability Visibility Project® (DVP), an online community dedicated to creating, sharing and amplifying disability media and culture created in 2014. Currently, Alice is the Editor of Disability Visibility: First-Person Stories from the Twenty-first Century, an anthology of essays by disabled people, available now (June 30, 2020) by Vintage Books. You can find her on Twitter:
@SFdirewolf
.
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ADA Series
“
The State as a Model Employer (SAME) of
People with Disabilities”
August 13, 2020
Noon (EDT)
On behalf of The Council of State Governments, the State Exchange on Employment and Disability (SEED), and the Cornell Yang Tan Institute on Employment and Disability, thank you very much for attending our webinar “The Legacy of the ADA: Celebrating 30 Years of Increasing Access and Opportunity.”
A recording of the webinar and a written transcript will be available on
our website
in the next week.
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Free
Expanding the Talent Pool: Leading Practices in Disability Disclosure and Inclusion
Wed, Aug 5, 2020, 2:00 PM – 3:15 PM EDT
Carol Glazer (NOD), Craig Leen and Tina Williams (OFCCP)
Our panel will describe how pacesetting companies are building cultures of trust where applicants and employees feel safe in disclosing their disabilities, both visible and non-visible. Attendees will learn practical steps that have effectively increased self-disclosure rates in leading companies and enabled organizations to successfully hire and retain talent with disabilities. Attendees will also become better able to gauge their own progress in disability disclosure against the latest benchmarks in findings from the 2018 Disability Employment Tracker survey.
EEOC Commissioner Victoria Lipnic
Mon, Aug 24, 2020, 2020, 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM EDT
Hear from EEOC Commissioner Victoria Lipnic on the EEOC’s strategic plan and accomplishments over the past 4 years.
Inclusion at Work in Practice
Wed, Aug 26, 2020 2020, 2:00 PM – 3:30 PM EDT
Nakisha Pugh, PepsiCo and CVS Health
EARN’s Inclusion@Work framework provides a path toward a workplace that is more inclusive for people with disabilities. This session will engage the EDI Award Winners, PepsiCo and CVS Health, in a discussion of their journey to more inclusive work environments. EARN will introduce each of the seven elements of the Inclusion@Work Framework which include (1) inclusive business culture, (2) outreach and recruitment, (3) talent acquisition and retention processes, (4) reasonable accommodations, (5) external and internal communication of policies and practices, (6) accessible information and communication technology, and (7) accountability and self-identification. After each element, PepsiCo and CVS Health will share strategies that enhanced their efforts in each of these areas.
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CHANGE IN PLANS!
27th Annual Conference on the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
Presented by TransCen, Inc. and the Mid-Atlantic ADA Center
T
ransCen, Inc. and the Mid-Atlantic ADA Center have
revised our plans
for the 2020
Mid-Atlantic ADA Conference
(ADAcon) originally scheduled September 9 -11, 2020 in Alexandria, Virginia.
Our 27th annual conference on the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) will be split into two separate events:
- A virtual conference with sessions on employment and general ADA topics and sessions that satisfy requirements for the ADA Coordinator Training Certification Program
- An in-person conference for participants interested in ADA implementation in corrections and law enforcement agencies.
Mid-Atlantic ADA
Virtual
Conference
(ADAcon-Virtual) will begin on September 9 with the 2.5 hour
ADA Overview
session. The conference will be broadcast on a virtual platform spread out over 2 weeks. Sessions will be available both live and on demand. Registrants can participate in as many conference sessions as they like and can earn continuing education hours for either the live or recorded sessions. In addition, registrants will be able to access the conference sessions through February, 2021.
ADAcon-Virtual will also include exhibit opportunities for organizations to promote their goods or services to our unique audience in our
ADAcon-Virtual Exhibit Hall
.
Mid-Atlantic ADA Conference:
Corrections and Law Enforcement
(ADAcon-C/LE) will be a live, in-person event on Thursday, September 10 and Friday, September 11 at the Hilton Mark Center in Alexandria, Virginia. Attendees of the in-person event will be able to register for the virtual conference at a discounted rate. ADAcon-C/LE will include 8 breakout sessions focusing on implementation of the ADA in corrections and law enforcement agencies. There will be a moderated discussion session to give participants and opportunity to share best practices and learn from their peers in other agencies.
Of course, we continue to monitor the
Commonwealth of Virginia’s guidelines
for safe gatherings. For those who are planning to attend ADAcon-C/LE, we want to let you know that your safety is our top priority.
- Our conference staff will follow the recommended guidance for wearing masks, limiting contact and social distancing.
- We are working closely with the Mark Center Hilton to ensure safety for our participants. Hilton’s corporate office has issued a statement detailing their health and hygiene protocols.
- Conference meeting room set ups have been revised to take into account social distancing and reduced capacities. We, in turn, must limit the number of participants we can accommodate this year.
- We have been assured by the audio-visual vendor that they have procedures in place for their staff to maintain hygiene and provide clean equipment for all of our conference sessions.
Questions about the Mid-Atlantic ADA Conference, contact:
Mid-Atlantic ADA Center
1-800-949-4232 V/TTY in DC
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The M-Enabling Summit Conference and Showcase is dedicated to promoting accessible and assistive technology for senior citizens and users of all abilities.
It is an annual meeting place for all who implement digital accessibility strategies or develop enabling ICT products, services for workplaces, learning environments or consumer markets. With its theme of “Digital Inclusion Strategies: A Catalyst for Action”, the 2020 M-Enabling Summit will highlight how organizations can successfully leverage innovative enabling technologies to make their digital workplaces, learning environments and product and services accessible to users of all abilities.
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International Day of People with Disabilities
December 3, 2020
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Harkin International Disability Employment Summit
2020 Harkin Summit
December 10-11, 2020
in Washington, D.C.
Check back soon for additional information!
“The unemployment rate among adult Americans with disabilities who want to work and can work is over 60 percent. That is a blot on our national character.” – Senator Tom Harkin in his farewell speech to the U.S. Senate.
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Disability:IN Annual Conference & Engagement Expo 2021
JULY 12 - JULY 15, 2021
Las Vegas
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Our focus is on Culture Change!
Our organization,
formerly the DC Metro Business Leadership Network,
is the largest regional member network of a variety of industry employers advocating for inclusion of individuals with disabilities in today's workforce, marketplace and supply chain. A non-profit business-led network established in 2006, our purpose is to bring the business community together in a dialog through education, training and resources with a focus on removing attitudinal and organizational barriers by exchanging best practices to ensure that the inclusion of individuals with disabilities as smart business.
Our Members and Guests have access to resources, programs and partners to strengthen the disability inclusion efforts and outcomes.
- Thought leadership
- Business to business networking
- Introductions to community partners
- Access to talent
- Hot topic programming led by Subject Matter Experts
- Webinars
Join our
Follow us on
Our Staff
The Hon. Katherine McCary, President, C5 Consulting, LLC serves as CEO and Executive Director. Katherine served as founding chair of the USBLN (now Disability:IN) for nine years, the founding chair of the VA BLN (Now Virginia Ability) for 13 years and has launched more than 11 chapters. She received the USBLN Lifetime Achievement Award in 2009. She recently joined
GRACE Global Fund
as Director of Inclusion.
C5 is a global disability inclusion strategy consultancy comprised exclusively of private sector disability leaders,
experienced disability from a variety of areas; as individuals, as caregivers, and as parents of individuals with disabilities. W
ith more than 50 years combined expertise and a deep knowledge of culture change developed through customized business strategies. C5 is the pioneer of disability inclusion
"for business by business"
with just in time training Disability Inclusion IQ designed for enterprise wide learning.
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