As part of our 2030 Impact Goals, Ecolab is committed to building a diverse, equitable and inclusive workplace that reflects our longstanding value of working together to integrate diverse perspectives, challenge ourselves, reach our goals and do what’s right. That includes supporting associates of differing abilities and in caretaking roles. Here’s what we’re doing:

Providing benefits built to support all associate needs
Ecolab has provided medical benefits in the U.S. to support associates with differing abilities and in caretaking roles. These benefits are comprehensive and competitive in the marketplace and offer a broad range of quality programs, including occupational, speech and physical therapy, genetic testing and counseling, home health care and mental health services.

In 2020, Ecolab introduced new U.S. caregiver benefits and resources. These new policies are focused on supporting the health and wellbeing of our employees and their families, including expanding flexible work options and discounted benefits and resources focused on childcare, school support, eldercare and home care.

Reaching a diverse talent through partnership
Ecolab has committed to expand recruitment of people with disabilities through consistent outreach and partnership with community and diversity outreach partners. Today, we post job positions on non-government disability recruitment organization websites to attract diverse talent and email open positions daily through our community and diversity outreach program.

This partnership connects Ecolab career opportunities with potential candidates from our community partners. With this information, they match the criteria we specifically request and share those positions with the appropriate members of their organizations, including minorities, women, people with disabilities, veterans, diversity organizations, universities and colleges, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU), state workforce agencies, construction and skilled trades, professional and technical groups.

Creating communities of diversity and inclusion
Supporting people with disabilities and caretakers who support loved ones with disabilities is essential to Ecolab. In 2020, the company launched the Disability Ability & Wellness Network (DAWN), an employee resource group focused on supporting associates with differing abilities and those in caretaking roles.

“The last year has been tremendous,” said Jeff Knutson, vice president of Ecolab’s North America Supply Chain organization and co-executive sponsor of DAWN. “I’ve seen a ton of progress with these efforts to raise awareness of associates with disabilities and in caretaking roles. It’s in our DNA to do what’s right, and I – with the support of the incredible DAWN team – will remain committed to shifting the mindsets throughout all levels of the organization.”

Working toward disability inclusion
Recently, Ecolab was recognized by the 2021 Disability Equality Index (DEI) as a Best Place to Work for Disability Inclusion by the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD), the nation’s largest disability rights organization and Disability:IN, the global business disability inclusion network.

The DEI is a nationally recognized annual assessment for businesses to gauge their level of workplace inclusion for people with disabilities and a prominent benchmarking tool to help companies build a roadmap of measurable, tangible actions to achieve disability inclusion and equality.