For second year in a row, Estee Lauder Cos. receives top score on Disability Equality Index and is named to Disability:IN's list of 'Best Places to Work for Disability Inclusion'

August 3, 2023 (press release) –

For the 2nd year in a row, ELC has received a top score on the Disability Equality Index® and was named to Disability:IN’s list, “Best Places to Work for Disability Inclusion.”

The Disability Equality Index® was launched in 2015 by 2 of the world’s foremost disability inclusion organizations, Disability:IN and the American Association of People with Disabilities. It is a comprehensive benchmarking tool that helps companies build a roadmap of measurable, tangible actions toward disability inclusion and equality.   

The Disability Equality Index measures a wide range of criteria within 6 categories—Culture & Leadership, Enterprise-Wide Access, Employment Practices, Community Engagement, and Supplier Diversity. Each company receives a score on a scale of 0 to 100, with those earning 80 and above recognized as “Best Places to Work for Disability Inclusion.”

ELC received a score of 90 this year, 10 points higher than in 2022 under Employment, Education, Retention, & Advancement. The Accessible Beauty Taskforce, a cross-functional employee collective that works to advance our disability inclusion practices and enterprise-wide access, received the award on July 11th at the Disability:IN 2023 Conference. The conference was an opportunity for industry leaders to discuss best inclusion practices, current challenges, and the future of accessibility across industries.

Lamia Drew, Director, Inclusive Technology Lead, joined panelists from Google, Salesforce, and Discover for a conversation on authentic representation of people with disabilities. At the conference expo, ELC showcased its Voice-Enabled Makeup Assistant (VMA), an app that supports blind and visually impaired consumers with applying makeup.

“We are proud to be recognized for our commitment to fostering disability inclusion at all levels of our organization,” said Lamia. “Embracing the diverse backgrounds and unique perspectives of our exceptional employees allows us to thrive as an organization. We extend our gratitude to all employees who contribute to shaping a brighter future, where everyone feels valued, respected, and empowered to reach their full potential. Moving forward, we eagerly embrace the opportunity to champion disability inclusion even more decisively, creating an accessible, equitable, and empowering environment for all individuals in our workplace and communities.”

Fiscal year (FY) ’23 highlights of ELC’s progress in disability inclusion-related work include:

• In January 2023, ELC launched its Voice-Enabled Makeup Assistant (VMA) application, a first-of-its-kind, artificial intelligence-powered mobile app to help visually impaired users more easily and confidently apply makeup
• The Inclusion, Diversity & Equity (ID&E) Center of Excellence partnered with disability inclusion activists and community thought leaders in ID&E capstone events to hear authentic voices and gain understanding of diverse lived experiences
• The Accessible Beauty Taskforce, a working group made up of members across regions and functions, was created to partner across the organization to uncover existing activations and further address the needs of consumers and employees
• The ELC IT organization focused its annual IT Hackathon, Innovation Showcase, and Insight Session on accessibility
• Jo Malone London established a partnership with disability inclusion activist Sinéad Burke and her consultancy, Tilting the Lens, to further prioritize disability and accessibility by defining a strategic framework and amplification plan around 3 key pillars—People & Education, Digital Channels & Retail Environment, and External Communications
• Since 2022, ELC in the U.K. and Ireland (UK&I) has continued to prioritize their commitment to advancing disability inclusion by working directly with the community. Focusing on the consumer experience, the UK&I team has developed an accessibility store design playbook, created an education module being deployed to point of sale (POS) teams to deliver high touch service, and built a roster of disabled creatives and influencers for future brand campaigns

In FY’24, ELC plans to:

• Expand the initiatives of the Accessible Beauty Task Force to build respectful programs, provide necessary resources, and adopt equitable practices that acknowledge challenges and overcome stigmas
• Provide appropriate accommodations to strengthen workplace accessibility and flexibility for employees with disabilities
• Develop educational resources including Disability Etiquette Best Practices education and glossary of accurate terminology
• Improve rate of self-identification for employees with disabilities to better understand and serve our disabled community and evaluate the employee journey from recruitment to environment to maintain inclusive practices
• Ensure ELC and brand websites are compliant with digital accessibility standards
• Partner with POS teams to ensure inclusive and accessible environments through both design and disability awareness education for all employees
• Build on ELC’s current wellness rooms to include spaces for a broad range of mental health & wellness needs, including quiet rooms for neurodivergent employees who may experience sensory sensitivity
   

About Disability:IN®  

Disability:IN is a global organization driving disability inclusion and equality in business. More than 400 corporations partner with Disability:IN to create long-term business and social impact through the world’s most comprehensive disability inclusion benchmarking and reporting tool, the Disability Equality Index (DEI); best-in-class conferences and programs; expert counsel and engagement; and public policy leadership.  

Join us at disabilityin.org/AreYouIN #AreYouIN

Learn more about the Disability Equality Index at: www.DisabilityEqualityIndex.org

About the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) 

AAPD is a convener, connector, and catalyst for change, increasing the political and economic power for people with disabilities. As a national cross-disability rights organization, AAPD advocates for full civil rights for the 60+ million Americans with disabilities.

Learn more at: www.aapd.com

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