United Spinal Association recently hosted its bi-annual Corporate Advisory Council virtual meeting to address the role corporate America plays in expanding the rights and inclusion of people with mobility disabilities nationwide.
The conference also celebrated the 30th Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
“We have made amazing progress thanks to the passage of the ADA. But our work is not finished. The support of our corporate partners empowers United Spinal to continue to create real change so that our community has equal opportunities. When we do this, we all win.”
— Vincenzo Piscopo, United Spinal president and CEO
The event’s special guests included Thomas P. DiNapoli, New York State Comptroller and Ted Kennedy Jr, partner at Epstein Becker Green, former representative of Connecticut’s 12th Senate district, and civil rights activist for people with disabilities. He also serves as Board Chair of the American Association of People with Disabilities and Co-Chair of the Disability Equality Index (DEI), a corporate social responsibility and ESG benchmarking tool that scores and tracks businesses on their disability inclusion policies.
DiNapoli discussed how the efforts of United Spinal’s corporate partners to strengthen disability inclusion is key to continuing the progress of the ADA.
“For people with disabilities who were already facing a challenging economic landscape, the ongoing public health crisis due to the COVID-19 pandemic further complicates these challenges.”
— Thomas P. DiNapoli
Redouble Efforts to Include People with Disabilities in the Workplace
DiNapoli, whose office is currently working with the New York City Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities to address the City’s high disability unemployment rate, called for a redoubling of efforts to improve access to opportunities for people with disabilities to join the workforce.
“We’ve made gains. We do not want to go backward. The workplace is being reimagined with the shift to working remotely. In many ways this may create even more opportunities for people with disabilities to participate in the workforce, and I think we need to seize upon those opportunities.”
Call on Companies to Achieve Further Inclusion
Most legislative issues in Washington, DC, including education, transportation, housing, and healthcare, have a disability angle, Kennedy emphasizes.
“We’re going to be calling more and more on companies to help us achieve full equality, justice and inclusion for people with disabilities in our society. Over half of the world’s largest economies are actually public companies, so it’s incumbent upon companies to take up this mantle and to do more.”
ADA Corporate Challenge Winners
During the meeting, United Spinal announced the winners of its ADA Corporate Challenge, which recognizes companies that have demonstrated a commitment to accessibility and inclusion. Winners included Latin America for All and Sunrise Medical.
DiNapoli also presented James Weisman, who recently retired as United Spinal’s president and CEO, with a New York State Comptroller Proclamation commending him for 40 years of service to the disability community as an advocate for disability rights and accessible transportation.
“I came to United Spinal when I was 28. For the past 41 years, I have worked with fun, interesting, and interested people. I’m very proud of all that we have achieved through the years and look forward to seeing what United Spinal will accomplish next.”
— James Weisman
United Spinal’s Corporate Members partner in United Spinal’s mission, programs, and advocacy to improve the quality of life for all people with spinal cord injuries and disorders.
[Source(s): United Spinal Association, PR Newswire]
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