(West Orange, NJ, July 16, 2024) — RWJBarnabas Health, the largest, most comprehensive academic health system in New Jersey, is proud to announce that it has been named one of the 2024 Best Places to Work for People with Disabilities, achieving top scores on the 2024 Disability Equality Index®. The Disability Equality Index is the world’s most comprehensive benchmarking tool for Fortune 1000 companies to measure disability workplace inclusion within their organization and to assess performance across industry sectors. RWJBarnabas Health received an impressive score of 100 on the Disability Equality Index, during their inaugural application submission. Participating companies receive a score, on a scale of zero (0) to 100, with those scoring 80 or higher designates an organization as a "Best Place to Work for Disability Inclusion” for the benchmark year.
The 2024 Disability Equality Index evaluated companies based on the following criteria: Culture & Leadership; Enterprise-Wide Access; Employment Practices (including benefits, recruitment, employment, education, retention, and advancement, and accommodations); Community Engagement; Supplier Diversity; and Responsible Procurement.
"We are honored to be recognized by the Disability Equality Index for our efforts to create a more inclusive and supportive workplace and we applaud the work of our Diversity, Equity and Inclusion team members for their commitment to our system values of kindness, respect, compassion and accountability," said Lynda Markoe, Executive Vice President and Chief People Officer, RWJBarnabas Health. "This achievement is a direct reflection of our system’s vision to deliver a best-in-class work experience to every member of the team and to make a significant impact on the employment landscape for people of all abilities.”
"On the 10th anniversary of the Disability Equality Index, we’re extremely proud of the 542 national and international companies that are taking a proactive role in leading progress towards disability inclusion, setting a benchmark for others to follow. Their dedication to fostering inclusive workplaces not only attracts top talent but also drives innovation and creates sustainable performance in today's global market. Together, we are creating a future where everyone can contribute and thrive,” said Jill Houghton, President and CEO of Disability:IN.
The Disability Equality Index was launched in 2015 as a joint initiative of Disability: IN and The American Association of People with Disabilities and is recognized as the most robust disability inclusion assessment tool in business.
For more information about RWJBarnabas Health’s commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion, please visit rwjbh.org.
About RWJBarnabas Health:
RWJBarnabas Health is the largest, most comprehensive academic health care system in New Jersey, with a service area covering nine counties with five million people. The system includes twelve acute care hospitals – Clara Maass Medical Center in Belleville, Community Medical Center in Toms River, Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center in Livingston, Jersey City Medical Center in Jersey City, Monmouth Medical Center in Long Branch, Monmouth Medical Center Southern Campus in Lakewood, Newark Beth Israel Medical Center in Newark, Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick, Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital at Hamilton in Hamilton, Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Rahway in Rahway, Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Somerset in Somerville, and Trinitas Regional Medical Center in Elizabeth; three acute care children's hospitals; Children’s Specialized Hospital, including a network of outpatient centers; a behavioral health center and the state’s largest behavioral health network; two trauma centers; a satellite emergency department; ambulatory care centers; geriatric centers; comprehensive home care and hospice programs; fitness and wellness centers; retail pharmacy services; an affiliated medical group; multi-site imaging centers; and two accountable care organizations.
RWJBarnabas Health is New Jersey’s largest private employer – with more than 41,000 employees and 9,000 physicians – and routinely captures national awards for outstanding quality and safety. RWJBarnabas Health, in partnership with Rutgers University, is New Jersey’s largest academic health care system. The collaboration aligns RWJBarnabas Health with Rutgers’ education, research, and clinical activities, including those at the Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey – the state's only National Cancer Institute (NCI)-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center – and Rutgers University Behavioral Health Care.
About the Disability Equality Index®
The Disability Equality Index has become the leading independent, third-party resource for the annual benchmarking of corporate disability inclusion policies and programs, and is now trusted by more than 70% of the United States Fortune 100 and nearly half of the Fortune 500. Such companies must increasingly consider how emerging global reporting directives and stakeholder expectations surrounding social and corporate governance factors impact their operational, cultural, reputational and financial performance.
The Disability Equality Index is an objective, reflective, forward-thinking, and confidential disability rating tool designed to assist business in advancing inclusion practices. It is a comprehensive benchmark that helps companies build a roadmap of measurable, tangible actions across five scored categories: Culture & Leadership, Enterprise-Wide Access, Employment Practices, Community Engagement, and Supplier Diversity. Participating companies receive a score, on a scale of zero (0) to 100, with those scoring 80 or higher earning the distinction of “Best Places to Work for Disability Inclusion” for the benchmark year.
Findings from a two-year Global Disability Equality Index pilot informed the launch of a scored benchmark that opened in 2024 to seven new countries in addition to the United States. These include: Brazil, Canada, Germany, India, Japan, the Philippines, and the United Kingdom. Now in its 10th year, the Disability Equality Index has grown nearly 7x since 2015, expanding from 80 companies in its first year to 542 in 2024. Collectively, the 2024 edition received 753 submissions spanning the eight benchmarked countries.