UPMC and UPMC Health Plan Both Named a 'Best Place to Work for Disability Inclusion' by Disability Equality Index

Pittsburgh (Oct. 28, 2024) – UPMC and UPMC Health Plan announced today they both have been named a “Best Place to Work” for individuals with disabilities in the 2024 Disability Equality Index® (DEI), a national, comprehensive benchmarking survey administered jointly by the American Association of People with Disabilities and Disability:IN®.

"At UPMC, we want to foster an equitable and inclusive environment where everyone has the opportunity to succeed," said David Bubas, senior director of the UPMC Center for Engagement and Inclusion. "UPMC aims to employ and support a workforce that represents the communities and patients we serve. Receiving this designation is a testament to our ongoing commitment to upholding the UPMC values of dignity and respect."

"I am excited that, together, UPMC and UPMC Health Plan achieved the distinction of being a best place to work for disability inclusion. This shows what I already know to be true: that UPMC is committed to the disability community, including its employees, members, and patients," said Sandy Lawrence, director of Operational Excellence and Member Experience at UPMC Health Plan.

The DEI has become the leading independent, third-party resource for measuring corporate disability inclusion policies and programs. The DEI measures a wide range of criteria within the following categories:

• Culture and Leadership
• Enterprise-Wide Access
• Employment Practices
• Community Engagement
• Supplier Diversity

Based on these criteria, UPMC achieved a top score of 100. This score reflects UPMC's commitment to fostering an inclusive workplace where patients and staff are treated with dignity and respect.

UPMC's score can be attributed to these and other resources and programs:

• Disabilities Resource Center (DRC)
• Virtual DRC education courses
• UPMC ENABLED employee resource group
• Equal opportunity hiring practices
• Supplier Diversity Program

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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 541 in 2024. Collectively, the 2024 edition received 748 submissions spanning the eight benchmarked countries.

About UPMC Insurance Services

The UPMC Insurance Services Division serves more than 4 million members and is owned and operated by UPMC, a world-renowned health care provider and insurer in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The UPMC Insurance Services Division provides commercial products through UPMC Health Plan for both groups and individuals. Its commercial products also include workers' compensation and employee assistance from nationally known Workpartners^®. Government products include Medicare Advantage plans (UPMC for Life); special needs plans for those who are eligible for Medicare and Medical Assistance (UPMC for Life Complete Care and UPMC Community HealthChoices); a Medical Assistance plan (UPMC for You); and Children's Health Insurance Program plans (UPMC for Kids). Community Care Behavioral Health Organization—one of the nation's largest nonprofit managed care behavioral health organizations—is also part of the Insurance Services Division. Community Care offers a full range of services to commercial and Medical Assistance members. For more information, visit upmchealthplan.com.