Diversity and inclusion efforts among employers have spiked as organizations look to hire the best talent from a greater pool of women and BIPOC candidates. Yet there is one underserved group that ranks last among company’s DE&I priorities: individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Eighty-five percent of adults with IDDs are unemployed, despite being willing and able to work, according to data from Creative Spirit, an organization dedicated to providing integrated employment opportunities for people with these kinds of disabilities. The organization points to two barriers: a lack of pipeline for candidates in a specific industry and a lack of staff with knowledge of how to train and manage these employees.
