Disability:IN — The US Standard for Corporate Disability Inclusion
What Is Disability:IN?
Disability:IN (formerly the US Business Leadership Network, USBLN, which rebranded in 2018) is a US-based nonprofit that works with businesses to advance disability inclusion across the enterprise. In its own words, it "partners with business to globally advance disability inclusion."
Website: disabilityin.org
The Disability Index (Disability Equality Index)
The Disability Equality Index (DEI), now also published under the name Disability Index®, is Disability:IN's flagship tool. It describes itself as an independent, third-party resource for the annual, confidential benchmarking of disability inclusion policies and programmes in business.
What It Measures
The index assesses companies across six areas:
- Culture & Leadership
- Enterprise-Wide Access
- Employment Practices
- Community Engagement
- Supplier Inclusion
- Responsible Procurement
Scoring and Recognition
- Companies are scored on a scale of 0 to 100.
- Companies scoring 80 or above are named "Best Places to Work for Disability Inclusion".
- Results are published annually; Disability:IN says the index is trusted by over 70% of the Fortune 100 and nearly half of the Fortune 500.
Affiliate Network
Disability:IN works through a network of regional affiliates across the US that typically offer:
- Local networking and peer learning events
- Connections to employment service providers
- Coaching for companies starting their disability inclusion journey
NextGen Leaders Program
Disability:IN's NextGen Leaders programme supports people with disabilities who are preparing to enter the workforce, are in a transition period, or are bringing military experience into a civilian career, helping them build skills and connections with Disability:IN's corporate partners.
Practical Steps for Employers
1. Participate in the Disability Index
Even if your score is low, participation signals commitment and gives you a structured improvement roadmap — the index is designed to help organisations build a roadmap of measurable, tangible actions.
2. Build a Disability ERG
A disability employee resource group:
- Creates psychological safety for disclosure
- Provides employee-led feedback on workplace adjustments
- Runs awareness campaigns (National Disability Employment Awareness Month in October is a natural anchor)
3. Set a Disability Self-ID Goal
Voluntary self-identification rates in most companies are well below the true share of disabled employees. Closing this gap starts with:
- Leadership modelling (senior leaders publicly disclose)
- Multiple channels for self-ID (onboarding, HR portal, annual voluntary census)
- Clear communication about how data is used (for aggregate reporting, not individual tracking)
4. Source from Disability-Owned Businesses
Disability:IN offers Disability-Owned Business Enterprise (DOBE) certification, a recognised credential for business owners with disabilities or veterans that connects them with Disability:IN's network of corporate buyers. Supplier inclusion and responsible procurement are scored areas of the index, so including disability-owned suppliers both expands procurement options and strengthens your score.
Disability:IN and the UN CRPD
Disability:IN's approach is consistent with Article 27 (Work and employment) of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), which recognises the right of persons with disabilities to work in a labour market that is open, inclusive and accessible — making the framework useful for multinationals operating across jurisdictions.
Sources: Disability:IN (disabilityin.org); Salesforce and Principal Financial Group announcements of their 2025 Disability Index results; USBLN rebrand press release (GlobeNewswire, 2018); UN DESA, CRPD Article 27.