BraunAbility is the global leader in automotive mobility solutions and was founded in 1972 by Ralph Braun, who lived with muscular dystrophy. Inspired by his own challenges with the lack of mobility solutions, Ralph created the first battery-powered wheelchair and wheelchair-accessible vehicle. When he realised there were thousands of individuals with mobility challenges like him looking for their own independence, he understood he had a business that could not only change lives but change society too.
Over the past 50 years, BraunAbility has transformed the lives of over one million people with disabilities by offering a wide range of innovative solutions, including vehicles with ramps, lifts, assistive seating solutions and wheelchair securement systems, all aimed at empowering greater independence.
To mark National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM), we spoke to BraunAbility’s Associate Director of Brand and Communications, Megan Wegner. Megan’s insights showcase how BraunAbility champions employability and employment for all by implementing a multifaceted approach to disability inclusion.
How would you describe the overall workplace culture at BraunAbility, particularly in terms of inclusivity and employee engagement?
BraunAbility’s culture is centred around the philosophy of servant leadership, which puts the customer at the centre of our work. Our customers are individuals with mobility challenges and their caregivers. We know that we’ll only grow as a business by listening to what our customers want, not making assumptions. It’s the ‘nothing about us, without us,’ philosophy, and it’s visible in all aspects of our work today.
While it’s important to have that customer feedback loop ingrained in our product development, we want to ensure people with mobility challenges are represented within our walls too. To achieve this, we have implemented a number of initiatives focused on engaging with and supporting individuals with disabilities, both within our organization and in our local communities.
These initiatives include partnerships with educational institutions, internship and mentorship programs for students with disabilities, and volunteer opportunities for our team members. Through these efforts, we aim to foster a deeper understanding of our customers’ challenges, provide valuable experiences for individuals with disabilities, and make meaningful contributions to disability inclusion in our communities.
Can you tell us about BraunAbility’s partnerships and initiatives aimed at promoting disability employment and inclusion?
Our inclusion and employment efforts focus on building strong partnerships with local organizations that support people with disabilities, as well as engaging in volunteer initiatives. BraunAbility has partnered with Ball State University to build a mentorship program that offers students with mobility disabilities the chance to network with, learn from, and gain valuable insights into the workforce from BraunAbility team members. Conversely, our team members benefit too by growing a relationship with a mentee who represents our customer base.. Inclusion comes from understanding which comes from awareness, and that’s what we’re building through this program.
We also understand there is a significant inequity in employment for our customer base: people with disabilities are more than twice as likely to be unemployed compared to those without disabilities. When we started the mentorship program, our goal was fostering exposure, both for the mentee and the mentor, and greater understanding of our customer base. Not only have we accomplished this goal, but one of our first mentees later joined the BraunAbility team as a full-time employee!
We also collaborate with the Gregory S. Fehribach Center at Eskenazi Health, a program that connects college students with disabilities to paid internships aligned with their studies, providing valuable work experience. We also host and participate in panel discussions and disability-focused job fairs across Indianapolis to address misconceptions about employing people with disabilities and connect those individuals with potential employers.
Finally, we have a robust volunteer program that offers team members the opportunity to make a difference in our local disability communities and meet the individuals and families that our products are serving. We want to be known for the inclusion advancements we bring to our local communities, and our teams do that through a wide range of initiatives, such as building ramps at low-income homes, volunteering at adaptive sports events, and painting accessible parking spaces to prevent misuse.
How does BraunAbility approach accessibility beyond employment, and how does this support overall inclusion?
BraunAbility’s ‘Save Our Spots’ campaign aims to stop the misuse of accessible parking spaces. Many of our customers rely on these spots for safe entry and exit from their vehicles, which are equipped with wheelchair ramps. Unfortunately, people often park on the diagonal lines next to accessible spots—known as access aisles—blocking the space needed for ramps to deploy. Even a small encroachment can create a significant barrier. To raise awareness, we offer free ‘Save Our Spots’ notes on our website, encouraging everyone to keep access aisles clear for those who need them most.
We also regularly consult our online community, The Driving Force, which includes 1,700 individuals with mobility disabilities and their caregivers. We’ve surveyed them on key disability-related topics, such as accessibility progress since the ADA, the impact of COVID-19, workplace inclusion, and the emotional, physical, and financial challenges of caregiving. This community helps us live up to our ‘nothing about us without us’ philosophy by ensuring their voices shape our initiatives and advocacy efforts.
One of the ways we share the voices of The Driving Force is through our annual Drive for Inclusion Report Card, which explores the tension behind how people with disabilities experience the world compared to the perspective of the general population.
Our 2021 Drive for Inclusion Report Card Found:
- A 14% decrease in the general public’s willingness to understand and accommodate people with mobility disabilities than in the year prior, at the height of the pandemic.
- Only 7% of the Driving Force gave their employers an A grade in providing accommodations to those with mobility challenges.
Our 2022 Drive for Inclusion Report Card Found:
- 63% of the Driving Force would work even if they didn’t have to.
- 68% of the Driving Force thinks the job interview process is biased.
Find out more about the Save Our Spots campaign.
Find out more about BraunAbility’s Drive For Inclusion.
How do you see BraunAbility’s role evolving in shaping the future of accessible transportation and inclusive employment practices?
We’re passionate about advancing accessible transportation for all. We’re actively working to make our vehicles eco-friendly through hybrid and electric technologies, while also exploring autonomous transportation solutions – a possibility that would be a game changer for people with disabilities and their caregivers.
In terms of inclusive employment, it’s critical we continue to recruit from and facilitate conversations with the disability community. There’s no better way to grow our business. It’s common sense, and it’s taken time to make it common practice. Inclusive representation is a journey, and there’s no final destination.
Ultimately, our key message is this: True inclusion and accessibility come from understanding, awareness, and active engagement with the disability community. Whether it’s in transportation, employment, or any other aspect of society, progress happens when we listen to and involve those who are most affected. By embracing this philosophy, organizations can not only enhance their products and services but also contribute to creating a more inclusive and accessible world for everyone. This is the future we’re working towards at BraunAbility, and we invite others to join us in this mission.
