Verizon’s Valuable 500 Commitment:
At Verizon, we know it takes more than the best technology to move the world forward, it takes the best people. And what gives us the strength to deliver is that we are all different. A diverse workforce that values different perspectives makes us stronger and better prepared to solve the complex challenges that lay ahead.
We are at the forefront of an industry building a more connected world. With our purpose, scale and global reach, we are uniquely positioned to shape a more equitable future within and beyond our walls.
Our commitment to advancing disability inclusion is infused in every aspect of our business. We embrace an integrated approach to ensure our practices, policies and workplace live up to the highest ideals of equity and accessibility.
We are committed to fostering a culture where everyone is empowered to bring their authentic self to work and feel a sense of belonging. Our Employee Resource Groups play an integral role in elevating a diverse chorus of voices across the company, including Verizon ADVANCE – Advocates for Disability, Access, Neurodiversity and Caregiver Empowerment. Additionally, we provide a constellation of resources with learning pathways to address implicit and conscious bias.
We provide comprehensive benefits and accommodations to ensure Verizon employees with disabilities have the correct support to succeed in their roles. We also focus our resources on professional development and career advancement so that all team members can realize their greatest ambitions.
Our customers deserve an equitable experience with technology and services that fit their needs. We have dedicated accessibility and customer care teams who provide our customers with disabilities the support they need to access and enjoy our products.
Advancing authentic representation:
We believe that key to achieving sustainable equity is making sure all individuals feel seen, heard, and represented. Under Citizen Verizon, our responsible business action plan, we are expanding our commitment to ensure disability inclusion is a lens we bring to all of our initiatives. This includes launching a Disability Advisory Board to integrate the expertise of the disability community and build a future where everyone can thrive.
Championing supplier diversity:
We work closely with businesses owned by people with disabilities, disabled veterans, and service-disabled veterans, as well as other diverse groups, including people of color, women, and members of the LGBTQ community.
Teaching the next-generation leaders:
While access is the first step toward ensuring people with disabilities benefit from the latest technological advances, we must also build and design with accessibility as the guiding principle and co-create with the disability community at the table. To deliver on that promise in a real way will require us to skill-up the next generation of innovators, so they start their career building through the lens of accessibility.
Programs like Teach Access bring together industry, disability advocates and educators to prepare students with the skills and design principles to approach their work with an accessible mindset. Verizon is working to scale Teach Access through our partnership with The Valuable 500 so that the innovators of tomorrow know how to build for everyone today.
I wanted Verizon to become an Iconic company, because I believe technology is key to unlocking a more equitable future for people with disabilities.
Verizon is proud to be a Valuable 500 Iconic Leader company, and is currently working with the Valuable 500 team to scale Teach Access, as part of the Iconic Solutions.
