As we gear up for World Down Syndrome Day on March 21st, we are dedicating this month to recognizing all of the beauty and talent that people with Down Syndrome possess while also driving awareness to the lack of opportunity and equality for people with Down Syndrome.
People with Down Syndrome are still 5 times as likely to be bullied or excluded in school. There are not opportunities for higher education, so less than 15% of people with Down Syndrome go to trade school or college. Over 85% of adults with disabilities are unemployed, and those that are almost never receive a promotion or are given career pathways or workplace accommodations to set them up for success and growth. People with Down Syndrome are not represented in our government, church leadership or community groups. We must do better than this, for our peers, friends and those who will come up after us.
People with Down Syndrome are still 5 times as likely to be bullied or excluded in school. There are not opportunities for higher education, so less than 15% of people with Down Syndrome go to trade school or college. Over 85% of adults with disabilities are unemployed, and those that are almost never receive a promotion or are given career pathways or workplace accommodations to set them up for success and growth. People with Down Syndrome are not represented in our government, church leadership or community groups. We must do better than this, for our peers, friends and those who will come up after us.
Most companies believe that employees with disabilities cannot perform well in the workplace and hiring them would harm profits and drag company performance down. This is just not true. A recent study has shown, for the first time, and shared by the NY Times that “companies that championed people with disabilities actually outperformed others-driving profitability and shareholder returns. Revenues were 28 percent higher, net income 200 percent higher, and profit margins 30 percent higher. Companies that improved internal practices for disability inclusion were also four times as likely to see higher shareholder returns”. Accenture and the American Association of People with Disabilities put out a report with the above results that prove hiring people with disabilities is not just the right thing to do, it is good business. The results were based on an analysis on the performance of 140 companies that averaged annual revenue of 43 billion. What’s more is that “According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics only 15% of Americans ages 16 to 64 with a disability were employed as of June 2018, compared with 75% of those without a disability.
Pre-Covid, the United States Labor market was at its strongest in decades, and possible ever. But all too many people with disabilities remain without jobs. So, in recognition of a need for meaningful, integrated, equal pay employment for adults who face significant barriers to employment, EveryBody Inc, L3C was created. EveryBody is a sales and distribution company of natural bath and body products. EveryBody uses a unique and adaptive system that allows individuals with disabilities to work for equal pay and thrive. We are committed to employing 50% of our workforce with people who face significant barriers to employment and community access. When you shop with us, you are a part of something so much bigger because we are changing the trajectory of people’s lives.