Passion ENABLEs Disability Inclusion
By Babette Simon, Controlling Change Management Lead, Bayer U.S.
In mid-July, I attended the Disability:IN conference in Chicago, representing Bayer in my role as a National Co-lead for our ENABLE BRG, our business resource group for people with diverse abilities. This is the second year I had the honor to attend such a magnificent event. There were over 2,000 attendees from more than 180 companies with a common purpose to achieve disability equality and inclusion in the workplace.
What made this year’s conference so special for me as a Bayer lead for our disability BRG? For the first time ever, we were recognized as a top-scoring DEI (Disability Equality Index) company at the exclusive Top-Scorer Reception. This achievement was quite a milestone for so many who worked to make this happen.
Business Resource Groups (BRGs) are voluntary, company sponsored groups of employees who work together to promote cultural diversity, awareness, and education and are key partners in Bayer’s efforts to cultivate an inclusive environment and to engage employees around critical Inclusion & Diversity objectives.
It was only five years ago when about 30 employees decided to get together and explore how we could support each other and our community of those with different disabilities. What started back then as the HOPE ERG has expanded and changed in name to the ENABLE BRG with membership of more than 500 employees in the U.S. and national co-leadership teams in Whippany and St. Louis. We even have international presence now in Brazil and plans to expand further!!!
The evolution of our group from its humble beginning to today is demonstrated by our strong commitment to having a positive impact within the Bayer community and externally. Through ENABLE, we have increased awareness about accessibility, influenced our health insurance and policies and engaged support from our senior management. I feel so lucky and proud to work with people who are passionate about this cause and are willing to go beyond their everyday responsibilities at work.
Almost twenty years ago, my first-born was diagnosed with Autism. There was not much support at that time. I was given a phone number of agency to call, a list of a few “specialists” who might be able to help me and a horrible prognosis for his future. Well, there was no way I was going to be okay with that. With the support of my supervisors at Bayer through the years, I was able to set the necessary plan for my son to have the future he deserved. I am immensely proud to say he is now 22 years old and a senior at a local university in an Honors curriculum, participating in a six-month internship!
Having advocated for my son and experienced such great support through the years, I wanted to give back as part of the team that created this BRG five years ago. It is my passion as a National Co-lead for the ENABLE BRG to support at the fullest extent possible those affected by disabilities and increase awareness about the value it brings to this community and to an organization like Bayer.
