Sephora Wins Employer of the Year in Mississippi for our “Enabling a Workforce with Disabilities” Initiative
In early October, two members of our South Eastern Distribution Center Human Resources team took home a huge honor for Sephora! Ryan Hitsman, Senior Manager of Human Resources at the SDC, and Jessica Jolly, Outreach Coordinator, attended the Rehabilitation Association of Mississippi conference, where the state served as host to seven local vocational rehabilitation divisions through the Southeast Region National Rehabilitation Association.
Each year, the group recognizes an employer who demonstrates outstanding achievement in improving employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities. Sephora was awarded as the 2018 Employer of the Year in the State of Mississippi for its partnership with the Mississippi Department of Rehabilitation Services to employ one third of its workforce with people with disabilities at the Southeast Distribution Center in Olive Branch, MS.
By the end of the first year of the partnership, 34 people with disabilities have transitioned into full-time employment with Sephora — more than any employer in the state — and this number continues to steadily increase.
“We are extremely proud to be breaking records here, and we’re only getting started,” Ryan said. “We aren’t even halfway to our goal yet, and we’re being recognized by the state — it feels amazing.”
Ryan is quick to acknowledge the broad cross-team effort that has made this program a success. In addition to the hiring process, a lot of energy and time goes into changing management styles, creating a culture of inclusiveness, and developing and implementing a customized training program tailored to individuals with disabilities, he said.
“It takes all of us to pull off an initiative of this magnitude,” Ryan added. “We have had complete buy-in from our entire local leadership team, and we all share in this success.”
