EY Marks 25th Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act with Continued Commitment to People with Diverse Abilities in the Workplace

WASHINGTON, July 31, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- On the heels of the 25^th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), EY is continuing its commitment to people with diverse abilities in the workplace with several programs and initiatives to raise awareness around the issue. EY Americas Managing Partner & Managing Partner of Ernst & Young LLP, Stephen R. Howe, Jr., will address a group of 150 corporate executives and policymakers today as the corporate keynote speaker at the US Chamber of Commerce's Corporate Disability Employment Summit, held at the US Chamber of Commerce offices in Washington D.C. from 8:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

Howe will reflect on the 25^th anniversary of the ADA, along with such luminaries as Tom Donohue, President & Chief Executive Officer of the US Chamber of Commerce, US Congressman Steny H. Hoyer and Dr. Anjali Forber Pratt, Elite Wheelchair Racer, Paralympic Ambassador and Public Speaker.  The group will also discuss the evolution of people with disabilities in the workplace and why it is a business and talent imperative to recruit, support and develop people with differing abilities around the world.

"Inclusiveness in organizations, like in society, means equal access. We work hard at improving our physical spaces, our technologies, our tools, resources and processes to make them accessible for everyone," said Howe.  "At EY, we strive to build diverse teams, and then we build our culture and environment to include them in all aspects of our work. This enables us to build the highest performing teams."

Howe will also discuss his personal tie to this issue growing up with a father who had a disability and share the story of EY founding partner, Arthur Young, who was deaf and had low vision. He also will share the story of Brandon Lyons, a member of Ernst & Young LLP's advisory practice who was recently paralyzed from the waist down. Since Brandon's injury, EY has raised more than $20,000 toward the purchase of a Functional Electrical Stimulation (FES) bike, which has been shown to prevent atrophy of lower extremities.  

Other key initiatives include:

• In conjunction with the 25^th anniversary of the ADA, EY is a Presenting Partner of the America's Disability Rights Museum on Wheels (DRMW), the country's first disability rights mobile museum. The DRMW is an accessible self-contained motor vehicle and features interactive learning opportunities and emerging technologies. The mobile museum kicked-off its cross-country tour June 5, 2015, in Charlotte, NC, and continues to travel across the United States.
• EY is launching a video series featuring Paralympian Blake Leeper. In the series, Blake, known as "the American bladerunner" will interview EY professionals, disabled veterans and other Paralympians to drive inspiration and education around this topic.
• EY also released new thought leadership entitled, "Diverse Abilities: Leveraging all abilities to build high-performing organizations," which summarizes the insights that came out of EY's first-ever Diverse Abilities Summit.

"EY's commitment to the recruitment, retention and development of people with diverse abilities extends far beyond our own organization," said Karyn Twaronite, EY Global Diversity & Inclusiveness Officer. "In convening key decision makers across a wide variety of organizations at our Diverse Abilities Summit, for example, and then publishing our discussion, we are offering the broader marketplace important resources that we hope will help them progress through their own inclusiveness journeys while maximizing the contributions of people from all differences and backgrounds."

EY is widely recognized for its commitment to diversity, ranking #4 on the 2015 DiversityInc Top 50 Companies for Diversity and receiving special distinction as the top company for people with disabilities. A recipient of the US Department of Labor's New Freedom Initiative Award for Enhancing the Participation of Americans with Disabilities in the 21st Century Workforce, Ernst & Young LLP was one of 19 companies to receive 100% on the Disability Equality Index (DEI) in 2015, its inaugural year. To learn more about Diversity & inclusion at EY, please visit: http://www.ey.com/differencesmatter.

About EY
EY is a global leader in assurance, tax, transaction and advisory services. The insights and quality services we deliver help build trust and confidence in the capital markets and in economies the world over. We develop outstanding leaders who team to deliver on our promises to all of our stakeholders. In so doing, we play a critical role in building a better working world for our people, for our clients and for our communities.

EY refers to the global organization and may refer to one or more of the member firms of Ernst & Young Global Limited, each of which is a separate legal entity. Ernst & Young Global Limited, a UK company limited by guarantee, does not provide services to clients. For more information about our organization, please visit ey.com.

This news release has been issued by Ernst & Young LLP, a member of the global EY organization that provides services to clients in the US.

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