It’s been another year and Oracle has scored another 100 Top Score on the prestigious Disability: IN Equality Index! So, what does it take to be one of the Best Places to Work for Disabilities in 2024? Well, we think it has something to do with the culture of inclusion we’ve been building for decades. One where we empower people to perform their best while being their true selves.
Although we’re no strangers to this top award—it’s our seventh year earning it and our fifth in a row in the United States—it’s not something we take for granted. Like the tech industry itself and the rate of change in our products and solutions, the challenges facing people of diverse abilities evolve too.
What makes this year different is that we’ve also achieved the 100 Top Score in Brazil, Germany, and the UK on DisabilityIn’s newly expanded country indexes—a powerful indicator of how much our culture of inclusion is changing things for the better around the world.
Building communities, building belonging
More than a billion people live with disabilities around the world and the need to understand, support, and celebrate is critical. Key to this is the Oracle Diverse Abilities Network (ODAN), one of the many Employee Resources Groups (ERGs) that give a voice to the communities that make up who we are as a company. ODAN’s mission is to connect employees with disabilities, caretakers, and allies to advance disability inclusion and equity everywhere.
ODAN celebrates its fourth birthday this July, which falls during Disability Pride Month. The ERG has come a long way since 2020 and has grown to represent the needs and interests of neurodiverse people and caregivers. To mark the occasion, ODAN is hosting an exciting range of events and panels that will shed new light on issues close to the disabled community and its allies.
“Events like these are extremely important to both people with disabilities and without.” ODAN Brazil’s Lead Erica Nunes explains. “Not only do they give us access to information, they give us the opportunity to strengthen our relationships with dialogue, understanding, and respect."
Representing everyone
Disability is a spectrum and not everyone comes to the community in ways you might expect. Shanna Groves, learning designer here at Oracle, shows how diverse representation can be.
“Because my hearing loss progressed over time and tends to fluctuate, I initially thought my disability was temporary,” she explains.
“Now after having tinnitus and bilateral sensorineural hearing loss for more than 20 years, I’ve become active in the disability community as an author, advocate and board member for D/deaf and hearing loss associations.”
As the ODAN co-chair, Shanna strives to drive understanding and representation across Oracle for everyone living with any form of visible or non-apparent disability.
Ongoing journey
Japan and Asia Pacific ODAN lead, Julian Morrin also found his way to ODAN in an unexpected way.
“I'm the parent of a neurodiverse child and was recently diagnosed with ADHD and autism myself during a mental health crisis,” he shares. Masking his true self at work had always been a strain, but since discovering ODAN his world has opened up.
“That Oracle has resources to reach out to and employee groups to share experiences with was critical to my personal survival and ongoing journey of discovery,” he explains.
What we do differently
Inclusion doesn’t just come from top-down strategy; it takes a community to make it happen. By making Oracle a canvas for all experiences, we supercharge the kind of participation that creates real and lasting change.
Here are just a few examples of our approach:
Step one: Make accessibility personal
“I hate when I need someone else to do my job! It's unacceptable and shouldn’t happen in the 21st century.”
When transitioning to a new project management tool, Accessibility Evangelist and Assistive Technology Specialist, Don Mauck made it clear he wanted to establish adapted workflows to empower him to succeed as a blind professional without someone else’s assistance. Learn how communication and collaboration are key to accessibility.
Step two: Motivate and mentor
“It was great to be around so many people who lead such interesting lives and all the while knew so much about our work and could teach me.”
As a software development intern, Cosmo Trikes forged new professional confidence with the help of his colleagues. See how his professional adventure at Oracle put him on the path to leadership.
Step three: Increase awareness
“Being part of a culture of inclusion means celebrating those with different abilities and their talents.”
Senior Customer Service Manager, Rachel Blake, discovered a newfound appreciation of awareness and inclusion at Oracle when her son received his Autism diagnosis. Today, she advocates fiercely for Autism awareness as a member of ODAN.
It all adds up
We’re very proud of our culture of disability inclusion and our approach continues to evolve to meet the needs of all our people. There is always more we can do, and we’re committed to creating a fairer workplace for all. Our recent success in the Disability Equality Index backs that up, but don’t take our word for it! Hear about the impact of life at Oracle from the people who know best.
Do you want to join a company that truly embraces disability inclusion? Learn about our inclusive practices, as well as how to join our team.
The editorial team is comprised of members of the Oracle Talent Advisory group, with a wide-range of employer branding responsibilities. They partner with employees across Oracle to capture stories that showcase our company, culture and career opportunities, and help candidates envision their #LifeAtOracle.
Previous Post
Next Post