GROWMARK Joins Broad Effort to Observe National Disability Employment Awareness Month

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. (AgPR) October 4, 2016 – GROWMARK today announced its participation in National Disability Employment Awareness Month, an annual awareness campaign that takes place each October. The purpose of National Disability Employment Awareness Month is to educate about disability employment issues and celebrate the many and varied contributions of America's workers with disabilities. This year's theme is "InclusionWorks."

The history of National Disability Employment Awareness Month traces back to 1945, when Congress enacted a law declaring the first week in October each year "National Employ the Physically Handicapped Week." In 1962, the word "physically" was removed to acknowledge the employment needs and contributions of individuals with all types of disabilities. In 1988, Congress expanded the week to a month and changed the name to National Disability Employment Awareness Month.

Reflecting this year's theme, throughout the month, GROWMARK will be engaging in a variety of activities to educate its employees on disability employment issues and its commitment to an inclusive work culture. These efforts include weekly emails to employees with various facts and tips to building a disability-friendly culture, encouraging employees to use their Volunteer Time Off with a local organization that partners with individuals with disabilities, and hanging up posters throughout the building with the 2016 NDEAM Theme #InclusionWorks to encourage employee engagement.

"GROWMARK is proud to be a part of this year's National Disability Employment Awareness Month," said Kristen Kubsch, affirmative action/EEO specialist. "We want to spread the important message that we value the diverse perspectives, including those of individuals with disabilities. NDEAM feeds into a wider initiative at GROWMARK to become a more inclusive workplace."

Employers and employees in all industries can learn more about how to participate in National Disability Employment Awareness Month and ways they can promote its messages — during October and throughout the year — by visiting www.dol.gov/ndeam.

"By fostering a culture that embraces individual differences, including disabilities, businesses profit by having a wider variety of tools to confront challenges," said Jennifer Sheehy, U.S. Department of Labor deputy assistant secretary for disability employment policy. "Our nation's most successful companies proudly make inclusion a core value. They know that inclusion works. It works for workers, it works for employers, it works for opportunity, and it works for innovation."

About GROWMARK:
GROWMARK is an agricultural cooperative with annual sales of $8.7 billion (FY 2015 data) providing agronomy, energy, facility planning, and logistics products and services, as well as grain marketing and risk management services in more than 40 states and Ontario, Canada. GROWMARK owns the FS trademark, which is used by affiliated member cooperatives. More information is available at www.growmark.com.