Company earns a 100 percent score for the first time
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. — BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee (BlueCross) has been named a 2022 Best Place to Work for Disability Inclusion on the Disability Equality Index (DEI), earning a 100 percent score for the first time.
The DEI is one of the most comprehensive benchmarking tools for disability workplace inclusion. It’s facilitated by nonprofits Disability:IN and the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD), and it exists to support businesses in taking measurable actions toward recruiting and retaining people with disabilities.
“At BlueCross, we value and respect people for who they are. We intentionally create a workforce that’s a reflection of the individuals we serve – so that we can better understand and respond to our members’ needs,” said Ron Harris, vice president of corporate workforce diversity. “In 2021, we applied for this recognition for the first time and earned a 90 percent score. This year, our score improved due to our efforts to continuously advance the ways we support employees and members with disabilities.”
BlueCross was recognized for its employee benefits and human resources policies and procedures, making accommodations for job candidates during the recruitment process and meeting accessibility standards with customer and employee-facing digital content. The company also earned recognition for offering internship opportunities for high school students who have intellectual and learning disabilities through Project SEARCH.
The insurer has also been named a 2022 Forbes Best Employer for Diversity and was recognized by the Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce with the 2022 Diversity, Inclusion and Engagement award for efforts to hire, promote and engage a diverse staff.
For more information about the company’s diversity and inclusion efforts, visit www.bcbst.com/diversity.
About BlueCross®
BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee is a taxpaying, not-for-profit health plan serving more than 3.3 million members in Tennessee and around the country. The Chattanooga-based company was founded in 1945 and has served the state for more than 75 years. BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee Inc. is an independent licensee of the BlueCross BlueShield Association. For more information, visit the company’s news center at bcbstnews.com.