United Natural Foods announced today that it has been recognized as a Best Workplace for Hiring People with Disabilities by the Disability Equality Index for the third consecutive year, receiving the highest score of 100 on the 2024 Disability Equality Index. UNFI is the only North American grocery wholesaler to achieve this score and certification in 2024.
Led by the company’s employee belonging and innovation group, DREAM (Disability Resources, Equity, Allyship, Mentoring), UNFI is committed to promoting a culture of inclusion and empathy throughout the workplace through open dialogue, effective employee training, and honoring holidays and special events that speak to the company’s employee identities. Over the past year, UNFI is especially proud of having implemented mental health awareness training and resources throughout the company, held multiple workshops on parenting a child with special needs, and conducted the Wounded Warrior Project (WWP) Carry Forward 5K run and fundraiser, the last of which saw UNFI employees across the country collectively run, walk and bike a total of 176 miles and raise nearly $10,000. Other initiatives this year include creating a series of guides, short videos, and best practices to improve the accessibility of the most used digital tools within UNFI, and launching virtual body doubling sessions to increase motivation and productivity by working with accountability partners.
“UNFI recognizes and celebrates all employees who live and work with a disability, as well as those who serve as caregivers,” said Guillaume Bagal, UNFI’s vice president of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Wellbeing. “We are incredibly proud to be recognized as a top Disability Equality Index scorer and a Best Place to Work for the third year in a row. We are committed to continuing to be an employer that promotes accessibility and opportunities for growth, combats bias, advances education and awareness about disabilities, and ensures the physical and mental safety of all our employees.”
The index was launched in 2015 by Disability:IN and the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) and is recognized today as the most powerful disability inclusion assessment tool for business. Now in its ninth year, the index exists to help companies make a positive impact on disability unemployment and underemployment.