Guidewire, a global company providing software for Property & Casualty (P&C) insurance carriers, joined Disability:IN Chicagoland early in their DEI journey to launch their Employee Resource Group (ERG). The partnership with Disability:IN Chicagoland was a win in two ways. First, Executive Director, Laura Wilhelm, helped to frame the vision and purpose for a newly forming disability ERG. Second, by utilizing the knowledge of key corporate peers that were further along in their disability inclusion journey, Guidewire gained foundational support quickly. Disability:IN Chicagoland was a critical resource and support to the successful launch of the ABLEguide ERG. The Chicagoland network, which includes Fortune 1000 companies, went above and beyond in their advice to support Guidewire’s ERG design and launch process.
Now one year since its launch, the Guidewire ERG is making impactful steps forward and creating a safe space for employees to feel supported sharing their diverse abilities. The ABLEguide journey has even been featured on the company blog here.
The ERG’s first celebration of Global Accessibility Awareness Day on May 18th featured a guest speaker from The Chicago Lighthouse, a connection made by Disability:IN Chicagoland. This was an important step in focusing on Guidewire’s own products, assessing where there are opportunities to expand accessible design in the future.
As Co-Executive Sponsor, Beth Salamida, described it “With the new ABLEguide ERG, our goal is to empower people with visible and invisible disabilities, destigmatize differences, and create a safe space for people to share their stories and be heard, understood and supported.”
To learn more about Guidewire’s journey toward disability inclusion contact Mark Daniels – [email protected].
