SHRM Foundation, Delivering Jobs and The Entertainment Industry Foundation's #HireInclusively PSA Wins Prestigious Anthem Award

​Alexandria, VA – Today, SHRM Foundation, the 501c (3) philanthropic arm of the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) announced that its Delivering Jobs public service announcement (PSA), which is a partnership with the Entertainment Industry Foundation (EIF), the HollyRod Foundation, HEVĒ Studios and Inclusion Films, won a gold and silver prestigious Anthem Award for their PSA campaign that brings awareness to the contributions people with autism, intellectual, and/or developmental differences can bring to the workplace through employment and leadership opportunities. Ninety percent of the cast and crew who created the PSA were neurodiverse.

"The SHRM Foundation is honored and thrilled to receive the Anthem Award.  Building inclusive workplaces is at the heart of what we do to elevate the profession of HR and ensure all untapped pools of talent have an equitable chance at being hired and retained in the workplace," said Wendi Safstrom, President of the SHRM Foundation. "People with disabilities should be an important part of any diversity initiative and affects all diverse populations and the workplace. Bringing visibility to the importance of disability inclusion in the workplace is critical and our partnership has provided us that important opportunity."

The Delivering Jobs PSA was an Anthem Award finalist in two categories and won silver in the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion: Special Projects, and won gold in the category for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion: Corporate Recruiting and Hiring Initiative. The Anthem Awards are judged by the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences (IADAS), a diverse group of social impact leaders and experts who are all working to rebuild our world. The PSA generated more than $50 million in combined advertising revenue and reached an audience of more than 950 million, bringing enormous awareness to the Delivering Jobs campaign and reaching a critical group - HR personnel - empowering them to invest in the long-term success of all employees.

"We are honored that Delivering Jobs has been recognized by the Anthem Awards," said Nicole Sexton, President and CEO of the Entertainment Industry Foundation. "This PSA, featuring a 90% neurodiverse cast and crew, and its acknowledgment for excellence, perfectly illustrates the outcome of inclusive hiring."

Delivering Jobs is an inclusion campaign designed to create pathways to one million employment and leadership opportunities for people with intellectual and/or developmental differences by 2025. The campaign, a collaboration between Autism Speaks, Best Buddies, Special Olympics, and the Entertainment Industry Foundation, aims to build inclusive workplaces through consumer awareness, community activation, skills development, and job preparedness and workforce readiness. Neurodiversity is increasingly a key demographic for inclusion in the workforce, and DeliveringJobs.org provides resources for employees and employers, including toolkits, an accessibility checklist, case studies, and more.

According to SHRM research, of HR professionals and managers that are aware of which workers have disabilities in their organization, nearly all HR professionals (97%) and people managers (92%) say that employees with disabilities regularly perform the same or better than their peers without disabilities. The SHRM Foundation Employing Abilities at Work initiative is part of its commitment to offer education and resources to build inclusive workplaces, and to provide an overview and understanding for HR professionals about managing the employment lifecycle for individuals with disabilities.

In support of this initiative, the SHRM Foundation is launching it Employing Abilities at Work Certificate this Spring. The certificate program is the first step in helping HR professionals create effective policies, programs and procedures, and positive workplace cultures that welcome and include people with disabilities.

Similar to SHRM Foundation's other certificate programs, such as the Veteran's at Work certificate, Employing Abilities at Work certificate will be a robust course in Disability Employment and Inclusion. Thanks to a generous grant from the Kessler Foundation this certificate program will be available at no cost to enrollees, the training course will include content enabling SHRM members to build their competencies in disability inclusion.

About SHRM Foundation

Founded in 1966 the SHRM Foundation is the 501c (3) philanthropic arm of the world's largest HR professional society, SHRM. SHRM represents more than 300,000 HR professionals across the globe, impacting 115 million workers and their families. The SHRM Foundation mobilizes the power of HR for positive social change in the workplace. Its robust programming and resources, meaningful partnerships, and evidenced-based research are educating and empowering HR professionals to hire diverse talent, build inclusive workplaces, prioritize workplace mental health and wellness, develop skills, equip young people to pursue a career in HR and help employees find purpose at work and beyond. Learn more at shrmfoundation.org.

About the Entertainment Industry Foundation

Founded in 1942, the Entertainment Industry Foundation (EIF) is a multifaceted organization that occupies a unique place in the world of philanthropy. By mobilizing and leveraging the powerful voice and creative talents of the entertainment industry, as well as cultivating the support of organizations (public and private) and philanthropists committed to social responsibility, EIF builds awareness and raises funds, developing and enhancing programs on the local, national, and global level that facilitate positive social change.

EIF is a Charity Navigator 4 Star Charity that meets all 20 BBB Charity Standards and carries the Candid Platinum Seal of Transparency. EIN: EIN: 95-1644609. Visit eifoundation.org and follow @eifoundation for more information.