BUSINESS NOTES
Inclusive WORKPLACES By Connie Mitchell
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n entering three shops in Kirkwood, customers may notice a window sticker that states: “This business fosters a workforce of diverse abilities.” Sammysoap, The Pioneer Bakery Cafe and Schnucks Kirkwood are the first businesses bestowed with the “diverse abilities” recognition, and Kirkwood’s Human Rights Commission plans to identify additional businesses that employ or train people with a variety of physical and cognitive disabilities. Robert Boyd, an HRC member, helped develop the program. He credits two community members, Doug Riggs and Brandie Martine, with originating the idea about seven years ago. “It was really their baby to start with,” Boyd says. Other individuals instrumental in building the program include Anne Carroll, John Hoffmann, Josh Lewis, the late Denis Hart and Verneda Carrier. Program planning took time due to administrative hurdles and the COVID-19 pandemic, which put the brakes on the project just as the commission was about to launch it, but Boyd hopes the program picks up speed during the coming months.
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DECEMBER 3, 2021 | LadueNews.com
The Human Rights Commission believes that it is important to recognize employers who have already hired those with diverse abilities. GEOFF MORRISON, HRC CHAIRMAN “With Sammysoap, Pioneer Bakery and Schnucks all displaying the ‘diverse abilities’ window sticker, we hope other business owners and customers of businesses that employ people with diverse abilities come forward so we can recognize them, too,” he says. Boyd adds that Kirkwood plans to have a formal recognition ceremony at some point in the future, although a date has not yet been set. “The Human Rights Commission believes that it is important to recognize employers who have already hired those with diverse abilities,” HRC
Chairman Geoff Morrison says. “We also hope this initiative will promote this practice and make those with different abilities more visible and valued.” Boyd invites anyone – business-owner or patron – to contact the HRC with suggestions for other area businesses that would be eligible for the ‘diverse abilities’ recognition. “We’re really eager to identify these important businesses in our community, and we want people to be aware of this recognition for those places,” he says. To nominate a business for recognition, contact the Human Rights Commission through Mary Claire Sorenson at sorensmc@kirkwoodmo.org or through the HRC web page on the Kirkwood municipal website at kirkwoodmo.org/humanrights.
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Sammysoap, 123 W. Argonne Drive, Kirkwood, 314-287-7020, sammysoap.com The Pioneer Bakery Cafe, 210 N. Kirkwood Road, Kirkwood, 314-394-1677, thepioneer-stl.com Schnucks Kirkwood, 10233 Manchester Road, Kirkwood, 314-965-7310, locations.schnucks.com/shop/mo-st-louis-139
