WALKER, MI -- Meijer is garnering national attention for creating a workplace that is supportive for people with disabilities.
The Midwest retailer was recently recognized by the U.S. Business Leadership Network and American Association of People with Disabilities as one of the Best Places to Work for Disability Inclusion.
For the first time, Meijer made the Disability Equality Index.
This is the first award of its kind for the Walker-based supercenter chain.
"This is a significant achievement for our company," Meijer CEO Rick Keyes said in a statement. "We have worked hard to diversify our workforce and create a culture where everyone is part of one team. We believe this approach helps all of us better serve our customers and contributes to dynamic growth of Meijer."
Keyes, who has spent most of career at Meijer, has long been an advocate for hiring workers with disabilities.
The Meijer Diversity & Inclusion team collected the award during the U.S. Business Leadership Network's annual conference in Orlando, Fla.
The companies participating in the 2017 DEI represent 21 different sectors of the American economy, and have a total U.S. workforce of about 7.2 million workers, or roughly 5 percent of all American workers.
Other Michigan companies to make the third annual list include The Dow Chemical Company DTE Energy, General Motors, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan and Whirlpool Corporation. All scored 100 percent.
The privately-owned Meijer operates 235 supercenters and grocery stores throughout Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky and Wisconsin.