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Muscular Dystrophy Association Partners with Technology Driven Companies for Disability Disruption in the Modern Workplace Revolution

Muscular Dystrophy Association’s Quest Media releases podcast focused on universal design for accommodations in the workplace.

New York, NY – November 21, 2022 – The Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA), is focused on ways to leverage technology disruption and digital technologies as catalysts for promoting equity and inclusion in the workplace, in living situations (including independent living) and in accessing everything the world has to offer so that every individual can participate in all aspects of community life. The organization partners with leading technology platforms like Inclusively and FinancialForce to facilitate a cultural shift, to positively disrupt organizational mindset around disability and drive outcomes that are inclusive by design.

“I am proud we’ve partnered with Inclusively and FinancialForce, two leading technology-centered platforms powering MDA’s connection to our community journey, and empowering job seekers to cultivate employment opportunities for people with disabilities,” said Kristine Welker, Chief of Staff, MDA. “Technology is the great enabler, and for people living with disability it is also the greatest equalizer. As employers begin to embrace that remote work is here to stay, they realize that the workplace is now infinitely more accessible to people with disabilities. Furthermore, showing a commitment to a diverse and accessible workplace is a selling point that can attract even more talent.”

On the newly released episode of MDA’s Quest Podcast ‘Creating an Inclusive Work Environment’, Sarah Bernard, Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer of Inclusively discusses, “Inclusively’s mission is around universal design and that accommodations benefit everyone – including many of your current employees. One of the biggest misconceptions that we work with employers to understand is that they likely already have these accommodations available in-house or cost very little to implement. By focusing on accommodations, you will have a huge impact across your organization that includes increased productivity, retention, and customer satisfaction.” Link to clip here.

As a catalyst for change, MDA hosts Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) roundtables and workshops to understand the interests and needs of the disability community, where people are in their personal journeys, and identify barriers and opportunities that are different for everyone. Through programming, the organization emphasizes the “human factor” by sharing real-world experiences to help visualize goals and create meaningful change. MDA’s next DEI Roundtable will focus on Disability Disruption and how to be inclusive by design, bringing together companies, brands, and a diverse group of people with disabilities to discuss and discover ways to promote a more adaptive and accessible lifestyle to promote Global Accessibility Awareness every day for everyone.

"We are proud to work with MDA on a technology platform that allows them to connect with clients and build meaningful community engagement," said Ravi Narula, Chief Financial Officer of FinancialForce. "With FinancialForce's solution, MDA gets a real-time view of data across the organization. We understand that this has helped them save money in annual running costs and further invest in their mission to change peoples' lives."

Additional educational programming from MDA includes the MDA Quest Media Blog: Your Rights in the interview process, and the new Access to Employment Workshop.

About FinancialForce

FinancialForce elevates business growth through a complete Services-as-a-Business (SaaB) solution that spans service delivery, finance, and customer success. Run on the leading cloud platform, Salesforce, FinancialForce enables organizations to run a connected business, deliver with intelligence, and achieve agility at scale. Founded in 2009 and headquartered in San Francisco, FinancialForce is backed by Advent International, Salesforce Ventures, and Technology Crossover Ventures. For more information, visit www.financialforce.com.

About Inclusively

Inclusively is a technology centered inclusions solution and employment platform for job seekers with disabilities, mental health conditions, and chronic illnesses. Inclusively’s vision is to create a front door to employment that is open to all people, unlocking the world’s hidden talents in the disability community. In this episode, Sarah Bernard, the co-founder and chief operating officer at Inclusively, shares her expertise on the importance of inclusion and accessibility in the workplace – and how employers can get on board to create a more inclusive culture.

About Muscular Dystrophy Association

Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) is the #1 voluntary health organization in the United States for people living with muscular dystrophy, ALS, and related neuromuscular diseases. For over 70 years, MDA has led the way in accelerating research, advancing care, and advocating for the support of our families. MDA's mission is to empower the people we serve to live longer, more independent lives. To learn more visit mda.org and follow MDA on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, TikTok, LinkedIn, and YouTube.