Published October 5, 2021 / All Stories
In the sixth of a seven-part Employee Resource Group (ERG) series, we’re shining the spotlight on Ability at AbbVie. This group focuses on advocacy and inclusion, uniting employees with disabilities, caregivers of people with disabilities and other allies of the community. Some disabilities are visible, like blindness or one affecting mobility. But not all disabilities can be seen, such as mental illness, some chronic illnesses, autism or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Seven leaders of Ability detail the reasons they were drawn to the group, how they define the mission and why some good things came out of the pandemic.
1. How would you define the mission of Ability?
Laurie Asbeck-Hickman, associate director of marketing compliance operations and Ability chair: Our mission is that everyone feels like they belong. We want to foster an environment where employees feel comfortable discussing their disability with their managers and peers.
Erica Wolf, U.S. market access regional account executive and Ability co-chair: It’s a forum for disability inclusion. It means advancing the awareness and understanding of seen and unseen disabilities to build trust, so people feel comfortable bringing their whole self to work. It’s about building a disability inclusive mindset into our recruiting and onboarding processes.
Zilma Martinez, maintenance superintendent, Ability Puerto Rico member: Ability wants employees to be able to be fully productive, no matter what limitations they have. This way, people can focus on their talent rather than the limitations.