About Us
[ Overview ] [ History ] [
Strategic Goals ] [ Business Leadership
Network (BLN) ]
[ Purpose ] [ Background ] [
Organizational Structure ] [ How it Works
] [ Benefits ]
The US Business Leadership Network (USBLN) is the national organization that
supports development and expansion of its BLN affiliates across the country,
serving as their collective voice. It is the only national disability
organization led by business for business. The USBLN recognizes and promotes
best practices in hiring, retaining, and marketing to people with disabilities.
There are 53 Business Leadership Network affiliates in 31 states, including
the District of Columbia, representing more than 5,000 employers across the
US. The BLN uses a “business to business” approach to educate,
promoting the business imperative of including people with disabilities in
the workforce.
BLN affiliates are business organizations headed by a Lead Business who
exemplifies these practices and shares experiences with other
members-employers-within the state or region. These activities include career
fairs, disability mentoring and internship programs, and training programs
including disability business etiquette, accommodation, and other disability
issues deemed significant to employers. Businesses join BLN affiliates to
learn how to expand their diversity recruiting efforts to include individuals
with disabilities- not as a social model but as a business case to recruit
talent and better serve their customers. BLN successes serve the workplace,
the marketplace, the community and the economy. The USBLN Vision is that
every employer recognizes and benefits from the best practice of including
people with disabilities in their workforce and marketplace.
The Business Leadership Network was originally established in 1994 through
the President’s Committee on Employment with People with Disabilities
(PCEPD) with a national business advisory board chaired by Tom Donohue, the
President of the US Chamber of Commerce. The network was distributed throughout
various governor and mayor committees on disability with the concept that
business understands business best, underscoring for the first time that
employers should be recognized as valued customers of the vocational
rehabilitation system. affiliates, led by large companies including: Medtronic,
Motorola, General Motors, and SunTrust Bank; smaller employers: Boddie Noell
Enterprises and Oklahoma One Call, universities: The George Washington
University, Harvard University, University of Alabama and chambers of commerce
in Utah and Maryland, continued to develop based on the principle of
“business to business”.
Most affiliates are volunteer organizations with loaned executives, some
are incorporated as 501c3 non profits and some have executive director and/or
paid staff. Prior to 2002, there were no national organizational structure
guidelines, and affiliates were developed based on the regional needs of
employers seeking to add individuals with disabilities into their workforce.
With President George W. Bush’s creation of the Office of Disability
Employment Policy, a office with an assistant secretary level within the
US Department of Labor in 2000, the President’s Committee was abolished.
At that time, business leaders within the BLN affiliates met at their annual
national conference and voted to establish a national trade association known
as the US Business Leadership Network which would establish an organizational
structure and promote the development and growth of affiliates across the
US.
A steering committee selected by the US Chamber of Commerce from loaned
executives based within affiliates: SunTrust Bank, Nordstrom, McDonald’s,
Oklahoma One-Call, Boddie Noell Enterprises, Motorola, and the US Chamber
of Commerce. This steering committee incorporated the USBLN as a 501c6 and
has established requirements for chapter development. In 2004, the USBLN
affiliates elected representatives from affiliates across the US to serve
as the first USBLN Board of Directors. The induction ceremony was held at
the US Chamber of Commerce. Each member serves for 3 years. The officers:
President: SunTrust Bank; Vice President: Qualcomm; Secretary: Wachovia Bank:
Treasurer: US Chamber of Commerce. Other directors: Harvard University, Wells
Fargo, Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce, and Medtronic.
The USBLN has established several strategic five year goals:
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Build the USBLN into a stable, self-sustaining organization - The
USBLN was created by the affiliates to serve the affiliates. As such it is
imperative that the USBLN grow and develop its own funding sources, educational
resources and products and services for its employer members and its affiliates.
Having a strong national business organization will continue to promote employers
across the US to proactively include people with disabilities in the workforce
and to serve customers with disabilities in the marketplace. The USBLN business
plan, capital campaign and election of additional directors to the board
will ensure that affiliates have the support and direction to continue to
serve the business community.
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Become THE resource for employers - A major objective of the BLN is
to foster dialog among employers regarding the issues, sharing successes
and overcoming barriers to include people with disabilities in the workforce
and marketplace. The USBLN website expansion will allow the exchange of best
practices. The employer toolkit and other employer focused products and holding
national business events, including the annual national conference, will
further this exchange.
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Expand and strengthen affiliates - To serve employers across the US,
the USBLN must assist in the development of affiliates in every state and
provide the tools and mechanisms to engage employers. affiliates require
ongoing leadership from a national perspective as they serve the business
needs within their own geographies. Increase employment of people with
disabilities In a recent Associated Press Article, about 56% of adults with
disabilities are working. This percentage is in stark contrast the national
unemployment level of non-disabled workers which hovers around 5%, or 95%
working. The USBLN believes that by achieving the mission of educating business
of the business case for including people with disabilities and replacing
employers concerns with realities that the employment numbers will increase.
An employer-led venture of the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Disability
Employment Policy, that promotes best practices to enhance employment
opportunities for candidates who happen to have disabilities.
At a time when unemployment of the general population is about 5.7 percent,
unemployment of people who want to work and who happen to have disabilities
is disproportionately high at 50 percent. In order to lower this unacceptable
level of unemployment, the BLN seeks to promote two primary personnel policies:
diversity policies that include people with disabilities and hiring practices
that target candidates with disabilities.
Started in 1994, this program hinges on a fundamental business principle-
success breeds success. When employers discuss the success and benefits to
their organizations of hiring job candidates with disabilities, then other
employers are inspired to do the same. Thirty-three states, the District
of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and one Canadian province are currently engaged
in BLN activities.
Thomas J. Donohue, President and CEO of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the
world's largest business federation, serves as Head CEO of the Business
Leadership Network (BLN). Companies taking a leadership role in developing
and expanding the BLN include University of Alabama at Birmingham (AL),
DiscoverCard/Boost (AZ), Hi-Tech Engineering, Inc. (AR), Motorola Integrated
Electronic Systems Sector (AZ), IBM (CA), Careers Colorado (CO), The George
Washington University (DC), SunTrust Bank (FL), Lockheed Martin Aeronautics
Company (GA), Helping Hands Healthcare, Inc. (IL), The Principal Financial
Groupt (IA), Bank of America (KS), Bank One Kentucky, N.A. (KY), Bank One,
N.A. (LA), Monster.com (MA), McCrone, Inc. (MD), Denso Manufacturing Michigan,
Inc. (MI), Northwest Airlines Corporation (MN), ConAgra Foods, Inc. (NE),
Independence Technology, L.L.C. of Johnson & Johnson (NJ), The Kemtah
Group, Inc. (NM), Verizon Communications, Inc. (NY), Boddie-Noell Enterprises
(NC), Alerus Financial (ND), DiscoverCard Financial Services (OH), Oklahoma
One-Call System, Inc. (OK), Luxury TowVan Corporation (OR), Highmark Blue
Cross Blue Shield (PA), Storage Technology (PR), JC Penney Company, Inc.
(TX), SunTrust Bank, Mid-Atlantic (VA), Chittenden Bank (VT), Medtronic
Physio-Control (WA), The QTI Group, Inc. (WI), Trilegiant Corporation (WY),
and Manitoba Hydro (MB, Canada).
Participating employers, in partnership with state Governor's Committee
representatives and or other community services professionals, identify specific
hiring requirements so that referral and placement services can be customized
to meet those needs. Employers complete a brief survey indicating position
vacancies, identifying disability employment concerns, and requesting information
on specific disability topics. Participating employers: hire and promote
workers with disabilities; attend business forums that provide information
on critical disability employment issues; conduct job seeking skills sessions
for candidates with disabilities; serve as mentors to postsecondary students
with disabilities; recruit at disability employment fairs; provide summer,
internship and co-op work experiences to enable students with disabilities
to gain related work experience; and market the BLN to other employers.
Employers who participate in BLN activities:
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Gain access to a pool of qualified candidates with disabilities,
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Obtain pertinent disability information,
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Share information with other employers,
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Contribute to human resource training and employment issues, and
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Gain access to an untapped market for goods and services.
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