Phillips 66 advances disability inclusion

Our ongoing efforts earned us recognition as one of the 2024 Best Places to Work for People with Disabilities.

October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month, the perfect time to learn how Phillips 66 has been advancing disability inclusion and what the company and its employees are doing to further a more inclusive culture and diverse workplace.

Phillips 66 was recently recognized as one of the 2024 Best Places to Work for People with Disabilities, achieving a score of 100 on the Disability Equality Index. This index is a partnership between Disability:IN and the American Association of People with Disabilities, and the company's score highlights its sustained commitment to disability inclusion, workplace accessibility, employment practices to fully incorporate and include individuals with disabilities, and more.

In 2022, Phillips 66 launched the Diverse Abilities Network (DAN), which has nearly 500 members and is growing. As a virtual employee resource group, it focuses on creating a welcoming and accommodating environment for employees with a disability, as well as supporting employees who are caregivers and advocates.

In fact, Tim Spinks, Contract Specialist in Procurement and DAN co-lead, is a parent and caregiver to a child born with unexpected medical issues. He joined DAN early on and found the ability to connect with other caregivers invaluable after experiencing how difficult and isolating caregiving can be. "It's not easy to find a community of other people who are caregivers… people don't talk about it; they don't want to burden others with it," he said. Spinks became part of a group of individuals who could understand what he and his family are going through.

"I've learned so much from being the Executive Champion of DAN, but one of my biggest takeaways has come from putting myself in other people's shoes and learning from their experiences," said Todd Denton, Senior Vice President of Health, Safety, and Environment (HSE) and Field Operations Support. "Seeing the dedication and value that our DAN members bring to work every day inspires me to help make Phillips 66 an even better place to work."

As part of Phillips 66's efforts to ensure employee needs are being met, employees are encouraged to voluntarily self-identify as having a disability.

"The definition of disability is ever-broadening and covers a lot of conditions," said Mariel Borrel, Advisor, Inclusion & Diversity. "With a better understanding of representation, we can advocate for more accessible programs and workspaces while creating a culture where everyone feels like they belong."