Walgreens Broadens Inclusive Workplace

Opening Doors in Dallas

In March 2010, Walgreens launched a pilot program in the Dallas/Fort Worth area to help broaden its workforce and disability inclusion initiatives. The program aims to hire people with disabilities for 10 percent of service clerk openings at stores in the area. On average, Walgreens hires each year nearly 1,600 service clerks in this area alone.

A partnership between the Texas Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services (DARS) and the Walgreens Waxahachie distribution center resulted in a successful spin-off training program for Walgreens stores. This led to the new pilot. Local organizations that help people with disabilities will sign up candidates for the program.

As more candidates successfully finish the program and in many cases, are offered employment, the pilot has expanded to Houston and Brooklyn. Walgreens plans to roll out the Retail Employees with Disabilities Initiative (REDI) chainwide in 2012.

Tour Our Inclusive Workplace

Walgreens is open to offering tours of its work environment and explaining systems and processes. The company hopes by sharing this information, it can help shape future efforts by other retailers. Several companies have expressed a desire to follow in our footsteps and are receiving mentoring, training and guidance from Walgreens.

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