Creating a Best Place to Work for Disability Inclusion

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With inclusion as a core value at Palo Alto Networks, we are focused on fostering an environment where everyone is inspired to do their best and has a sense of belonging from wherever they choose to work. Today, we are thrilled to share that we have been recognized as a Best Place to Work For Disability Inclusion on The Disability Equality Index® (DEI), the world’s most comprehensive benchmarking tool for the Fortune 1000 and Am Law 200 to measure disability workplace inclusion.

Following the COVID pandemic, DEI modernized and added new questions focusing on innovative technology to advance digital and remote accessibility, mental wellness benefits, services for Deaf and hard of hearing employees, as well as flexible work options. This was on top of the existing areas that DEI measures, including culture and leadership, enterprise-wide access, employment practices, community engagement, supplier diversity and non-US operations. In its seventh year, the DEI helps businesses make a positive impact on the unemployment/underemployment of people with disabilities.

There have been many, many lessons learned during the pandemic, but most notably, organizations have learned they must lead with employee choice, personalization and trust. At Palo Alto Networks, we call this approach FLEXWORK. Since we sent our teams home in March 2020, we have witnessed increased productivity; employees feel a sense of accomplishment, value and a culture that truly embraces being inclusive. The recognition by DEI is an important milestone that supports how our values come to life each day. While we recognize we’re making great strides, we aren’t stopping here; there’s still work to be done as we continue creating a space for all voices to be heard and valued, enabling employees to feel they are making a meaningful impact at Palo Alto Networks.

At a time when many are still physically distant from their colleagues, Palo Alto Networks is bringing teams together and working to improve every employee’s experience, keeping us all connected from afar. Our accomplishments this year show we are heading in the right direction and committed to an inclusive and diverse workplace. In January, we achieved a perfect score on the Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s 2021 Corporate Equality Index and designation as a Best Place to Work for LGBTQ Equality. As we recently hit 10,000 employees worldwide, we are continuing to build a company that lives by its values and embraces a culture that reflects each and every unique employee.

Today and everyday, I am inspired by the work being done at Palo Alto Networks and wholeheartedly couldn’t be prouder of our people... all 10,000(ish) of us!