People-first company joins effort to create one million employment and leadership opportunities for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities
SEATTLE (October 21, 2020) — With October being National Disability Employment Awareness Month, MOD Super Fast Pizza Holdings, LLC (“MOD Pizza”, “MOD” or the “Company”) advanced its effort to foster an inclusive and diverse workplace by joining the Delivering Jobs pledge – an inclusion campaign developed by Autism Speaks, Best Buddies and Special Olympics in partnership with the Entertainment Industry Foundation. Through this commitment, MOD joins a coalition of companies who together have committed to creating one million new employment and leadership opportunities for people with autism, intellectual and developmental differences (IDD) by 2025.
Eighty-one percent of adults with intellectual and developmental differences do not have a paid job in their community. MOD has found success through building its workforce to include people with IDD, opportunity youth, and those who have been previously incarcerated. Signing the Delivering Jobs pledge reaffirms the Company’s commitment to provide opportunities and development for those with autism, intellectual and/or developmental differences, and to provide comprehensive training resources to create an inclusive support system across its 490+ restaurants system-wide. MOD currently has more than 300 Squad members with IDD and, last year, a few of them helped to create this inspiring video Our World.
“MOD exists to serve people in order to contribute to a world that works for and includes everyone. This pledge not only aligns with our mission to build an inclusive workplace and a culture of opportunity, but hopefully will also encourage other companies across the retail and restaurant industry to do the same,” said Ally Svenson, co-founder and chief purpose officer of MOD Pizza.
Delivering Jobs is challenging all businesses to identify ways they can incorporate this untapped workforce into their diversity and inclusion plans; ensure that they have access to a minimum of 1% of employment and leadership opportunities; and empower HR personnel to invest in the long-term success of all employees. Learn more at www.deliveringjobs.org.
ABOUT MOD PIZZA
MOD Pizza’s individual artisan-style pizzas are made on demand, allowing customers to create their own pizzas and salads with any combination of over 30 toppings, all for one incredible price. With 490+ locations system-wide*, MOD is committed to creating not only a cool place to eat, but an inspired place to work. MOD recently earned a spot on the Fortune 2019 “Change the World” list, for its purpose-led culture and commitment to provide opportunities to individuals with barriers to employment. The Company has also been named America’s fastest growing chain restaurant by Technomic for four years running and named the most loved pizza brand by Foodable Network. MOD has earned a spot on the Inc.5000 list and has been recognized by Fortune as one of the “20 Best Workplaces in Retail,” a “Best Workplace for Women,” a “Best Workplace for Millennials,” and a “Best Workplace for Diversity.” For more information, please visit www.modpizza.com or connect with the brand via Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.