Vertical Harvest of Jackson Hole has caught the attention of state media as a role model for employers. The facility produces and sells roughly 100-thousand pounds of fresh produce annually, and is powered by a workforce built on the concept of diversity. Nearly two-thirds of Vertical Harvest’s workers face disabilities including autism, Down syndrome or vision, speech and learning impairments. Caroline Croft Estay is the company’s co-founder and says inclusive, integrated workplaces are game changers for businesses.
“They’re ready to work, they’re on time, they work hard. And it really shifts the culture, and kind of raised the bar for all of us, creating this really beautiful, fluid workplace where everybody works together and works hard. And yes, the training can take a little bit longer, but then the commitment and the dedication; we have no turnover. Everybody that works at the greenhouse stays at the greenhouse, and wants to stay at the greenhouse,” she said.
Croft-Estay says she hopes businesses of all types will come to see people with different abilities as an untapped and valuable workforce, eager to give back to their communities and earn real wages. Nationally, 25 percent of people with disabilities currently live in poverty, and just one in three is employed.
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