Walmart Awards $500K to Grads of Life to Build and Launch a New Impact Measurement Framework for Inclusive Employers

BOSTON, July 22, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Grads of Life, an initiative of Year Up, announced a $500,000 grant from Walmart to help employers more easily measure and track the outcomes of their inclusive talent practices. 

As part of Year Up's mission to close the Opportunity Divide, Grads of Life helps corporations create equitable talent strategies that drive economic opportunity and mobility in America. Over the past decade, Grads of Life has focused on building a movement of inclusive employers through communications and advocacy, research and thought leadership, and direct partnership with Fortune 500 companies to build and execute inclusive talent strategies. In the next five years, Grads of Life aims to expand the evidence base on D.E.I. best practices in order to help employers maximize their impact on their employees, businesses, and communities. 

This investment will support Grads of Life in creating a new outcomes measurement tool that will help employers evaluate the social impact and business benefits of adopting inclusive talent practices, such as skills-first hiring, upskilling, and frontline manager training. After testing and refining the tool, Grads of Life will produce a set of data-driven case studies in partnership with leading Fortune 500 companies. The tool will be distributed for use among several business coalitions committed to equity through employment and eventually shared publicly.

"To advance equitable opportunity, employers need tools to measure the impact of their inclusive talent practices," said Gayatri Agnew, Senior Director, Opportunity at Walmart. "Grads of Life's new impact measurement framework will help employers take inclusive employment to the next level." 

"Measuring the social impact and business benefits of specific inclusive talent practices has historically been a challenge for employers. We believe evaluation and consistent reporting of outcomes is the next frontier in the inclusive employment movement because it will support broader adoption and scale of best practices. We are excited to contribute new tools that can support employers that are driving equity through employment in achieving their D.E.I goals," says Elyse Rosenblum, Managing Director & Founder, Grads of Life. 

About Philanthropy at Walmart 
Walmart.org represents the philanthropic efforts of Walmart and the Walmart Foundation. By leaning in where the business has unique strengths, Walmart.org works to tackle key social issues and collaborate with others to spark long-lasting systemic change. Walmart has stores in 27 countries, employing more than 2 million associates and doing business with thousands of suppliers who, in turn, employ millions of people. Walmart.org is helping people live better by supporting programs that work to accelerate upward job mobility for frontline workers, address hunger and make healthier, more sustainably-grown food a reality, and build strong communities where Walmart operates. To learn more, visit www.walmart.org or find us on Twitter @Walmartorg. 

About Grads of Life 
Grads of Life (GOL), an initiative of Year Up, works with leading employers to create inclusive talent strategies that deliver both social impact and business benefits and provides employers with the insights, tools and partnerships to address talent needs while advancing racial and economic justice. For more information, visit www.gradsoflife.org or find us on Twitter @gradsoflife. 

Media Contact:
Heba Hasan 
Email: [email protected] 
Phone: 631-332-2146

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SOURCE Grads Of Life