The social enterprise was recognized for excellence in video content featuring a deafblind janitor breaking barriers.
Roseville, CA – PRIDE Industries, the nation’s leading employer of people with disabilities, was named the winner of a Gold Stevie® Award in the “Video Awards – Diversity & Inclusion” category in the 23rd Annual American Business Awards®.
The award-winning video tells the story of Elizabeth “Beth” Cole-Pope, a custodian at the Little Rock, Arkansas, Federal Building. Her cleaning methods are so exceptional that her supervisors train the entire team using her methodology. Beth is deaf and blind and was overlooked by dozens of employers before finding an opportunity to demonstrate her skills with PRIDE Industries.
“Storytelling is one of the most powerful tools we have to drive change,” said Erin Fleischmann, Vice President of Growth at PRIDE Industries. “By sharing Beth’s journey, we highlight the extraordinary talents of employees with disabilities and the importance of inclusive employment. We hope to inspire more businesses to embrace inclusive hiring and recognize the untapped talent within our communities.”
This is the second Stevie Award that PRIDE Industries has received this year. The company was also named the winner of a Gold Stevie® Award in the “Website Achievement in Accessibility” category, which recognizes companies for their use of features and technologies that ensure their websites are “perceivable, operable, understandable, and robust.”
The Stevie Awards are part of the American Business Awards, the premier business awards program in the United States. This year, more than 3,600 nominations from organizations of all sizes and in virtually every industry were submitted for consideration in a wide range of categories, and more than 250 professionals worldwide participated in the judging process.
The mission of the Stevie Awards is to recognize and generate public awareness of excellence in the workplace worldwide.
“The 2025 Stevie winners have helped drive that success through their innovation, persistence, and hard work,” said Stevie Awards president Maggie Miller. “We congratulate all of the winners in the 2025 ABAs.”
About PRIDE Industries
PRIDE Industries delivers business excellence with a positive social impact. A social enterprise, we provide facilities operations and maintenance services, custodial services, contract manufacturing, supply chain management, packaging and fulfillment services, and placement services to private and public organizations nationwide. Founded in 1966, PRIDE Industries’ mission is to create employment for people with disabilities. Through personalized employment services, we help individuals realize their true potential and lead more independent lives. PRIDE Industries proves the value of its inclusive workforce model through operational success across multiple industries every day.
About the Stevie Awards
Stevie Awards are conferred in nine programs: the Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards, the German Stevie Awards, the Middle East & North Africa Stevie Awards, The American Business Awards®, The International Business Awards®, the Stevie Awards for Women in Business, the Stevie Awards for Great Employers, the Stevie Awards for Sales & Customer Service, and the Stevie Awards for Technology Excellence. Stevie Awards competitions receive more than 12,000 entries each year from organizations in more than 70 nations. Honoring organizations of all types and sizes and the people behind them, the Stevies recognize outstanding performances in the workplace worldwide. Learn more about the Stevie Awards at http://www.StevieAwards.com.
PRIDE Industries is a social enterprise delivering business excellence to public and private organizations nationwide.
