The Conference Board today announced the formation of a new research working group, called “Improving Employment Outcomes for Employees with Disabilities.”

The group, which will consist of human resources executives, line executives and outside experts, will study the significant disparities that still exist between individuals with disabilities and the rest of the American workforce, and establish best practices for counteracting them. It is partially funded by the Cornell IRL School and the U.S. Department of Education.

The Dodd–Frank Act of 2010 establishes offices that are to monitor the private firms that contract with regulatory agencies with respect their inclusion of certain protected classes of workers, including employees with disabilities. Companies found to be excluding these groups from recruitment or advancement may lose their government contracts.

“Companies are interested in this project for a variety of reasons,” said Daria Lamb, senior manager of Research Working Groups at The Conference Board. “Many are looking to hear about others’ successes and to have fresh eyes review their existing programs, with the goal of ensuring the best talent comes to the fore. Additionally, some companies are looking at this group as an opportunity to demonstrate their commitment to expanding their workforce to regulatory agencies, and even as an opportunity to create visibility for this issue within their C-Suite.”