Cincinnati, Ohio-based Cintas Corporation (PPAI 303547, D12), which operates as a distributor in the promotional products market, recently received recognition for its sales organization and for being a disability-inclusive workplace.
Cintas ranked sixth on the 2021 Selling Power 50 Best Companies to Sell For list, moving up one place from its 2020 ranking and continuing a steady climb that began at No. 27 in 2013. This is the 21st consecutive year the ranking has been published by Selling Power, a digital magazine for sales managers and sales vice presidents, and the 16th straight year Cintas has earned a place on the industry publication’s list.
“Cintas has a very long history of training and developing successful sales representatives who then go on to long, fruitful careers across our organization,” says Wendy May, Cintas senior vice president of sales. “We have developed a culture here that is central to our employee-partners and their ability provide valuable products and caring service to our million-plus customers. We’re so proud to once again be recognized by Selling Power for the success of our sales employee-partners.”
Selling Power magazine founder and publisher Gerhard Gschwandtner adds, “The companies who earned a spot on this year’s list have truly world-class sales organizations. In addition to providing superior onboarding and ongoing sales training, they quickly pivoted their strategy to give their sales reps the tools and skills they needed to succeed in today’s digital, remote selling environment.”
Companies were ranked across four main categories—compensation and benefits, sales culture, onboarding and sales enablement strategies, and sales training and coaching—to determine the final list. Almost all the companies featured on the list invested in and offered thorough training specific to virtual selling in response to the pandemic. The list encompasses companies of all sizes, with sales forces ranging from fewer than 100 salespeople to companies with sales force numbers in the thousands.
The company was also again recognized as a “Best Place to Work for Disability Inclusion” after receiving a high qualifying score on the 2021 Disability Equality Index, the nonprofit resource for business disability inclusion worldwide. This is the second straight year Cintas has participated in the Disability Equality Index’s process with the company earning “Best Place to Work for Disability Inclusion” recognition both years with a 90 score. It notes that its recognition as a 90 score company demonstrates the company’s ongoing commitment to building and developing a widely diverse workforce that represents the communities it does business in across North America.
“Cintas prides ourselves on developing a diverse workforce that reflects our community, and we’re honored to be recognized for the initiatives we have implemented to grow and support our employee-partners with disabilities,” says Max Langenkamp, Cintas chief diversity officer and senior vice president of human resources. “Every employee-partner at Cintas brings a unique perspective to our work helping businesses get ‘Ready for the Workday.’ We’re pleased to again be recognized by this year’s Disability Equality Index, but we also acknowledge that we must continue to evolve our efforts to foster even greater inclusion and support.”
Of the 191 businesses to qualify for the Disability Equality Index in 2021 with scores of 80 or above, Cintas was one of 81 companies to earn a score of 90 or higher. Further, it is one of two specialized industrial services firms to qualify for this year’s list.
The Disability Equality Index is a joint initiative between the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) and Disability:IN. It’s a comprehensive disability inclusion assessment tool created by the DEI Advisory Committee, a diverse group of business leaders, policy experts and disability advocates. Now in its seventh year, the DEI exists to help businesses make a positive impact on the unemployment and underemployment of people with disabilities.