Find out how Carrefour is constantly striving to do more to integrate people with disabilities into the workplace! We take a look at some of the initiatives being implemented in the various countries in which the Group operates.
Boulogne-Billancourt, FRANCE, 2015-12-4 — /EPR Retail News/ — Carrefour is involved in long-term initiatives designed to integrate growing numbers of people with disabilities into the workplace. Its policy centres on three priorities: recruitment/integration, training and retention. Carrefour employs more than 11,200 employees* with disabilities throughout the world – an increase of 21.3% over four years.
The countries in which Carrefour operates are taking action to provide people with disabilities with access to employment
Within the framework of its Disability policy, Carrefour France has been working closely alongside the ARPEJEH (an association set up to help young and disabled students achieve their goals) since January 2014, and has helped organise:
– workshops designed to present different professions to students with disabilities
– store visits for groups of 5 to 6 young people with disabilities
– workshops designed to help young people prepare for life in the workplace with mock interviews
– traineeships for 14-year-olds.
As far as hypermarkets are concerned, the 6th “Mission Handicap” agreement was signed in 2014, providing people with disabilities in France with easier access to career development opportunities, block-release courses and long-term employment.
And supermarkets launched their own internal communications campaign to raise their employees’ awareness of issues to do with disabilities in the workplace with posters and special information on their intranet portal.
The Supply Chain teams took part in the Free Handi’se Trophy race in 2014 and then again in 2015. Three teams, each made up of two employees with disabilities and two able-bodied employees, covered 682 km on tandem bicycles and in canoes, supported by more than 1000 people from the Supply Chain teams all along their route. And this initiative was featured in the ILO’s newsletter.
In Belgium, since 2014, Carrefour Belgium has been a partner of the AWIPH (a Walloon agency set up to facilitate the integration of people with disabilities). Its purpose is to provide people with mental and physical disabilities with more opportunities to establish a footing in the workplace. The first tangible results of this partnership came in March 2015 with the Duo Day project. This project provides employees with an opportunity to partner up with a disabled person for between 1 and 5 days.
Duo Day is not just an opportunity for people with disabilities to find out about life in the workplace: it also helps change people’s mentalities in our society about employing people who are full of potential.
In Spain, Carrefour works alongside numerous foundations which defend the interests of people with disabilities, and it sponsors Forums for People with Disabilities throughout the year. Similarly, in Poland, Carrefour Poland’s programme to promote the employment of people with disabilities began in 2010 and is still going strong.
Carrefour China is also taking action on this issue: it currently employs 842 people with disabilities* – that’s 1.46% of its total workforce. Initiatives to promote the employment and well-being of people with disabilities are structured around five key principles:
– being in compliance with legislation
– promoting employment for people with disabilities: the Dalian Beijing Park and Shenyang Yuhong Plaza stores have recruited more disabled employees than legislation requires them to
– adapting the working environment
– developing skills
– paying special attention to people with disabilities.
In South America, Carrefour’s teams are also involved in promoting the employment of people with disabilities. Carrefour Brazil, meanwhile, is prioritising employment and promotion for people with disabilities through its global Diversity programme. In 2014, 287 people* were hired thanks to partnerships with NGOs and associations supporting jobs for people with disabilities.
In Argentina, Carrefour has entered into an agreement with Arcor (an international company involved in the food industry) whereby disabled Arcor employees can work at Carrefour stores, stocking shelves with Arcor products. As part of its Disability programme, MANPOWER trains Carrefour employees who are tasked with welcoming people with disabilities and raises their awareness.
Since the partnership was launched in August 2014, 3 hearing-impaired people have been hired to work in 3 Carrefour hypermarkets in Argentina.
Carrefour’s initiative to help the disabled – key dates:
> 1999, the first Disability agreement was signed by Hypermarkets in France.
> At the end of 2011, Carrefour entered into a partnership agreement with the Disability Network of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) in order to work alongside organisations and other companies on promoting the employment of disabled people around the world.
> On 30 September 2015, Carrefour stepped up its commitment to promote the employment of people with disabilities. Georges Plassat – Carrefour’s CEO – and Philip Jennings – General Secretary of the UNI Global Union, in the presence of Guy Ryder – Director-General of the International Labour Organisation – signed an international agreement to promote Social dialogue and Diversity and to ensure the protection of Fundamental Principles and Rights in the workplace… and disability is a key theme of this agreement.
> At the end of October 2015, Georges Plassat and Guy Ryder signed the ILO’s Disability Charter designed to provide disabled people with jobs, help keep them in employment and promote their interests.
Why an “International Disability Day”?
Since 1992, International Disability Day – a UN initiative – has been celebrated every year on the 3 December. The day features in the diaries of schools and other educational establishments and is an opportunity to provide people with a better understanding of disability, create a dialogue between pupils and the teaching body and help foster an awareness of the issues involved in enabling young disabled people to go to school.
* as of 31 December 2014
SOURCE: Carrefour