Recheio Cash & Carry and Group holding among 37 organisations awarded
The Jerónimo Martins Group’s inclusion policies were recognised by the Institute of Employment and Vocational Training (IEFP), which awarded the Group’s holding and Recheio Cash & Carry the distinction of 2021 Inclusive Employer Brand.
The 2021 Inclusive Employer Brand award distinguished 37 of the 133 applicants, from among companies, public and social sector entities, for their open and inclusive practices relating to people with disabilities and impairments, based on an assessment of data from 2019 and 2020.
The labour market inclusion programmes, the adaptation of infrastructures and of internal communication tools to ensure they are accessible to all are among the initiatives the IEFP valued.
For Susana Correia de Campos, Head of Corporate Employee Relations at the Jerónimo Martins Group, “this distinction validates the work that the Jerónimo Martins Group has been doing as a benchmark employer, focused on equality and social inclusion. Above all, it is an appreciation of our technical team, our mentors, our partners specialising in the different types of disabilities who assist us in the recruitment, training and development of applicants and, of course, our employees, who we have onboarded through our inclusion policies and who have helped improve Group culture and our team spirit”.
Programmes for inclusion, accessibility and inclusive communication valued by IEFP
The infrastructure of the Group’s head office was adapted for employees with disabilities and the equipment in Recheio stores was also adapted for use by people who are blind and deaf people. Audible and light signals on forklifts, audible devices on automatic doors and lifts for people with reduced mobility are just some of the examples of adaptations made by Recheio.
Internal communication over the Group’s various channels and those of its companies is provided in HTML format so that text-to-speech software can read it for people who are blind.
Recheio has been employing people with intellectual and cognitive disabilities since 2017 through Project Search. Part of the Incluir (“Include”) Programme* and developed in partnership with Cooperativa Focus, Project Search reaches approximately 10 to 12 trainees each year. Since its launch, 13 jobs have been created.
As at 31 December 2020, 31 of Recheio’s 2021 permanent staff members were people with disabilities and impairments.
The Group’s concern with ensuring inclusive business management and employment practices goes beyond its internal practices. The Jerónimo Martins Group Supplier Code of Conduct establishes the rules and principles which suppliers must follow to be considered eligible partners and include not allowing any form of discrimination based on factors such as health and/or disability.
* Created in 2015, the Incluir (“Include”) Programme aims at giving disadvantaged people access to the job market, in particular people with disabilities, migrants and refugees, and people at social risk. At present, the programme has 250 in-house mentors, more than 210 workplaces, and over 50 partners specialising in the different areas of social inclusion participating in the programme.
The programme has already offered more than 550 job opportunities and has directly led to the hiring of around 280 people by the Group and its companies.