Summary
Mission Handicap: raising awareness, providing support and reassurance.
"There are still many prejudices about disability, and it's an ongoing, long-term process. The only things which count are the person's skills and state of mind. The key is to raise employee awareness and train all those involved: to achieve a corporate culture which includes disability issues in the workplace: everyone needs to feel involved.“
Charlotte, the ‘Mission Handicap’ team is the task force applying the group’s strategy in disabilities. What’s its purpose and how does it work?
The ‘Mission Handicap’ team is made up of players trained in the field of disabilities in firms.
Its expertise makes it the dedicated in-house point of contact for answering any questions in this field or for working on any situation relating to disabilities in a work-based context.
The Mission Handicap team oversees and coordinates implementation of actions in this area, but it doesn’t replace existing in-house players. The group’s policy in disabilities cannot be disconnected from HR management. It should be incorporated into it naturally. The actions that last the longest are those that blend into existing processes most easily, instead of adding to these processes. This means, for example, touching on disabilities during the recruitment phase or reviewing the effectiveness of a specially adapted workstation during a managerial meeting. The Mission Handicap team’s purpose works in that way. We could summarise its role in three words: informing, supporting and reassuring.
Of course, we play a role in the recruitment of an employee with disabilities or in specially adapting the workstation of an employee with France’s disabled-worker status. Yet we do not act directly in recruitment or in specially adapting workstations. We support the different players involved – employees, recruiters, managers, HR teams, procurement, occupational health services, etc. – and we act as an intermediary between them all.
Each person has a role to play. Ours is to simply raise awareness and effectively support those involved so that everyone is reassured about integrating the challenges of disabilities into their work.
A few years ago, we were well beneath the thresholds for incorporating people with disabilities. But we’re now at 5% in France. What are the keys to success? What’s the best strategy? What are the best methods? Can we share best practices in this field? Should all teams and managers be involved?
Raising employee awareness and training all players involved is the key to success. To create a corporate culture that meets the challenges of disabilities in firms, each person needs to play a role.
The Mission Handicap task force has to encourage teamwork in this field. And that begins with raising awareness to go beyond prejudices about disabilities. Training also helps each person understand the role they have to play in our disabilities policy.
There’s no miracle for increasing the employment rate of workers with disabilities. It requires: 1) recruitment; 2) the declaration of employees with France’s disabled-worker status among the existing staff; 3) job retention for employees with disabilities.
An employee who’s well-informed about disabilities in firms will feel reassured and confident about declaring their disability when they’re asked about it so they can enjoy the best possible support.
A recruiter who’s aware of this issue will be able to reassure candidates and potential future employees with disabilities.
A manager who’s aware of this issue will be able to detect and support an employee facing difficulties due to their health and will incorporate a specially adapted workstation into their team more easily.
Success is the result of teamwork and everyone’s involvement.
Why do people with disabilities require special attention? How can we act when some do not want to highlight their difference?
France’s disabled-worker status makes it possible to provide the best workstation adaptation in regard to a given situation out of concern for the employee’s well-being and the firm’s productivity.
Most situations with disabilities are evolving, as are most jobs. In this context, we have to foresee the impact of these changes in workstation adaptation so that the employees concerned can carry on their work in the best possible conditions.
It’s also worth remembering that new technology and constant innovation are opening up new possibilities: the ways to adapt workstations are ever more diverse and comprehensive.
By constantly overseeing an employee with disabilities, we can ensure that all possible methods are being applied for that employee to work productively in the best possible conditions.
That’s what employees who hesitate to declare their disability to the group need to remember: recognising a disability is in their best interest. In any case, the Mission Handicap team is under a duty of confidentiality. But in my experience, someone who doesn’t want to talk with their colleagues ends up changing their mind. They see that by declaring their disability they can make their working relations easier and others can understand their workstation adaptation, their health and their day-to-day work.
Collectively, what does this special attention paid to others bring us? How is consideration of disabilities, and, more broadly, diversity, shared in our group today? Have you noticed any changes over the past five years?
There are still many prejudices about disabilities. It's long-term work that’s ongoing. But we’ve noticed a change and this can be seen in certain figures. For example, we’ve doubled our employment rate and we’ve tripled our number of recruits and declarations of employees with disabilities.
A few years ago, most of us assumed that disabilities were limited to visible motor disabilities.
Now, most of us are aware that the issue also includes chronic and incapacitating diseases: backaches, diabetes, asthma, allergies, rheumatoid diseases, musculoskeletal disorders, strokes, cancers, etc.
People are working for longer and it’s more frequent to have different jobs in one career. What’s more, there’ll be more of us seeing situations with disabilities in accordance with the job involved.
This awareness of the diversity of disabilities and an openness towards others helps us pay more attention to ourselves thanks to awareness-raising within the group and concrete examples encountered in our teams through colleagues.
The success of our disabilities policy shows that diversity can go hand in hand with collective productivity.
Indeed, if we see that the level of productivity of an employee with disabilities who enjoys a specially adapted workstation is the same as that of any other employee, why would we not incorporate all forms of diversity? This can only open minds to diversity within our group, whether in regard to age, gender, origin or sexual orientation.
The only factors that count are the skills and mindset of an employee. Econocom’s corporate culture opens up possibilities for all. And beyond acquired skills, what’s most important is a desire and ability to learn, to get involved, to adapt, and to put forward ideas that make a difference.
We have an important social responsibility.
Pierre Girardeau is one of the sponsors involved in these long-term initiatives. His testimonial reflects the care for others which is shared within the Group.
"We focus on supporting young people who have dropped out of school and are looking for work. They are often faced with social isolation and exclusion. We help them to realise their potential and unleash it. It's an individual and voluntary approach, a beneficial long-term investment for both the individual and the company”
Pierre, why do you invest time and effort in disengaged pupils and jobseekers?
Disengaged pupils and jobseekers are often socially isolated and excluded. By helping them find opportunities in work or education, we reduce social exclusion and integrate these people into society.
It’s vital to invest time and effort in disengaged pupils and jobseekers. As an Econocom representative involved in regional work, I believe we have a duty to help these young people.
Through their situation, they often face unemployment and lack qualifications, which can cause them major financial difficulties. By helping these young people find work or by guiding them back into the education system, we help reduce poverty and financial instability.
These young people also often need to work on their soft skills, such as creating a CV, communicating to complete a job interview successfully, and promoting their know-how and values. What’s more, we help them become aware of their own potential and help them fulfil that potential by gaining confidence in themselves.
Please could you explain the initiative ‘100 Chances 100 Emplois’ and the scheme ‘Numéric’Emploi Grand Est’ that Econocom supports? Have results been measured? What have we learned from them? Do they represent a path to recruiting different kinds of candidates, given the lack of digital skills?
The organisation ‘100 Chances 100 Emplois’ is a national initiative with local branches in all regions of France. This association focuses specifically on support for disengaged pupils and jobseekers.
In eastern France, around 30 firms, including us, have been contributing to this effort for different periods of time.
Our actions focus on:
- mock job interviews, organised four times per year;
- sponsoring young people to help them in their job-seeking and training;
- offering opportunities for work placements, jobs and sandwich courses.
We aim for a positive outcome and our greatest satisfaction is seeing these young people find work in firms.
I’ve been working with this association since 2016. It’s been a chance to host interns and sandwich-course students and to recruit new talents.
We also support the scheme ‘Numeric’Emploi Grand Est’, which supports jobseekers in digital technology in the local region.
Its main tasks are:
• to support jobseekers who want to get training and find a job in digital technology;
• to promote jobs in digital technology;
• to keep a finger on the pulse of the needs of our employment area;
• to develop regional training courses tailored to the needs of firms and to funding from OPCOs* and the local region;
• to create relationships with firms;
• to support firms, especially by putting them in touch with qualified candidates.
*French state-accredited organisations that support and fund vocational training
It’s a real driver for creating a labour pool in the local region. At Econocom, we’ve recruited candidates from the ‘Numeric’Emploi Grand Est’ scheme on several occasions in recent years. They’ve often been people embarking on a career change or looking for their first job.
Do firms play along? If so, why? What difficulties have you encountered? Do these learners get special support? If so, what kind of support do they get?
We know that in each firm there are busy periods and less busy periods that directly affect the amount of time each person can devote. But that’s just part of volunteering. Yet what makes volunteering so effective is that volunteers aren’t forced to work: they commit to this work out of a deep desire to support these young people.
We face many difficulties, including the following:
• Motivation: Some people don’t want to be part of the scheme – we try hard, but can’t get them involved.
• Financial aspect: Some participants can’t afford to pursue their project right to the end. I recently sponsored a young person who began a sandwich course at Econocom, but their financial restrictions compelled them to stop their training to get a job that was better paid in the short term. That’s very frustrating for us, the ones supporting them, but we’re powerless in the face of situations like that.
• The family environment: Family difficulties are often difficult to spot, yet they’re essential for identifying the support needed alongside advisors at France’s national job centre.
Each young person is overseen by an advisor at France’s national job centre. The young person can talk with this advisor, who offers vital help for finding the right scheme, the right grant and the right financial support to assist them.
How can we, as a business, be useful to ordinary people, both locally and globally?
As a business, we bear great social responsibility. Econocom’s strength lies in it being present locally in France’s different regions, which helps us support initiatives for inclusion.
It’s important to remember this is a long-term investment. The impact on our business won’t be direct and immediate. But by helping create vocations, offer training and host internships, we’re certainly supporting tomorrow’s talents.
Like I said before, investing time and effort in these schemes can only be an individual, voluntary approach. And at Econocom, we’re lucky to be supported in actions like these.
We believe we’re a responsible firm. How can our actions in solidarity help us on a day-to-day basis, individually or collectively?
I’m convinced that investing time and effort in solidarity is beneficial, both personally and for the company.
From Econocom’s perspective, there are multiple advantages in this:
• The company’s image is improved through its commitment to the community, which employees, candidates and clients will appreciate.
• The company helps maintain our ecosystem by offering ever more opportunities and paths to recruitment for future employees in a market like ours, which lacks skilled workers.
On a personal level, it’s also very enriching as it helps develop new skills, get things in perspective and take a step back – we sadly encounter tough situations sometimes. And it helps parents too: you end up wondering how you can guide your children better, whether through the range of training offered or the grants available, and it helps you foresee issues better and give your children better advice in advance.
The boldness of commitment
"Corporate social responsibility means taking a stand in favour of diversity and digital inclusion. The aim of the ReadyForIT programme is to create IT skills-based opportunities for young refugees and migrants. Audacity is a way of life. We are pioneers in the unwavering pursuit of excellence.“
As head of Asystel Italia, a major Group company in digital distribution and services, what do customers expect in environmental and social issues in concrete terms? Is this a major demand? How are you responding from a strategic point of view and in terms of services? How have you seen these issues evolve in recent years?
The focus on environmental and social issues has grown in recent years, with consumers becoming more conscious and vocal about these matters. As head of a major Group company in digital distribution and services, I’m acutely aware of the growing expectations and demands of customers in these topics, which have evolved significantly in recent years.
Firstly, customers are increasingly concerned about the carbon footprint of equipment and digital services. They expect every company to minimize their own environmental impact, caused by (but not limited to) data centres, energy consumption, asset lifecycle management and supply chain operations. There’s also a growing demand for companies to use renewable energy sources to power their operations, data centres and cloud services.
Moreover, consumers increasingly want companies to demonstrate a commitment to diversity and inclusion in their workforce and in the products and contents they offer, as well as greater attention to protection of users’ data and respect for their privacy.
Finally, a commitment from companies on the way they treat their workers, both inside and throughout their supply chain, is crucial to customers.
To meet these expectations and remain competitive, we’re constantly improving our value proposition and reducing the carbon footprint of our operations, while developing and implementing diversity and inclusion programmes within our company, applying robust data security measures, and complying with relevant data protection regulations. Lastly, we have to keep ourselves informed about evolving regulations and customer expectations and we have to adapt our strategy accordingly. Our aim is to position ourselves as a responsible and forward-thinking leader in digital distribution and services.
For Asystel Italia, corporate social responsibility means taking a courageous stand in favour of diversity and digital inclusion. Why have you chosen this path?
It is through the diversity of our talents, expertise and cultures that we, as a company, can deliver a sustainable impact. In line with the group CSR strategy, we actively support the fight against the digital divide and we are committed to imparting digital skills to those who need them most.
You are working with the Fondazione Italiana Accenture on the ReadyForIT programme. When did it start? What are the objectives, and, above all, what results are being measured? In concrete terms, what happens, what is the learning path for the learners, for example?
Given that there are around 400,000 vacant jobs due to a lack of skills in Italy, particularly in the IT sector, the Fondazione Italiana Accenture introduced the ReadyForIT programme, the aim of which is to create concrete employment opportunities focused on IT skills, making them accessible to the most economically and socially vulnerable groups such as NEETs (‘Not in Education, Employment or Training’), young refugees and migrants. The programme intends to enhance their potential by promoting professional integration and generating financial and social inclusion.
ReadyForIT was launched at the beginning of 2022 and has already involved around 800 students: 70% Italian and 30% migrants and refugees coming mainly from Afghanistan and Ukraine, as well as other countries.
In concrete terms, this project offers NEETs, refugees and migrants 3–6-month training courses that meet tomorrow’s challenges and makes it easier to integrate these people into the country professionally and socially, with a particular focus on skills development in cybersecurity, web and mobile development, and data analytics.
Once the applications have been carefully selected, the programme offers participants – who must be based in Italy and aged between 19 and 34 years – basic IT equipment, an online training course in hybrid mode (synchronous and asynchronous) on IT topics, individual tutoring from expert professionals, and support in the work placement process. Italian language courses are also available, if need be, to improve the participants’ proficiency in Italian.
We’re proud to have contributed to this project since it began as a ‘supporting partner’ by proactively and consultatively suggesting training topics and areas to meet market demands, providing knowledge and resources for digital skills development and creating employment opportunities within the organisation. Since May 2023, nine ReadyForIT students have joined the company in the Services, Cybersecurity & Networking and Software Engineering departments.
How do the internal teams feel about this project?
Our success in Corporate and Social Responsibility is the result of all our employees contributing to it collectively. They represent the organisation’s most valuable asset.
Supporting ReadyForIT represents a further source of pride for all of us and contributes to the passion, competence and determination that gives added value to the services we provide for our clients.
Which of Econocom’s three values do you think is most crucial to the success of the programme? And why?
I’m convinced that boldness is the value that best represents our support in this project.
Boldness is about loving the risk of going down unexplored paths and attempting challenges that others have been afraid to even think about. It's the guiding value that defines us as we embark on this transformative project.
Boldness isn’t merely a word for us: it’s a mantra, a way of life. It means embracing the risk of venturing into uncharted territories, daring to achieve what others might deem impossible, and pushing the boundaries of what is traditionally considered safe. We thrive on the thrill of uncertainty, because within that uncertainty lies the potential for groundbreaking innovation. We are pioneers, not just in the sense of charting new paths, but in the steadfast pursuit of excellence. We understand that innovation often requires us to grapple with our own insecurities, but we see this as an opportunity for growth and self-mastery.
We are resolute in our mission to create something truly exceptional, something that sets new standards and leaves an indelible mark on the world. Boldness is not just a value; it’s the driving force that fuels our journey towards innovation, achievement and lasting impact.
Training for all
"Digital illiteracy (or the digital divide) is often accompanied by social and economic exclusion. Everyone should be able to get training throughout their lives and careers. We need to offer proactive and accessible long-term training solutions tailored to our needs. Social innovation must be bold if it is to have a positive and lasting impact.“
Jean Guo, what is the main purpose of Konexio? How many people have you helped since the start of your activity?
Konexio was born of an observation of digital illiteracy and a digital divide. This digital illiteracy (or digital estrangement) often brings about social and economic exclusion. Digital technology is vital and everyone should be able to get trained in digital technology throughout their career and life.
At Konexio, we offer different training courses that are free of charge and accessible to anyone of any age.
The different courses that we offer are as follows:
Introduction courses: gaining digital freedom
→ The ‘DigitAll’ programme gives learners digital skills that range from the most basic to the most advanced
→ The ‘DigiPulse’ programme gives learners the chance to apply digital skills and develop interpersonal team skills in a business role play
Discovery courses: testing your desire and deepening your knowledge
→ The ‘DigiStart’ programme develops learners’ basic skills in coding and introduces them to jobs in digital technology
→ The ‘Explore Your Talent’ programme offers a refresher course for learners so they can take a course leading to a qualification
Vocational courses: towards tomorrow’s jobs
→ The ‘Web Developer’ (WebDev) programme: intensive training + work placement
→ The ‘Systems and Networks Technician’ (SNT) programme: intensive training + work placement
Bespoke courses: towards tomorrow’s skills
→ Bespoke courses help employees and other learners master digital tools and new skills relating to the digitalisation of jobs
Since Konexio was founded, we have been able to offer over 6,000 places for learners on our training courses. Our learners are very different people, which bears witness to our commitment to diversity and inclusion and to digital accessibility: we welcome refugees, people shut out of the job market, people changing careers, young people, workers who struggle to use digital tools, etc.
Key figures:
→ 6,297 places for learners on our training courses since 2016
→ 4,015 training courses completed since 2016
→ Over 450 local and international partnerships
What initial digital skills do most people need to develop quickly to get back into employment?
To be employable today you need to be able to:
→ use a computer (use a keyboard, mouse and word processing);
→ use software like Microsoft Word and Microsoft Excel: Excel is widely used in the world of work as a management tool and to process data and information;
→ use e-mails (send e-mails and documents as attachments);
→ use the internet safely (use passwords, distinguish fact from fiction, be aware of viruses, etc.);
→ use ‘digitally hygienic’ methods (organise files properly, save documents properly, etc.).
Are you already able to measure the impact of your actions? Could you describe and quantify your impact by telling us what works well and by underlining the progress that still needs to be made?
We have been measuring the impact of our actions for many years. We track our learners with precision. It is vital to get feedback from those who take our courses. These surveys give us both qualitative and quantitative feedback.
We can see the impact on our learners’ professional integration and working lives:
→74% of our learners find work or training six months after their course leading to a qualification (WebDev and SNT courses);
→ 68.5% of our learners find work or training six months after their introduction course (DigitAll and DigiStart courses);
→ 66% of our learners are confident about finding work;
→ 72.7% of our learners use their digital skills in their working lives.
Feedback from our learners is very encouraging:
→ 86% of our learners on courses leading to a qualification claim to be satisfied;
→ 90% of our SNT learners would recommend their course;
→ 60% of our WebDev learners would recommend their course.
In terms of progress, we have speeded up our scaling to increase our impact and support more people in their journey to digital freedom.
Firms are making headway in social responsibility. Where should efforts be focussed in coming years? What are you expecting as a priority from firms and public authorities?
Through their CSR policies, firms embrace the full influence that they have on society. Of course, because we promote inclusion and equal opportunities and the challenges of these issues, we think that firms should be doing more in terms of inclusive recruitment. At Konexio, we often refer to one quotation: ‘Diversity is like being invited to a party. Inclusion is like being invited to dance.’ So inclusive recruitment should not just be an HR policy, but should be at the heart of a comprehensive strategy.
In an era of AI, this challenge should be part of a comprehensive approach to encourage inclusive AI. The biggest risk is that AI reproduces the same prejudices as society has.
Inclusion is about making sure that anyone can integrate into society and find a professional role there. So firms are pivotal in this. They are the leading players in inclusion: first, they recruit the most diverse range of people and, second, they set up inclusive professional frameworks. The digital sector, for example, is still not representative enough of society. Women, for instance, are still underrepresented in the digital sector.
Concerning public authorities, we have petitioned in writing for seven measures. But if we had to choose only one of these seven proposals, it would be the first one:
⇒ To create a universal right to training in digital technology (with contributions to vocational training in digital technology) to ensure support throughout people’s lives and careers.
In concrete terms, this means social and professional inclusion of members of the public who are most estranged from digital technology and it means offering proactive, accessible solutions in long-term training tailored to these people’s needs, whether for career changes or for getting into the job market.
Econocom supports you. The group’s three values are boldness, good faith and responsiveness. For you, what is the most important value among these three for transforming society successfully? Please could you explain why?
We would say boldness! Boldness is the capacity to dare, to take risks and to innovate. To transform, you have to dare to innovate. You have to want change, which is not simple. Boldness prompts us to get off the beaten track, to push back our limits and to take innovative initiatives. In the context of Konexio’s purpose, boldness helps us develop creative training programmes, explore new approaches to teaching, and meet the complex challenges of employment and training. The boldness of social innovation should create a lasting positive impact. This lasting positive impact is probably what links Econocom to Konexio.
