Henkel Egypt conducted a special training for its employees in cooperation with “Helm” Foundation on the occasion of the International Day of Person with Disabilities, which falls on December 3rd every year. The training aims to promote the ethics of dealing with persons with disabilities and the ways to support and fully integrate them into the society, as well as equality in the work environment.
The training tackled several subjects that target raising awareness of Henkel Egypt employees on persons with disabilities-related topics, such as: defining the types of disabilities, understanding the social model of disability, and the ethics of dealing with disabled persons. It also included recreational activities, through which the employees learned how to overcome obstacles to seamlessly and effectively communicate with people with special needs in order to ensure integrating them into work environment.
The training was attended by Amr Elsohagy, the Paralympic swimming champion, and Omnia Elyamani, the first person with disabilities to practice skydiving. Both champions gave inspiring speeches about the challenges they faced as persons with special needs and the ways they sought to overcome them.
In this context, Carol Milan, President and Managing Director of Henkel Egypt, said: “We are happy to celebrate the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, with our partner Helm Foundation. Today, diversity, equity and inclusion are deeply anchored in the company strategy and corporate culture. At Henkel, we strive to foster a culture of inclusion that focuses on the skills and individual talents of our people. We strive to make our working environment accessible to all employees, ensuring equal access to opportunities across the entire organization”.
“We raise awareness on the topic of disabilities among all employees. Through our partnership with Helm, we aim to further accelerate our journey of disability inclusion locally. Supporting and empowering persons with disabilities is in Henkel Egypt’s DNA and a core pillar of its sustainability strategy.” Milan added.
From her end, Amena El-Saie, Co-Founder & CEO of Helm Foundation, said, “Promoting the full participation of persons with disabilities in all aspects of life; empowering them and transcending barriers while preparing the society to receive them through various events and trainings similar to our partership with Henkel. We look forward to continuing our cooperation to achieve our vision that aims at establishing an inclusive society that accepts all individual differences.”
It is noteworthy that Henkel Egypt and Helm Foundation has been cooperating for numerous years to upskilling people with disabilities and integrating them into society through different events. Over 30 Henkel Egypt employees have previously volunteered to paint the ramps for disabled persons, which the company donated to be distributed in the governorates of Cairo and Port Said in support of people with special needs in public places. Several initiatives have also been launched, including community celebrations, recreational activities, seminars, panel discussions, and workshops to raise awareness of disability challenges.
