Liliana Notaristefano, 49, Italian, with a CV that reads like a catalogue: hairdresser, child minder, shop assistant, receptionist, geriatric care worker, kitchen assistant, cook, cleaner, bartender, call-centre worker … She joined Adecco via a computer course for women which is backed by the Adecco Foundation for Equal Opportunities. Her present placement is at a service station retail outlet.
"I started work at a hairdresser's at 12, and finished school at evening classes. I ran my own salon for a while and had many jobs. Going back to work after my second child, I found good opportunities were scarce and I took work I didn‘t want or like. A friend put me on to the computer course. I'd used PCs before and found it easy. That led to Adecco and my present job. I like it because I deal with people. Adecco is finding me a second job to fill my spare time: I've always had bags of energy"
Women returning to work after giving birth or juggling family responsibilities with a job, as well as young women without qualifications, are often at a disadvantage. In many countries, they end up with low pay, few rights and no prospects. Adecco is committed to equality of opportunity and fighting discrimination in employment – the sixth principle of the UN's Global Compact on corporate citizenship.