Social Responsibility

To Adecco's colleagues around the globe, corporate social responsibility has real meaning.  The way in which we conduct our core business of 'work' - matching the employment needs of individuals and business - gives us an inspiring opportunity to make a positive impact on the success and well-being of individuals, families and societies.

To maximise this potential to be a 'force for good' and so that we carry out our role fairly and ethically, Adecco has clear policies and procedures and guides colleagues with a value-driven code of conduct that meets the highest external standards.  Going beyond this, we also take action to encourage the inclusion into the workforce and society of disadvantaged people, such as the disabled, or those hit by the Asian Tsunami.  So colleagues' capability and commitment to make a real difference can be fulfilled. 

Making our values count

A prime corporate social responsibility is to potential/existing associates; so that they have fair accessibility to work, equal opportunities and safe workplace conditions. For example, colleagues are trained to manage the recruitment process via objective criteria - based upon personal competencies, experience, qualification and specific work related requirements - to ensure fairness and equality of opportunity. This is just one of the ways Adecco is following through upon its commitment to the ten principles of the United Nations Global Compact, one of which is to eliminate discrimination in the workplace.

And to keep 'doing the right thing' front of mind, all Adecco colleagues receive information and training on Compliance and Ethics Awareness and also, a Code of Business Conduct that is based upon the values of respect, responsibility, honesty and integrity.

Championing inclusion

Finding meaningful employment can be considered challenging for everyone, but particularly so for sometimes-marginalized groups such as people with disabilities, youth, mature workers or those displaced through natural disaster.  Going beyond our business objectives, these are just some of the people we are privileged to help.

Work for People with Disabilities

Governments across the world use different means to encourage work for people with disabilities, including anti-discrimination, quotas and subsidies. Adecco's approach always builds on our 'skills first' doctrine. By this we mean that access to opportunities for work should be based upon peoples' skills, not their disabilities.

In 2005, in eight European countries alone, Adecco found employment for over 12,000 individuals with disabilities. Through 2005/6, we are taking part in an EU sponsored programme to collect and disseminate best practices to support the inclusion of people with disabilities. This is part of our involvement in the European "Business and Disability" network, which we helped found.

In several European countries Adecco runs 'Disability and Skills' programmes to raise awareness of the importance of focusing on skills, and provides practical approaches to achieving better integration at work for disabled people. This includes running 'disability demystification' workshops for colleagues. Through role playing - using a wheelchair, being blindfolded or having sound excluded from their ears - colleagues are sensitised to the impact of disabilities. These workshops enable people to gain insight into the difficulties faced by disabled people at work, so they can then help them find a suitable opportunity.

Also, clients are given guidance about how to welcome someone with a specific disability within their teams, and prepare the working environment. We also share real examples of how people with disabilities successfully use their skills at work. We are spreading the word: non-discrimination isn't just morally better; it also makes good business sense.

Adecco Foundations

Trough country-specific initiatives and Adecco Foundations in Belgium, France, Germany, Italy and Spain, we support other often-excluded groups, such as youth, young mothers and seniors.

In 2005 for example, our Foundation in Italy helped over 2,500 single mothers and almost 10,000 people over 40 into work. Our Foundation in France financed 50 non-profit organisations to help youth gain basic work-related skills and make the transition from education to work, in cooperation with the National Education Service. The same aim inspires the hundreds of Adecco colleagues across America who give their own time to support the Jobs for American Graduates program, for at risk and disadvantaged youth.

Disaster Response

Responding instantly to hurricane Katrina in October 2005, Adecco colleagues got moving - literally - to help in the aftermath. Mobile recruiting teams visited evacuees in shelters across the Southern states. This face-to-face approach, giving practical support, helped get over 500 evacuees back into work and able to start rebuilding their lives.

In 2005, we also began a sustained effort to help the recovery of communities hit by the Asian Tsunami at the end of 2004.  Our activities are making a difference 'on the ground' through partnering local support groups in practical initiatives. In India, we helped fund 6 information centres in coastal villages that publicise work opportunities. In Indonesia, we have contributed to new houses, schools and the building of 20 fishing boats to enable normality to return and directly support work opportunities. Group management involvement has been a reflection of the sustained commitment of Adecco colleagues around the world. In early 2006  through the Adecco Volunteers program a group of forty from Australia, Belgium, Austria and Germany committed their time to help in local reconstruction and work generating projects in Banda Aceh, over a year after the original disaster.