THE ADECCO GROUP FOUNDATION PARTNERS WITH THE INTERNATIONAL COMMITTEE OF THE RED CROSS TO HELP PEOPLE AFFECTED BY ARMED CONFLICT
The Adecco Group Foundation will join the International Committee of the Red Cross’s (ICRC) Corporate Support Group, with both organisations working together to drive social inclusion and the reintegration of people with a disability into the labour market in areas affected by armed conflict.
The initial three-year collaboration will focus on supporting and growing the ICRC’s Physical Rehabilitation Programme (PRP). This programme uses sport to enable the rehabilitation and social inclusion of people with an impairment, and aims to complement their physical and mental progress with career counselling and labour market inclusion. The PRP is already underway in countries including India, Thailand, Afghanistan and South Sudan, as well as Gaza, with ambitions to expand to other territories.
The Adecco Group is committed to making the future work for everyone. Collaborating with the ICRC’s Sport and Inclusion Advisor, Jess Markt, the Adecco Group Foundation will bring its expertise in training, employment and skills to accelerate the impact and increase the reach of the PRP. The Foundation will draw on the long history of the Adecco Group’s work with the International Paralympic Committee (IPC), helping elite athletes prepare for life beyond sports through the IPC Athlete Career Programme.
“Today’s humanitarian challenges are immense, causing suffering for many millions of men, women and children around the world,” said Yves Daccord, ICRC Director General. “I believe that by partnering up with the Adecco Group Foundation, we have reached a cornerstone in our engagement with the private sector. With this partnership, the ICRC will be in a better position to effectively respond to the vastly growing needs of people affected by armed conflict. The fact that today we are capable of engaging with companies that have expert knowledge in areas we can leverage is a key step and an essential achievement for the ICRC.”
“It is a huge honour for the Adecco Group Foundation to be able to support the vital work of the ICRC as a member of its Corporate Support Group,” explained Alain Dehaze, CEO of the Adecco Group. “We hope this important partnership will make a big difference in the lives of many people living in conflict zones and challenging environments around the world. Specifically, we want to help people with physical disabilities be active and contributing members of society, so that they can reach their full potential.”
The partnership between the ICRC and the Adecco Group Foundation is expected to develop in the years ahead to tackle other issues such as the changing staffing needs of humanitarian organisations, capacity building through employee exchange programmes, and the evolution and expanding professionalisation of the humanitarian sector.
About the Adecco Group
The Adecco Group is the world’s leading workforce solutions partner. We provide more than 700,000 people with permanent and flexible employment every day. With more than 33,000 employees in 60 countries, we transform the world of work one job at a time. Our colleagues serve more than 100,000 organisations with the talent, HR services and cutting-edge technology they need to succeed in an ever-changing global economy. As a Fortune Global 500 company, we lead by example, creating shared value that meets social needs while driving business innovation. Our culture of inclusivity, fairness and teamwork empowers individuals and organisations, fuels economies, and builds better societies. These values resonate with our employees, who voted us number 2 on the Great Place to Work® - World’s Best Workplaces 2017 list. We make the future work for everyone.
The Adecco Group is based in Zurich, Switzerland. Adecco Group AG is registered in Switzerland (ISIN: CH0012138605) and listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange (ADEN). The group is powered by seven lead brands: Adecco, Modis, Badenoch & Clark, Spring Professional, Lee Hecht Harrison, Pontoon, Adia and YOSS.
About the Adecco Group Foundation
The Adecco Group Foundation aims to increase the work-readiness of underserved populations, and to improve the vitality of the global workforce. It focuses on youth, people in transition within the labour market, and mature workers. The Foundation is project-based and acts as a social innovation lab: scoping, designing and testing new models that deliver shared value in the field of employment
About the ICRC
The ICRC helps people around the world affected by armed conflict and other situations of violence, doing everything it can to protect their dignity and relieve their suffering, often with its Red Cross and Red Crescent partners. The organization also seeks to prevent hardship by promoting and strengthening humanitarian law and championing universal humanitarian principles. As the authority on international humanitarian law, it develops and monitors compliance with it. People know they can rely on the ICRC to carry out a range of life-saving activities in conflict zones, including: supplying food, safe drinking water, sanitation and shelter; providing health care; and helping to reduce the danger of landmines and unexploded ordnance. It also reunites family members separated by conflict, and visits people who are detained to ensure they are treated properly. The organization works closely with communities to understand and meet their needs, using its experience and expertise to respond quickly, effectively and without taking sides.