Making people successful in a changing world - Annual Report 2012

Adecco Learning CentresAdecco UK opened further Learning Centresin Manchester, Liverpool, Sunderland andSouthend, to add to those already establishedin Rotherham, Leeds and Glasgow. AdeccoUK launched the Learning Centre conceptin 2000 and a record number of Associatesbenefited from skills training in 2001.Sisters, Sally (aged 26) and Sue (aged 22),were in the first group to undertake thetraining course in Glasgow. They hadboth just been made redundant fromJames Gowan Bookbinders when it closeddown. Sally had worked there for 10 yearsand Sue for 5 years – both having gonethere straight from school. The womenheard about the course through Branchadvertising and worked hard to completethe course, as it was all very new to them.One week after completion, both sisterswere employed at an International Bank asData Entry Agents on temporary contracts.GermanyGoing mobile to reach out to AssociatesIn Germany, the Adecco Mobile Shopdelivers job information and free skillstesting directly to prospective Candidates.In 2001, the bus travelled to 80 citiestransporting advanced technology thatenables prospective Candidates to accessjob opportunities throughout the country.Visitors are also invited to take free skillstests that help them determine which skillsand software they have mastered, such asMS-Office programs. Also, they can takeAdecco's unique Xpert Test. The resultshelp them understand their personalstrengths and preferences. This assessmenttool can direct people to employmentopportunities that are a better ‘fit’ and aremore fulfilling.SwitzerlandSupporting Associate safetyIn 2001, Adecco became the first staffingcompany in Switzerland to launch anindustrial injuries prevention programme.In a joint initiative with the SwissAssociation of Roof and Wall Constructors,Adecco Associates are invited to attend afree half-day seminar on accidentprevention, addressing a key issue in theSwiss industry in which an injury occursevery minute.Adecco action on diversityIn 2001, Adecco introduced a global‘Diversity Action Plan’ for AdeccoColleagues and Clients. First and foremost,the programme aimed to show how bestpractice recruitment methods focusedpurely upon Candidate competencies,disregarding racial or ethnic origins orgender and, in fact, resulted in increases inthe size and quality of the Candidate pool.In addition, the programme helped Clientsto anticipate employment trends and tocomply with the relevant legislation.In France for example, the programmeencompassed a series of conferences inall major cities including Paris, Lyon,Strasbourg, Lille, Toulouse and Bordeaux,starting in June 2001. These conferenceswere organized in partnership with theFonds d’Action et de Soutien pourl’Intégration et la Lutte contre lesDiscriminations (FASILD) – a body thatreports to the French Ministry of Labour –and covered all aspects of the upcomingsocial laws. Thousands of HumanResources and General Managers from adiverse range of companies have attendedthese conferences.Nourredine Boubaker, Directeur EmploiFormation of the FASILD, said:“This is a really successful and exemplary partnership to fighteffectively against discriminations at work in France.”In the USA, encouraging diversity is anintegral part of Adecco’s everydayoperations, and there were manyprominent examples of success in 2001:In New York City, Adecco combined forceswith Wildcat Services, a federal, state andcity-funded welfare-to-work organization,to place graduates of Wildcat’s job readinesstraining. In 2001 alone, Adecco placedmore than 300 Wildcat Clients in rewardingpositions.Also, Adecco was awarded theSupplier Diversity/Mentor Program byGeorgia Power. Through this programmeAdecco mentors and trains minority-ownedstaffing companies, helping them grow theirbusiness. As Georgia Power put it in theiremployee newsletter, “Adecco has takenGeorgia Power’s slogan – ‘A Citizen WhereverWe Serve’ – to heart” in spearheading theSupplier Diversity/ Mentor Program.Adecco Colleague, John Kelly, is on theadvisory board of the MassachusettsRehabilitation Commission (MRC).As part of his association with thisorganization, Boston-area Adecco officesinterview and place people with disabilitieswho are referred to them by the MRC. InNovember 2001, John Kelly received theMRC Partnership Award, citing his‘outstanding leadership and dedicationresulting in increased employmentopportunities for people with disabilities’.FoundationThe European Adecco Foundation’sobjective is to help people at risk of beingsocially marginalized fit into the labourmarket. According to the EU this groupincludes people over 45 years of age, thedisabled and also women who wish to reenterthe workforce after raising children.The Adecco Foundation achieves itsobjectives through a range of direct andindirect means. Direct support activitiesinclude career evaluation services and thesetting-up of framework agreements withcompanies to develop their own socialresponsibility plans.For example, in 2001, the Italian AdeccoFoundation helped 250 disabled peopleand over 70 former athletes enter thelabour market, while the Spanish AdeccoFoundation helped over 120 athletes andover 400 disabled people re-enter theworkforce. The athlete support programmesare based upon agreements made withCONI (Italian Olympic Committee) andCOE (Spanish Olympic Committee) andNational Professional Sports Federationsin these markets. In this 9-month‘outplacement’ programme, an Adeccoconsultant analyses the potential andthe aptitude of the athletes, developstheir interview and work skills and seeksemployment opportunities for them throughthe Adecco branch network.In addition, the Adecco Foundationconducts research and organizesconferences to foster awareness and debatepolicy change on key labour market issues.In 2001, such activities includedtwo conferences, one in Milan on socialresponsibility and the other in Berlin onthe subject of collective work agreements.29