Diversity is an opportunity

For the International Day of Persons with Disabilities on 3 December, I would like to share with you how ENGIE continues to make disability a focal point of its action. It is closely tied to our convictions, rather than to the legal obligations we are set, and we have launched many of our own initiatives. If I had to sum up our approach, in line with our corporate purpose – reconciling Planet, People and Profit – I would say it is resolutely positivist. To put it more clearly, we made the switch a long time ago from a rather enforced integration process to a spontaneous inclusion approach. For me, diversity is an opportunity and, with disability, it is absolutely possible to turn an obstacle into an opportunity. Whether this means, for example, recruiting with a prime focus on skills or deploying universal accessibility based on the “design for all” concept, we want to remove obstacles and stop considering people with disabilities as a separate population and, instead, see them as men and women who contribute to the company’s collective strength.

ENGIE, commitment through action

So, it was totally logical for us to join the Global Business and Disability network. This International Labour Organisation institution brings together large corporations that take action worldwide to encourage the inclusion of persons with disabilities. It drew up a charter with key principles that provide a framework to help the Group’s different international entities implement their actions. On a national level, it was just as natural for us to sign the manifesto initiated by Sophie Cluzel, French Secretary of State in charge of People with Disabilities.

A Disability Charter at ENGIE

These framework documents have led me to draw up an ENGIE Disability Charter, structured around nine articles and available in both French and English. It will shortly be rolled out to all entities, with the aim that in each entity, the CEO, HR Director and Disability representative sign the charter, on a voluntary basis of course. It is important to note that we have allowed for feedback and for an assessment of company actions. I believe this to be vital because it is only by ensuring that our choices meet real needs that we can progress and make inclusion a reality. Which is, now more than ever, what the Group wishes to do.

Laurent Dordain, ENGIE’s Disability Officer