HandivAirsity: fostering workplace inclusion to the benefit of all

Aiming for win-wins, not just compliance

Launched in France and then expanded to cover all Air Liquide entities across Europe in 2017, HandivAirsity is an ambitious initiative centered around two key objectives: hiring more candidates with disabilities and helping those with disabilities in the workplace. "Originally," explains Sylvie Lazure, Mission Handicap Manager  at Air Liquide, "HandivAirsity was set up in France in our effort  to increase inclusion as a responsible corporate actor ." Additionally, the French state sets a target of 6% disabled members of staff and Air Liquide has joined many major French companies, in November 2021,  in signing the country’s Manifeste Inclusion, a charter of ten axes. As all European countries have regulations concerning workplace inclusion, and some such as Germany or Italy also set quotas, Air Liquide identified the need for a Europe-wide network to share ideas, new approaches and best practices.

"Yet beyond legal obligations," adds Sylvie Lazure, "HandivAirsity also promotes our ethos: ‘Our differences make our performance’. Integrating disabled people into the workplace can benefit everyone – not those directly concerned." Teams which have to rethink their organization as well as parts of their processes, for instance, benefit from innovation and increased efficiency, as well as a more inclusive, understanding environment for everyone. "When inclusion happens, it often challenges preconceptions and leads to pragmatic solutions - some of which also prove to be more efficient."

Finding and sharing new approaches to inclusion

"The specific approaches in each country may differ," explains Sylvie Lazure, "but the overall aim is the same everywhere. That’s why the Europe-wide hackathon we held in 2021 to generate and share solutions to issues such as adaptations, access, and awareness was so valuable." Titled TIME TO ACT, the design-thinking workshop focused on two areas: recruitment and adaptations. “The winning adaptation project, ‘Let’s ALL enjoy our meeting’, offered specific guidance on how to hold meetings in such a way that even invisible disabilities are taken account of while respecting the privacy of those affected,” explains Sylvie Lazure, citing one example of an initiative resulting from the event.