Employing Adults with Physical or Mental Impairments

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Employing Adults with Physical or Mental
Impairments

• Dutch Delegation
• June 24th 2009

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BRFkredit

• BRFkredit is an independent, Danish mortgage bank
  that provides mortgage loans secured on real
  property for owner-occupied homes, office and
  business properties, private rental housing and
  subsidised housing. BRFkredit is the 4th largest
  mortgage bank in Denmark.
• BRFkredit issues mortgage bonds to fund the
  lending business. BRFkredit has issued approx.
  10 of the outstanding Danish mortgage bonds.

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BRFkredit

• Being owned by a business foundation, whose sole
  purpose is to offer mortgage loans, BRFkredit is
  able to focus its business entirely on providing
  attractive financing through its access to
  competitive funding in the Danish mortgage bond
  market at present not so easy!

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BRFkredit

• Very competitive market!
• BRFkredit employs approximately 850 people, of
  which the vast majority are located here in Kgs.
  Lyngby
• Employee profiles vary from department to
  department
• Value based leadership

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Corporate Social Responsibility in BRFkredit

• Managing diversity is increasingly seen as a key
  factor in determining efficiency, productivity
  and overall business success. Businesses that
  embrace diversity will be able to compete more
  effectively in the future
• Companies need to partake in the society they are
  part of
• There are several examples of CSR projects in
  BRFkredit words and good intentions can not
  stand alone! Must be accompanied by action!

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Corporate Social Responsibility in BRFkredit

• CSR is also about taking a responsibility for the
  existing employees. In BRFkredit this entails an
  increasing focus on the health and general
  well-being of our employees.
• Today 2009 it has been a government demand
  that 1.000 of the biggest companies in Denmark
  must state their CSR-activities in the company
  annual report.
• CSR is a strategic matter in BRFkredit

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Some Initiatives

• Blind and visually impaired people in switchboard
• Individuals with autism
• Helping people who have been struggeling with
  mental illness
• Job tryouts
• Flexi-jobs
• Muhabet (drop-in centre for mentally impaired
  fugitives and immigrants) company mentor
• Support to social economy enterprises

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Some Initiatives- På Tværstm (projects in
subsidised housing areas)

• The purpose of PÅ TVÆRS
• To start a positive process in areas with social
  housing in cooperation with social housing
  organisations, the business community, public
  authorities, associations and the tenants in
  particular.
• The largest internet café in Denmark
• Business adoption helping youth into the job
  market
• Women immigrants network

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The Cleaning and the Gardening Staff

• Cooperation with Sandtoften
• Outsourcing the job to Sandtoften
• Paying the market price for the services
• Goals
• Integrating mentally disabled in the workforce
  and thereby ensuring them a close relation to the
  established workforce
• Strengthening BRFkredits image as a company with
  a strong CSR profile, thereby attracting both
  customers and potential employees
• Making our employees proud of their workplace
  through visible examples of CSR
• Accustoming employees to having contact with
  mentally disabled people

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The Process toward the new Cleaning Staff

• The idea originates at a meeting between
  Sandtoften and BRFkredit. Sandtoften had set up
  the meeting with BRFkredit with another agenda in
  mind but ended up with an offer to take on the
  large job of cleaning in BRFkredit
• Top management in BRFkredit supports the idea
  from the start
• After some consideration Sandtoften agrees
• HR convinces the relevant leaders in BRFkredit
  that handing over the cleaning task to mentally
  disabled is a great idea
• The contract is formulated and signed
• The employees are informed about the concept
  through leaflets, meetings and on the intranet

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The cleaning staff

• The team consists of
• 10 - 12 persons
• 4 ordinary cleaning staff members recruited,
  especially with this task in mind
• 2 job coaches assisting and directing

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Experiences / evaluation so far - 4½ years after
day one!

• The project has met our expectations and more!
• Our employees have adopted our message and gave
  the mentally disabled a warm welcome
• The cleaning staff is doing well and are happy
  about their new proper jobs
• Last but not least, the quality of the work
  performed by the mentally challenged is better
  than the work performed by our previous cleaning
  service
• No reports of employees feeling at unease about
  or bothered by the different employees

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The Gardening Staff

• The gardening team consists of
• 5 persons
• 1 educated gardener
• - The gardening team hopes to expand their
  business to other companies working in
  BRFkredit is their first project

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Reflections / some good advice

• Make sure to find a trustworthy partner
• We were always confident that Sandtoften had
  things under control. Prepare every detail as
  in other projects
• Reactions from the employees were very positive
• Few reactions in connection with the change in
  cleaning routines/structure
• Cleaning staff can easily be at work at the same
  time as the other employees, when certain
  considerations are taken

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Reflections / some good advices

• This adds value to everyone!
• What does BRFkredit actually do? With an open
  mind we simply open our good efficient working
  place for a different group of employees!
• Just get started in every company/organisation
  its possible to find an opening!
• ?