Every year on December 3, the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, the UNIQA Tower shines in purple. But the company is not only sending a visible signal to the outside world.
"I see the inclusion of people with disabilities as a great enrichment for UNIQA. In order to successfully master their everyday lives, they often need different ways of thinking and creative solutions - valuable qualities that these people then also bring to the company," says Ulrike Kienast-Salmhofer, Diversity and Inclusion Officer at UNIQA. "By promoting inclusion, we also create a working environment in which all employees feel respected and valued."
UNIQA has taken various measures this year to enable people with disabilities to participate in working life. The renewed participation in the myAbility Talent Program and the design of an accessible working environment are just two of this year's milestones on UNIQA's path to becoming an inclusive employer.
UNIQA took part in the myAbility Talent Program for the second time in a row this year. The career program not only offers opportunities for students with disabilities and chronic illnesses, but also enables UNIQA to tap into a new target group of highly qualified and diverse employees. In addition, the job shadowing sessions help to raise awareness within the company about the topic of disability and existing barriers and prejudices in order to reduce these in the long term.
"The shadowing days made a lasting impression on me and shaped my view of diversity and inclusion. The openness and transparency with which our talent deals with their disability and the hard-hitting analytical view of the behavior of their "healthy" fellow human beings were very inspiring," says Christian Blümel, Head of ECM Manage (Value Train Automation), UNIQA IT Services GmbH, describing his experience of the job shadowing.
Magdalena Lisa Manzl from the Sustainability, Ethics & Public Affairs team, who also took part in the career program, confirms how necessary a barrier-free working environment is for people with disabilities: "On the day of the shadowing, we really became aware of the almost insurmountable obstacles that presented our talent with challenges, such as the heavy doors on our floor, which he could not open without help. Seemingly simple things for us pose major challenges for someone with limited mobility."
The UNIQA Tower shines in violet. (© UNIQA/Erwin Gruber)
By promoting inclusion, we also create a working environment in which all employees feel respected and valued.
The heavy doors in the UNIQA Tower will soon be a thing of the past. Numerous improvement measures have been implemented in recent months so that people with disabilities can move around the building even more independently and freely. For example, the doors in the entire tower are gradually being motorized. In addition, alarms (e.g. fire alarms) are now audible and visible and therefore comply with the 2-senses principle. Markings have also been installed in many areas of the building (e.g. stairwells, entrance area) - including with greater contrast so that people with visual impairments can recognize them better.
Height-adjustable tables are another contribution to accessibility. People with walking difficulties can now adjust the tables so that they can drive underneath them in a wheelchair. However, such tables also offer added value for all other employees. They can be used to work standing up, which is pleasant for people with back problems, for example. In addition, there will be barrier-free sanitary facilities on every floor of the tower once the conversion work is complete.
"Creating accessibility at UNIQA headquarters is not only an ethical obligation, but also a strategic necessity. Accessibility is the key to a self-determined working life for people with disabilities. It enables them to exploit their abilities and potential without barriers. This contributes to a more inclusive and diverse working world, from which we all benefit in the company," explains René Knapp, Member of the UNIQA Management Board, People, Brand & Sustainability.
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