#PurpleLightUp is a global campaign that uses actions in the colour purple (lilac/purple) around the world to set an example for a self-determined and equal life for people with disabilities.
In Austria, about 18 percent of people live with a disability and fight against prejudices and barriers every day. Work is an important lever for inclusion. "As REWE Group, we want to contribute to breaking down barriers in the lives of people with disabilities. We do not see the individual needs of our employees as a limitation, but as an enrichment for us as a team. Every day, our approximately 800 colleagues with disabilities show us anew how valuable their contribution is to the REWE family," says Sandra Edelmann, Diversity & Inclusion Manager at REWE Group. Employees with a wide range of disabilities, such as learning difficulties or chronic illnesses, work in all parts of the Group, from the BILLA, BILLA PLUS, BIPA, PENNY and ADEG shops to logistics and the company headquarters. People with disabilities work as fully-fledged employees and in inclusive teams with colleagues who overcome small barriers in everyday life together.
However, inclusion is not only an important topic for REWE Group on 3 December. Throughout the year, applicants with disabilities are actively approached with inclusive job advertisements. Since 2015, the number of employees with disabilities has doubled. This is supported by a certified barrier-free online job exchange. Special attention is also paid to the training of inclusive apprentices. BILLA alone is currently training 53 apprentices with an officially registered disability (assessment notice) and 278 integrative apprentices who need special support to complete their apprenticeship. BILLA has been the first retailer in Austria to have a barrier-free flyer for more than a year. With the Silent Hour, shopping is made easier for people with autism in individual stores.
The 3rd of December is meant to honour employees with disabilities and their valuable contribution to the company. These four colleagues give an insight into the opportunities for people with disabilities at REWE Group:
Anna-Maria is a second-year apprentice with hearing impairment at BIPA and came to REWE Group via Caritas. Besides her accuracy and openness, she enriches the team by advising deaf customers in sign language.
Corinna is an employee at the delicatessen counter at BILLA PLUS and has had Silver-Russel Syndrome since birth. She became aware of the job at BILLA PLUS through Haus Aktiv and an internship. In the delicatessen, Corinna is responsible for the cheese counter, where she is in charge of the display case design, labelling and individual customer requests.
Andriy is a dispatcher in the REWE truck fleet and is paraplegic in a wheelchair after an accident. Thanks to the Mentorix reintegration project, he has been supporting the REWE logistics team since 2019 and acts as an interface between ordering in the shops of all trading companies, planning and the warehouse. In order to get to his workplace barrier-free, a stair lift was built for him, funded by the Social Ministry Service.
Jasmin, a retail saleswoman at PENNY since 2017, has been living with a physical and mental disability since an accident when she was a baby. Her daily tasks include cashiering, labelling, organising stock and deliveries, restructuring shelves, and much more. Jasmin first completed a summer internship through Caritas and has since supported the PENNY shop as a full-fledged employee.
