Press Release 29th May 2024

Diversity and inclusion at BILLA: Regional café on the topic of ‘Work & Disability’

On 28 May 2024, BILLA hosted a regional café on the topic of ‘Work & Disability’ at Mariahilfer Straße 35 in Vienna. The aim of the event was to raise awareness of the integration of people with disabilities into the labour market and provide practical insights into successful integration measures at BILLA and BILLA PLUS. The regional café was aimed at company representatives, employees, experts and anyone interested in finding out more about the benefits and challenges of employing people with disabilities.

A large group of people is gathered in a conference room, smiling at the camera. They are casually dressed and some are standing while others are kneeling in front. There is a whiteboard and a flip chart in the background.

On 28 May 2024, BILLA hosted a regional café on the topic of ‘Work & Disability’ at Mariahilfer Straße 35 in Vienna. / Copyright: © BILLA AG/Robert Harson. Abdruck zu redaktionellen Zwecken honorarfrei., Reproduction for PR purposes free of charge

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At a glance

On 28 May 2024, BILLA held a regional café in Vienna on the topic of work and disability to strengthen the integration of people with disabilities in the labour market
The participants were given an insight into integration measures and learnt about the NEBA support services
BILLA has already received several awards for its commitment to inclusion and diversity in the workplace and continues to actively promote the integration of people with disabilities

Representatives from various organisations such as Haus Aktiv, the Austrian Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired, Mentorix, WITAF, Wien Werk and TIW rounded out the panel with their professional expertise on integration measures and support services. Another focus of the event was on providing information about the NEBA support programme. Michaela Schafferhans, Key Account Manager of NEBA Betriebsservice Niederösterreich, presented the Network for Vocational Assistance - NEBA for short: ‘The NEBA network offers an important support structure for successfully integrating people with disabilities and socially disadvantaged young people into the labour market. Our wide range of organisations enables us to respond to individual needs."

Praise from politicians

Political representatives also took part in the event to emphasise the importance of integration projects and praise BILLA's dedicated work. "Today's event is an important step towards raising awareness of the integration of people with disabilities in the workplace and promoting the exchange of best practices. It is encouraging to see how committed the participants are,’ said Nicole Berger-Krotsch, Member of Parliament. Julia Lessacher, Deputy District Head of Vienna's 6th district, emphasises: ‘The professional support of people with physical or mental disabilities is often underestimated. However, it is particularly important for these people to gain a foothold in working life. They bring valuable skills and perspectives that offer enormous added value for companies."

BILLA as a role model

For years, BILLA has actively promoted the integration of people with disabilities and other disadvantaged groups in the workplace. Through ongoing support and cooperation with various partners, BILLA sends a strong signal in favour of inclusion and diversity in the workplace and actively contributes to the creation of an inclusive society.

BILLA's commitment has been recognised several times, most recently with the special ‘Diversity’ prize at the Employer Branding Award 2023. This award underlines the importance of the company as a pioneer in promoting professional integration and as a role model for other companies. "Our successful integration projects show that the professional integration of people with disabilities is not only feasible, but also enriching for our entire company. Through targeted training, technical support and the promotion of an inclusive corporate culture, we create a working environment at BILLA in which all employees can develop their full potential,’ emphasised Hamed Mohseni, BILLA Sales Director in Vienna.