NEWS RELEASE
Monday 21 September 2009

O2 Ability Awards Campaign 2010 Launches

Organisations Urged to Become ‘Ability Champions’

 

Ireland, Dublin: An Taoiseach, Brian Cowen TD today (Monday 21 September) launched the campaign to encourage organisations to enter the O2 Ability Awards - business awards for best practice in the inclusion of people with disabilities as employees and customers. Created by the founder of disability organisation, Kanchi and visually impaired social entrepreneur, Caroline Casey, the O2 Ability Awards promote organisations that think and act differently in relation to people with disabilities.

Since 2005, over 100 businesses and organisations including Superquinn, McDonald’s Restaurants of Ireland, Bank of Ireland, Kerry Local Authorities and Aura Sport & Leisure, have been selected as O2 Ability Award organisations.

The O2 Ability Awards are open to organisations of all structures and sizes from the public and private sectors as well as not-for-profit and voluntary organisations. The programme rewards organisations that have put disability policies into action, delivering real and tangible business benefits both internally and externally.

Organisations are encouraged to enter online at www.theabilityawards.com before 6 November 2009. On completion of applications, thirty organisations will be shortlisted and will receive a free on-site assessment audit which will be carried out by independent disability management consultants. Awards will be presented across six categories and there will be three overall winners: one each from the private and non-private sectors as well as an award for the Best Small Company. A televised series documenting a selection of organisations that participate in the O2 Ability Awards will be broadcast in May 2010. The O2 Ability Awards is supported by Telefónica O2 Ireland, FÁS, The Irish Times, Newstalk 106-108fm and RTÉ.

Kanchi founder, Caroline Casey said: “In the current economic climate, recognising ability in business is more important than ever before. In 2005 we began a journey with the O2 Ability Awards - a journey that to date has seen over 100 organisations from across all areas of business and sections of society champion change through their inclusion of people with disabilities as employees and customers. That is why we want to hear from organisations, large and small, that are recognising ability and talent over disability and in doing so are showing leadership in this area.”

Danuta Gray, CEO of Telefónica O2 Ireland, said: “Embracing diversity has always been at the heart of O2's business and our involvement with the Ability Awards since its inception has enabled us to learn ways in which we can take this commitment a step further for the benefit of our employees, customers and society as a whole”.  

The success of the O2 Ability Awards in Ireland coupled with the ongoing support of Telefónica will see the Ability Awards launch in Spain during 2010, the first of several countries outside of Ireland where it is envisaged the Awards programme will be established.

In 2010, Kanchi will also launch the Ability Standard, a metric of excellence based on international best practice which will build upon the achievements of organisations that participate in the O2 Ability Awards.  The Ability Standard will provide organisations with a management tool which can be used to measure performance in relation to the inclusion of people with disabilities while also highlighting an organisation’s attainment of excellence and best practice in achieving the Ability Standard.

ENDS

About Kanchi

Kanchi’s story began when its founder, Caroline Casey, a visually impaired social entrepreneur, trekked 1000km across India on an elephant called Kanchi. The aim of the journey was to positively change the way people think about disability, to motivate people to see the value and potential of difference. Kanchi, named after Caroline’s elephant, believes that disability is society’s elephant in the room – the thing we don’t want to talk about due to misunderstanding and fear of getting it wrong. Kanchi works to change that. It works to change the way we see and understand disability so that the 650 million people in the world with a disability are seen for their ability and value in society. Visit the website: www.kanchi.org

About the O2 Ability Awards

The O2 Ability Awards, created and managed by Kanchi, are the first business awards in Ireland for Best Practice in the inclusion of people with disabilities, both as employees and as customers. Examining all aspects of employment and customer service, the O2 Ability Awards recognise progressive attitudes in organisations that see disability and diversity as a corporate asset and key to success. The O2 Ability Awards Programme celebrates organisations and business leaders that think and act differently about people with disabilities; seeing an employee’s strengths and abilities over any disability and recognising the economic potential of making their products and services available to all customers. Visit the website: www.theabilityawards.com

Media Queries:
Brian Harmon / Anna Murphy,
Harmon Communications
T: (01) 814 0800 / 086 264 3100/ 085 726 6191