Supporting the inclusion of people with disabilities

The three-year Disability Agreement signed in 2021, spearheaded by the Group’s Mission Handicap programme, attests to MMA’s ambition of having a significant, inclusive and concrete impact on society to help people with disabilities. It echoes the Diversity Charter signed in 2017 and the first collective agreement for 2018-2020. The agreement includes physical modifications and aids, organisational changes, an ambitious recruitment target and appropriate training.

A plan to get people into employment and keep them in employment

At the end of 2022, the Group had 1,161 employees with disabilities.
To continue on this track, a plan to get people into employment and keep them in employment has been adopted so that everyone can do their job under the best possible conditions. This is based on three specific measures:

• Providing physical modifications and aids: in addition to existing legal aid, the Mission Handicap programme can provide €1,400 for hearing aids and €3,000 for vehicle modifications⁽¹⁾. It also offers help with adapting workstations and/or providing solutions for travelling between home and work. This can include:
  • A wheelchair;
  • A desk;
  • An ergonomic mouse;
  • A special keyboard;
  • Use of a specialist transport company.
• Making organisational changes: in 2022, 474 technical and organisational changes were made on site and at employees’ homes to adapt the working situation of people with disabilities⁽²⁾. These changes can take different forms:
  • Flexible working hours;
  • Working from home;
  • Support with using new equipment and technology;
  • Adapting employees’ home work areas;
  • Help with changes in working practices.
• Paid absence: employees with disabilities benefit from three days of paid leave per year for administrative and medical appointments relating to their disability.

Recruitment as a means of inclusion

In 2021 and 2022, 110 people with disabilities were recruited, with 60 in 2022 alone⁽³⁾. To take this even further, two specific initiatives have been launched:

• Changes to the recruitment process: changes have been made to enable anyone to apply for a position on an equal opportunity basis. In addition, recruitment teams work closely with Mission Handicap, while also looking to form partnerships with schools and universities.
•  Employee involvement: all teams are involved in promoting the inclusion of employees with disabilities. This is achieved primarily by means of a welcome and onboarding interview, making changes to the working environment, and the support of another staff member if necessary.  The results of this approach are clear⁽⁴⁾:
  • 70 employees have volunteered to be local representatives of the Group’s disability policy;
  • The network organised 141 meetings and trained 1,705 employees in 2021-2022.

Inclusion training

Under the agreement, the Group also uses training to support the inclusion of employees with disabilities, with two main focuses:

• Training employees with disabilities: this is done by making it easier to access training, help with returning to work and providing the necessary equipment after training. 
• Training employees in disability awareness: a number of training programmes are offered to all employees to help them understand the challenges relating to disability in the workplace. A number of topics are addressed: 
  • “Supporting employees with disabilities in my team” for managers of employees with disabilities. 73 managers took this training programme in 2021⁽⁴⁾;
  • The “Diversity to make a difference” e-learning module for employees;
  • Specific training programmes for those involved in disability, such as recruiters and HR officers.

Inclusive and concrete commitment to society

This inclusive and concrete commitment to society is reflected first of all by providing help for employees in their everyday life in a variety of ways:

• Support services: employees with disabilities can benefit from financial support with professional fees such as psychotherapists and occupational therapists, or buying special equipment such as wheelchairs and lift systems. They also have access to services to adapt their homes.
• Paid parental leave: for 150 days, more than the 90 days required by law⁽²⁾.
• Raising awareness and helping family carers: for example, the Group has launched an experimental range of inclusive services such as online conferences and legal aid, through an external service provider.
• Improving digital accessibility for employees and customers with disabilities: this includes in particular adapting websites, mobile apps, software, telephones and even premises.

In addition, the Group endeavours to surround itself with partners that are committed to the inclusion of people with disabilities through two initiatives:

• Favouring use of companies that employ people with disabilities: for example, we encourage procurement teams to develop business relationships with companies that employ people with disabilities.
• Supporting charities and philanthropic initiatives concerning projects to improve the quality of life of people with disabilities.

Find out about our civic initiatives to promote equal opportunity.

(1) Collective agreement to promote employment of people with disabilities within the Covéa ESU – Covéa – 2021.
(2) Covéa’s commitment to equal opportunity – Covéa – 2021.
(3) Non-financial performance statement – MMA IARD SA – 2022
(4) Employment rate of 6.7%, a first for Covéa – Covéa – 2022.