Adecco Canada emerges as a forerunner in designing policies and practices promoting the employment and retention of older workers
Toronto, Canada – AARP, the U.S.-based non-profit organization representing nearly 40 million older Americans, and CARP—A New Vision of Aging for Canada, today announced the 10 winners of the 2009 AARP International Innovative Employer Award. The award, designed to promote innovative human resource and workforce practices around the world, recognized one winner from Canada: Toronto-based Adecco Employment Services Limited.
“Now in its second year, the AARP International Innovative Employer Award focuses global attention on the need to retain mature and experienced employees to keep a competitive edge in today’s marketplace,” said AARP Chief Operating Officer Thomas C. Nelson. “The innovative workforce practices our winners are employing today are creating the roadmap for tomorrow’s workplace.”
AARP worked on the program with a network of international collaborating organizations with expertise on age and employment issues. CARP worked with AARP to identify Canadian-based applicants and promote the award in Canada. AARP then chose the winner from among the applicants.
“We were very pleased to collaborate with AARP on this important initiative to recognize innovative employers in Canada. We put out many invitations to businesses across the country to participate in this program and were delighted to learn that Adecco was a deserving winner for Canada” said Eric Vengroff, Vice President and General Manager for CARP. “We encourage more Canadian employers to step forward, apply for the 2010 awards, and be recognized for their industry-leading employment policies.” From a pool of worldwide applicants, AARP selected 10 companies and organizations for their ground-breaking workplace policies. The 2009 winners represent four countries and a wide range of industries. The winners are:
• Adecco Employment Services Limited (Adecco Canada), Toronto, Canada
Service Sector, 436 employees; 13% 50+
• BMW, Munich, Germany Motor Vehicles Production, 71,596 employees; 20% 50+
• BT Group plc, London, United Kingdom Telecommunications, 103,524 employees; 30% 50+
• Centrica plc, Windsor, United Kingdom Utilities, 27,338 employees; 14% 50+
• Domestic & General Services Limited, Nottingham, United Kingdom Insurance, 747 employees; 9% 50+
• Housing & Development Board, Singapore Public Sector, 4,949 employees; 34% 50+
• National Healthcare Group, Singapore Health Care, 9819 employees; 16% 50+
• Royal Plaza on Scotts, Singapore Hotels/Lodging, 393 employees; 25% 50+
• SICK AG, Waldkirch, Germany Industrial Equipment/Commercial Machinery, 1879 employees; 17% 50+
• Sozial-Holding der Stadt Mönchengladbach, Mönchengladbach, Germany Health Care, 740 employees; 35% 50+
The AARP International Innovative Employer Awards are open to all non-U.S.-based employers. Candidates are vetted to ensure that practices meet the needs of mature workers. Key areas of consideration include: recruiting practices; opportunities for training, education and career development; workplace accommodations; alternative work options, such as flexible scheduling, job sharing, and phased retirement; employee health and retirement benefits; and retiree work opportunities.
Besides CARP, the following organizations with expertise on age and employment issues collaborated with AARP on the award: 50?ú (Italy); BAGSO (Germany); Council for Third Age (Singapore); DaneAge (Denmark); DDN – The Demography Network (Germany); TAEN – The Age and Employment Network (UK); and The Gerontology Institute at Dortmund University (Germany).
