SOCIAL CHALLENGES

As the most populous country in the world, China also has the largest number of People with Disabilities (PwDs): between 32 and 85 million, according to various estimates. Although incredible progress has been made in social inclusion, it remains a burning issue – particularly inclusion in the workplace.

PROJECT APPROACH

Würth places great importance on societal inclusion. In 2020, the company worked with the Shanghai Jingyue Community Center of the public welfare development (“Jingyue Community”) on a collaborative project. Together with the “Jingyue Community,” Würth launched a project to bring the Christmas spirit to PwDs. Würth collected 62 Christmas wishes from PwDs and hung them all on the company Christmas tree. The wishes were small things that an individual could provide: A backpack with a Smurf on it, a yo-yo, or a pair of sneakers. During the Christmas season, colleagues were free to claim wishes from the tree and make Christmas a bit warmer by granting their wish. In the end, all wishes had been granted and Würth had a hand-over ceremony with people in the Tang Zhen community center. The ceremony was composed of interactive activities between employees and PwDs.

VALUE ADDED

The project was a resounding success, bringing joy to both PwDs and employees. With initiatives like this, Würth hopes to raise more awareness and attention to this social group, boosting social inclusion.

LESSONS LEARNED

The project developed better than expected. Würth gained new insights into the philanthropic sector, and the project enjoyed a high engagement rate by individuals in the company. By building connections between participants, Würth succeeded in raising awareness and building an inclusive company culture.

Source：More Than A Market Booklet 2021