Disability is a key focus of our diversity work - in terms of our employees, customers and the community projects we pursue.
In the UK, we are a member of the Employers Forum on Disability.
We continue to work in partnership with the Shaw Trust in the UK on disability recruitment issues.
Danuta Gray, Chief Executive Officer, O2 Ireland, champions our Group-wide diversity and equal opportunities programme and our Irish business is particularly focused on disability.
O2 Ireland supports disability through the O2 Ability Awards.
The awards scheme is in its third year and calls for businesses to recognise that people with disabilities and diverse needs - employees and customers alike - can and do make a real contribution to business and society. It also encourages Ireland's employers to tap these talents and support people's everyday practical, emotional and workplace needs.
O2 Ireland set up an internal diversity programme to support this work in 2006. It includes disability awareness training for employees and a recruitment programme for employees with disabilities. In addition our new offices in Sir John Rogerson's Quay, Dublin are fully accessible.
We have started to share ideas around this common interest. Members of the O2 business took a first-hand look at Telefónica's ATAM scheme, which provides accommodation and care for people with physical or mental disabilities and is supported through payroll giving by our employees in Spain.
O2 Ireland and the O2 Ability Awards organisers are now in talks with Telefonica on the possibility of setting up an award scheme similar to the one in Spain in 2008.
Entries to the 2007 Ability Awards have increased by 10 per cent, with 65 per cent of entries from the private sector and 35 per cent from the public sector.
O2 Ireland supports disability through the sponsorship of the O2 Ability Awards.
During the year O2 Ireland began a new three-year charity partnership with Irish Autism Action.
The business in Ireland has also partnered with disability management consultants Access Ability to help recruit people with disabilities, including ensuring access to highly skilled vacancies.
In 2006 the Irish regulator ComReg set up a Disability Forum, of which O2 Ireland is a member. The forum encourages the industry to devise initiatives that support customers with special needs.
Across the Group, 255 employees register themselves as having a disability. We believe the actual figure is much higher as many people with disabilities do not identify themselves as registered disabled and data is not captured in all countries.
In the Czech Republic, our 156 employees who are registered disabled receive a voucher for holidays totalling 10,000 CZK a year.
