Firms win disability awards

KARACHI: Twenty companies received awards on Tuesday for their exemplary disability inclusion practices, as part of the first Disability Inclusion Excellence Awards organized by the Employers Federation of Pakistan (EFP).

The awards, held in collaboration with the Pakistan Business and Disability Network, International Labor Organization (ILO), Sightsavers Pakistan, GIZ, and other partners, recognized employers who demonstrated a strong commitment to fostering an inclusive workplace environment for persons with disabilities.

The award winners included Agriauto Industries Ltd, Bank Alfalah, Nestlé Pakistan, Unilever Pakistan, and Zaamin Builders, among others. They were selected from 35 organizations that contested for the awards, based on their policies and practices that accommodated individuals with disabilities.

The ceremony was attended by more than 200 participants, including employers and their representatives, workers' federations, NGOs, government officials, and organizations dealing with disability and persons with disabilities.

Dr. Saad Khalid Niaz, Sindh Minister for Health, Social Welfare and Health Engineering, was the chief guest at the event. He congratulated the award winners and applauded the organizers for their efforts to promote disability inclusion.

"Empowering every individual, irrespective of ability, is not just a duty; it's the cornerstone of a compassionate society," Niaz said. "The Disability Inclusion Excellence Awards 2023 illuminate our collective commitment to fostering inclusivity, and I am honored to be part of this transformative journey." He added that equality is a must to support differently-abled persons by providing them equal opportunities to grow.