“Companies Increasing Employment Opportunities for Immigrants”
Dublin: Companies in Ireland are increasingly offering more job opportunities to immigrants as part of Business in the Community Ireland’s (BITCI) Elevate initiative. This effort aims to address the inequality faced by certain segments of Irish society. Among the 45 companies participating are notable names such as AIB, Bank of Ireland, Diageo, Eir, Gas Networks Ireland, Roadstone, and Sky Ireland.
BITCI CEO Tomás Sercovich highlighted the impact of global events like the COVID-19 pandemic and the Black Lives Matter movement in bringing societal inequalities to the forefront. He emphasised the crucial role companies play in addressing these issues, stating, “Elevate’s goal is to build a workforce that reflects society.”
BITCI plans to publish annual progress reports, with the first set to be released mid-next year. These reports aim to monitor the progress of the initiative in breaking down employment barriers for marginalised groups. Ken Scully, Head of Trading & Commercial Operations-Ireland at Marks & Spencer and Co-Chair of The Leaders on Sustainability, expressed his enthusiasm for the initiative, stating, “We are delighted to be working with other groups to change that.”
Research conducted by BITCI has revealed stark disparities in employment rates among different demographic groups. Unemployment among people with disabilities, including immigrants, is four and a half times higher than the national average. For black individuals, it is six times higher, and for the Traveller community, it is 13 times higher. This research, conducted by Deloitte on behalf of BITCI, underscores the pressing need to address these inequalities and the barriers that perpetuate them.
Irish Samachar English News
{OR} Kindly click to follow the Irish Samachar News channel on WhatsApp