Accor partners with APSN to create job opportunities and training for persons with special needs

Accor collaborates with Community Chest and APSN to give From the Heart

Accor, Singapore’s largest hospitality operator with 15 hotels and resorts and over 50 restaurants and bars, is embarking on a five-year partnership with Community Chest and Association for Persons with Special Needs (APSN) to provide support and funding to APSN’s beneficiaries.

The partnership, entitled Accor From The Heart, will see Accor staff across Singapore raise funds and volunteer hours to provide hospitality training to people with special needs, with the goal to create long-term, meaningful employment opportunities within the group for graduates of the college.

“We are extremely proud to partner with APSN and Community Chest on this important collaboration, which will enable our hotels and corporate office staff to give back From the Heart to the people of Singapore,” said Garth Simmons, Chief Operating Officer, Accor Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore and South Asia. “Beyond our commitment to supporting the students throughout their education, we will endeavour to provide inclusive employment opportunities within our network in Singapore. The project is aligned with our commitment to Diversity and Inclusion and our dedication to combatting all forms of workplace discrimination.

“We already have some APSN graduates employed within our hotels and we look forward to having even more in our teams, because we believe in celebrating people’s differences and making everyone feel welcome,” he said.

The collaboration will last five years to make it sustainable and to create a more significant impact to the community, as this will allow time for graduates to work through the program and find potential placements within the group’s network.

Dr Christopher Tay, Chief Executive Officer of APSN said, “This joint partnership not only serves as a platform to empower persons with special needs for independence, but through the various initiatives, brings industry partners closer to the community by creating awareness and understanding. With more opportunities and increased interaction, the keen abilities and contributions of our beneficiaries will shine through as we work towards an inclusive society.”

APSN is a non-profit association focused on developing individuals with special needs and enabling them to lead dignified, fulfilling and independent lives. The Association prepares beneficiaries for employment and success via education and vocational training initiatives from their early years up into adulthood.

Community Chest, a non-profit organisation, which channels resources to the social service sector, will enable the collaboration from a fund-raising and engagement perspective.

“We are grateful for the commitment from both APSN and Accor towards empowering the lives of persons with special needs through this joint sustained effort. This holistic partnership is testament to a collaborative and impactful ecosystem that Community Chest aims to build and we hope to catalyse more in the near future. By creating such synergies, we can build an inclusive workforce that thrives on diverse abilities,” said Mr Phillip Tan, Chairman of Community Chest.

This initiative is one example of Accor’s corporate social responsibility program, which is focused on working with communities for a positive impact. The latter also ties in perfectly with one of the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals being Quality Education.

With Accor From The Heart, the group strives to ensure that persons with disabilities in Singapore continue to receive the education that they need. The name of the program comes from the fact that Accor sees all of its employees as ‘Heartists’ – masters of the art of hospitality who serve from the heart, with curiosity and inventiveness.