Accessibility entrance.THE Savola Group has announced the completion of 90 percent of its Universal Accessibility Project, an initiative that covers all of its operating companies. Launched last January and expected to be completed by end of this year, The Savola Group's Universal Accessibility project, a corporate social responsibility initiative to ensure the mobility of employees and customers with disabilities within the various buildings and facilities of its operating companies and factories, is now nearing completion. Working at full capacity, Almodon Urban Consultancy on Universal Design and Accessibility, the company contracted to implement the project across Savola's three core sectors – Food, Retail and Plastics – completed its Plastics sector work at the Savola Packaging Company located in the Industrial City, Jeddah, in only 71 days and handed over the project in September. In the Food sector, Almodon handed over the Afia International Company project in October, while project work at the United Sugar Company in Jeddah Islamic Port is expected to be finished by the end of this month. “We are delighted with the process in which our Universal Accessibility project has progressed, especially since it is indicative of the keenness of all concerned to make life easier for our customers and employees with disabilities," said Dr. Abdulraouf Mannaa, Group Managing Director of the Savola Group. “By making our facilities accessibility friendly according to international standards we are enhancing the mobility of our customers and opening up a new world of career opportunities for this very important segment of Saudi society." As part of the assessment process, The Savola Group contracted the Global Alliance on Accessible Technologies & Environments (GAATES) an organization with a vast experience in Universal Accessibility, to assess the Group's compliance and benchmarking according to global accessibility standards. GAATES will conduct the assessment in December this year and will issue a compliance and certificate in Dec 2012. Based on the results of a survey conducted by the Makeen Center on its trainees with physical, visual and hearing disabilities, it was clear that persons with disabilities face many challenges due to the lack of a well-equipped working environment that can facilitate their mobility. Mannaa added: “We will continue investing in similar strategic projects that will further create a better working environment for our people and we believe that this is the right thing to do." — SG
