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On October 24th of this year, the El Maresme Foundation successfully held the IV edition of the Meeting on Social Progress with Social Commitment, a biannual event that recognizes the work of companies and entrepreneurial projects from the Maresme that collaborate in the social and labor inclusion of people with intellectual disabilities in the region. The event was held in the Theater of the Café Nou building in Mataró, with the attendance of more than 100 people, including representatives of the award-winning companies, professionals from the sector, people assisted by the Training and Insertion Service – SEFI of the Foundation and other social and business agents from the region.
The opening ceremony was led by Ms. Ariadna Manent, deputy director of the El Maresme Foundation, and continued with an inspiring presentation by Albert Cañigueral, multimedia engineer, popularizer and writer specializing in digital innovation and its social and economic impact. Under the title “Work is no longer what it used to be, and now what?”, Cañigueral explored the opportunities and challenges of today’s working world and the need for new forms of collaboration between humans and new digital technologies, especially in light of the unstoppable growth of AI.
Business awards. The meeting continued with the presentation of business awards. The Maresme Foundation has a network of 1,700 companies that collaborate with the entity. Cabré Junqueras was recognized in the category of unconditional collaboration with the services and centers of the El Maresme Foundation, a recognition directed to those companies that have collaborated altruistically with the entity by making donations without expecting anything in return. Clinical Nutrition received the recognition for continued commitment to the El Maresme Foundation, directed to those persevering companies that, since its beginnings, have been clients of one of the services of the CEO del Maresme special work center. On the other hand, the recognition for the work of labor insertion of people with intellectual disabilities in ordinary companies has gone to Serhs Food, an award that aims to highlight those companies that are committed to inserting unemployed people from our SEFI Training and Insertion Service into the labor market.
Martin Eslava, a worker at the Mataró High Performance Kitchen (CAR), together with Eudald Puig, the company’s marketing director, participated in the event and received the award.
Finally, the fourth prize, a new award this year, recognition of the project for social and labour inclusion for people with intellectual disabilities, went to Naturmed Healthcare. This new category is aimed at entrepreneurs or companies that have launched an inclusive business project giving people with disabilities the opportunity to take part.
“The future will be inclusive or it will not exist.” With this visionary phrase, Mr. Miquel Guillen, trainer of Tecnocampus, started the inclusive round table, with the participation of representatives of the award-winning companies and workers with intellectual disabilities linked to them. This round table made visible the personal and work experiences of the workers and the inclusive role of these companies, which coincided in highlighting the high degree of motivation, teamwork and commitment shown by the group.
The closing ceremony included a special message from Mr. Sergi Morales, second deputy mayor and councillor for economic promotion and territorial planning of the Mataró City Council, who was unable to attend but shared his congratulations and support through a video.
The closing speech was given by Mr. Miquel Montané, president of the El Maresme Foundation, who, among other messages, highlighted that “cooperation between companies and entities in the social sector is the tool that allows us to achieve effective inclusion, helping to boost the local economy and consolidating a fairer and more sustainable economy.” He also emphasized that “companies can act under duress, when regulations force them to, for convenience, when self-interest is the driving force; or out of conviction, when ideals and values guide their path. The companies we recognize act out of conviction. They firmly believe that the social inclusion of people with cognitive functional diversity is a responsibility of all, they know that contributing to a fairer society is a shared commitment.” Montané ended by thanking them “for being part of this change, for joining forces and making inclusion a palpable reality.”
As SERHS Food, this recognition reaffirms our strategy of integration and collaboration with local entities and people close to the territory who provide added value to the community.
