usivity is embedded in all aspects of the employee experience. The experience starts from the moment a candidate applies for a role at Foodpanda,” Ingo Laubender, chief people officer at Foodpanda, told Inside Retail. A holistic approach He went on to say that the talent acquisition process starts with a curated and personalised process for candidates with special needs, which includes determining how, and where the interviews are conducted. “We are firm believers in enabling our employees to chart their own growth path, and the same applies to employees with disabilities,” he said. All employees have access to a learning system that provides an inclusive environment as all online courses come with closed captions and speech-to-text support. “Employees’ laptops are also equipped with speech-to-text software, and employees with special needs are welcome to request any other specific tools they require,” he noted. Employee well-being According to Laubender, Foodpanda is committed to employee well-being, and offers various initiatives to support staff who are part of the  LGBTQ+ community, and those who are becoming parents, whether through natural birth, adoption or foster care. “Our insurance program also covers mental health and with our flexible benefits and learning programs. Foodpanda also offers free access and subscriptions to the Intellect app and an Employee Assistance Programme (EAP),” he added. It works with Intellect, a modern health company that provides a personalised, self-care approach to end-to-end mental healthcare, and access to the tool is available to every employee in the company. Its EAP program also offers psychologists on call. “Additionally, Foodpanda has a group of around 30 ‘mental health champions’ who are certified and equipped with the tools necessary to build better support systems for mental health and well-being at Foodpanda,” he elaborated. Diversity and inclusion The company also has employee resource groups (ERGs) that focus on topics such as diversity and inclusion (D&I), with a particular focus on women, parents, LGBTQ+ and persons with disabilities. “Organised by employees, for employees, these ERGs aim to create a psychologically safe space and an environment where all individuals can bring their whole selves to the table to create an inclusive culture,” Laubender said. These activities are amplified through emails and applications like Workspace and Slack. Internal surveys are also conducted to gather feedback. The company has also worked with Sg Enable’s Institute of Higher Learning (IHL) internship program to offer internship opportunities to students with disabilities.  “Earlier this year, we also partnered with TomoWork, a registered charity in Singapore, on their 12-week Talent Accelerator Programme,” he explained. Students participating in the programme led projects based on real business situations provided by Foodpanda, with support from mentors from various teams across Foodpanda’s business functions. Laubender said that through these partnerships, the company can evaluate current practices, foster creativity and innovation, and also increase employee engagement and strengthen skill sets. Tangible signs Foodpanda’s offices have Braille signage in all meeting rooms and tactile pavings on the floors to guide those with vision impairments. Height adjustable desks, wheelchair-friendly meeting rooms and sensor-based lighting ensures easier navigation as well. According to Laubender, the company has put measures in place to remain an inclusive employer and continue to offer opportunities to persons with disabilities. “Our D&I strategy and goals are assessed and updated yearly. For a couple of years, our strategy has been very much focused on driving awareness of Foodpanda as an employer of choice, focusing on our culture of inclusion,” he elaborated. Other examples In February, Amazon signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Sg Enable, to hire persons with disabilities and help to create equal opportunities for them at Amazon’s operations facilities in Singapore. Amazon will co-develop logistics training courses with SG Enable’s Enabling Academy to train persons with disabilities and skill them to be ready for jobs in the logistics industry.  Amazon will also provide mentorship and internship opportunities for students with disabilities through SG Enable’s RISE Mentorship and Institute of Higher Learning (IHL) Internship programmes.  Meanwhile, in Malaysia, Starbucks opened its Penang signing store back in 2019, its second in Malaysia and fourth globally, as part of its ongoing commitment to inclusion, accessibility and diversity. Located in the heart of Penang’s historic deaf community, the store creates new career opportunities for deaf and hard of hearing employees, while also serving a place for the community to host sign language workshops and career development seminars.