The awards, held under the honorary presidency of Their Majesties the King and Queen of Spain, recognized occupational risk prevention initiatives aimed at people with disabilities.
More than 1.4 million people of working age in Spain have a disability certificate, representing 4.76% of the population, and the number of employment contracts for these people exceeds 170,000.
In the SME category, Ibermática Social was honored; in the Large Company category, Grupo Sacyr; in the Institutions category, Foment del Treball Nacional; and in the Occupational Risk Prevention Professional category, Dr. Miguel Martín Zurimendi.
The CaixaForum Madrid auditorium hosted the
fourth edition of the National Awards for Excellence in Occupational Risk Prevention for People with Disabilities, organized by Fundación Alares and held under
the honorary presidency of Their Majesties the King and Queen of Spain. The event took place at a time when 69% of workers in Spain feel exposed to the risk of having an accident at work, and 84% report experiencing some discomfort caused by the postures and exertions involved in their work.
The ceremony began with an address by
Mr. Ignacio Tremiño, Director of Disability Support Policies at the Ministry of Health, Social Services and Equality, who emphasized “the importance of companies becoming increasingly aware of the inclusion of people with disabilities.”
Ms. Mar Aguilera, Secretary of Fundación Alares, was responsible for reading the jury’s decision, highlighting the professionalism and quality of all the applications submitted for this edition.
Cualtis is the first company to promote the well-being of people with disabilities through awards. During his participation,
Mr. Sixto Cantabrana, Administrator of Cualtis, made it clear that “following good practices in occupational risk prevention is essential for improving the working conditions and health of any worker, and in the case of people with disabilities, it is even more crucial for their inclusion in the workplace and for retaining their jobs.”
Mr. Sixto Cantabrana, Administrator of Cualtis, Ms. Ana Lozano Enciso, Commercial Director of Cualtis, Mr. José Manuel Morán, Trustee of Fundación Alares, and Mr. Fernando Moreno, also a Trustee of Fundación Alares, presented the awards to the winners in the various categories.
Ms. María Ángeles Durán, Trustee of Fundación Alares, closed the fourth edition of these awards, held at CaixaForum Madrid, the venue chosen to bring together the more than 500 guests who attended the ceremony, hosted by Juanma Romero, journalist and television presenter.
The winners
The award for Excellence in Occupational Risk Prevention for People with Disabilities in the
SME category was presented to
Ibermática Social; the
Large Company award went to
Grupo Sacyr; the
Institutions award to
Foment del Treball Nacional; and the
Professional Occupational Risk Prevention award to
Dr. Miguel Martín Zurimendi.
These awards, which have the
Sponsorship and Technical Collaboration of Cualtis, have become a benchmark in the field of occupational risk prevention for people with disabilities. They recognize good practices that help improve employment quality by facilitating workplace inclusion and continuity in employment.
Highlights include the initial assessment of the workplace and the risks arising from it, as well as measures that promote equal opportunities for people with disabilities regarding access to and retention in employment. These range from properly adapting the workplace (ergonomics) and providing suitable personal protection to prevent workplace accidents, to offering accessible training that addresses the individual’s specific needs according to their disability.
Expert committee
This year, the expert committee was composed of:
Mr. Moisés Escobar Escribano, Ombudsman for People with Disabilities of Alcorcón, Mr. José Manuel Morán, Member of the Economic and Social Council of Spain, Ms. Mar Aguilera, Director General of Fundación Alares, Ms. María del Mar Alarcón Castellanos, Director General of Labor and Manager of the Regional Institute of Occupational Safety and Health of the Community of Madrid (accompanied by Mr. Juan Antonio Benítez González—Secretary General of the IRSST),
Ms. Carmen Yago, Head of the Occupational Risk Prevention Division of the Madrid Municipal Transport Company, Ms. Pepa Torres, Managing Director of FEACEM, Mr. Mario Cabezos Cañavate, Occupational Risk Prevention and Environmental Manager at Mutua Madrileña, Mr. Sixto Cantabrana, Administrator of Cualtis, and Mr. Javier Benavente Barrón, President of Fundación Alares.
*According to a study by the International University of Valencia.
