Once again, Telefónica is celebrating International Day of Persons with Disabilities by reaffirming our commitment to equal opportunities and the elimination of barriers. Inclusion is not optional, it is essential, and for this reason, we have been working for some time towards a more inclusive world where every talent counts to drive innovation and transformation through diversity.
To this end, we work with diverse teams that value differences, convinced that this not only responds to principles of social justice, but also provides competitive advantages.
At Telefónica, we promote accessibility and, in this vein, we work to remove barriers in physical and digital environments. We do this because it is ethically right, but also because it is a matter of talent and business, as we are aware that breaking down barriers means building the future. In this regard, we rely on the transformative potential of new technologies to improve people’s lives and incorporate accessibility into all our products, services, channels and facilities.
This commitment to diversity is part of our new Transform&Grow strategic plan, one of the pillars of which is talent development in a diverse and pluralistic world. It is clearly linked to the three attitudes that the new culture requires of all the company’s professionals: Give your Best, Challenge your limits and Rise together.
It is also closely aligned with the company’s mission: ‘to offer the best digital experience to all our customers, providing connectivity and advanced services that adapt to their needs’. Our commitment to accessibility reinforces this commitment, ensuring that everyone, regardless of their abilities or circumstances, can fully enjoy that digital experience.
Below, we summarise some of the main milestones achieved throughout the year in all the countries where we operate to continue promoting #TalentoSinMás (Talent Without More), and without any other consideration, which we are celebrating again today on International Day of Persons with Disabilities.
Thank you all very much for supporting us and accompanying us on this journey.
- Globally, we currently have 2,742 people with disabilities working in the company, compared to 2,572 in 2023.
- In Spain, we have signed a Social Framework Agreement with the main trade unions, UGT and CC.OO, which reinforces our commitment to equality and diversity, consolidating inclusive policies at all levels. This commitment is in line with our Global Diversity and Inclusion Policy, which applies to all Group companies and is based on our Responsible Business Principles. At the end of 2024, we had 379 people with disabilities on the Telefónica Spain payroll.
- In Brazil, since 2018, Vivo has had a robust diversity programme focused on the pillars of gender, LGBTI+, race and people with disabilities, which promotes an inclusive culture and a more diverse environment. Highlights include a professional development programme for people with disabilities and an inclusion team for accessibility focused on the safety, comfort and autonomy of professionals with disabilities (architectural and digital), as well as customer accessibility at all points of contact.
- In Germany, we have a DE&I Ambassador Programme, in which each member of the board of directors assumes sustainable responsibility for a specific aspect of diversity.
- Through our Foundation, in 2024 we assisted 35,067 people with disabilities through various social impact initiatives and training programmes.
- We promote a mutual support organisation within the company in Spain, ATAM, which is currently adapting its assistance model to cutting-edge technologies such as IoT, Cloud Computing, Artificial Intelligence and Big Data to optimise the care provided to its beneficiaries with disabilities.
- We continuously analyse, at a global level, possible barriers to accessibility in our products, services and channels, with the support of experts in the field, such as the ONCE Group and the DKV Integralia Foundation in Spain.
- We promote Universal Design and accessibility from the initial phase of the development of our products and services, as well as their distribution and marketing. To achieve this, in addition to relying on the best experts, we train our professionals so that they can take accessibility into account at all stages.
