Quadpack Foundation, the non profit organisation established by beauty packaging provider Quadpack, has launched a major new social impact initiative, to help create work opportunities for young people in vulnerable situations, while promoting inclusivity in the workplace and strengthening the human capital of participating companies. By connecting the private sector, NGOs and the young people themselves, it is, in effect, forging a constellation of its own: Project Orion.
Project Orion aims to create a network of committed companies that offer quality internships to underprivileged young adults, helping improve their skills and employability and contributing to social development. The initiative aligns with a shift in the beauty industry beyond the physical, embracing wellness, diversity and belonging.
Foundation manager Marta Gil said, ‘We have met with many companies who have the will, but not the knowledge or processes to include these people in their workforce. NGOs, on the other hand, often lack the corporate connections. And there is a huge pool of potential talent waiting to be unleashed, if they are just given the chance. With Project Orion, we hope to build an ecosystem that is part of the solution – starting with, but of course not limited to, our connections in the beauty world.’
Benefits to companies include the fresh ideas and perspectives that young people bring, reduced labour costs of internships compared to full time contracts, and the possibility of long term talent recruitment. Moreover, hiring companies position themselves as socially responsible actors who are committed to community development.
Collaboration with social entities allows for skills matching, to select the most relevant profiles, based on the candidate’s academic curriculums and transversal skills.
The pilot programme involved internships at Quadpack Foundation, Quadpack’s Barcelona headquarters, the Quadpack Wood factory and the office in Leek, UK. ‘We are now ready to export it to other companies in our ‘constellation’. We have identified the types of internships we want to cover and we are talking to interested parties to define the processes of selection, hiring and monitoring. The stars are aligned, because I am happy to say that our first intern was hired this month!’
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