Diageo’s initiative to empower the differently abled

Diageo India, under its ‘Learning for Life’ programme, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Skill Council for People with Disabilities (SCPwD) to train 300 persons with disability (PwD). The Skill Council for Persons with Disability (SCPwD) will train 300 students in food and beverage services, under Diageo India’s ‘Learning for Life’ programme.

This initiative is aligned to Diageo India’s commitment to championing Inclusion and Diversity, a key pillar of Diageo’s Society 2030: Spirit of Progress goals.

The residential training programs will be conducted in SCPwD-affiliated training centres by their certified trainers and assessors across India. The students will be trained for roles in the business and hospitality sector to enhance productivity and reduce skill gaps as they enter the workforce.

In this context, Hina Nagarajan, MD & CEO, Diageo India said, “Driven by the common objective of creating a vibrant and diverse workforce, we are delighted to expand our partnership with the Skill Council for Persons with Disability. Last year, we began this initiative by extending the scope of our ‘Learning for Life’ programme, to include the PwD community to help them overcome employment barriers. We strengthen our commitment this year to promote sustainable growth by scaling up this programme to provide equal access to the right resources, skills, and employment opportunities across India.”

During the year, the first batch of 100 students will graduate from Diageo India’s ‘Learning for Life’ programme. The second batch of 300 students will include persons who are visually impaired, have low vision and are speech & hearing impaired. The tailored programme comprises special learning modules and assisted technologies including sign language instructors to enable learning and skilling.