Cegelec CEM, a company in VINCI Energies’ Nuclear Division, engineers and integrates (i.e. designs, builds and installs) equipment in nuclear facilities. Its latest big project is ITER, an international thermonuclear experimental reactor by the Cadarache nuclear research centre in Saint-Paul-lez-Durance.
The CEM s’HANgage committee was set up in 2017. Its approach is to look beyond disabilities and its role is to defuse prejudice revolving around disabilities, take preventive measures, circulate information, listen to and support employees, and refer them to specialist organisations. “We wanted to take concrete action for people with disabilities in our company,” sums up Anaïs Joachim, who manages human wealth at Cegelec CEM and is a member of CEM s’HANgage.

Raising awareness
Its first set of initiatives has to do with circulating information. News flashes regularly tell company employees about the main issues, sheltered workshops, partner non-profits, CEM s’HANgage events and the people to contact within Cegelec CEM.
To take it further, Cegelec CEM reached out to Trajeo’h, a non-profit that works with VINCI Group companies on this topic. “We work a lot with Trajeo’h. It helps us by pointing us to other non-profit partners and to sheltered workshops, and works with us to outfit workstations for our employees.”

Its second set of initiatives relates to raising awareness with events on the company’s premises. In March 2020, it set up a stand to present sign language with Urapedia, a charity that works with deaf and hard of hearing people. It organised another workshop with FIDEV, which provides training, integration paths and rehabilitation treatment for the visually-impaired, to raise employee awareness of this issue.
Its third set of initiatives involves working with sheltered workshops, which provide medical and social support while enabling people with disabilities to find a way back into society and jobs. “Our employees are now used to outsourcing copying and printing jobs to sheltered workshops, and to asking them for help compiling project files.”

One-to-one interviews
Its fourth set of initiatives has to do with securing official recognition for disabled workers’ status. Each year, the committee encourages the company’s employees with disabilities to come forward. “Thanks to these interviews, we have dispelled the taboos surrounding disabilities in our companies,” adds a proud Anaïs Joachim.
Fifthly, Cegelec CEM has hired a wheelchair user for the ITER project. His duties encompass administrative management, document management and assistance on projects, and he recently visited the worksite. “At the end of the day, when he and we had looked into everything he needed, all we had to do was make a few minor adjustments to our doors,” Anaïs Joachim points out.

In 2020, as in 2017, the committee has members from support and operational functions, ensuring its entire workforce is properly represented. Each member brings in their expertise and contributes to the committee’s work by taking concrete action. “For example, a project assistant asks a sheltered workshop to help her on her projects, and Cegelec CEM’s communications manager creates news flashes and coordinates events.” Anaïs Joachim wraps up: “Because CEM s’HANgage is led by our employees, it mirrors our company.”