National jobs for the disabled week: Air Liquide is actively involved

Air Liquide is taking part in the 11^th jobs for the disabled week in France, from the 12^th to the 18^th November 2007, and in partnership with ADAPT (Association for the social and professional integration of disabled people), is getting actively involved in order to bring together disabled people with the Group’s human resources managers in France.

Air Liquide is also taking part in the event “A day, a profession in action” (Un jour, un métier en action), an initiative launched by the AGEFIPH (an Association which works to open up employment to the disabled). For one day, several Air Liquide sites in France will welcome a disabled job seeker with the aim of introducing him or her to a branch of industry, to a profession and by doing so promote his/her integration into the world of business.

Air Liquide is also supporting the Handimanagement program – which aims to make students at the “grandes écoles” in France more aware of the professional integration of handicapped people – by taking part in information days which the schools of Centrale Lyon and Supelec Rennes organize as part of their curriculum.

Diversity features strongly throughout the Group’s human resources policy; a 2007-2009 company agreement promoting integration for the disabled has been signed in France.

Augustin de Roubin, Vice-President Human Resources and Member of the Executive Committee of the Group, commented: “To successfully recruit a disabled person and keep them in employment requires the manager’s total support and a greater understanding of disability. This is why the Air Liquide Group intends to help change how disability is seen by stepping up the concrete action it is taking as part of its approach to sustainable development”.