Accor Teams Up with Handiwork for Disabled Workforce Training

Accor and Handiwork Empower Disabled Workers in Hotels

Accor has partnered with Handiwork, a French government-approved social enterprise (ESUS) that offers vocational training and support to disabled individuals, in honour of the 28th European Week for the Employment of People with Disabilities (SEEPH). Through this creative collaboration, the HANDIWORK DÉCOUVERTE (Discovering Handiwork) program will be implemented in a number of Accor hotels throughout France, from budget to luxury, offering individuals from the sheltered sector introductory training in the hospitality sector.

In late 2024, the program was launched by seven hotels, including establishments in Hauts-de-Seine (92), Toulouse, and Le Havre, which hosted 28 trainees. The initiative will be expanded to more cities, such as Lyon and Bordeaux, in early 2025. The participants will learn about the many responsibilities in hospitality during ten months under the guidance of a Handiwork training officer. The apprenticeship will guarantee that they gain helpful and empowering hospitality skills through practical training and complete immersion at Accor hotels. Participants will have the chance to continue their career development within the Group after completing the program, and they will also get a formal qualification outlining the abilities they have learned.

“This partnership with Handiwork is a chance for us to open the doors of our hotels further and to play an active part in the training of participants. We are proud to offer these talented people a meaningful first professional experience and to strengthen our commitment to an inclusive hotel industry,” said Anne-Sophie Beraud, SVP Social Care & Impact, Accor. 

“Following our work in the Retail sector, we are extremely proud to be able to expand our “HANDIWORK DÉCOUVERTE” training and integration pathways to the Hospitality industry. The diversity of career paths offered within Accor Group’s many brands provide genuinely exciting opportunities for talent from the sheltered sector, seeking to enhance their professional development and make their way into the mainstream workplace,” said Lionel SATOUF, co-founder and CEO of Handiwork.

Accor has long sought to foster an inclusive hospitality industry. In 2023, Accor launched a partnership with Simplon, an inclusive training organization focused on digital careers, to train 14 people with disabilities as App Designers and Developers. This work-based learning program offers 18 months of training and personalized support. The initial roll-out began in April 2024 following a six-month pre-selection process, marking the first successful stage of this partnership, which will continue until October 2025. 

For the past seven years, Accor has been involved in DuoDay. During this national day, its hotels and headquarters take part to raise awareness of and promote the professional integration of disabled people. This year, 100 Duos were created, made up of disabled people and Accor employees, thus offering participants the opportunity to interact with our teams and learn about the Group and its career opportunities. Initially launched in France, this program has gradually been extended internationally to countries where the Group operates, becoming “Accor World DuoDays”.  

In partnership with local charities, not-for-profit organizations and schools, Accor Greater China has since 2016 been actively involved in organizing events to showcase careers in hospitality. Approximately 500 events have been organized over the past seven years, involving almost 8,400 disabled people and 25,000 employees. In 2022, Accor also organized a special day for young visually impaired people as part of the program, “Blind Empowerment 100-Day”, in partnership with the charity beYoureyeS. In 2023, the partnership was renewed with an event at the Pullman Shanghai Jing An, offering tailored training to introduce participants to careers in hospitality. 

In North America, the Fairmont Tremblant and Fairmont the Queen Elizabeth began a partnership with Giant Steps, a Canadian NGO specialized in educating people with autism spectrum disorders and promoting the professional integration of autistic and neurodivergent adults. Launched in 2022, this pilot project led to the integration of 12 new staff members into hotel teams, supported by experienced trainers from Giant Steps. These two hotels are the first in Canada to roll out this program, intending to extend it to other Fairmont hotels in the country while, in parallel, providing a positive experience to autistic guests and their families.