BayWa r.e. has announced its partnership with Steps, the first ever vocational centre in Thailand to support neurodivergent individuals.
Steps was founded in 2016 and has two vocational centres set up in Bangkok and Phuket. Its goal is to empower employers to embrace the potential of neurodivergent individuals, to create a more inclusive society, and enable these individuals to be independent and contribute to their communities.
BayWa r.e. has been providing the Steps trainees a platform to learn and grow in a corporate environment. The successful partnership started in April 2022, with four Steps trainees typically working on BayWa r.e projects on a regular basis.
Commenting on this partnership, Renuka Sharma, Managing Director, BayWa r.e. Thailand and APAC DEI Coordinator, BayWa r.e. said: “At BayWa r.e., being a sustainable company and hiring inclusively is extremely important to us. We want to create meaningful opportunities for the neurodivergent community where they are afforded with paid work and grow their skill set. Our neurodivergent workforce have specific strengths that contribute to BayWa r.e. and we in turn genuinely listen to the feedback we get on how to do better to understand the challenges they face and this enables us to create a more inclusive workplace for everyone.”
The Steps trainees have received training from BayWa r.e. team members and have been given resources and a supportive environment to support their growth and learning in a corporate office.
From administrative paperwork, organizing and coordinating documentation to ensuring documentation is accurately filed, Steps trainees have a keen eye for detail and have worked meticulously to improve the back-end business operations at BayWa r.e. Their scope of work will be broadened over time as they get more familiar with BayWa r.e.’s systems and processes.
Sasipha Minchainant, Head of Training Centre, Steps said: “We are very excited to partner BayWa r.e. and have their support for what we do at Steps. This partnership is a significant indication to us that we are moving in the right direction.”
“Steps and BayWa r.e. are aligned in our objective of giving Step’s employees a sense of self-worth and normalcy. We want to highlight that trainees are a valued member of society and provide them with an opportunity to work, while building their trust and changing their perspective of the corporate world,” Sasipha Minchainant continued.
Renuka Sharma added: “BayWa r.e.’s support for the community goes beyond just the renewable energy space. We want to encourage and set an example for corporates to give neurodivergent individuals a chance as they have so much to offer in a corporate environment.”
Through partnerships with organisations like Steps, BayWa r.e. seeks to normalise the employment of neurodivergent individuals and encourage other employers to follow suit.
