Uganda Breweries Limited's Journey to Disability Inclusion
In December 2019, Uganda Breweries Limited (UBL), a leading premium adult beverage company signed up to join the Uganda Business and Disability Network (UBDN) during its launch. The UBDN is an employer-led network in Uganda working towards creating workplaces and a company culture that is respectful and inclusive towards persons with disabilities.
Uganda Breweries Limited considers inclusion and diversity a business priority, forming part of its company wide business strategy. Under this deliverable, the company sought to actualise its commitment to have at least 5% of its staff to be people with disabilities.
As a Uganda Business and Disability Network partner, Uganda Breweries Limited participated in a Career Fair designed from the explicit purpose of matching qualified youth with disabilities to existing opportunities. From the event, UBL was able to find a pool of qualified persons with disabilities.
Partnership
To ensure that the work placements were disability inclusive, UBL received the needed disability specific expertise required during the job interviews and orientation. Disability awareness trainings were also arranged for UBL staff to empower them to create an enabling environment for interns with disabilities to participate fairly during the interviews and thrive at work in general.
“We had already been working with some people with disabilities, and through them, we were able to learn what they needed to succeed at work. From this experience, we took the challenge to create more employment placement opportunities for young graduates with disabilities.”
Results
From this process, Uganda Breweries Limited has been able to recruit ten young people with disabilities for six months for work experience placement roles. The interns also benefit from mentorship and on-the-job training. The first cohort was onboarded in early March, 2022.
Meet the Interns
I got to hear about the work experience placement opportunity at Uganda Breweries Limited through the Career Fair held by Light for the World in December 2021 I had always wanted to work with a beverages company, so I immediately seized the moment to apply for the placement opportunity at Uganda Breweries Limited. Fortunately, I was shortlisted, and during the interview process, I saw the openness of the Uganda Breweries Limited team to learn more about disability inclusion, and I realised that I was indeed in the right place. I will be working in the Human Resources department. My first impression of the team is that they are very accommodating, ready to teach us, interns, when we need it. The internship allows us to rotate to other departments. I am so glad for this because I will learn so much from the different departments, and this is going to build my experience.
I graduated in May 2020, and I have been job-seeking since then. I applied to a particular company and did not get the job due to my hearing impairment. This was a little disturbing, but I shook it off and continued looking for a job. I became a peer educator at Reach A Hand Uganda, and through the relationships, I made there, I got to hear about the Career Fair organised by Light for the World in December 2021. At the Career Fair, I interacted with Uganda Breweries Limited staff, who informed me of the graduate internship opportunities they had for young graduates with disabilities. They readily gave me all the information I needed to apply, and I was able to even identify the reasonable accommodations I needed when I was called for the interview. Now that I am here, I can not wait to get the hands-on, real-life experience. The inclusive culture at Uganda Breweries Limited makes me so excited to start working here, and I am ready to do my best to ensure that I can be retained.
I graduated from Makerere University Business School with a bachelor’s degree in Business Statistics and I will be working in the marketing department here at Uganda Breweries Limited. Right from the time I was invited for the placement interview at Uganda Breweries Limited, I have seen that inclusion and diversity are taken seriously. The person that called me for the interview sought to know what reasonable accommodations I needed to ensure that I was available and able to make it to the interview on time. When I came in, I was impressed by the staff’s friendly nature, which spoke volumes about the diversity in the workplace. One thing I have already realised with the short time I have already spent here, is that the company is very result driven, in other words, everyone here has the same opportunity to thrive, it is up to us to ensure that we learn and deliver as much as we can.
I was informed about the work experience placement opportunity through a staff member of Light for the World. Uganda Breweries Limited has really embraced the idea of creating an enabling environment for its employees with disabilities. For example, the most evident is the clearly designated walkways, which are an alternative for physically impaired people who may not be able to use stairs. I have never worked in a company setting before, so I am excited to see how I can offer my legal knowledge away from a law firm setting. I hope to learn more about how corporate and taxation law can be applied away from the classroom from this internship. I am also excited to improve my communication skills with the different staff in different departments. There are so many career growth opportunities here, and I cannot wait to see how far I go.
Before this opportunity, I had been part of a 5-month graduate trainee program with another organisation. Unfortunately, this program ended, and I was back on the hunt for work. Sitting for interviews made me realise how many organisations still have room to improve in disability inclusion. When I was called for an interview at Uganda Breweries Limited, I did not expect it to be any different regarding having reasonable accommodations, but I was glad about what I found. The team at Uganda Breweries Limited was very supportive, and willing to learn more about what I would need to ensure that I deliver my best, if I were to be onboarded. Working with an inclusive multinational company like Uganda Breweries Limited which is progressive is an opportunity that I will seize. I want to gain as much experience in this busy place and show my abilities.
In August 2021, I received an invitation from Light for the World, to participate in a soft skills training for young people with disabilities. During the training, we were taken through what we would expect and how to address our needs when we get into formal employment. The soft skills training increased my competitiveness, helping me succeed in my job interview with Uganda Breweries Limited. I am excited to get hands-on experience in the manufacturing business. I also can’t wait to see how the process of digital marketing, product promotion and branding is done here.
