Jeronimo Martins SGPS S A : Jerónimo Martins and the University of Aveiro sign agreement for inclusion in academia and the job market
June 16, 2021 at 11:02 am EDT
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The Jerónimo Martins Group and the University of Aveiro today signed an agreement for implementation of the 'Individual Multidisciplinary Studies Programme' degree course, an innovative project focused on the full inclusion of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDDs) in academia and the job market. The programme will open in October 2021 and includes both an educational and professional component, with on-the-job training.
Through this two-year programme, students with IDDs who would not have access to higher education after complementing compulsory education following the traditional route will be given the opportunity to attend the course taught at the University of Aveiro. It includes two internships at the Jerónimo Martins Group in a real working environment: one following the first academic year and another after completing the programme, at the end of the second academic year. During the educational component of the course, students will study side-by-side with their university peers in regular classes. They will be monitored by a coordinator-tutor and have access to the services and assistance provided by the University of Aveiro to all its students, from an inclusive and emancipatory perspective, based on the increased autonomy of the students and adapted to the skills and needs of each person. It is, thus, a doubly inclusive programme: in the university and in the job market.
The Jerónimo Martins Group lends it support in the form of financing the coordinator-tutor and the students' tuition fees, collaborating in the students' application and selection, and in their follow-up and monitoring, and offering two distinct internships. The Group once again joins forces with the University of Aveiro in a trailblazing project to bridge the gap between universities and the business environment, focusing this time on inclusion.
For Pedro Soares dos Santos, Chairman and CEO of the Jerónimo Martins Group, 'businesses are increasingly called upon to be accountable to society by making a positive contribution and being part of the solution, particularly with regard to the challenge of including those who are more vulnerable in the job market and working life'.
Paulo Jorge Ferreira, Dean of the University of Aveiro, believes that 'a truly inclusive university provides all its students access to knowledge and to employment. The University of Aveiro ensures that students with special needs have access to knowledge, adapting its study conditions and academic experience. This collaboration with the Jerónimo Martins Group allows us to go further and ensure access to employment, personal development and professional integration. We are delighted to have formalised this pioneering collaboration in Portugal, towards a more inclusive and cohesive society'.
The Group has implemented its Incluir ('Include') programme in 2015, aimed at giving disadvantaged people access to the job market - including disabled people -, of which this partnership is a part.
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Jeronimo Martins SGPS SA published this content on 16 June 2021 and is solely responsible for the information contained therein. Distributed by Public, unedited and unaltered, on 16 June 2021 15:01:05 UTC.
Jerónimo Martins, SGPS, S.A. is a Group that holds assets in the food sector, mostly in distribution, with market leadership positions in Poland and Portugal. In 2023, the Group recorded sales of 30.6 billion euros and an EBITDA of 2.2 billion euros. The Group had a total of 134,379 employees and ended 2023 with a market capitalisation of 14.5 billion euros on the Euronext Lisbon stock exchange.
In Poland, Biedronka, representing 70% of Group sales and 85% of its EBITDA, is a chain of food stores and the undisputed leader in food retail and in 2023 it continued to increase its market share. Also in Poland, Hebe focuses on the specialised retail of health and beauty products, managing a considerable assortment of products at competitive prices and an in-store consultation service. At the end of 2023 Hebe opened two stores in Czechia, aimed at putting a face to the brand's presence in this country, where growth will be driven through e-commerce.
In Portugal, the Group has a leadership position in food distribution. It operates the banners Pingo Doce and Recheio, which are market leaders in the supermarket and cash & carry formats, respectively. Pingo Doce is a supermarket chain that has a restaurant area in most of its stores. It has two central kitchens that supply not only these restaurants, but also its in-store takeaway operation. Recheio operates a chain of cash & carry stores and has strengthened its business model with a specialised food service operation, underpinned by dedicated platforms, which essentially serve HoReCa customers with a delivery service. Recheio continues also to expand a network of traditional retail partners under the Amanhecer banner. Jerónimo Martins Agro-Alimentar currently operates in four distinct areas: dairy, livestock farming, aquaculture, and fruit and vegetables. The Group also operates two specialised chains, the Jeronymo coffee shops and kiosks and the Hussel chocolate and confectionery chain.
In Colombia, Ara is a chain of proximity food stores, mostly set up in residential neighbourhoods, offering quality at the best price and combining competitiveness with promotional opportunities in key categories for the Colombian consumer. Also in Colombia, Bodega del Canasto operates as a mini cash & carry, aiming for the traditional market (B2B), offering customised Private Brands and industry brands solution.