L’Oréal in Colombia partners with Fundación Arcángeles

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L'Oréal Colombia has made an important stride towards fostering a more inclusive workplace within its manufacturing plant. Through a strategic partnership with Fundación Arcángeles, the company initially hired twelve people with hearing impairment as line production operators, with the Foundation providing crucial guidance, training, and support for their seamless integration. Currently, the Colombia Plant proudly welcomes these twelve employees, who are now integral to the production lines, contributing daily to the creation of "the beauty that moves the world."

To dismantle communication barriers, the plant also proactively launched a comprehensive Colombian Sign Language learning program. By the end of 2024, over 300 employees had actively participated in awareness workshops, demonstrating a collective commitment to inclusion. This initiative has been instrumental in challenging existing prejudices and cultivating a vibrant culture of empathy and mutual respect.

L'Oréal Colombia believes in its power to effect positive change within vulnerable communities, particularly the population with hearing-impaired. This project has not only allowed the plant to adapt its operational methods but, more significantly, to evolve its mindset, proving a profound capacity for internal transformation. The community with hearing-impaired often faces significant barriers in securing stable employment, making this project particularly impactful.

As part of the program, employees were first encouraged to learn Colombian Sign Language, leading to the creation of unique L'Oréal-specific signs for brands and plant processes, thus streamlining communication. The plant now facilitates ongoing communication through dedicated members, professional interpreters, and motivated employees who have embraced sign language. Further reinforcing this commitment, L'Oréal Colombia communicates the initiative to its broader regional workforce through engaging videos, weekly newsletter updates, dedicated town halls, and informative screens displaying learned signs and words across the plant. This pioneering approach is establishing L'Oréal Colombia as a benchmark, inspiring other companies to embrace similar changes for a more inclusive society.