After a year since its launch in 2022, 67 companies and organizations from the Ecuadorian private sector have received the Inclusive Company Seal, in the second edition of the initiative promoted by the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR), the Global Compact and the Program Without Borders, which seek to promote inclusion and identifying people in situations of human mobility in Ecuador and promoting the socioeconomic integration of these populations and their contribution to the development of host communities.

In the first edition, in 2022, 60 companies and organizations were awarded.

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Meanwhile, this year’s winners include, among others, Grupo Entregas, Banco Guayaquil, Corporación Fernández, Pronaca, Omnihospital, Corpei, who excelled in five main categories: Employability, Value Chains, Training, Financial Inclusion and Inclusive Business Environment and Awareness . The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), the Canadian Embassy, ​​the Spanish Cooperation and Koica Ecuador were in charge of validating and qualifying the applications.

One of the awarded companies is Atrevía, a global company for communications and corporate affairs, present in the country for almost ten years. The company was recognized in the employability category, highlighting employment equity, inclusion and equality in its corporate policies and selection processes.

Carmen Sánchez-Laulhé, Atrevia’s vice president for the Andes region and Brazil, highlighted the agency’s commitment to sustainable development goals and building an inclusive and just society. “It is a reality that permeates our every action and decision, which we are very proud of. If something has characterized us throughout our 35 years of experience (at the global level), it is that we drive change and promote equal opportunities, recognizing and prioritizing talent and values,” said the CEO.

Sánchez-Laulhé pointed out that they are a global team of 550 people of more than 30 nationalities and multidisciplinary profiles, which contributes to growth.

List of 67 companies that received the Inclusive Company Seal:

Duragas is another of the companies that received recognition. Xavier Acevedo, People and Organization Manager at Duragas Abastible, highlighted this achievement. “Being a part of this initiative fills us with pride and motivates us to work with a sense of transcendence and collaboration,” said the CEO.

Likewise, Javier Alvarado, CEO of Fundación Telefónica Movistar, an organization that is also among the 67 awarded companies, noted: “At Fundación Movistar, we have been recognized for our organization’s commitment to promoting inclusive societies and businesses.”

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Paúl Arias, director of the Crisfe Foundation, which represents Programs Without Borders, highlighted the level of income Ecuador has for people in situations of human mobility. “This country welcomes you from the mountains to the beach. This is not a moment, but a recognition that there is a higher level that we must follow. We must not lose the essence of what we do,” he pointed out.

Meanwhile, Federico Agusti, UNHCR representative in Ecuador, highlighted the drive and innovative capacity of companies to provide a safe and inclusive space for refugees. For his part, Ricardo Dueñas, President of the Board of Directors of Global Compact Ecuador, stated: “It is not a cliché that inclusion is a better job, it is a reality.”