Inequality in the world is on the rise. Research shows that people have less and less equal opportunities in terms of access to health, education, and job opportunities. Ayse Saka-Helmhout, Professor of Comparative Management at the Department of Business Administration, studied what multinationals are doing to address these challenges and what factors play a role in achieving long-term social impact. For example, Saka–Helmhout analyzed the partnership between the city government of Buenos Aires and Randstad Argentina; since 2018 they have been working together to improve employability and labor inclusion for residents in Barrio Mugica. An example that underscores the importance of multistakeholder initiatives in achieving long-term social impact.
Barrio Mugica, on the east side of Buenos Aires, is known to be a slum with great difficulties to access decent and formal jobs. Residents are likely to be stigmatized in job applications due to their location. Randstad works inside the barrio to help individuals with employability tools and training, such as interviewing techniques and formatting their resumes. In collaborating with the local government representatives, they support matching individuals with willing companies.
Saka-Helmhout: ‘Initially, there was hesitation from Randstad to get involved, because there was the stigma of low educational levels in the barrio. But when they saw statistics on barrio education levels from the local government, they were shocked: some of them were university graduates and more than fifty percent had high school degrees. Julieta Ferrero, Head of Public Affairs & Sustainability at Randstad and coordinator of the project: ‘We found great talents that have had few chances to enter the formal world of work, mostly due to the vulnerable place they live in. Nowadays the barrio is part of the search and selection process of our branches in Buenos Aires. In 2022, we reached 80 people with our activities and 12 of them got a job.’
