On Thursday 26 April, the Down Madrid Foundation presented the 2018 STELA Awards. These awards recognise the work of companies across a range of sectors, from media groups and food retail chains to cleaning services and businesses in the hospitality sector, such as SLEEP’N ATOCHA.

This work involves integrating people with intellectual disabilities into the labour market, but also, as the chair of the Down Madrid board of trustees, Ms Ines Álvarez Arancedo, explains, these are companies that “value the efforts of these young people, share the view that every person has something to contribute, and believe that diversity enriches their businesses, as these workers bring added value”.

The event took place in the auditorium of the Ramón Areces Foundation in Madrid and was presided over by the Director-General for Support for People with Disabilities at the Regional Ministry of Social Policies and Family Affairs of the Community of Madrid, Mr Jorge Jiménez de Cisneros, accompanied by the aforementioned Chair of the Down Madrid Board of Trustees and the Director of the Ramón Areces Foundation, Mr Raimundo Pérez-Hernández, who congratulated Down Madrid on “the work it does to support people with Down’s syndrome or other intellectual disabilities in their search for employment” , emphasising that “foundations truly work to serve society, and this social commitment to supporting others is carried out with all our passion, emotion and care; and if there is one group that is truly worth supporting, it is people with an intellectual disability”.

This year’s event featured a presentation by Javier Villa Escudero, head of sponsorship at Silverstorm El Salvador Rugby Club (Valladolid), who gave a motivational talk entitled ‘Rugby is diversity’, in which he highlighted the importance of diversity and fundamental values such as motivation, self-improvement, humility, respect and teamwork. Villa pointed out that “there is no greater disability than ego, and in a team, you are never more than 15”.

For our part, we feel tremendously proud to receive this award from Rubén, who has been working as a waiter with us for over a year, demonstrating his worth, skill and willingness every single day. He is, as one would expect, just another member of the team, doing his bit every day with his energy and his smile. Rubén, together with his colleagues, embodies the human qualities that characterise the staff at SLEEP’N ATOCHA.

We would also like to take this opportunity to congratulate the other 45 companies honoured in this year’s awards; thanks to them, it is becoming easier every day to move towards a future free from workplace and social barriers for everyone, regardless of their disability or abilities. We also encourage other companies to take part in the programmes run by Down Madrid’s Employment Service or any other platform or service that promotes employment integration.

Thank you very much, and remember: don’t say ‘disability’, say ‘ability’.