Reaching Social Sustainability through Employment of People with Disabilities : A case study of Max Burgers

Abstract: Sustainability is gaining increased attention both in media and academia. However, the social aspect of the concept is underdeveloped. One can describe social sustainability as a quality of societies where norms are based on social justice, human dignity and participation. Today the quality of our society can be improved, as people with disabilities (PWDs) are underutilized. For reaching a socially sustainable society, this minority needs to be better included in the labour market. Even though a good amount of literature has covered the employment of PWDs, empirical evidence is missing from organisations currently involved with employing PWDs. This thesis offers a new perspective concerning employment of PWDs and aids the work towards understanding and reaching social sustainability in a way that benefits organisations and society. The thesis consists of an in-depth case study of Max Burgers who is at the forefront when it comes to working with sustainability, concerning both the environmental and social responsibilities. Max Burgers has been working systematically with employing PWDs into their restaurants for over ten years and are seen as a role model in the field. We have conducted qualitative interviews with numerous of restaurant managers and disabled employees as well as attended a two-day educational conference. The study resulted in a model describing initiatives on how to reach social sustainability by employing PWDs. Important contributions are that employment of PWDs is a collaborative process involving four key actors: organisation, partner institution, managers and PWDs. Furthermore, we found that corporate culture plays an important role when accommodating PWDs at the work place. The study has provided proof that employment of PWDs leads to prominent benefits for both organisations and society, i.e. enhanced customer service, leadership development, and healthier labour market.