ACCIONA’s partnership with the Australian Disability Network (AusDN) is transforming workplace culture, fostering inclusion, and creating meaningful opportunities for people with disabilities.
ACCIONA began collaborating with AusDN over two years ago as part of its deliberate efforts to strengthen inclusivity across its business. This resulted in a partnership that would bring AusDN’s Internship program (formerly known as the Stepping Into Internship) into ACCIONA. Since then, the collaboration has become a cornerstone of the company’s commitment to fostering inclusion, offering meaningful opportunities for people with disabilities, and changing the way employees and managers view workplace diversity.
A growing program with measurable success
Since late 2022, ACCIONA has hosted 35 interns, with 15 currently working over the summer school holidays. These internships have provided invaluable opportunities for participants while highlighting the untapped potential of people with disabilities to ACCIONA’s teams. Impressively, approximately 30 per cent of these interns have transitioned into part-time or full-time roles within the organisation.
Speaking about one of ACCIONA’s interns, Cam, manager Ross Brookshaw said:
“The Internship Program has been an incredible opportunity for us to recruit and support diverse talent. It’s been a mutually beneficial partnership, and working with Cam has been a highlight—he’s a fantastic performer. This experience opened doors for him to Acciona, as he has recently accepted a graduate position, and also provided a valuable connection to the broader construction industry.”
The program’s success is not just about numbers—it reflects a growing enthusiasm across the company. The contributions of the interns, complemented by internal awareness training, have shifted perceptions. Employees now recognise that disability is not an obstacle unless we, ourselves, create those barriers.
Training builds understanding and engagement
In 2024, ACCIONA partnered with AusDN to deliver two impactful training courses for their workforce. One was for all HR managers across the country to equip leaders with the tools to champion inclusion. The second was an online session held in December 2024 to mark International Day of People with Disabilities – it was exceptionally well received by the 100-plus employees who participated.
These educational courses have enabled employees to gain a clearer understanding of what constitutes a disability, leading to a higher degree of comfort in discussing workplace adjustments.
Looking to the future
ACCIONA has plans in place to continue to focus on driving a more inclusive culture. The education piece has underpinned a growing understanding of the value of inclusion and ACCIONA will continue to collaborate with AusDN to further embed these practices so they become the norm across the business.
The success of the partnership extends beyond Australia. ACCIONA’s global headquarters in Madrid established a Disability Office to further advance the company’s efforts to build a more inclusive culture. One innovative initiative includes VR-based inductions for individuals with mobility challenges, enabling them to safely complete onboarding without having to physically navigate the expansive Madrid campus. Its success led to a plan to bring the initiative to Australia.
A partnership that transforms
ACCIONA’s partnership with the Australian Disability Network is more than a corporate initiative; it’s a movement reshaping workplace culture. Through programs like the Internship Program, ACCIONA is demonstrating that inclusion benefits everyone—interns, managers, and the organisation as a whole. With a commitment to progress, ACCIONA is well on its way to becoming an employer of choice for people with disabilities.