This edition of Business Planet goes to Katowice, Poland for a very special company, a social enterprise where helping people is as important as the bottom line.
Today, 10% of European companies are social enterprises. They employ 11 million people and they are particularly innovative. Majka Lipiak is on a mission, to give work to those who were destined to never work again …
“We are the first marketing agency in the world whose goal is to give work to paralyzed people. We teach them marketing and give them all the tools so that they are able to respond – professionally – to the expectations of our customers,” she explains.
Artur Szaflik is one of eight employees. He is also the co-founder of the agency with Majka. Artur has been paralyzed in all 4 members and bed-ridden for more than 20 years. Before meeting Majka three years ago, Artur had never worked.
He is recognized as a marketing specialist. He also participates in the recruitment and training of new employees for the agency. It is an experience that has completely changed his life.
“This job gave me the opportunity to have contact with the outside world, it also brought me extra income, and it allowed me to show what the handicap is, to show we can fight it and we can work, and when we want, we can do anything! ” he says.
Creativity, discipline, motivation: Majka is particularly proud of Artur’s work, even if she admits it is sometimes longer and more difficult with paralyzed people. The approach is nevertheless appreciated by the agency’s clients.