ICT Group achieves social impact through deploying people with a neurodivergent profile

The reason for ICT InTraffic to deploy people with a neurodivergent profile is a tender for ProRail two years ago for the Traffic Management project. ICT InTraffic has been working on this application it has developed for about twenty years. Which controls the trains in the Netherlands. One of the requirements is the deployment of people with a distance to the labour market. At ICT InTraffic, resource manager Alex Dane is immediately attracted to take up this requirement. "We investigated a number of possibilities and also came into contact with auticon. I didn't hesitate for a moment. I have a son with a form of autism. The approach also appealed to my colleagues, because it fitted very well with our company and in our collaboration with ProRail." 

At auticon Netherlands, sales manager Vincent Aalbers explains the approach. "Our mission is to offer neurodivergent adults, especially people with a form of autism, a sustainable career in IT. Our employees have a lot to offer. They excel in analytical and problem-solving skills and work extremely accurately. These are qualities that come in handy in software testing, for example. We want to make companies aware of the power of neurodiversity, because we believe that it has added value for companies. We also see that more and more organizations are open to this and, just like with ICT Group, are working on it with enthusiasm." 

Challenges

In the Netherlands, the globally active auticon employs about sixty neurodivergent IT professionals, who work on IT projects at companies. "Our employees are not just seconded. I believe very strongly in the qualities of our people, but targeted support is important. We guide the employees so that they are successful in their role and the customer reaps the benefits. Furthermore, we are just a commercial company, in which the customers provide the turnover from which we pay our employees."

ICT InTraffic now has three auticon employees on the ProRail project. "I like it," says Dane. "The employees are fully involved in our teams. They bring exceptional qualities. It is true that this is sometimes a challenge, but there is also great strength emanating from them. We are also very happy with the extra capacity, because the market is difficult at the moment."

"The employees are fully involved in our teams. They bring exceptional qualities. It is true that this is sometimes a challenge, but there is also great strength emanating from them. We are also very happy with the extra capacity, because the market is difficult at the moment."

- Alex Dane, Resourcemanager ICT InTraffic

Social Return Certificate

ICT InTraffic also uses people with a disadvantage in the labor market on other projects. "This has become a fixed point in government tenders. We now have a good answer to that, which is also available for other parts of ICT Group. They also have to deal with this question." Dane wants to emphasize that ICT Group is intrinsically motivated to work on this, regardless of the requirements in tenders. The deployment of people with a disadvantage in the labour market is part of ICT  Group's ESG (Environmental & Social Governance) policy. "We will continue with this anyway," says Dane.

Last year, ICT InTraffic received the Social Return Certificate from auticon Netherlands. "A great recognition for our collaboration in achieving a more inclusive and diverse society," says Dane. Aalbers adds: "For us, this certificate is proof that our employees are a sustainable fit for a company like ICT Group. We are very happy with the social impact we can make together."