+1 Happiness CarrefourSA 

As part of its event for World Down Syndrome Awareness Day on March 21, CarrefourSA brought together its employees with Down syndrome and their families at the Lezzet Arası Workshop. 

CarrefourSA, a leading brand in Turkey’s retail sector and a subsidiary of Sabancı Group and Carrefour Group, organized a special event for World Down Syndrome Awareness Day on March 21. The event brought together employees with Down syndrome and their families at the Lezzet Arası Workshop. As part of the "+1 Happiness" project, which aims to integrate disadvantaged individuals from different segments of society and support the employment of individuals with Down syndrome, participants enjoyed a fun-filled pizza and cookie workshop. 

The Goal is to Empower Disadvantaged Individuals to Stand on Their Own 

Speaking at the event, CarrefourSA's Deputy General Manager of Human Resources and Sustainability, Bahar Tura, stated, "Individuals with Down syndrome are often viewed as part of disadvantaged groups in society. However, when given the right education and positioned according to their skills, they are no different from us, whether in the workplace or society. Through our +1 Happiness project, launched with the slogan 'We are aware, but not different,' we aim to help individuals with Down syndrome discover their potential and become economically self-reliant by employing them in our Lezzet Arası restaurants. In 2023, we piloted the +1 Happiness project at CarrefourSA, employing nine individuals with Down syndrome at our Lezzet Arası restaurants in Istanbul, Bursa, Izmir, Mersin, and Ankara." 

They Engage Directly with Our Customers 

Tura emphasized that employees with Down syndrome are placed in roles where they have direct interaction with customers, in a way that boosts their self-confidence and helps them feel good. She continued, "We undertook extensive preparation before launching the +1 Happiness project. Together with job coaches and our training department, we provided training to 715 of our colleagues at the stores where our employees with Down syndrome would work. This helped ensure that our team could communicate effectively with their new colleagues. As we approach the first anniversary of the +1 Happiness project, we are excited to expand it to all of our Lezzet Arası restaurants and include even more individuals with Down syndrome in the workforce. It is a great source of pride for us to witness the positive impact of this project and to be pioneers in this area."