Within Iberia’s social responsibility policies, inclusion and diversity are two pillars which sustain our philosophy. We strive on the one hand to value all talents, but also to enable everyone, regardless of their abilities, to improve their living conditions. In this constant pursuit of positive social impact, Iberia has taken several steps: some, like our “¡Háblalo! Iberia” app, are very recent; others were incorporated many years ago. Here´s a look at some of them.
Iberia´s Accessibility Plan
This is part of an ongoing effort, during which we have interviewed people with different accessibility needs. We have also been in contact with and consulted with expert Spanish organisations such as Envera, the ONCE Foundation, the Spanish Paralympic Committee, Ilunion Accessibility, the Spanish Confederation of Deaf People, and the Spanish Confederation of Autism, among others. From this new knowledge an ambitious project has emerged, focussed on offering all our passengers the best possible flights.
Our goal in this area is to improve the travel experience of our passengers with special accessibility needs, whether physical, visual, auditory, or cognitive. We have begun implementing our new accessibility plan, with a specific section already integrated into our website, providing detailed information on how to improve the travel experience for these groups. Our call center is also available to passengers with disabilities, and we provide personalised assistance with any questions or concerns they may have.
Within the accessibility section of the website we offer more specific information about the entire experience, from trip planning to arrival at your destination. You can request assistance at the airport, and we provide information on wheelchair batteries, how to travel with a guide dog, and the technological options available to our customers. The ¡Háblalo Iberia app is a key part of the latest implementation of this plan.
What Our ¡Háblalo! Iberia App Is All About
This mobile app allows our passengers with special communication needs (such as deaf people) to enhance their experience with us. Its main feature is a transcriber where you can type your message, transforming it from text to speech and vice versa. Messages can be translated into up to eight languages, making this a useful tool almost anywhere in the world.
The app also allows you to communicate through pictograms or keywords, which are especially useful for the travel experience. When you select one, the speaker plays a complete sentence, and if you select several, the app can create more complex and meaningful phrases.
We´re proud to say that Iberia is the first airline to deploy an app of this kind – in a world in which, let’s not forget, there are more than 500 million people with communication challenges. It can be downloaded for free for Android and iOS phones.
Job Placement for Special Needs
Founded in 1977, Envera is an association created by Iberia employees who have children with special needs and disabilities, whether physical, mental, or sensory. It has an early childhood and adolescent care department, a vegetable garden, a supervised apartment for people with specific care needs, and much more.
The organisation also seeks to integrate these individuals, both socially and professionally, through their occupational centre, whose goal includes job placement in various jobs for our company, including laundry services, aircraft component inventory management, and document management.
Development Projects in Destinations
Iberia is also proactive in projects carried out in corners of the world in need. The NGO Mano a Mano (Hand in Hand), founded in 1994 at the initiative of company employees, promotes various charitable initiatives. Among its projects is the inauguration of the Iberia Classroom at the Beleje Noj Maya Kaqchikel Educational Center in Guatemala in 2017. This schooling project in a rural region, San Martín Jilotepeque, aims to promote job placement in a community in that region, Los Tunayes. Each year, 40 young people receive training at this center, sponsored by ADECOR (Rural Community Development Association) and with financial support from Mano a Mano.
Also through Mano a Mano – and on this occasion in collaboration with AMED (Mediterranean Association for Development and Environmental Protection) – we supported a development project in a rural area of Morocco, the Douar Afernou el Fouki. Funding was provided for the rehabilitation of two fountains, as well as the construction of a reservoir and water pipeline, and community ovens for organic cooking and thus supplying the more than 250 people living in this community. Iberia’s contribution came from the company’s Meninas charity auctions in 2018 and 2019, which were part of the Meninas Madrid Gallery urban exhibition.