We Are More Alike Than Different: Pipelife Fosters Inclusion of People With Disabilities

For over 20 years, Pipelife Netherlands has been participating in a very special social integration project, aiming to break down employment barriers for people with disabilities. As part of the project, a team of 13 people with various disabilities works at Pipelife’s production department in Enkhuizen, benefiting from greater economic self-sufficiency and an opportunity to use and develop their skills. We talked with the team and their supervisor Joanna Mrugala about creating a work environment accessible to everyone.

_{Closing the Employment Gap}

While 7 a.m. might feel early for some people, the production department at Pipelife Netherlands plant in Enkhuizen is already humming with life. Some of the work in the plant’s assembly unit has been automated, but there are still tasks that require human assistance and cannot be trusted to machines.

Roughly two decades ago, Pipelife Netherlands saw an opportunity to adapt these roles for people with disabilities, and several of the team members have been working here from nearly the beginning of the project.

“I have worked here already for 23 years,” says Piet, “and I still think my work is grandiose.”

His colleague John echoes the sentiment: “I’ve been here for 19 years, and I feel like a fish in the water. No matter who you are and what you do, you are treated with respect here.”

The job placement project is a result of a collaboration between Pipelife and the governmental organization Werksaam Westfriesland. As part of the program, 13 people with various disabilities work full-time or nearly full-time at the manufacturing plant in Enkhuizen.

“The team is very diverse; we have people in their thirties to mid-sixties and with very different disabilities,” explains Joanna Mrugala, a shift leader at Pipelife Netherlands and the team’s supervisor. “We try to find the right tasks for everyone, considering each member’s individual needs. It requires careful planning, but we also receive a lot in return as these people are very committed to their tasks.”

_{BEING A VALUABLE PART OF THE WORKFORCE}

While according to the conditions of the placement program, the team’s employment contracts are with WerkSaam, the group has become an integral part of Pipelife’s production department’s life — participating in the company parties and outings and receiving the same perks as other teams.

Remco, a member of the project, shares: “I’m proud to be part of this company, as my family members, neighbors and friends also work here. No distinction is made, and we all are involved in everything.”

The team works from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. Their work is an important contribution to the busy assembly department and, sometimes, even exceeds the performance of other shifts.

“There are people who don’t like tasks they find straightforward or repetitive, or they don’t like coming to morning shifts — and this team is completely different,” says Joanna. “Many of them appreciate having regular schedules and tasks with unchanging, clearly-defined goals. Some even arrive well before their shift because they like being here. And many get really carried away with their work and strive to achieve the best results.”