Halifax-based Grocer, Pete’s wins Provincial Award for Outstanding Achievement

On Dec. 2nd Lt.-Gov. Mayann Francis presented four Nova Scotian employers with the prestigious Lieutenant Governor’s Persons with Disabilities Employer Partnership Awards. The award was established in 2008 to acknowledge and honour employers who have instituted and promoted best practices towards the employment, independence, and service to Persons with Disabilities.

"Businesses in Nova Scotia recognize the value in incorporating Persons with Disabilities into their operations; that is why we see increasing numbers re-enter the workforce each year,” said Lt.-Gov. Francis. "I want to acknowledge the important cooperation between the award recipients and their employees for overcoming the many barriers to employment the disabled encounter every day."

Halifax based grocer Pete’s, received the provincial award for overall outstanding achievement as well as the regional award for the Halifax area. Marsha Nettle, Director of Human Resources for the award winning specialty grocery store chain, attributes the honour to the Pete’s employees. “It’s through the commitment of our managers and teams that we are creating a workplace where Persons with Disabilities can be equally employed. To be recognized for this is truly an honour.”

Nettle has been working with Team Works and the WorkBridge with employee referrals and for various workplace accommodations including sign language training, interpretation services at staff meetings and extended training opportunities.   

Regional winners from across the Province were also recognized at the ceremony for their commitment to accessible work places. Bob Smith with Jus-Mar Investments Ltd. who owns and operates the McDonald’s in Greenwood, has been working with Community Inc. in recent years. “In my 22 years with the company we have always aimed to match candidates with the right job whether they are Persons with Disabilities or not we’re always looking for good people” said Smith. “We’ve had some great success with Community Inc. referrals.”

The Digby area Walmart has been working with the Digby Disabilities Partnership Committee for over four years on employee referrals. Store manager Jonathan Eavis says their store takes great pride ensuring all associates are comfortable, confident and content in their specific job title. “We place no boundaries on any associate’s abilities and we encourage all our employees to strive for excellence whether they have a disability or not.”

In St. Peters, Michael Touesnard with OK Tires has been working with East Novability to ensure the right work place accommodations are in place for including flexible shift scheduling, modified and reinforced seating for people with spinal conditions among others. Employee Frances Oram said, “They have gone above and beyond to diminish the impact my condition has on my capacity to work.” Touesnard accepted the award on Thursday in Halifax. The awards coincide with the United Nations International Day recognizing Persons with Disabilities worldwide (Dec. 3rd 2010) which was established to achieve their full and effective participation in society and was developed by the World Programme of Action concerning Disabled Persons, adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 1982.

The awards are administered by the Collaborative Partnership Network. The organization works to create and maintain lasting employment partnerships between Persons with Disabilities and Nova Scotia employers. There are 198,685 Persons with Disabilities in Nova Scotia. The CPN in the last year alone has worked with over 1,300 people to return to work or enter the labour force and this number grows every year. Through the CPN people can gain access to the necessary training, job referrals and access to resources and supports necessary to join and remain in the workforce.