SOLTRA News #15 (English version)

All the latest news from our company Nº15 Year 2019

SOLTRA go international and will be present in Mexico and Denmark · Interview to skier María Martín-Granizo · · SOLTRA and El Diario de León held a conference about employment and inclusion · · Interview to Ovidio González, in charge of industrial vehicles in Eslauto · and a lot more...

Editorial

Teodoro Martínez Sánchez Mayor of Villadangos del Páramo

In 2000, the neighbors of Villadangos del Páramo (León) decided unanimously to support the town hall?s initiative of developing a big industrial park. The main purpose was to promote employment in the area.

Everybody?s dream was to create employment, stability and population increase. We wanted the neighbors who had to migrate looking for a better future to come back. And we also wanted to avoid the migration of the youngest.

Not everything we planned then worked out, but we have found some gratifications we did not expect.

Shortly after the arrival of the first companies to our industrial park, José Antonio Idoeta (Josean for us now) visited me. And he brought an idea that truly surprised me. His company hired people with different capacities; and they could do anything. When I asked him where could they work, he said: ?They can do anything a company needs them to Edit: SOLTRA Manager Josean Idoeta Coordination: Gemma González Edition: Lucía Gastón Disign: Ramón Buzón Legal Deposit: LE-561-2012

do and anything other companies cannot achieve?.

We thought it was a great idea but we did not know where could they fit in. So, they started meeting managers of the area and, a few months later, they were already working in the industrial park of Villadangos del Páramo.

They run the main canteen of Vestas and they did it with success and superior quality. In fact, I would like to congratulate everyone who worked in the canteen but specially Ceferino, who was in charge.

However, Josean wanted more; he had new ideas, he was proud of his employees and he was sure they could do anything that was needed (gardening, maintenance? ). Soon, he proposed us a new am bitious project to work for any company of the industrial park. This project has given employment to more than fifty people for many years.

2018 has not been a good year neither for us nor for SOLTRA Villadangos; but we know for sure Monseñor Ramón Zubieta Street, 9 La Virgen del Camino P.C. 24198 - León T 987 300 731 info@soltra.org www.soltra.org

SOLTRA is a company that guarantees a better future for its employees and a fairer society

that we will keep working together and that SOLTRA will be part of every new project in our industrial park.

SOLTRA is not just another company. SOLTRA is a company that gives opportunities to people that, otherwise, might not have a chance. SOLTRA enhances these people skills and it is totally competitive at the same time. It creates opportunities; it works for inclusion; it im proves people?s selfesteem; and it helps including people with disabilities both in their families and within society.

SOLTRA has a future because it is a company that guarantees a better future to its employees and a fairer society. And this is why the government of León and León's society are in debt. Due to all this, the town hall of Villadangos del Páramo wants to thank SOLTRA and all its employees for their work and commitment.

Plus, we want to congratulate everyone who thought and founded this project.

People

Creating Opportunities We have been creating job opportunities for everyone regardless of his or her disability since 2000 because we know there is no better way of social inclusion. It is a challenge that we overcome each year thanks to many companies that hire our services. Thanks to all of them, employees and employers, because they motivate us to keep strengthening capabilities.

Depar t m en t s' em ployees (Altogether: 412) Management and Maintenance

STRUCTURE

Industrial assemblies and Logistics Marketing

INDUSTRIAL

Laundry Catering and Vending

SERVICES

Cleaning service Gardening

FOUNDATION

Residence and Occupational Center

St af f 's Evolu t ion

Intellectual Dis.

Physical Dis.

Sensory Dis.

Mental Illness

TPD

No Disability

Nu m ber of em ployees w it h disabilit y (92,58%)

People w it h disabilit y an d f u r t h er n eed of su ppor t

Age Rat in g

Gen der Rat in g

49,7% of the employees with disability (92,58% of staff) has further need of support (+NS).

Dis.

P+NS

Men

Women

Latest News

SOLTRA will be in Mexico and Denmark in order to create employment in Leon With the purpose of creating more employment for people with disabilities in León, SOLTRA has decided to go international SOLTRA has gone one step further in promoting the social and labor inclusion of people with disabilities in León. Thus, it has signed an alliance with the company called Vestas in order to keep working together but from now in Denmark.

Besides, SOLTRA will develop a training project in Mexico for the automotive sector. Both initiatives will create employment for people with disabili-

SOLTRA amplía mercados en México y Dinamarca Con el objetivo de seguir creando empleo para personas con discapacidad en la provincia de León, SOLTRA ha decidido arriesgar y dar el salto internacional.

ties in both countries and, at the same time, will allow to promote employment in León.

A partir de este año, SOLTRA colaborará con Vestas desde su sede en Dinamarca. Tam bién trabajará en México para el sector de la automoción.

SOLTRA has been negotiating the aforementioned agreement with Vestas for a long time. After Vestas deciding to finish its activity in the Industrial Park of Villadangos del Páramo, SOLTRA decided to reinforce its relationship with Vestas in order to promote fu-

El pasado mes de noviembre, varias autoridades del municipio danés donde se instalará SOLTRA, Ringkøbing-Skjern, visitaron la sede de la empresa en la provincia de León.

Latest News ture employment in León. As José Antonio Idoeta, SOLTRA?s manager, said: ?The idea is to benefit from all the opportunities that Vestas is offering us?.

For now, thirty Danish people with disabilities will be hire in Denmark to work in the same way SOLTRA does in Spain. ?With this project?, José Antonio said, ?we do not just reinforce our relationship with the client, but we are also creating an opportunity that would lead to the increase of its activity in León ?.

SOLTRA w ill be also in M exico SOLTRA will develop part of its industrial activity in Mexico.

Through a company called Cinia, founded by Mr.Antonino, SOLTRA will im plement its business model in Mexico.

Thus, it will train people to respond to the demand of one of its clients, who wants to manufacture components in America.

At present, SOLTRA has almost 400 employees in León and a 93% of them has some disability. The main purpose is to We are also creating an make that num ber grow beopportunity that would lead to cause SOLTRA is truly commithe increase of activity in León ted with León?s society. Thus, it is always looking for new opJosé Antonio Idoeta portunities in order to create SOLTRA's manager. employment.

SOLTRA received a visit from Denmark Last November, some authorities of Ringkøbing- Skjern (Denmark) visited SOLTRA?s headquarters in La Virgen del Camino and Villadangos del Páramo. It was a productive visit in which guests had the opportunity to meet the way people work in SOLTRA. Ringkøbing-Skjern is the Danish town where SOLTRA is going to be working with Vestas.

Authorities that visited SOLTRA Hans Østergaard Kristensen (Mayor), Kristian Andersen (Deputy Mayor), Hans Jørn Mikkelsen (Commercial Director of the Business Council), Marc Lykke (Head of Division of Business Services) and Seda Dodurga Sandahl (Business Service).

Latest News

María Martín-Granizo: ?My biggest dream is going to the Paralympic Games?

SOLTRA gave to Spanish twelve years old skier María Martín-Granizo new skis so that she can keep fighting for her dream.

María Martín- Granizo is a great skier despite she only has one leg. She was born with Femoral Agenesis so that just her left leg is functional. However, this young girl is the first Spanish person with disability who has participated in the Cordillera Cantábrica Cup and in the Audi Quattro Cup. She is also the first to participate in the Spanish Cup for people with Disabilities in Mono-ski mode. 2018 was a very special year for María. She won, together with her

Ski Club (Leitariegos Sport Club), a Cola Cao scholarship.

Plus, she competed in many Spanish championships. María is also a member of TAMBIÉN Foundation, an organization that looks for social inclusion trough sports.

Last November, SOLTRA gave María new skies so that she can keep fighting for her dream.

That day, we had the opportunity to talk with her, her mum and her sister, Cecilia.

María Martín-Granizo: "Mi sueño es ir a las Paralimpiadas" María tiene doce años y lo que más le gusta es esquiar. Nació sin su pierna derecha, pero esto nunca ha supuesto una barrera para ella.

El pasado noviembre, SOLTRA le regaló nuevos esquís certificados en reconocimiento por su esfuerzo diario.

Durante la entrega, María aseguró que su mayor sueño es participar en las Paralimpiadas y en la Copa del Mundo.

También conocer a Lindesy Vonn.

Latest News Wh en did you st ar t sk iin g?

I started skiing when I was six.

My brother and sister started skiing before me because my parents thought I could not do it. But I saw them and I said: ?How lucky they are! I want to ski like them!?. Then my parents made a research and found out that there was a girl that skied with just a leg.

At first, I skied in a chair because it was easier and my father helped me. Then I got bored and I tried to do Mono- ski. At the beginning my father held me with a dog leash (he held her sister when she started skiing as well). And I loved to do Mono-ski because it was funnier and I felt freer.

Wh at do you lik e t h e m ost abou t sk iin g?

I love that it is really fun. When I run, I get tired; when I fall while skating or doing any other sport, I hurt myself; but if I fall on the snow, I never get hurt.

Plus, thanks to this sport I have met many people: people from TAMBIÉN Foundation, from my ski club, from Pajares, from the championships I go and from many other places. You can also meet people playing other sports, but I love skiing. I learned to ski when I was little and many people have helped me on my way. I have done great memories skiing.

Do you lik e t o com pet e?

I love it. I like to win as anyone else but I am not a competitive person. If I lose I do not worry because I am always losing (because she com petes with people without disabilities). I do not win, but I get other important things; skiing makes me happy and I love to spend time with my friends.

Wh at is you r n ext t r ip f or sk iin g?

I am going to Sierra Nevada with TAMBIÉN Foundation for four days. Next year I have to

train a lot more because I am older and I have won many scholarchips this season. The good thing is that I travel with my sister who always supports me.

Wh at w ou ld you say is you r biggest dr eam ?

I have a lot of dreams. One of my biggest dreams is to go to the Paralym pic Games and to the World Cup. I would also love to meet Lindsey Vonn; she is the best skier and she won the World Cup.

If you w er e in f r on t of som eon e w h o h as a big dr eam bu t do n ot dar e t o t r y becau se h e or sh e h as a disabilit y or an y ot h er dif f icu lt y, w h at w ou ld you say t o h im or h er ?

I would give him or her this advise: if someone is telling you that you can?t, do not listen to him because they have no idea.

Some people told me I couldn?t too.

I do not win, but I get other important things; skiing makes me happy and I love to spend time with my friends.

Latest News

SOLTRA and Diario de León held a conference about Employment and Inclusion SOLTRA and Diario de León held the conference ?Employment and Inclusion. Potentiating Human Capabilities?. SOLTRA?s manager, José Antonio Idoeta, talked about the future of the company.

Last November, SOLTRA and Diario de León held the conference ?Employment and Inclusion. Potentiating Human Capabilities?. It started with a round table in which SOLTRA?S manager, José Antonio Idoeta, participated.

doing some activities and we all have capacities to do other kind of activities?. Thus, he assured SOLTRA looks for job opportunities for people with different capabilities. The num bers comfirm it: 93% of SOLTRA?s workers has some disability.

confirm this assertion; every euro that SOLTRA recieves in the form of grants and bonuses, the company returns to society 3,70 euros. Plus, 92% of SOLTRA?s finantiation comes from its owns sales and just 8% is due to grants and public subsides.

During his intervention, José Antonio talked about inclusion and about how we should not be talking about disabilities. He said: ?We all are disabled when

But this does not im ply a luck of competitiveness. As José Antonio said: ?We are a regular company with a strong social component?. And numbers also

However, 90% of SOLTRA?s clients are outside León. José Antonio said that SOLTRA ?is making a great effort looking for clients outside León in order to

Latest News create employment in León?.

He added: ?We would love to have more clients from León in the future?.

Miguel Ángel Sánchez, manager of the Cham ber of Urban Property of León, and Jesús Rodríguez Rodríguez, manager of Social Economy and Freelancers, also participated in the round table. They both high-

ligthed the social labor SOLTRA is doing and how important it is as an exam ple of inclusion.

Joaquín Sánchez Torné, Diario de León?s manager, moderated the round table.

Finally, Alicia García Rodríguez, Equality and Welfare Counselor of Castilla y León Government, closed the session. She highlighted once again SOLTRA?s

The labor SOLTRA is doing is really inspiring Alicia García Rodríguez Equality and Welfare Counselos of Castilla y León

SOLTRA y El Diario de León celebran una jornada sobre Empleo e Inclusión El pasado noviembre, SOLTRA y El Diario de León celebraron una jornada en la que participaron diferentes autoridades y empresarios. En ella se habló sobre el pasado, presente y futuro de SOLTRA. Alicia García Rodríguez, Consejera de Familia e Igualdad de Oportunidades, fue la encargada de clausurar el acto.

Ourselves

CLEANING SERVICE

One of SOLTRA?s services is the cleaning service. A professional team clean and maintain offices, schools, sports centers and any other place. They are also specialized in crystal cleaning. They use ergonomic tools so effectiveness and quality is garantized.

ÓSCAR MAZÓN GONZÁLEZ Cleaning Service

Age? 39 How would you describe yourself?

Hard worker How much do you use to sleep?

4 hours and a half A hobby?

Playing darts and indoor football A movie?

Gladiator and Braveheart A sport?

Indoor football Your favorite meal?

Pasta Something you hate?

Lies What do you like the most about SOLTRA? My colleagues What would yo change in SOLTRA? More involvement in taking into account sectors' needs

Ourselves

EVA DÍAZ RODRÍGUEZ Cleaning Service

ARMANDO GARCÍA LLAMAZARES Cleaning service

JULIA DEL CARMEN MORTERA Cleaning service

Age? 31

Age? 50

Age? 55

How would you describe yourself?

I don´t like people to describe themselves

How would you describe yourself?

Generous and positive

How would you describe yourself?

Hardworker and a good person; I like helping people

How much do you use to sleep?

4-5 hours; much more on the weekends

How much do you use to sleep?

6-7 hours

A hobby?

Music A movie?

Tim Barton's movies A sport?

Volleyball Your favorite meal?

Cheese Something you hate?

Lies What do you like the most about SOLTRA? Knowing that there are people that, otherwise, wouldn't have found a job What would yo change in SOLTRA? The lack of staff and organization

A hobby?

Nature A movie?

Dances with Wolves A sport?

Football Your favorite meal?

Codfish Something you hate?

Injustice What do you like the most about SOLTRA? Wage stability What would yo change in SOLTRA? Salaries

How much do you use to sleep?

7 hours A hobby?

Playing games on Facebook A movie?

Maleficent A sport?

Bicycle Your favorite meal?

Mexican food, especially tacos Something you hate?

Lies What do you like the most about SOLTRA ?

The Residence and Asprona What would yo change in SOLTRA? I would like more fellowship and joy while we are working

Hearts in Solidarity

Ovidio González González In charge of industrial vehicle fleet Eslauto Automoción/ PSA

Who is Ovidio González?

It is not easy to define myself. I am from Laguna de Negrillas (León), I am married and I have two kids.

What do you do for living?

I started my professional career in 1986 in San Sebastián (The Vasc Country). As many others, I had to move looking for a better future.

In San Sebastián, I worked in the automotive sector. After three years working there in Citröen, I really wanted to come back home, so I moved as soon as an opportunity showed up. Since then I have been working in Eslauto, previously called Agrilesa.

I have been working for 30 years.

Here in Eslauto, I develop and manage different projects for SMEs and big companies together with brands as Citröen, Peugeot and Ds, all of them part of PSA Group.

How is t he relat ionship bet ween SOLTRA and Eslaut o?

Eslauto and SOLTRA are a good binomial so that we try to collabo-

rate with SOLTRA as much as we

gives León wealth and employ-

can.

ment. León has a lot to thank to SOLTRA and should take care of it.

How is your relat ionship wit h SOLTRA? I met SOLTRA eleven years ago, when I met his manager, José Antonio Idoeta, due to professional issues. His closeness and the affection we both share for the city of San Sebastián have transformed our comercial relationship into a true friendship.

While I have been discovering SOLTRA?s project, I have been pervaded by its magic. This company has given me so much both personally and professionally.

Do you t hink SOLTRA is import ant for León?

Of course it is. It is an essential project to our society. No one can deny SOLTRA?s social labor. Plus, it is accompanied by GUREAK, which is an important group that supports the company. Besides, SOLTRA is working with multinational companies that otherwise will not be present in León. This situation

Do you t hink SOLTRA is doing a good job in sensit izing about t he realit y os people wit h disabilit ies?

I think it is. SOLTRA creates many jobs, what is an added value to its social labor. SOLTRA gives people with disabilities an opportunity of working that otherwise they might not have; so it gives them the opportunity of developing a professional career.

What is t he most import ant t hing about SOLTRA professionally speaking?

The values it represents: inclusion, respect, commitment and sustainability. All these values make it easier to work with SOLTRA. Considering the time and society we live in, these values are essential for a good economic development. And SOLTRA represents them.

Great Parents PARENTS

10

MARÍA GLORIA SUÁREZ RUBÉN EGUÍA Age: 54 City: Avilés SON:

ASEREGUÍA SUÁREZ

QUESTIONS

Age: 24

to great parents

Job : Operator in an Assembly Line

OUR PARENTS

How did SOLTRA?

you

k n ow

abou t

Our niece heard about the company when she was at the beach in Avilés (Asturias).

Wh at did you f in d m or e in t er est in g abou t SOLTRA f or you r son?s t r ain in g?

It is a job opportunity. It allows him to earn a salary, to go into the laboral market and all this is a motivation for him.

Wh en did you r son st ar t w or k in g f or SOLTRA? When he was 22 years old.

How lon g h as you r son been w or k in g f or SOLTRA?

Wh at w ou ld yo im pr ove in SOLTRA?

For a year and a half.

Salaries

Wh at pr ogr ess h as h e m ade du r in g t h is t im e?

Wh at is you r son best qu alit y?

He has won automony and independence. Now, he goes out by himself, he goes to the gym, he goes swimming? Also, he has improved his selforganization skills.

Wh at do you lik e t h e m ost abou t SOLTRA? That it is a job opportunity for our son.

He is a great person.

Do you h ave m or e k ids?

No, we don?t.

Wh at h ave SOLTRA given t o you r f am ily?

It is an open door for our son and his future.

Brief News

SOLTRA participates in ?The Companies?Race?

Five hundred runners participated in ?The Companie?s Race?, organized by Leonoticias newspaper and Internal Runners.

The race was 7,2 km long. It started in San Marcos and went along Bernesga?s river.

Three colleagues of SOLTRA participated: Carlos Lorenzana, Nuria Prieto and Loli Ricote. Carlos and Nuria run as a team of two and Loli run by herself. The three of them proved they are in a really good shape. Thank you all for your commitment!

Last November, the users of SOLTRA Foundation enjoyed a creative writing workshop leaded by the writer and storyteller Manuel Ferrero. Users listened Manuel?s stories and had the chance to write their owns.

The outcome could not be better. Users enjoyed so much listening and learning from Manuel. Plus, he is really committed with social inclusion of people with disabilities. He wrote ?El Reino de los mil escalones?, a book that tries to raise awareness about reality of people with cerebral palsy. The book has been edited by ASPACE Castilla y LeĂłn Federation and illustrated by Laura BĂŠcares.

Manuel Ferrero leaded a Writing workshop in SOLTRA Foundation

Thank you, Manuel, for your visit, and we hope to see you soon!

Brief News Special radio program about SOLTRA in ES Radio Last December, the radio visited SOLTRA. The ES Radio León journalist Arturo Martinez broadcasted his radio program from SOLTRA?s headquarters.

During the program, Arturo interviewed some employees about their experience working at the company. He also talked with Loli Santos, SOLTRA Foundation's manager, and with José Antonio Idoeta, SOLTRA?s manager. José Antonio talked about the present, past and future of the company.

For those who could not listen to the radio program in streaming, it is available in the official website of ES Radio.

SOLTRA?s facilities were built with a different purpose.

At the middle of the twentieth century, the founders of the new sanctuary located in La Virgen del Camino bought big grounds with the aim of building a Dominican seminar and a public nursery school for children between three and six years old. They also wanted to built a farm-school to transform society in the rural surrounding area.

LOOKS

However, none of the initiatives really success due to industrialization and changes in catholic church. Finally, facilities became a school that educated thousands of children, specially from the rural area and the poorest areas of the Spanish northwest. The school was open until mid-nineties. .