SAP To Employ Hundreds Of Autistic People

Date: May-23-2013In an effort to "help the world and improve lives" German software company, "SAP AG", has just announced it plans to work alongside Specialisterne and recruit hundreds of people diagnosed with autism (Autism Spectrum Disorder) to join their workforce.

The company said that it seeks to hire people with autism as software testers, programmers and data quality assurance specialists.

They say they want people who 'spark innovation' and 'think differently'.

Autism is a a complex developmental disability that limits brain function,
affecting development of the person's communication and social interaction skills, most likely because of weak links between brain areas.

There are hundreds of mutated genes associated with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs), according to research published in Neuron by investigators from the Seaver Autism Center at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.

Around 1 percent of the world's population is affected by some form of Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD), such as Asperger's syndrome.

In the U.S. one in 50 school-aged kids has autism, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

However, despite the cognitive problems associated with autism, many people who suffer from ASDs have high IQs and a unique talent for computer science.

SAP plans to employ 100s of people with an ASD

SAP has identified this talent among people living with an ASD and wishes to secure them meaningful employment.

The company said that within the next decade 1% of its workforce will consist of people with some form of autism.

Specialisterne, originally founded in Denmark, is well known for identifying talented individuals with autism and finding them jobs to do with programming, data management, etc. The company will work alongside SAP as it expands globally.

Luisa Delgado, member of the Executive Board of SAP AG, Human Resources, said:

"By concentrating on the abilities that every talent brings to the table, we can redefine the way we manage diverse talents. With Specialisterne, we share a common belief that innovation comes from the 'edges.' Only by employing people who think differently and spark innovation will SAP be prepared to handle the challenges of the 21st century."

Thorkil Sonne, founder of Specialisterne and chairman of the board, Specialist People Foundation, expressed his excitement at this opportunity to work together with SAP in giving them access to a huge pool of untapped talented people which will "help strengthen SAP's position as a global leader in innovation."

He added:

"SAP is the first multinational company to partner with us on a global scale. The partnership will position SAP as thought leader and motivate the ecosystem to follow its example."

Previous projects in India and Ireland have proven that employing autistic people with particular talents and areas of strength can have a very positive impact.

SAP Labs in India have already employed six people with autism as software testers and they have surprisingly improved overall productivity.

This year, the company plans on expanding globally in the U.S., Canada and Germany.

They have already developed an iOS app called "Bol" designed to help educate children with autism. The program gives autistic children the tools to learn and process information using innovative feedback.

Written by Joseph Nordqvist

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