McDonald’s Drive Thru, ENNIS, emerged as the overall winner of the Customer Service Award at the 2010 O2 Ability Awards Ceremony held in Dublin recently.

The Customer Service category is the most keenly contested of all categories at the National Awards Ceremony, and this win for McDonald’s Ennis follows on the heels of McDonald’s Shannon being selected as Overall Winner of the Best Small Company Category in 2008.

The Awards, now in their 4th year and created by disability organisation Kanchi, recognise organisations and business leaders that think and act differently about people with disabilities; seeing an employee’s strengths and abilities over any disability and recognising the economic potential of making their products and services available to all customers. 38 organisations were shortlisted for the award.

Entrant organisations to the O2 Ability Awards underwent a four month in-depth assessment that examines all aspects of employment and customer service, conducted by disability management consultants and Kanchi’s assessment partner, PricewaterhouseCoopers. The Ability Companies were judged by experts in the fields of business and corporate affairs, disability management, equality management and by people with disabilities themselves, before the final winners were selected.

Caroline Casey, Kanchi founder and creator of the O2 Ability Awards said; “When people are recognised for what they can offer or contribute they are valued and respected and in the current economic climate, recognising ability in business is more important than ever. One of the advantages of being an Ability Company is standing out from the competition, attracting new customers and being able to enhance employee and customer loyalty. Our Ability Companies are examples of excellence that other businesses can learn from.

We can and must continue to focus on achieving for all people with a disability an exciting future at work, packed with potential and facilitating the full development of their abilities. Organisations must see the importance of showing leadership and recognising ability and talent over disability. The purpose of the O2 Ability Awards is to provide an environment for continuous improvement and showcase excellence by organisations that champion change in the area of disability at work and in wider society.”

We believe that our jobs and our restaurants should be accessible to everyone, regardless of any impairment or disability.

In terms of recruitment, as an Equal Opportunities Employer, we welcome enquiries from everyone. We embrace Diversity, recognising that everyone is not the same. We value the differences and we run our business and serve our customers accordingly.

We work closely with Clare Supported Employment Services (C.S.E.S.) in our recruitment and selection process, and look forward to a strong relationship with CSES into the future.

In both our Shannon and Ennis restaurants, we constantly endeavour to improve our facilities, ensuring that our McDonald’s is a place where everyone can visit easily and feel welcome.

Three years ago, C.S.E.S. encouraged McDonald’s Shannon to participate in the O2 Ability Awards.

Examining all aspects of employment, the Awards recognise progressive attitudes, in those organisations that see disability and diversity as a corporate asset and key to success
The O2 Ability Awards are the first Irish business awards for best practice in the employment and inclusion of people with disabilities.

In 2006, McDonald’s Shannon received a Top 50 placement in the O2 Ability Awards.

In 2007, McDonald’s Shannon was the Overall National Winner for the Best Small Company in Ireland Award

www.claresupportedemployment.ie

Ennis Tidy Towns completed its annual clean-up recently, and 10 staff members from the McDonald’s Drive Thru ‘mucked in’ to assist local residents, An Garda Siochana, the Tidy Towns Committee and the local Civil Defence.

Focus now switches to Shannon, where local staff members there will do the annual flower bed clean-up and pruning at the local roundabouts.

In 2009, the customers from McDonald’s Ennis and McDonald’s Shannon contributed a total of €4540 from the instore collection boxes and spinners to the Ronald Mc Donald House , built on the grounds of Our Lady’s Hospital for Sick Children, Crumlin, Dublin .

The house, containing 16 ensuite family bedrooms, opened in 2004, and provides a home away from home for families of children requiring long-term hospital treatment

Ronald McDonald Houses around the world offer families a way to stay together, in proximity to the treatment hospital, and be comfortable and cared for during their stay.

Since opening, the Ronald House in Crumlin has been home to 72 families from Co. Clare

McDonald’s customers donate money to RMHC by way of ‘spinners’ and collection boxes located in the many McDonald’s stores all around Ireland.

McDonald’s Clare also contributes the proceeds of World Children’s Day directly to RMHC each November.

The Ronald McDonald House Charity of Ireland