Our first league.
There are facts that almost nobody notices. The Premier League now has 510 registered athletes, of which 285 are foreigners of 55 nationalities. In other words: the immigrant workforce represents 60% of the largest national sports industry. They are admired, cherished and when they play the ball well everyone applauds them.
In Portuguese society the percentage of foreigners is 5.2% of the national population. They are 630,000 workers who in 2021 will contribute 1,500 million euros to Social Security. They are the ones who meet labour needs in sectors such as agriculture, hotels and restaurants. Many work from sunrise to sunset, but few feel the recognition of the communities where they are hosted.
In recent times, the issue of immigration has occupied, for the worst reasons, the front line of the media agenda. From the streets of Mouraria to the cobblestones of Olhão, vulnerable people wander around, not speaking Portuguese, without a social network and so often victims of labour exploitation. They are part of the silent country that is only spoken about when the suffering cannot be silenced.
In a subject that divides opinions, it is important that we assume principles and values that guide our practices. On Wellow™ Group We believe in a labour market that is open to all talents, regardless of their ethnicity, age, gender, nationality, origin, political, religious or sexual orientation, barriers of expression or physical limitations. Our "We Say Hello To Everyone" label demonstrates our commitment to this purpose.
So much so that this year we will focus our Social Responsibility programme on the theme of immigration in Portugal. Starting with the promotion of a debate, which will include the High Commissioner for Migrations, focused on the contribution of companies to a positive social perception, with solidarity and inclusiveness of the role of immigrants in Portuguese society.
The agenda of initiatives also includes a job fair, a campaign to Celebrate Multiculturalism, the establishment of partnerships with associations in this area and a strong focus of our volunteer force on activities aimed at supporting this community.
