Company: Cupola Pakistan Limited
Company Description: Cupola Pakistan is helping the hearing impaired people of Pakistan, enhancing their career development, personal and professional growth through empowering them, creating role models among themselves through a special restaurants. Operating three restaurant nationwide KFC is providing a platform to the disabled Youngsters of Pakistan..
Nomination Category: Company & Office Categories
Nomination Sub Category: Best Corporate Social Responsibility Program in Asia (Subcontinent, Australia and New Zealand)

Nomination Title: KFC Speech & Hearing impaired restaurant

   1. Tell the story about what this nominated company achieved (up to 500 words). Focus on specific accomplishments, and relate these accomplishments to past performance or industry norms. Be sure to mention obstacles overcome, innovations or discoveries made, and outcomes:

          KFC, the Pakistan’s largest fast-food chain, gives equal training and promotion
          opportunities to disabled group based on merit and work performance.
          At KFC, we recognize that improving the quality of life and economic vitality
          of the communities in which we conduct business is in the best interest of our
          company, our patrons, our employees and our industry.

          Today, 3 of KFC Restaurants are run by speech and hearing-impaired staffs that
          was designed to serve physically challenged individuals. They serve to dispel
          the myth that a disability impede a person from leading a normal life and gives
          them a sense of confidence and self-esteem.

          These 3 restaurants are ,first is at Gulshan-e-Iqbal, in Karachi, second is at
          Mall Road, in Lahore and the third is at Satellite Town, Rawalpindi.

          Signs were put up at the entrance and at the counter to inform the customers of
          this unique restaurant. Equipments are being calibrated according to the needs
          of these employees. There is a special training program developed in
          collaboration with Deaf Research & Training centre, so the employees are
          familiar with the operation of KFC restaurants. One could see how enthusiastic
          and happy the employees are about their jobs.

          For a country like Pakistan few deaf people work in the public sector; most are
          craftsman, working as carpenters, metal workers, or textile employees. Others
          are unemployed, since social stereotypes make finding jobs difficult. There was
          certainly a high level of self-esteem in the handicapped people who were given
          an opportunity to make a living rather than rely on charity and sympathy.
          Customers are  greeted in sign langauge and the orders are placed through the
          menu charts by pointing the meals placed in front of each cash counter, the
          normal shouting of orders among the staff. Instead, they communicate with each
          other in silence, accompanied by vigorous hand movements.

          This project has had wonderful results in several areas: First, it has provided
          employment for nearly 100 young deaf adults. It is extremely difficult for the
          Deaf to find employment in Pakistan, so this has been a great opportunity; it
          has created a good deal of public awareness of the needs of the Deaf. The more
          important that these employees are proving themselves that they can work as
          good as other normal people.

   2. List hyperlinks to any online news stories, press releases, or other documents that support the claims made in the section above. IMPORTANT: Begin each link with http://, and enclose each link in square brackets; for example, [http://www.youraddress.com]:

          http://www.kfcpakistan.com/gulshan2.asp
          http://www.workerforjesus.com/dfi/s-259.htm
          http://www.jang.com.pk/thenews/nov2006-weekly/nos-05-11-2006/kol.htmlbrecorder.com/index.php?currMIndex=02&currPageNo=1&query=sherpao&s1=Submit&search=1&
          http://www.dawn.com/2008/01/22/op.htm

   3. Provide a brief (up to 100 words) biography about the leader of this nominated company:

          Mr.Rafiq Rangoonwala,CEO Cupola Pakistan Limited is a dynamic personalty,with a
          business degree from US,he worked there for 15 years,for companies like
          Pepsi.Co and KFC.

          Under his leadership Cupola Pakistan has taken lead in many areas of community
          services which were untapped. He strongly believes in moving forward and allow
          local communities to benefit from the business accomplishments.Socail Welfare,
          environmental protection and education are the arears where company is
          contributing .

          He has won several Awards for the extraordinary work in field of
          Marketing,Sales and Corperate socail Responsibility.

          Ms Kausar Asif ,Sr. Manager Marketing Services has taken lead in execution of
          all CSR projects run by the company.