Ford Thailand Receives "Honorary Level Organization Promoting Employment of Persons with Disabilities" Award, Reinforcing Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion

Ford Thailand Manufacturing (FTM) received the prestigious "Honorary Level Organization Promoting Employment of Persons with Disabilities" award for 2025. The recognition was presented at the International Day of Persons with Disabilities 2025 event, held on Wednesday, December 3, 2025, at the Royal Jubilee Ballroom, Challenger Building, IMPACT Muang Thong Thani, Nonthaburi province. Sonthaya Boonyaphusit, Director General, Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, Ministry of Social Development and Human Security, graciously presided over the award presentation.

Vinko Saric, Thailand Operations Transformation Director, Ford Thailand Manufacturing, accepted this esteemed plaque of honor. The ‘Honorary Level’ award marks the first time FTM has received this recognition, following 10 consecutive years of receiving the ‘Excellent Level Organization Promoting Employment of Persons with Disabilities’ award until 2024. In addition to FTM, this year, Ford Sales and Service (Thailand) Co., Ltd. and Ford Service (Thailand) Co., Ltd. also received the ‘Outstanding Level Organization Promoting Employment of Persons with Disabilities’ award for the fourth consecutive year.

Ford has consistently prioritized and committed to fostering diversity and inclusion within its organization, particularly in supporting and empowering persons with disabilities. This commitment began in 2013 with the establishment of a cafeteria sales point operated by people with disabilities and their supporters, alongside actively recruiting persons with disabilities as part of its workforce.

Furthermore, Ford has initiated numerous activities and projects to sustainably enhance the quality of life for persons with disabilities. These include the FEDA (Ford Employee Diversity Alliance) program, aimed at raising awareness and fostering understanding about persons with disabilities; the ‘Mindful Volunteers’ program, which encourages both disabled and non-disabled employees to volunteer as mental health counselors and listeners for colleagues after expert training; and the ‘Office Syndrome Relief Massage’ program, where Ford collaborates with the Sampran Blind Women's Vocational Training Center Alumni Association to provide relaxing massage services by visually impaired therapists to employees, aiming to alleviate health issues and promote learning about co-existing with persons with disabilities in the workplace through conversation and experience sharing during the massage.

Receiving the "Honorary Level" award this year reflects Ford's advanced commitment to creating an inclusive and enabling work environment for everyone. The company has elevated its support for various types of disabilities, incorporating Cobots (Collaborative Robots) to enhance efficiency in the factory and providing comprehensive facilities such as ramps and accessible restrooms. This year, Ford also initiated the "Diverse Ability Awareness to Universal Design" workshop, allowing general employees to experience life as people with disabilities. This led to recommendations for installing tactile paving (Braille Blocks) at FTM, genuinely elevating the quality of life and promoting equality in society.

‘We are deeply honored to receive the 'Honorary Level Organization Promoting Employment of Persons with Disabilities' award this year. This award reaffirms Ford's unwavering commitment to creating an inclusive work environment that empowers everyone to reach their full potential,’ said Saric. ‘At Ford, we believe that diversity extends beyond gender or age, encompassing all dimensions of difference. We are confident that diversity is a crucial driving force for our organization, and we will continue to support the creation of an equitable and sustainable society.’