The company wants to do business only with those companies that share the same ethical valuesMicrosoft has unveiled a pilot scheme to get more people with autism into their workplace.
10 places at the tech giant will be available at its Redmond headquarters in the UK which has led Autistic Societies to welcome the plans.
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Mary Ellen Smith, senior executive at Microsoft, said: “People with autism bring strengths that we need at Microsoft”
Ms Smith added in a blog post to announce the new scheme that “Each individual is different, some have an amazing ability to retain information, think at a level of detail and depth or excel in math and code.”
The recruitment firm Specialisterne, which operates in the UK to promote the skills of people with autism for specific vacancies will help run a new hiring scheme.
The UK’s National Autistic Society welcomed the move but suggested that other firms should do more to tap into the skills offered by many people with autism.
Sarah Lambert, from the National Autistic Society, said: “It’s encouraging to see a global company like Microsoft recognise the untapped potential of adults with autism.
“Many may have strengths such as accuracy, a good eye for detail and reliability, which can benefit all sorts of businesses, not just the technology industry.
“However, at the moment, just 15% of adults with autism in the UK are in full-time employment.
“Simple adjustments, like making job interviews more accessible and providing support to help those in work understand the ‘unwritten rules’ of the workplace can unlock the potential of a whole section of society.”
