Fiskars® Tools Commended for Helping People Hold On to Activities They Love
In its 10th annual awards ceremony, Disability Rights Advocates (DRA) announced that Fiskars is one of just four U.S. companies to earn a prestigious Eagle award for their efforts to improve the quality of life for people with disabilities.
DRA, a leading national disability law center, presented Fiskars with the Eagle award in the category of Universal Design, noting that the company has created numerous tools that aim to give better access to popular pastimes such as gardening.
“For Fiskars,” the DRA says, “the principals of universal design mean a tree pruner that can be used with less than one-third the pressure required for a typical garden tool…and many other garden tools and accessories that make it easier – and in some cases, possible – for people with arthritis, carpal tunnel disorder, and other problems with hand strength to live their lives with greater ease.”
Joining Fiskars at the 2007 Eagle award podium were IBM for its leadership role in developing accessible technology and policies; TLC’s Little People, Big World for its realistic media representation of little people; and Starbucks Coffee Company for its commitment to workplace accommodations and workforce diversity.
“Awards like these mean a lot to us,” says Paul Tonnesen, President of Fiskars Garden & Outdoor Living, “but the real reward is seeing the excitement in the eyes of a person who picks up one of our tools, tries it, and realizes that they’ve got the power to keep on doing the things they love to do.”
For more information about FISKARS® garden products, contact Fiskars Garden & Outdoor Living at 1-800-500-4849, or visit our Web site at www.fiskars.com.