What is ONCE?
ONCE is a non-profit corporate organisation that focuses its activities on the improvement of the quality of life of people with blindness or severe visual impairment from all over Spain.
ONCE is a socially focused and democratic institution, open to everyone, concerned also about the welfare of people suffering disabilities other than blindness. Its activities are based on the ideals of equality and participation, and the company is committed to reaching its social goals day by day and observing the principles of democracy. ONCE achieves all these goals with the invaluable support of the Spanish Finance and Inland Revenue, Labour and Social Affairs and Equal, and Internal Affairs Departments.
On the other hand, our social responsibility (ONCE’s traditional value) materialises via the activities carried out by the ONCE Foundation for Cooperation and Social Inclusion of the Disabled, which receives secured financial support of 3% of the Organisation’s gross sales of lottery products.
ONCE’s commitment also reaches the blind abroad, as the organisation participates actively at all the corresponding international forums. Specifically, it works closely with Latin American blind associations on training and employment issues, tasks that have been articulated through the ONCE Foundation for Latin America (FOAL) since 1998.
Currently, the ONCE, along with its Foundation and ONCE Business Corporation (CEOSA) generates over 123.000 job positions, whether directly or indirectly, and independently takes care of the specialised care activities required for more than 70.000 members with blindness or severe visual impairment.
A democratic organisation
Every four years, an election is held in which ONCE’s members can vote for those who will represent them during this time. The outcome of the vote then leads to the composition of Regional Departments (one per Autonomous Region) and the Governing Board, the Institution’s highest governing and representative body.
The General Board is in charge of the management and implementation of the agreements reached by the Governing Board. The different executive departments, regional departments and all other centres, as well as the ONCE Business Corporation (CEOSA) report to the General Board. This organisational scheme enables the smooth running of the ONCE based on participation.
