ZUS Coffee collabs with local hearing aid provider to improve the lives of its deaf baristas

ZUS Coffee, the tech-driven Malaysian coffee chain, has taken another step towards being more inclusive by partnering with Audiolab Hearing Care Centre (Audiolab) once again.

As part of the hearing solutions provider’s annual Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative, Audiolab has donated two pairs of superpower hearing aids to ZUS Coffee’s baristas facing severe to profound hearing loss.

The recipients—Izzad Arif from Selayang, Selangor, and Muhammad Alif Hazman from Kota Masai, Johor—have been battling hearing impairments since birth.

The hope is that these hearing aids will further assist Izzad and Muhammad in their careers, especially during peak seasons like the upcoming Hari Raya Aidilfitri celebrations. This collaboration is part of Audiolab’s ongoing commitment to support the hearing-impaired community. 

Speaking on this latest partnership with ZUS Coffee, the Managing Director of Audiolab, Mr. Mohd Nor Che Ta said, “We are proud to collaborate with ZUS Coffee to provide life-changing hearing aids to Izzad and Alif. Our mission is to improve the quality of life for individuals with hearing loss, and initiatives like this allow us to make a meaningful impact in their lives.”

“We are grateful for the opportunity to partner with ZUS Coffee, a company that shares our values of inclusivity and empowerment,” added Mr. Mohd Nor Che Ta. 

Venon Tian, Chief Operating Officer of ZUS Coffee, expressed his excitement on the partnership as well, stating that the company believes in inclusivity and accessibility for all. 

“By teaming up with Audiolab, we can ensure that our baristas with hearing impairments have the tools they need to excel in their roles and provide exceptional service to our customers,” Venon Tian shared.

With close to 28 years of experience in the field, the local healthcare brand prides itself on the ability to help Malaysians rediscover the joy of sound and reconnect them with the rest of the world. 

To achieve this, Audiolab focuses on the provision of various hearing aid products and hearing tests and services. Some examples of this include paediatric and adult hearing tests and hearing aid maintenance.

The brand also offers customers advice on the best hearing loss treatments and management on a case-by-case basis. Hearing conditions, lifestyle, and budgets are all taken into consideration during the consultation. Audiolab currently has 22 stores around the country including outlets in East Malaysia, and offers home visits upon request. 

This isn’t the first time Audiolab has partnered with ZUS Coffee. Not long ago, the hearing care centre collaborated with the coffee chain in an effort to promote both brands. By spending more than RM100 at Audiolab, its customers can redeem vouchers for a 10% discount at ZUS Coffee.

Prior to this, the coffee chain had come under scrutiny in 2022 for discrimination against the differently-abled. At the time, a recruiter from its HR department had rejected an applicant after he revealed his hearing disability. The brand issued a prompt apology and launched an investigation into the matter.

With this shared initiative, it seems that ZUS Coffee is working towards redeeming itself and becoming a more inclusive and uplifting company.

Featured Image Credit: Audiolab Hearing Care Centre