A leading software company, with offices in the United States and around the globe, is launching a strategic effort to hire people with autism in order to tap their unique talents.

The Germany-based software giant SAP said that it will recruit individuals with the developmental disorder for jobs as software testers, programmers and data quality assurance specialists.

“SAP sees a potential competitive advantage to leveraging the unique talents of people with autism, while also helping them to secure meaningful employment,” the company said in a statement.

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Already, SAP conducted a pilot program in India with six workers on the spectrum employed as software testers, which the company said resulted in improved productivity. A similar pilot is underway in Ireland and plans are in the works for the employment effort to expand to the United States, Canada and Germany this year.

SAP said it is partnering with Specialisterne — a Danish organization that specializes in helping people with autism apply their talents to work in the technology field — to incorporate the new hires into their business.