Accenture Philippines marks the International Day of Persons with Disabilities on 3 December and champions disability inclusion in the workplace through innovative tools and technology in its Accessibility Centers in the Philippines.
In a press conference on Thursday, Rudy Guiao, special advisor for Global Accessibility Center and Inclusion and Diversity Lead for Global Infrastructure Shared Services at Accenture, also the executive sponsor for Corporate Citizenship in Accenture Philippines, said their company joins the worldwide observation of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, which the United Nations has dedicated to promoting the rights and well-being of persons with disabilities in society and to increase awareness of their situation across political, social, economic and cultural aspects.
"We are the first to introduce the Accessibility Center and we wanted other BPO companies to follow the advocacy. There are 1.2 billion PWDs in the world, and there are 1.2 billion ways to accept and treat them as normal individuals," Guiao said.
In 2019, Accenture Philippines pioneered and launched the Accessibility Center in the country as part of its strong commitment to being the most inclusive and diverse employer in the information technology and business process management industry.
Since then, he said Accenture has established 40 Accessibility Centers around the world, providing a space where persons with disabilities can interact with accessible technology.
Accenture Philippines has expanded the initiative with additional innovative features, namely We Walk (Mobility), Inclusive Virtual Experience for Everyone Application, Accessibility Center on Wheels, and Accessibility Information.
Also, the company said on top of the existing array of assistive tools for sense of hearing, sense of sight, and mobility.
Employer of year
Recognized for its initiatives in empowering persons with disabilities, Accenture Philippines was awarded the Manuel Agcaoili Employer of the Year Award for the Large Company Category during the Apolinario Mabini Awarding ceremony organized by the Philippine Foundation for Rehabilitation of the Disabled Inc. in Malacañang.
In its continuing commitment to disability inclusion, Accenture Philippines marks International Day of Persons with Disabilities with a series of events that aim to foster empowerment and enablement for its persons with disabilities communities.
"At Accenture in the Philippines, we are strongly committed to creating a culture of equality and making a difference by enabling our people from diverse backgrounds, with unique abilities, talents, and skills to thrive and achieve their best potential, irrespective of visible or non-apparent disabilities. That is why we have been relentless in driving innovation at our Accessibility Centers in the Philippines so that we are able to create a barrier-free work environment where our people with disabilities have access to the latest assistive tools and technology that are suited to their needs, empowering them in the work that they do and inspiring them to create positive change and impact in their communities," Guiao explained.