Group pushes for more inclusive workplaces

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Business and Disability Network (PBDN) has cited the need for more diverse and inclusive workplaces as it continues to advocate for equal employment opportunities for persons with disability (PWDs).

In a statement, the PBDN said PWDs continue to face a number of societal barriers, which includes lack of access to opportunities to quality education and employment.

As part of its advocacy to address this issue, the PBDN recently held a two-day online conference, which shed some light on the opportunities and challenges in disability inclusion in the workplace, and also tackled current and potential policies and practices that further promote participation and representation of PWDs.

The group believes that anyone, especially businesses. can open more opportunities for PWDs to participate in, and productively contribute to their communities through its 3Cs mission: Connect, Capacitate, and Collaborate.

“We Connect companies to person with disability talents; we Capacitate companies to promote and build disability-inclusive workplaces; and we Collaborate with different stakeholders to improve the workforce participation of persons with disability,”said Pixie Javier-Gutierrez, representing JPMorgan Chase & Co., the present chair of the PBDN Steering Committee.

During the conference, PBDN-member companies discussed the challenges as well as lessons they have learned in employing PWDs.

“There is no single formula that can accommodate every strand of persons with disability, that is why in PayPal Philippines, we have this framework called ‘Equity Tweaks,”PayPal Country Site Lead John Nicholls said.

“Great management involves treating persons with disability equally, supporting them on their path to realizing their full potential, and not segregating them. Out of the more than a thousand employees in our organization, one of the best performers that we have is a person with disability. Therefore, the answer to the question ‘can a person with disability perform at the same level as those who are not?’ My answer is a resounding ‘yes,”he added.

The discussions also highlighted that supporting and implementing vocational training opportunities is another solution.

“Those who don’t graduate or have proper secondary education represent nearly 80 percent of the working poor,” said Caitlin de Sotto, a program coordinator for Economic Empowerment of Project Inclusion Network (PIN), a non-profit organization which serves as the technical secretariat of PBDN.

She emphasized that investing in access to quality education, such as vocational training, is one the most effective ways to combat poverty.

For his part, Citihub founder and CEO Panya Boonsirithum said that to provide more opportunities, it is important for organizations to implement proper job matching.

“To build awareness, to increase acceptance, and improve advancement of persons with disability for an inclusive workplace.  This is the mission for each of (the PBDN) member companies,” said PIN president Rex Bernardo.

“We will continue to promote disability inclusion through peer-to-peer support and exchange, development of technical ability, as well as providing a voice for businesses on disability issues,”he said.