A clear vision of disability inclusion

Sonny’s journey to PwC began in Manila, where he grew up. Although he was born with excellent vision, at the age of six he began to struggle to read text at a distance. Today his eyesight prescription is -9, which categorises him as visually impaired. As a person with a visual impairment who’s now worked at PwC AC Manila for six years, Sonny has a good understanding of the qualities that make for a good disability ally among his colleagues.

He believes the most important thing is to treat people with disabilities the same way you treat everyone else, explaining he feels that’s the first step towards being a good disability ally. The second attribute he stresses is listening, which may sound simple but makes a huge difference.

For Sonny, being a disability ally doesn’t mean that you have to be an expert. Rather, what matters is when people actively listen to people with disabilities, show their support, and strive to use what they learn to educate others. Everyone can do their part to be a good disability ally by showing support and care.

PwC’s Acceleration Center (AC) in Manila is a major delivery facility from where more than 3,000 professionals support PwC member firms in Asia Pacific, the Americas and Europe on a wide range of projects. As well as leading a team and learning a huge amount about auditing, Sonny is also gaining great international experience; he’s currently working on a US engagement.

The level of support he receives at PwC AC Manila has confirmed to Sonny that he made the right choice of employer. He highlights that he has personally experienced how much the leaders care about people, and how committed they are to making the working environment as inclusive as possible. He also thrives on the opportunities he has to develop skills, the range of audit experience to which he is exposed, and the amazing people with whom he works. He is empowered by the Disability Inclusion adjustment and accessibility support he receives to help him to overcome his impairment. He highlights the importance of PwC AC Manila’s focus on both physical accessibility, such as installing wheelchair ramps and accessible restrooms, but also digital accessibility, meaning information and communication technology is made accessible to all and compatible with assistive technology devices. Digital technology is used in many ways to make content more easily accessible and readily available, including using easier-to-read fonts, a bigger font size, higher contrast, minimal pop-ups, and screen enlargement applications.

This is just one aspect of the inclusive environment at PwC. Sonny shares how ever since he joined he’s witnessed how the firm embraces the creation of a culture of inclusion and diversity in lots of different ways. Such as the many insightful discussions hosted with experts and people with disabilities to raise everyone’s awareness. He also highlights that the Inclusion & Diversity (I&D) team in Manila is open for all employees to contribute to areas of focus and share their perspectives, regardless of whether you’re a person with a disability, a member of the LGBT community or another diverse group, or an ally.

Sonny recently was invited to participate in a global PwC webcast alongside colleagues from across the PwC network. During this webcast he had the opportunity to talk about his visual impairment and be a role model for people who can relate to his experiences, while also raising awareness and building allyship with other PwC attendees. Sonny has also recently become an I&D Disability Inclusion leader for the PwC Manila AC, working continually to raise awareness.

Overall, Sonny feels PwC is a great place for a person with a disability to work and thrive.

Away from work, Sonny loves travelling, especially during the non-peak season for audit work that tends to come around March each year. This time he took the opportunity to visit Bali and enjoy the beautiful beaches and mountains. “It was my chance to connect with nature and have a sweet escape from my busy city life,” he says. But for the rest of the year, Sonny’s life at PwC suits him just fine.

From your experience, how do you sum up Inclusion & Diversity at PwC?

Inclusion & Diversity at PwC is about establishing a sense of belonging among employees, making them feel more included, connected and productive.

What should others know about PwC’s commitment to Inclusion & Diversity?

PwC leaders “walk the talk” by actively supporting, sponsoring and participating in programmes that increase diversity and promote inclusion.