Accenture Philippines is promoting disability inclusion in the workplace in the IT-business process management (IT-BPM) industry through innovative tools and technology in its Accessibility Centers, dedicated for persons with disabilities (PWDs), which was pioneered in Manila and expanded to a total of 40 across the globe.
One with the celebration of International Day of PWDs last Dec. 3, Accenture Philippines inaugurated the expansion of its initiative which aims to provide a variety of accessibility solutions for individuals with vision, hearing, speech, or mobility impairments.
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Accenture introduced, last Nov. 29 at Accenture Manila in Mandaluyong, some additional features of the PWD hub such as We Walk (Mobility); the Inclusive Virtual Experience for Everyone (IVEE) Application; Accessibility Center on Wheels; and Accessibility Information.
The We Walk is a smart cane for the visually impaired that detects above-ground obstacles with ultrasound while still retaining the cane’s ground feedback.
Meanwhile, the IVEE Application allows users to connect and interact with the community with English alphabet and basic greetings.
The Accessibility Center on Wheels, which was developed during the pandemic, is a compact, mobile accessibility solutions suite that brought assistive tools and technology such as headsets, talk-to-text keyboards, and glasses, among other equipment to homes of Accenture Philippines’ people with disabilities.
Further, employees can request assistance and additional information to address accessibility requirements through the Accessibility Center portal, virtual tour; MyTechHelp chatbot; Accessibility Virtual ExpressLane (AVEL); and support build out of Accessibility Centers in the Accenture network.
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 (IT-BPM) industry.
Since then, Accenture has established 40 Accessibility Centers around the world, providing a space where PWDs can interact with accessible technology.
“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,” Accenture Global Infrastructure Shared Services Inclusion & Diversity Lead Rudy Guiao said.
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The new features are an extension of the existing range of assistive tools for hearing, sight, and mobility.
For hearing support, Accenture developed a software which includes Dhvani (Hindi word for “sound”), that creates real-time subtitles for videos and can translate voice responses into typed text and vice versa during video and conference calls, allowing for more meaningful interactions among employees; specialty and noise-cancellation headset and speaker models; and noise-level meters.
The hub also features tools for vision including color-contrast and Braille-stickered keyboards, electronic magnifier and non-visual desktop access, voice control technologies, blind stick, and Braille blocks and panels.
To assist in mobility, Accenture invented tools such as smart lights, sliding doors, and manual and automated wheelchairs.
To date, more than three percent of over 79,000 employees in Accenture Philippines are self-declared PWDs, according to the technology outsourcing giant.
“More than the number, I think what we are proud of is the opportunities that we continue to open for persons with disabilities. More than the number, it’s really the transformation of lives that we have because of technology,” Guiao stressed.