So what makes a Disability-Inclusive Business a triple-win situation? Let us count the ways. WIN #1: Your business gains more profit and prestige. Major tax incentives are available for private employers who recruit persons with disabilities and provide facilities that accommodate all employees in the workplace. The Philippine Magna Carta for Persons with Disabilities (RA 7277) states that:
Businesses that employ people with disabilities are “entitled to an additional deduction, from their gross income, equivalent to 25% of the total amount paid as salaries and wages” to people with disabilities. (Sec 8.b)
Businesses that improve or modify their physical facilities to provide “reasonable accommodation [for people with disabilities] are entitled to an additional deduction from their net taxable income equivalent to 50% of the direct costs of the improvements or modifications.” (Sec. 8.c)
Including people with disabilities in your company will enhance your reputation in the disability sector – a huge market that is often
overlooked. Did you know there are about 1.5 billion people with disabilities in the world, 450 million of them in the AsiaPacific, and 1 million in the Philippines? Multiply that by 5 – the average family size – and you’ll get a mind-boggling number. Besides, nearly half of the top 100 companies in the Forbes 500 list have solid inclusion policies. If you turn disabilityinclusive, you’re in good company.
WIN #2: People with disabilities – who are often excluded in society – earn a decent income AND provide a valuable contribution to your workforce. Recruiting people with disabilities isn’t merely a smart business move – it’s also the right thing to do. Everyone is entitled to equal opportunities to employment. Unfortunately, society often discriminate against people with disabilities, focusing on the disability, not the ability. This results in the exclusion of a skilled work force, continuing the cycle of discrimination and inequality.
WIN #3: The big picture: society in general becomes more and more inclusive – embracing everyone without discrimination and upholding each person’s inherent rights. By becoming a disability-inclusive business, your company will foster justice in the world. We will work together to build a world where everyone – including people with disabilities – is free and able to work, vote, travel, communicate, whatever! And your business will have a crucial role to play in this noble pursuit.