PwC forms alliance with Dylan Alcott disability consultancy
Sporting hero Dylan Alcott’s disability inclusion consultancy Get Skilled Access has joined PwC in a strategic alliance aimed at systemic change, with staff set to work out of PwC’s offices across Australia.
Professional services firm PwC has formed a strategic alliance with disability inclusion consultancy Get Skilled Access, which was established by former world number one wheelchair tennis champion Dylan Alcott. As part of the alliance, the 25-strong team of Get Skilled Access will be able to work from PwC’s Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane offices from the beginning of next month.
Founded in 2016 by Alcott, 2022 Australian of the Year, Get Skilled Access offers a range of tailored consulting services and training programs to private and public sector organisations.
According to the two companies, the new alliance aims to bring disability inclusion and accessibility to the forefront to create equitable participation opportunities through an expanded reach, breadth and impact of services offerings.
“We see a real opportunity for PwC and Get Skilled Access to achieve large-scale systemic and impactful change towards a disability inclusive and accessible society,” Alcott said, adding that organisations need to take the lead on inclusivity. “We work with corporates and government everyday to increase their level of commitment through the integration of accessibility, inclusive policies and actions into strategies.”
Get Skilled Access notes that more than 2 million Australians of working age are people with disability, with less than half employed compared to 80 percent of those without disability. This is despite figures which suggest workers with disability tend to be more loyal on average, with the significant majority also achieving equal or better productivity.
“We want to role model what leading disability inclusion looks like and what it delivers, doing this by putting lived experience at the forefront, providing opportunities and showcasing the social and economic value that being inclusive brings,” Alcott stated. “People with disability make up nearly 20 percent of our population. It makes good business sense to invest in inclusive leadership and building more diverse teams.”
Alongside BCG and a number of prominent organisations, PwC is a member of the Australian Human Rights Commission’s IncludeAbility initiative, which supports people with disability to find meaningful employment while providing resources for employers.
The firm’s new alliance is also in line with its ‘Belonging Strategy’, which includes a 10 percent target of employees with disability by 2025.
“Our employee network is already active in this space, with network members using their lived experience of disability to inform the advice they provide to our clients,” said PwC CEO Tom Seymour. “We’ve built the foundation and our alliance with Get Skilled Access is the strategic extension that brings expertise in the disability space to deliver these outcomes. We’re proud to be partnering with them on this journey.”
