Building Equity by Design: Disability Inclusion in the Workplace

In a week dedicated to advancing the rights of persons with disabilities, the Philippine Business and Disability Network (PBDN) gathered leaders, advocates, and changemakers for its 4th Networking Meeting—an event that put disability inclusion at the center of business innovation. Hosted by Globe in partnership with Project Inclusion Network, the meeting drew 36 companies into one conversation: what does true equity look like when it is built into the very systems, workplaces, and technologies that define modern work?

The discussions reframed inclusion not as a compliance measure or moral obligation, but as a design challenge that demands foresight and creativity. Globe President and CEO Carl Cruz underscored this perspective, emphasizing that inclusion is being embedded into corporate culture and platforms, with the belief that “every talent is important and should be cared for.” He acknowledged the long journey ahead but stressed the company’s commitment to listening and acting alongside partners.

Practical approaches were highlighted by Denise Haak, Globe’s AVP for Product Experience Strategy & Design, who drew from her own experience in building diverse teams. She noted how inclusive hiring—whether for individuals with visual, speech, or developmental disabilities—leads to better, more accessible solutions. Haak urged companies to look critically at job descriptions, offer accommodations during recruitment, and ensure digital tools are designed for all users. “Inclusion doesn’t have to be expensive,” she said. “It needs thoughtfulness and the courage to ask the right questions.”

The urgency of such efforts was illustrated by Ryan Gersava, founder of social enterprise Virtualahan. Having been denied work after a medical diagnosis, Gersava created a digital training program that has since launched hundreds of careers for persons with disabilities. His message was clear: exclusion often stems from design decisions made without lived experience in the room. “Real inclusion is not about pity or optics. It’s about co-creating systems with the people they’re meant to serve,” he said.

Participants later engaged in a workshop that mapped the employee lifecycle—from hiring to performance review—through disability personas, identifying gaps and co-designing more inclusive solutions. The exercise encouraged empathy and practical innovation. Closing the event, PBDN Executive Director Grant Javier called for building a broader network of allies, stressing that inclusion must extend beyond persons with disabilities to encompass entire workplaces.

As the sessions showed, disability inclusion is not just an advocacy but a reimagining of how businesses design for the future—creating systems that work better for everyone.