The inaugural ‘Kasama DEI Summit’ recently took place in Pasig, gathering various stakeholders to discuss enhancing employment and business opportunities for diverse groups as Rapido ni Patrick Tulfo, one of the media partners of OpenMind, was given the privilege to participate. The core of DEI stands for ‘diversity, equity, and inclusion’.
The event was primarily organized by the Precious Works of Differently Abled Enterprise Association Inc (PWDe), with significant contributions from its co-founder, Arlene Tan-Bantoto. She emphasized the importance of developing policies that facilitate employment not only in large firms but also in smaller businesses, across diverse sectors.
The summit focused on a broad spectrum of groups, including senior citizens, religious minorities, individuals with disabilities, LGBTQ+ community members, those suffering from illnesses, women, and single parents.
Tan-Bantoto addressed the systemic issues these groups face, stating, “Those referred to as marginalized, who are unable to access mainstream opportunities, how do we include them? Discrimination is rampant. In fact, many hide their identities due to fear of discrimination.”
Archie David, also a co-founder of PWDe and the summit’s chairperson, spoke about the incorrect assumptions that hinder the hiring of diverse groups, such as the exaggerated costs of necessary workplace modifications and doubts regarding their professional abilities.
The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) was also present at the summit, declaring their readiness to train HR departments on how to implement more inclusive hiring and retention strategies.