Accountancy firms have been told to do more to promote disability friendly recruitment and employment.

A seminar organised by national charity Employment Opportunities and attended by leading HR and diversity experts from the Big Four and other firms called for action.

At the Disability as a Dimension of Diversity event, Sarah Churchman, of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP said: “The accountancy profession has made steady progress with regards to gender and ethnic equality, and we need to mirror that success in tackling disability equality.”

“Whether people are personally affected by a disability or not, firms need to take immediate steps to build a culture that promotes a better understanding of working with disability and the issues it raises in terms of education, support and the working environment.”

Karin Pappenheim of Employment Opportunities added: "We have organised this seminar to stimulate discussion and to share best practice from our experience in other sectors, such as investment banking, that can provide a template for similar initiatives in the accountancy field.

"Disability seems to be the last frontier in diversity; but there are promising signs that more firms are now ready to address this issue."

Employment Opportunities for People with Disabilities is a national charity creating routes into employment for people with all disabilities and medical conditions. Find out more at www.opportunities.org.uk.