In January 2024, our firm was excited to release our first formal Disability Inclusion Action plan. While our commitment to Disability Inclusion is not new, this action plan is intended to accelerate and deepen our efforts to create a more inclusive and equitable workplace for People with Disabilities.
Source: Canadian Survey on Disability 2022, Statistics Canada
We are excited to work alongside our people, our clients and our communities to foster an inclusive workplace where everyone can use their strengths, be included and feel like they belong. We encourage you to reach out to discuss our disability inclusion efforts and action plan and we invite all organizations and people in Canada to join us in creating a more inclusive society. We are better, together.
Disability Inclusion Action Plan
Our vision
Our vision is to work alongside People with Disabilities to advance disability inclusion in Canada by fostering equity and inclusion within and outside our firm.
Our mission
We aim to advance an equitable and inclusive culture where People with Disabilities and their caregivers experience belonging and are supported to thrive and achieve their goals. We will do this by:
- Raising awareness of biases and removing barriers
- Providing ongoing education to advance equity,inclusion and build allyship
- Advocating for change in corporate Canada, leveraging our collective skills and passions to advance disability inclusion
KPMG’s people networks focused on advancing disability inclusion
Our Disability Inclusion and Special Family & Friends Network are passionate groups of individuals dedicated to advancing inclusion for People with Disabilities within the firm and in society. These Networks provide a safe space for community connection, lead national and global education initiatives to advance allyship, and help identify opportunities and barriers to inclusion.
Disability Inclusion Network
The Disability Inclusion Network was created to be a voice for People with Disabilities at the firm. The Network is focused on advancing education and awareness across KPMG in Canada on how to create a more inclusive, accessible workplace for People with Disabilities, regularly collaborating with internal teams and people networks along with external organizations and advocates.
Special Family & Friends Network
The Special Family & Friends Network is dedicated to supporting and promoting a culture of inclusion in the workplace and our communities by helping others understand the impact and value that individuals with exceptionalities can have in our society.
The aim of the network is to provide a supportive work community for parents, family members, friends and allies of children with multiple exceptionalities. They create opportunities for people to come together virtually and in person, for support, to share personal experiences, to learn about available resources and attend meaningful events, both internally and externally.
"KPMG’s Disablity inclusion Network group helped me see how to use my experience for good and promote the well‑being of others around me."
Katie Horne
Senior Consultant, Cybersecurity Halifax, Nova Scotia
Disability Inclusion Network Member
As the founder of our Disability Inclusion Network, I am proud to announce our firm’s inaugural Disability Inclusion Action Plan, underscoring our commitment to enhancing the experiences of People with Disabilities within our organization. By dedicating ourselves to eliminating workplace barriers for People with Disabilities, we pave the way for their improved outcomes – ensuring equitable employment and career opportunities, wellness, productivity, and a sense of belonging. Embracing disability inclusion not only fosters innovations and fresh perspectives but also significantly contributes to the betterment of our workplaces and society at large.
Goal 1 - An inclusive and equitable culture built on trust
We will continue to advance a culture where People with Disabilities and caregivers of People with Disabilities experience equity, well-being, safety, inclusion and belonging.
- We will enable our Disability Inclusion, Special Family & Friends and Mental Health People Networks by providing direct ties to leadership, budget, support to achieve their goals, active participation of leaders and our people in allyship and education opportunities and amplifying the voices and lived experiences of our people within and outside of the firm
- We will identify ongoing mechanisms to value and recognize the leadership of our people who are making meaningful contributions toward achieving our collective inclusion, diversity and equity goals
- We will recognize and support participation of our people in key days of significance related to Disability Inclusion
"At KPMG, I found a supportive community through the Special Family & Friends Network and the Disability Inclusion Network. Together, we have led initiatives aimed at reducing biases and stigmas around recruiting and retention of People with Disabilities."
Rafay Khan
Senior Consultant, Deal Advisory,
Oakville, Ontario,
Disability Inclusion Network Member
Embed accessibility into how and where we work.
- We will enhance the accessibility and inclusion of our physical office environments by:
- Building all new KPMG office sites and significant renovations to target Rick Hansen Accessibility Certified Gold
- Striving for all new lease agreements to be at least Rick Hansen Accessibility Certified
- Conducting Rick Hansen Accessibility Certification ratings at select KPMG offices to inform future real estate plans and opportunities for improvements
- We will review our marketing, communications, social media, and websites for opportunities to implement changes that enhance inclusion for People with Disabilities
- We will continuously build on and promote a centralized national digital hub for disability inclusion information, resources, tools and software available for use that will remove barriers for a broad range of disabilities
- We will review internal and external meetings, trainings, events, and policies and practices to identify opportunities and implement changes that enhance inclusion for People with Disabilities
- We will provide opportunities to highlight accessible technology and accommodations programs at the time of onboarding and on an ongoing basis, including directly with our Disability Inclusion Network
We will obtain regular feedback from KPMG people and gather industry practices to enhance accommodation programs so People with Disabilities have access to the expertise, tools and supports needed to enable inclusion and productivity
Continuing to cultivate an inclusive environment of well-being that is safe, free from bias, discrimination and ableism so People with Disabilities and caregivers of People with Disabilities can thrive.
- We will seek feedback and enhance workplace safety guidelines and emergency procedures to ensure the safety and dignity of People with Disabilities in KPMG offices across the country
- We will provide ongoing awareness of targeted mental health education, storytelling and resources to our People Networks led by external experts and internal KPMG role models, to highlight the lived experiences, cultures and identities of our people
We will create ongoing awareness of existing channels to raise concerns of bias, discrimination or ableism, and identify and remove barriers to coming forward personally or as an ally - We will ensure mental health resources are a focus during key moments in the employee journey, such as recruitment, onboarding, promotions, and leadership development programs
- We will seek ongoing feedback from the Disability Inclusion, Special Family & Friends, and Mental Health People Networks to identify opportunities to enhance equity and inclusion in benefits programs, including existing Daily Living Benefit, Employee
and Family Assistance Program and Mental Health Benefit
"I’ve learned how to better express myself at KPMG."
Laura Berry
Partner Administrative Assistant,
Department of Professional Practice’s Audit & Assurance Team
Toronto, Ontario,
Disability Inclusion Network Member
- Monitor, understand, share and take action to achieve equitable outcomes and experiences of inclusion, equity and trust.
- We will measure experiences of inclusion, equity and well-being for People with Disabilities to better understand, raise awareness of and act on feedback, gaps and opportunities
Diversity of the firm – representation goals for People with Disabilities
Our aim is to ensure our firm represents the diversity of the communities we live and work in. We know representation matters. To this end, our firm has set goals to increase representation of ID&E priority groups where we have gaps, including a goal to reach six per cent representation of People with Disabilities by October 1, 2025.
The purpose of these goals is to drive accountability and focus our collective efforts to remove barriers, address bias and create opportunities. These goals are linked to leadership compensation. We will achieve these goals through continually advancing an equitable and inclusive culture and implementing strategies that strengthen recruitment, onboarding, advancement, retention and development of our people.
Our progress
Goal 2 - Attraction, advancement and career growth
We will reflect the diversity of the communities in which we live and work by actively engaging and supporting People with Disabilities in achieving their career goals and continuously monitoring, identifying and removing bias and barriers in recruitment, advancement and retention.
Invest in innovative talent attraction strategies to attract People with Disabilities to the firm.
- We will create more opportunities to build relationships with candidates with disabilities through meaningful collaboration with external organizations across both apparent and non-apparent disabilities
- We will continue to identify opportunities to engage People with Disabilities by showcasing the career journeys of team members and caregivers of People with Disabilities at the firm
- We will create annual plans and goals to build relationships with People with Disabilities on campus and through experienced hire channels at both a national and local level
- We will continue to grow, embed and sustain cohort hiring for neurodiverse talent in all regions across the country
- We will grow and expand on existing scholarship, internship and mentorship programs to open new pathways to opportunities for people with both apparent and non-apparent disabilities
- We will expand programs and opportunities at the high-school level to connect with and engage students with apparent and non-apparent disabilities to consider careers at KPMG
- We will continue education and collaboration with talent attraction to ensure accessibility and inclusivity in the accommodation process
- We will embed accommodation language throughout the talent attraction process to ensure it is accessible to candidates
We use the term ‘exceptionalities’ as it is inclusive of all diagnoses and disabilities and focuses on the learning needs of the individual (i.e. behaviour, communication, intellectual and physical) and not their limitations. Our network naming was intentional with the reference to ‘special’ as due to our children’s exceptionalities, we believe they are rare, one of a kind, special.
Continually monitor, seek feedback and actively remove bias and barriers from recruitment, retention and advancement processes and programs to achieve inclusive and equitable outcomes for People with Disabilities.
- We will review recruitment, onboarding, retention, engagement, advancement, exit insights at the national and regional levels to assess where we have gaps for People with Disabilities and identify actions to close those gaps
- We will provide opportunities for our Disability Inclusion, Special Family & Friends and Mental Health People Networks to advise on new and existing talent programs and policies
Provide leadership development opportunities for People with Disabilities, both through equitable inclusion in existing programs as well as targeted programs to address specific gaps in mentorship.
- We will continuously monitor and strive to achieve inclusive and equitable representation of People with Disabilities in firmwide and regional leadership and high potential development programs
- We will work with our Disability Inclusion Networks to identify opportunities for mentorship and career growth
"When people tell me I can’t do something, it makes me want to prove them wrong, change the conversation, and demonstrate that my disability doesn’t limit what I can achieve."
Patrick Vannan
Manager, Creative Services
Toronto, Ontario,
Disability Inclusion Network Member
Goal 3 - Education and awareness building
We will educate and inspire allies through ongoing disability inclusion education, advancing awareness and providing opportunities to build skills.
Provide and engage our people and leaders in disability inclusion education and training to advance their awareness and knowledge to act as allies.
- We will provide core disability inclusive education and tools, and advance active participation for all people and leaders. This includes content on inclusive language; myths, bias, and stereotypes about People with Disabilities; ableism and how that manifests in the workplace; accommodations; accessibility; and how people can take personal action to be allies
- We will support and amplify ongoing disability inclusion education, storytelling and awareness-building opportunities led by our Disability Inclusion, Special Family & Friends and Mental Health People Networks and external experts
- We will equip our people to understand their role in supporting team members, family members and friends who are experiencing mental health challenges
- We will provide targeted education to enable those who have a specific role to play in Disability Inclusion, such as firm leadership, Human Resources, Real Estate, Marketing and Communications, Information Technology Services
- We will equip performance managers with the education and tools needed to attract, develop and support People with Disabilities on their teams
- We will provide opportunities for our people to act as allies through participation in disability inclusion education, attraction, retention, mentorship, engagement with organizations, and more
- We will identify mechanisms to track and measure actions taken over time to advance disability inclusion awareness and allyship
Goal 4 - Commit and inspire
We will commit sustainable resources, hold ourselves accountable to progress and share our journey to inspire change in corporate Canada.
Acknowledge that embedding disability inclusion requires ongoing, active, intentional engagement and investment.
- We will identify and dedicate resources to support our Disability Inclusion Action Plan to be successful and to meet future commitments
- We will establish a steering group and governance structure within the first year to guide, inform and shape the ongoing implementation and advancement of our Disability Inclusion Action Plan commitments
- We will identify and track key performance indicators and metrics to monitor the progress of our Disability Inclusion Action Plan goals
Use our voice and inspire others in corporate Canada to take action.
- We will transparently share our journey and progress against our Disability Inclusion Action Plan commitments with the market through an annual report, to drive accountability and inspire change in corporate Canada and with our clients and communities
- We will identify opportunities to share knowledge, advocate for change, collaborate and provide thought leadership within corporate Canada, industry associations, vendors, service providers, clients and organizations committed to disability inclusion
Goal 5 - Collaboration and sponsorships
We will collaborate with community organizations that support and advocate with People with Disabilities, sponsor their efforts, initiatives and activities and leverage our national platform to amplify their impact.
Goal 6 - Accessible procurement
Embed and advance accessibility and disability inclusion in procurement processes and practices.
- We will build into future technology procurement opportunities a requirement for all vendors to demonstrate their ongoing commitment to accessibility and listening to the needs of People with Disabilities, including evidence they are actively embedding accessibility into their technology that will remove barriers for a broad range of disabilities
- We will continue to develop our knowledge, policies and relationships to advance accessibility and disability inclusion in our procurement processes
"If we could collectively start the process of creating REAL accessibility for people with all type of disabilities – that would be an amazing future."
Lissa Mitchell
Director of Operations, Strategic Alliances,
Toronto, Ontario,
Disability Inclusion Network Member
Our disability inclusion journey
As a firm, we have been on a journey to advance disability inclusion before the formation of our Disability Inclusion action plan. Here are some of the key milestones along that journey.
Pre 2020
- ID&E strategy launched, including targeted focus on mental health and People with Disabilities
- Introduced Chief Mental Health Officer – a first in corporate Canada
- Began ongoing mental health training for People Managers, Human Resources and all KPMG employees
- Began offering Mental Health Resilience training to our people
2020
- Launched our Disability Inclusion Network
- Relaunched Special Family & Friends Network
- Focused on disability inclusion education
- KPMG in Canada hosted the first KPMG Global Disability Inclusion Summit
- Initiated our first Mental Health People Network
- Began offering targeted mental health sessions for team members in ID&E priority groups
2021
- Introduced goals to reach 6 per cent representation of People with Disabilities in the firm by Oct 1, 2025
- Launched targeted neurodiversity recruitment programs
- Introduced innovative new Daily Living Benefit for People with Disabilities
- Focused education and awareness on advancing accessibility
2022
- Enhanced existing Employee & Family Assistance Program
- Created targeted recruitment programs and strategies for People with Disabilities
- Introduced the first scholarships for People with Disabilities
- Mental Health Networks activated in all KPMG regional offices
- First accessibility portal launched with accessibility resources and tools
2023
- Increased Mental Health Benefit to $3000
- Increased investments in education, scholarships, and internships for students with disabilities
If you have any questions or feedback about this plan, please contact our Inclusion, Diversity and Equity team. If you would like to request an alternative format or if you have suggestions on how we can make the plan more accessible, please email cdnersteam@kpmg.ca or call 1-888-466-4778 (option 3).
In building this plan, we consulted with organizations that are committed to advancing disability inclusion in Canada and around the world. We appreciate their collaboration, insight and wisdom to help ensure we are committed to actionable change that will positively impact People with Disabilities.
We would also like to thank KPMG in Canada’s DE&I Consulting practice for their role in supporting the creation of our firm’s collective Disability Inclusion Action plan. Learn more about how they can support your organization in advancing inclusion, equity, diversity and accessibility.
Land acknowledgment
We respectfully acknowledge that KPMG offices across Turtle Island (North America) are located on the traditional, treaty and unceded territories of First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples.
Indigenous Peoples share a sacred relation with the land and this land acknowledgment is the first step in learning about our history and taking action toward reconciliation.
