Diversity experts have called on the accountancy sector to do more to promote disability friendly recruitment and employment policies in the industry.

'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,' PwC director of Equality and Inclusion, Sarah Churchman said.

Speaking at a seminar on Disability as a dimension of diversity attended by the Big Four, Churchman said: '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.'

CEO of Employment Opportunities, Karin Pappenheim, said the group, which previously worked with Citi and leading law firm K&L Gates, was turning its focus on accountancy firms employing people with disabilities, who represent an untapped talent pool.

'Disability seems to be the last frontier in diversity; but there are promising signs that more firms are now ready to address this issue – and we are ready with practical solutions to help them,' she said.