The Afternoon Show, RTÉ’s live flagship daytime programme, featured a segment on The O2 Ability Awards during yesterday’s show. Seonaid Dunne, Kanchi Sounding Board Member and Chiarra O’Ranaigh, of Eye Cinema Galway and a previous winner of an O2 Ability Award, were on hand to chat about why they feel it is important for organisations to think differently and APPLY for an O2 Ability Award.

PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), is the assessment partner for the O2 Ability Awards 2010. The PwC team will work alongside Kanchi’s disability management consultants in the assessment and verification of organisations shortlisted for the O2 Ability Awards. These shortlisted organisations will receive a free full-day, on-site assessment.

Speaking at the announcement, Ronan Murphy, Senior Partner, PricewaterhouseCoopers said: “We are delighted to become the assessment partner for the O2 Ability Awards.  PwC is committed to having a positive impact on the people and communities around us and supporting the O2 Ability Awards is a key way of achieving this.”

Created by the founder of disability organisation, Kanchi and visually impaired social entrepreneur, Caroline Casey, the O2 Ability Awards promote organisations that think and act differently in relation to people with disabilities; who recognise ability and talent over disability; who see the economic and personal potential of employees and customers with disabilities, making products and services available to all.

Since 2005, over 100 businesses and organisations including Superquinn, McDonald’s Restaurants of Ireland, Bank of Ireland, Kerry County Council and Aura Sport & Leisure, have been selected as O2 Ability Award organisations. Awards will be presented across six categories and there will be three overall winners: one each from the private and non-private sectors as well as an award for the Best Small Company. A televised series documenting a selection of organisations that participate in the O2 Ability Awards will be broadcast in May 2010.

Pictured at the announcement are (LtoR): Gaby Murphy, Managing Director, Kanchi; Ronan Murphy, Senior Partner, PwC and Majella Fitzpatrick, Head of Corporate Affairs, Telefonica O2 Ireland.

There are only two weeks left to APPLY for an O2 Ability Award. The first step is to register your interest. The Kanchi team realises many entrants are short on time.  Therefore, this year’s application process has been designed to be straightforward with minimum time required.  The first step is often completed in under 10 minuets.

Remember, the first twenty organisations to complete their detailed application form will be put into a draw. The prize? Kanchi Founding CEO, Caroline Casey, will visit your organisation to congratulate you and your staff as leaders in the inclusion of people with disabilities as customers and employees.