The Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act and Corporate Social Responsibility
You can make accessibility a natural part of your business by embracing the ideals of corporate social responsibility.
Corporate Social Responsibility is defined as:
* Business would embrace responsibility for the impact of their activities on the environment, consumers, employee, communities stakeholders and all other members
These are possibilities for you to use the ideals of CSR and comply with the AODA through:
* Ethical Consumerism
* Globalization and market forces
* Social Awareness and Education
* Ethics Training
The requirement to establish accessibility policies is best met by a consistent approach, so that the company’s messages and intention to provide high quality, accessible customer service is consistently shared with and applied to the all customers.
The strategy will inspire managers and employees to consider accessibility in everything they do. It will also help the company become a leader in accessibility and create a more a diverse and inclusive workforce.
How can you apply the ideas of Corporate Social Responsibility and Accessibility in your business?
If you are interested in learning more about Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) or how to make accessibility a natural part of your business through the application of Corporate Social Responsibility, please contact Sandra Broekhof @ 416-503-1035 or sandra_broekhof@sympatico.ca or visit www.accessibilitycompliance.ca
Monday, May 30, 2011
Monday, May 16, 2011
A Business Case for Accessibility
People with disabilities live and work in all parts of Ontario.
Profile of Disability in Ontario
About one in seven (1.85 million) Ontarians has a disability
As population ages, the number will increase
Accessibility is good for your business in two ways.
* The case for employment
o Untapped labour market potential
* The case for accessible businesses
People with disabilities like to eat out, travel, work and participate in everyday activities
Why accessibility is good for your business? Did you know?
About 1.85 million people in Ontario (that’s 15.5% of the population) have a disability.
47.2% of people over the age of 65 have disabilities.
(These numbers come from the Ministry of Community and Social Service Website: www.accesson.ca).
What have you done to increase accessibility in your business?
What can you do to increase accessibility in your business?
If you are interested in learning more about Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) or how to make accessibility a natural part of your business through the application of Corporate Social Responsibility, please contact Sandra Broekhof @ 416-503-1035 or sandra_broekhof@sympatico.ca or visit www.accessibilitycompliance.ca
Profile of Disability in Ontario
About one in seven (1.85 million) Ontarians has a disability
As population ages, the number will increase
Accessibility is good for your business in two ways.
* The case for employment
o Untapped labour market potential
* The case for accessible businesses
People with disabilities like to eat out, travel, work and participate in everyday activities
Why accessibility is good for your business? Did you know?
About 1.85 million people in Ontario (that’s 15.5% of the population) have a disability.
47.2% of people over the age of 65 have disabilities.
(These numbers come from the Ministry of Community and Social Service Website: www.accesson.ca).
What have you done to increase accessibility in your business?
What can you do to increase accessibility in your business?
If you are interested in learning more about Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) or how to make accessibility a natural part of your business through the application of Corporate Social Responsibility, please contact Sandra Broekhof @ 416-503-1035 or sandra_broekhof@sympatico.ca or visit www.accessibilitycompliance.ca
Sunday, May 8, 2011
Accessibility report on the customer service standard
Question 1 b?
Does your organization use reasonable efforts to ensure that these policies are consistent with the principles of independence, dignity, integration and equality of opportunity?
The second part of this question deals with the principles as presented in the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA). These principals are important to customers with disabilities, as well as other Ontarians. These principles allow people with disabilities to fully participate in all parts of life of Ontario.
Let’s discuss what some of these principles mean according to the AODA.
Dignity means that the customer with a disability feels valued and gets the full services of any other customer. This means that your service delivery takes into account how people with disabilities can be shown respect while accessing your goods and services.
In terms of people with disabilities, independence means freedom from control and the ability to make your own choices and do things your way. In terms of serving customers while keeping this principle in mind, this means that a staff member takes her/his time to ensure the customer’s needs are met.
The simplest definition of integration is allowing all customers with disabilities access to the same services. This could mean that they benefit the same level of service, in the same way as customers with no disabilities. This may mean that there are alternative measures made to ensure the customer with the disability has access to the same service.
Equal opportunity means that you are giving the same chance, options and choices as customers with no disabilities. This may mean that customers should not have to make a significant effort to access your good or service.
What do these principles mean to you and how your company/organization is run?
If you are interested in learning more about Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) or how to make accessibility a natural part of your business through the application of Corporate Social Responsibility, please contact Sandra Broekhof @ 416-503-1035 or sandra_broekhof@sympatico.ca or visit www.accessibilitycompliance.ca
Does your organization use reasonable efforts to ensure that these policies are consistent with the principles of independence, dignity, integration and equality of opportunity?
The second part of this question deals with the principles as presented in the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA). These principals are important to customers with disabilities, as well as other Ontarians. These principles allow people with disabilities to fully participate in all parts of life of Ontario.
Let’s discuss what some of these principles mean according to the AODA.
Dignity means that the customer with a disability feels valued and gets the full services of any other customer. This means that your service delivery takes into account how people with disabilities can be shown respect while accessing your goods and services.
In terms of people with disabilities, independence means freedom from control and the ability to make your own choices and do things your way. In terms of serving customers while keeping this principle in mind, this means that a staff member takes her/his time to ensure the customer’s needs are met.
The simplest definition of integration is allowing all customers with disabilities access to the same services. This could mean that they benefit the same level of service, in the same way as customers with no disabilities. This may mean that there are alternative measures made to ensure the customer with the disability has access to the same service.
Equal opportunity means that you are giving the same chance, options and choices as customers with no disabilities. This may mean that customers should not have to make a significant effort to access your good or service.
What do these principles mean to you and how your company/organization is run?
If you are interested in learning more about Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) or how to make accessibility a natural part of your business through the application of Corporate Social Responsibility, please contact Sandra Broekhof @ 416-503-1035 or sandra_broekhof@sympatico.ca or visit www.accessibilitycompliance.ca
Monday, May 2, 2011
Accessibility report on the customer service standard
Question Twelve: Does your organization post a notice at a conspicuous place on your premises, on your website, or by another reasonable method, that the documents required by the Customer Service Standard are available upon request, and do you provide those documents in a format that takes a person’s disability into account?
What does it look like for you to check yes to this question??
To mark yes to this questions means that the notice is available to the public about how to get documentation related to the Customer Service Standard (e.g., policies, service disruption notices, training plans). The notices are placed in an obvious place on your premises as well as available in other formats.
Some sample evidence include sample notice is provided (e.g., website link and/or poster). The notice states that alternate formats are available. There could also include a link to the company’s Accessible Customer Service Policy. Notice is available in a variety of formats (e.g., websites, posters, audio, etc).
Is there anything else that could be done to ensure that a company can check YES to this eleventh question?
If you are interested in learning more about Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) or how to make accessibility a natural part of your business through the application of Corporate Social Responsibility, please contact Sandra Broekhof @ 416-503-1035 or sandra_broekhof@sympatico.ca or visit www.accessibilitycompliance.ca
What does it look like for you to check yes to this question??
To mark yes to this questions means that the notice is available to the public about how to get documentation related to the Customer Service Standard (e.g., policies, service disruption notices, training plans). The notices are placed in an obvious place on your premises as well as available in other formats.
Some sample evidence include sample notice is provided (e.g., website link and/or poster). The notice states that alternate formats are available. There could also include a link to the company’s Accessible Customer Service Policy. Notice is available in a variety of formats (e.g., websites, posters, audio, etc).
Is there anything else that could be done to ensure that a company can check YES to this eleventh question?
If you are interested in learning more about Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) or how to make accessibility a natural part of your business through the application of Corporate Social Responsibility, please contact Sandra Broekhof @ 416-503-1035 or sandra_broekhof@sympatico.ca or visit www.accessibilitycompliance.ca
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