Thursday, February 13, 2014

Why is Accessibility Good for your Business?

The numbers

·         About one in seven (1.85 million) Ontarians has a disability
·         As population ages, the number will increase

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.

By opening your business to more customers, you will be able to increase your profit because they live with, work with and influence the rest of the population

The goal of the AODA is to make Ontario barrier free.  This means that people with disabilities in Ontario can participate in all forms of life.  This is the first legislation of its kind in the world.  It follows that ODA.  The Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act has certain requirements that all public and private companies must comply with. The AODA calls for the development of the Directorate and 5 standards.

With five new legislative standards being implemented (Customer Service, Communication and Information, Built Environment, Transportation and Employment) it can be a little overwhelming for organizations.  Her mission is to help organizations meet those standards so that they are in compliance and most importantly barriers are removed for persons with disabilities.  The Accessibility Directorate is developing 5 standards that make Ontario barrier free (for visible and invisible)

How is your business open to more people with disabilities? ?


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 @ 416-579-1035 or sandra_broekhof@sympatico.ca or visit www.accessibilitycompliance.ca 

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