Effective Date: December 1, 2023
Accessibility Policy
1. Purpose & Statement of Commitment
MB Studios Canada, Ltd (The “Company”) is committed to treating all people in a way that allows them to maintain their dignity and independence. We believe in inclusivity and equal opportunity. We are committed to meeting the needs of people with disabilities in a timely manner and will do so by preventing and removing barriers to accessibility.
The purpose of the policy is to establish practices and procedures, which are consistent with accessibility standards established under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA), and provincial Human Rights legislation.
2. Scope
The Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) aims to identify, remove, and prevent barriers for people with disabilities. Integrated Accessibility Standards under the AODA, 2005 S.O. 2005, c.11, includes the following five accessibility standards:
- Information and Communication Standards
- Employment Standards
- Transportation Standards
- Design of Public Spaces Standards
- Customer Service Standards
The policy applies to all employees of the Company, and includes customers, volunteers, contractors, and visitors.
3. Definitions
In this Policy:
Term
Definition
Accessibility
This goal is the removal of barriers within our workspaces, employment practices, and workplace culture, in order to demonstrate inclusivity and accommodation of all employees and candidates with disabilities as reasonably practical.
Accessible Formats
This may include, but is not limited to, large print, recorded audio and electronic formats, braille, and other formats usable by persons with disabilities
Accessibility Plan
A plan that describes the actions an organization will take to prevent and remove barriers and when it will do so.
Barrier
As defined under the AODA: ”Anything that prevents a person with a disability from fully participating in all aspects of society because of his or her disability”.
Disability
As defined by the Ontario Human Rights Code, “disability” means
- Any degree of physical disability, infirmity, malformation or disfigurement that is caused by bodily injury, birth defect or illness and, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, includes diabetes mellitus, epilepsy, a brain injury, any degree of paralysis, amputation, lack of physical co-ordination, blindness or visual impediment, deafness or hearing impediment, muteness or speech impediment, or physical reliance on a guide dog, or other animal or on a wheelchair or other remedial appliance or device,
- A condition of mental impairment or a developmental disability,
- A learning disability, or a dysfunction in one or more of the processes involved in understanding or using symbols or spoken language,
- A mental disorder, or
- An injury or disability for which benefits were claimed or received under the insurance plan established under the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, 1997.
Information
Refers to data, facts, and knowledge that exists in any format, including text, audio, digital or images that convey meaning.
Service Animals
Defined by AODA as ”a service animal for a person with a disability whereas the animal can be readily identified as one that is being used by the person for reasons relating to the person’s disability”. Visual indicators such as vest or harness worn by the animal; or the person provides documentation from a regulated health professional confirming the animal for reasons relating to the disability.
Support Person
An individual who accompanies a person with a disability to provide assistance. Examples include communication, mobility, personal care, or medical needs or with access to goods or services.
Workplace Accommodation
As defined by the Canadian Association for Supported Employment, this refers to any change in the work environment or the terms and conditions of employment that allows a person with limitations in their abilities, or who faces barriers from the standard rules and conditions of work, to perform their job.
4. Roles & Responsibilities
Accessibility is a shared responsibility and all employees acting on behalf of the company participate in making the organization accessible to coworkers, customers, contractors, and volunteers.
I. Employer Responsibilities
- Establish an accessibility policy, that is reviewed annually.
- Provide information in accessible formats upon request.
- The accessibility policy will be made publicly available upon request.
Establish a written multi-year accessibility plan, reviewed, and updated once every five years. - The multi-year accessibility plan will be made available on our MBSE Canada website.
- Establish required training for all employees, further outlined under Procedures.
- Establishes a welcoming environment for people with disabilities, including any person with a disability using assistive devices or accompanied by a support person or service animal.
II. Supervisor Responsibilities
- Ensure direct reports participate in required training provided by the employer.
- Have full knowledge of and maintain compliance of this policy and the multi-year plan policy.
- Provide leadership in building an inclusive and accessible environment for customers and employees.
- Provide a welcoming environment for people with disabilities, including any person with a disability using assistive devices or accompanied by a support person or service animal.
- Support the employer with their commitment to prevent and remove barriers to accessibility.
III. Employee Responsibilities
- Participate in required training provided by the employer.
- Have full knowledge of and maintain compliance of this policy and the multi-year plan policy.
- Provide a welcoming environment for people with disabilities, including any person with a disability using assistive devices or accompanied by a support person or service animal.
- Support the employer with their commitment to prevent and remove barriers to accessibility.
5. Procedures
I. Employment Practices
The Company is committed to fair and accessible employment practices. When requested, suitable accommodations will be provided during the recruitment, assessment, and selection process.
The Company takes individual needs into account, where a universal response is inappropriate, to ensure that there are no barriers to access or participation, and that individuals with disabilities are treated equitably.
Emergency procedures, plans and customer information will be provided in accessible format, as soon as practicable, upon request.
II. Training
We are committed to training all staff in accessible customer service, other Provincial accessibility standards and aspects of the respective provincial Human Rights Code that are related to persons with disabilities.
Training includes:
- Purposes of this policy and the requirements of the Customer Service Standards.
- How to interact and communicate with people with various types of disabilities.
- How to interact with people with disabilities who use an assistive device or require the assistance of a service animal or a support person
In addition, we will train
- All employees who participate in developing the organizations policies; and
- All employees who handle customer transactions.
- All new employees will complete training within 30 days of hire.
- All employees will receive additional training every three (3) years thereafter.
III. Multi-Year Accessibility Plan
The Company is in the process of developing a “Multi-Year Accessibility Plan’ that outlines its strategy to prevent and remove barriers while meeting the requirements of the integrated Accessibility Standards. It will be posted on the community bulletin board, the company Intranet, and will be reviewed and updated at least once every five (5) years.
IV. Facility Accessibility
We will meet accessibility laws when building or making major changes to public spaces. Our public spaces include:
- Accessible parking.
- Service-related areas like waiting areas, washrooms, employee lunchrooms, and service counters.
- Where facility barriers may exist, we will develop procedures to overcome them.
6. Reporting Concerns
I. Information, Communication and Feedback
The Company is committed to meeting the communication needs of people with disabilities. When asked, we will provide information and communication materials in accessible formats or other supportive communication materials. This includes information about our goods, services, and facilities, as well as emergency information.
The local Management team, with the assistance of Human Resources, will consult with people with disabilities to determine their informational and communication needs.
Types of accessible formats that will be considered:
- Audio formats
- Large print
- Braille
- Text transcripts such as a video transcript
- Using captioning in video presentations
The Company will ensure that the process for receiving and responding to feedback is accessible to persons with disabilities by providing or arranging for the provision of accessible formats and communication supports, upon request. Feedback should be provided directly to the HR Department via email (HRCanada@mbseco.ca).
II. Request for accommodation
In accordance with the Company’s policies, applicable provincial legislation, including provincial Human Rights Codes, and the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, MB Studios Canada, Ltd, shall provide reasonable accommodation, short of undue hardship.
Employees may request accommodation at any time. The process usually begins whereby the employee notifies their direct manager or Human Resources that they are unable to perform the essential duties of their job due to illness or disability.
Accommodation is a shared accountability and responsibility between all parties involved. In addition to the employee and employer representative, this may include a medical practitioner, return to work coordinator, and/or benefit provider case manager.
Employees are required to provide sufficient medical or other appropriate information to confirm medically verified needs in order to best support their workplace limitations or needs. The employee has a duty to cooperate in good faith in the accommodation process. Part of that is accepting a reasonable offer of accommodation by the employer.
This Policy identifies the responsibilities around accommodation for employees with disabilities. It does not address accommodation related to lifestyle or personal choice.
7. Other Information
Due to the need to provide flexibility to individual cases, there may be variations in the way these guidelines apply in individual cases.
The Company will work toward making its website and web content conform to the Worldwide Consortium Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG 2.0) Level AA.
Questions related to this Policy should be directed to Human Resources via email at HRCanada@mbseco.ca
This document is also available in alternate format upon request.