(1)Training

CSA Group has provided training to its personnel and anyone involved in developing CSA Group’s policies on the AODA and Human Rights Code as it relates to people with disabilities.

CSA Group took the following steps to ensure its personnel are provided with the training:

• Module on Human Rights Code has been developed and implemented through Learning Management System (LMS).
• All personnel working within Ontario have been provided with this training.
• All new/transferred personnel in Ontario will be assigned training within the first 7 days of their onboarding.

The training will be updated every time CSA Group updates its accessibility policies and procedures, at
least every two years. In that event, an updated training will be rolled out to all CSA Group personnel.

(2)Customer Service

(i.) Policies and procedures:

Under the Customer Service Standard, organizations providing goods and services are required to develop, implement and maintain policies governing the provision of goods, services or facilities to persons with disabilities. CSA Group has developed the following policies and procedures that aims to ensure that people with disabilities are provided equal opportunity to obtain, use and benefit from CSA Group’s goods and services:

• Accessibility policy statement
• Accessible Customer Service procedure

(ii.)Training

CSA Group is committed to inclusion and that all people everywhere should be provided with accessible customer service. CSA Group has provided training to its personnel and anyone involved in developing CSA Group’s policies on how to provide accessible customer service to people with disabilities.

CSA Group took the following steps and continues to make efforts to ensure all its personnel are provided with the training:

• Module on Accessibility – Customer Service has been developed and implemented though the LMS.
• Everyone who participates in the development of CSA Group’s policies has been provided with the training.
• All personnel working within Ontario have been provided with this training.
• All new/transferred personnel in Ontario will be assigned training within the first 7 days of their onboarding.
• All individuals providing services on behalf of CSA Group in Ontario will be asked to complete the training before rendering the services.

The training will be updated every time CSA Group updates its accessibility policies and procedures, at least every two years. In that event, an updated training will be rolled out to all CSA Group personnel.

(iii.)Use of support persons and service animals

If a person with a disability is accompanied by a guide dog or other service animal, CSA Group will ensure that the person is permitted to enter the premises with the animal and to keep the animal with him or her, unless the animal is otherwise excluded by law from the premises. If a service animal is excluded by law from the premises, CSA Group will ensure that other measures are available to enable a person with a disability to obtain, use or benefit from CSA Group’s goods, services or facilities. If a person with a disability is accompanied by a support person, CSA Group will ensure that both persons are permitted to enter the premises together and that the person with a disability is not prevented from having access to the support person while on the premises. CSA Group may require a person with a disability to be accompanied by a support person when on the premises, but only if, after consulting with the person with a disability and considering the available evidence, CSA Group determines that:

(a) a support person is necessary to protect the health or safety of the person with a disability or the health or safety of others on the premises; and
(b) there is no other reasonable way to protect the health or safety of the person with a disability and the health or safety of others on the premises.

(iv.)Disruption of services

In the event of any disruption to CSA Group services, CSA Group will provide notice detailing the reasons for service disruption and the anticipated duration for the disruption. If any alternative services are available, CSA Group will advise its customers of them in a timely manner.

(3)Information and Communication

(a.)Feedback and accessible formats and communication supports

Upon request, CSA Group will provide accessible formats and communication support for persons with disabilities in a timely manner and will consult with the person making the request to determine the suitability of the accessible format or communication support.

CSA Group has developed a feedback process through which members of the public can submit their feedback regarding CSA Group’s accessibility practices. An accessibility link is provided on CSA Group’s website which provide information on how to provide feedback, access accessibility policies and procedures as well as this plan. A designated e-mail address has been created for this process ([email protected]). CSA Group will ensure that its feedback process is accessible to persons with disabilities, upon request

(b.)Emergency procedure, plans or public safety information

When CSA Group prepares emergency procedures, plans or public safety information, the information will be available to the public and will be provided in an accessible format, as soon as practicable, upon request.

(c.)Accessible websites and web content

As of January 2014, all CSA Group’s new websites and web contents have been in compliance with the World Wide Web Consortium Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0 Level A.

On-going planning is in place leading up to January 1, 2021 to ensure all CSA Group’s websites and web contents are compliant with WCAG 2.0, Level AA, other than:

(i.) success criteria 1.2.4 Captions (Live), and
(ii.) success criteria 1.2.5 Audio Descriptions (Pre-recorded).

For any web content published on a website before January 1, 2012, and for any web content on a CSA Group intranet site, the content will be made available in an accessible format upon request.

(4)Employment
CSA Group is committed to fair, equal and accessible employment practices. CSA Group has taken the following steps to ensure its employment practices are accessible, starting from the recruitment and hiring process and throughout the employee’s employment at CSA Group.

(i.)Recruitment, assessment and onboarding practices
CSA Group has been and will continue to provide notice on every job application and for every successful applicant on the availability of accommodation. And, when requested, an individualized accommodation suitable to the applicant’s disability will be provided.

As part of a successful candidate onboarding process to CSA Group, the new employee is notified and provided with training on CSA Group’s accessibility policies and procedures.

(ii.)Accessible formats and communication supports for employees

For information that is needed for an employee with a disability to perform their job and any information generally available to employees in the workplace, CSA Group will provide accessible formats and communication supports, upon request.

(iii.)Workplace emergency response information

CSA Group will provide employees with disabilities with individualized workplace emergency plans,review and update these plans when CSA Group review its general emergency response policies, when an employee’s overall accommodations are reviewed or when an employee moves to a different location within CSA Group.

(iv.)Documented individual accommodation plans

CSA Group has developed a written process for the development of documented individual accommodation plans for employees with disabilities which details the manner in which an employee with a disability is assessed, the manner in which the employer can request an evaluation by an outside medical or other expert to assess if an accommodation can be achieved, manner in which the employee can participate in the development of their individualized plan, the steps taken to protect the privacy of the employee’s personal information, the frequency and manner with which the individual accommodation plan will be reviewed and updated. These plans will be provided in a format that takes
into account the employee’s accessibility needs.

(v.)Return to work plan

Whenever applicable, for employees who will be absent from work due to a disability and require disability-related accommodations in order to return to work, CSA Group will develop and have in place a return to work process for said employees and keep record of the process. The process will outline the steps CSA Group will take to facilitate the return to work and use any available individual accommodation plans put in place.

(vi.)Performance management and career development

CSA Group will continue to take into account the accessibility needs of employees with disabilities, as well as individual accommodation plans, when using CSA Group’s performance management process or when providing career development to employees.

(vii.)Redeployment

CSA Group will continue to take into account the accessibility needs of its employees with disabilities, as well as their individual accommodation plans, when reassigning employees with disabilities to other departments within CSA Group.

(5)Design of Public Spaces

CSA Group will meet the requirements under the Design of Public Spaces Standard when newly constructing or redeveloping the publics spaces of it facilities in Ontario. Public spaces include

(i) outdoor paths of travel; like sidewalks, ramps, stairs, curb ramps, rest areas and accessible pedestrian signals and
(ii) accessible off-street parking.

In the event of any disruption that would prevent access to CSA Group facilities, CSA Group will provide notice detailing the reasons for disruption and the anticipated duration for the disruption. CSA Group will advise its customers of any available alternatives in a timely manner.

(6)Feedback process

CSA Group has established a process for receiving and responding to feedback about the manner in which it provides goods and services. If a complaint is received, a response will be provided as soon as practicable in a format that takes into account the person’s disability. All the information about the feedback process will be readily available to the public on request.

This plan and other CSA Group accessibility policies, procedures will be made publicly available through CSA Group Accessibility and, upon request, in an accessible format.

For more information on this plan, please contact us at: [email protected]