AODA Multi-Year Plan

Message from our Principals

At SCS Consulting Group Ltd, we are committed to providing exceptional service to all our valued customers, inclusive of those with disabilities. We pledge to continually collaborate with our customers, our dedicated staff, and the broader community to identify, prevent, and eliminate any barriers to participation, in strict accordance with the Customer Service Standard.

We understand that accessibility is not merely an obligation but is fundamental in ensuring equality and inclusion for all. Our commitment extends to addressing the unique needs of individuals with disabilities in a prompt and efficient manner. In doing so, we pledge to fulfill all accessibility requirements mandated by the prevailing laws, including the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 (AODA). To further reinforce our dedication to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), we have taken the initiative to establish a dedicated Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee within SCS.

If you have any questions, suggestions or require any specific accommodations to enhance your experience with us, please do not hesitate to contact us at 905-475-1900 ext. 2411 or [email protected].

Statement of Commitment

SCS Consulting Group Ltd. is committed to excellence in serving all customers including people with disabilities.  We will continue to work with customers, staff, and the community to identify, prevent and remove barriers to participation to ensure compliance with the Customer Service Standard.

The Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 (AODA) became law on June 13, 2005. Under this landmark legislation, the government of Ontario is developing mandatory accessibility standards that identify, remove and prevent barriers for people with disabilities in key areas of daily living. The standards apply to private and public sector organizations across Ontario. The goal is for the province to be accessible by 2025.

The five key areas of focus are:

  • Customer Service;
  • Information and Communication;
  • Employment;
  • Transportation; and
  • Built Environment.

To ensure compliance with the Customer Service Standard, the SCS Consulting Group Ltd. has:

  • Designated two (2) representatives to prepare the AODA policies and procedures
  • Designated two (2) representatives to train all existing and new employees of SCS Consulting Group Ltd.

All employees of SCS Consulting Group Ltd. will be trained using the documents provided in the SCS Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, Customer Service Standard Policies and Procedures, November 2012.

SCS Consulting Group Ltd. strives to meet the needs of its employees and customers with disabilities and is working hard to remove and prevent barriers to accessibility.

SCS Consulting Group Ltd. is committed to fulfilling our requirements under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005. This accessibility plan outlines the steps we are taking to meet those requirements and to improve opportunities for people with disabilities.

Our plan shows how we will play our role in making Ontario an accessible province for all Ontarians.

The plan is reviewed and updated at least once every 5 years.

We train every person as soon as practicable after being hired and provide training in respect of any changes to the policies. We maintain records of the training provided including the dates on which the training was provided and the number of individuals to whom it was provided.

SCS Consulting Group Ltd. has completed the following initiatives.

Customer Service Standard

SCS Consulting Group Ltd. is committed to accessibility for customers with disabilities. The AODA Customer Service Standard now mandates a requirement to meet the needs of persons with disabilities with clearly defined policies and procedures by January 1, 2012.

To ensure compliance with the Customer Service Standard, the SCS Consulting Group Ltd. has:

  • designated two (2) representatives to prepare the AODA policies and procedures
  • designated two (2) representatives to ensure all existing and new employees of SCS Consulting Group Ltd. are trained.
  • prepared an AODA Matrix to track all areas requiring attention of the AODA Committee, document can be found on our company intranet.

SCS Consulting Group Ltd. has remained in compliance with customer service standards and welcomes customer feedback. Please note that our building is not owned by SCS Consulting Group Ltd. and SCS Consulting Group Ltd. is not responsible for automatic door openers, ramps and other access requirements. Under the present building code, access buttons are not required on washroom doors.  The Building Owner, Tricap Properties, is following the required accommodations set forth by the Accessible Built Environment Standard. In recent years, they have installed Touchless Wave Automatic Door openers to our building. Our main reception door to our suite is propped open during our office hours for easy accessibility.

Customer Service Standard - SCS Consulting Group Ltd. Policies and Procedures

All services at SCS Consulting Group Ltd. will be provided in a manner that respects the dignity, independence, integration and equal opportunity of people with disabilities.

1.1  Assistive Devices

Policy

SCS Consulting Group Ltd. is committed to serving people with disabilities, and ensuring that those who use assistive devices will benefit from enjoying a fulfilling experience.

Procedures

SCS Consulting Group Ltd. will ensure that our staff is trained and familiar with various assistive devices we have on site or that we provide that may be used by customers with disabilities while accessing our goods or services.

1.2  Communicating with a Customer with a Disability

Policy

SCS Consulting Group Ltd. policies and procedures take a person’s disability into account when communicating with the individual. Two-way communications is a process of providing, sending, receiving and understanding information. To communicate in an effective way, SCS Consulting Group Ltd. considers how the disability affects the way that the person expresses, receives or processes communications. Where possible, SCS Consulting Group Ltd. asks the customer directly the best way to communicate with him/her.

Procedures

SCS Consulting Group Ltd. uses a variety of ways, wherever possible, to make communications more accessible by:

  • Considering the needs of people with disabilities during the planning stage of services and communication development.
  • Offering information in alternate formats, e.g. hand-write or type information back and forth, printed hand-outs of commonly used information, large print programs, e-mail as an alternate channel to provide accessible communication.

We will communicate with people with disabilities in ways that take into account their disability.

1.3  Service Animals

Policy

SCS Consulting Group Ltd. is committed to welcoming customers with disabilities who are accompanied by a trained, accredited service animal. A service animal may accompany a customer or any third party with a disability to all parts of our premises that are open to the public. Service animals may be used for, but not limited to, the following disabilities: vision loss, physical disability, hearing loss, autism, epilepsy etc. Although service animals are most commonly dogs, other service animals could include, but are not limited to, ferrets, monkeys etc. SCS Consulting Group Ltd. ensures that all employees, volunteers and others dealing with the public are properly trained in how to interact with people with disabilities, who are accompanied by a service animal.

Procedures

SCS Consulting Group Ltd. welcome people with disabilities and their service animals.

To be considered a service animal under this standard, it must either be readily apparent that the animal is being used because of a person’s disability or the person with a disability may be asked to provide a letter from a physician or nurse confirming that it is required because of his or her disability. SCS Consulting Group Ltd. does enforce a general By-law that does not permit pets on the premises, including SCS Consulting Group Ltd. property surrounding the building. Service animals are not pets – they are working animals. They are used by people with disabilities to overcome barriers much like assistive devices such as a white cane or a wheelchair.

Guide dogs or other service animals, including service animals in training, are allowed to accompany people with disabilities on SCS Consulting Group Ltd. premises open to the public.

SCS Consulting Group Ltd. anticipates there will be special situations and is prepared to make every effort to accommodate the circumstances on an individual basis, as they arise, keeping safety to all customers and service animals in mind.

Customers can contact the front desk for more information.

1.4  Support Persons

Policy

SCS Consulting Group Ltd. is committed to welcoming people with disabilities who are accompanied by a support person. Any person with a disability who is accompanied by a support person is allowed to enter SCS Consulting Group Ltd. premises with his or her support person. At no time will a person with a disability who is accompanied by a support person be prevented from having access to his or her support person while on SCS Consulting Group Ltd. premises.

A support person is an individual hired or chosen by a person with a disability to provide services or assistance with communication, mobility, personal care, medical needs or with access to goods or services.

Procedures

A person with a disability who is accompanied by a support person will be allowed to have that person accompany them on our premises.

Customers are informed of this through SCS Consulting Group Ltd. communication to the public.

1.5  Temporary Disruption of Service

Policy

SCS Consulting Group Ltd. is aware that temporary disruptions of services (daily functions, physical operations) and programs may occur due to reasons that may or may not be within SCS Consulting Group Ltd.’s control or knowledge. SCS Consulting Group Ltd. makes a reasonable effort to provide advance notice of the disruption to the public, including information about the reason for the disruption, its anticipated duration and a description of alternative facilities or services, if any, that may be available at such time when the office building is equipped.

Procedures

In the event of a planned or unexpected disruption to services or facilities for customers with disabilities SCS Consulting Group Ltd., will notify customers promptly. This clearly posted notice will include information about the reason for the disruption, its anticipated length of time, and a description of alternative facilities or services, if available.  This notice will be completed by the office administration.

The notice will be placed in the following locations as appropriate:

  • Website;
  • Temporary Signage on Device or Equipment;
  • Signage at Entrance to SCS Consulting Ltd.; and
  • SCS Consulting Group Ltd. General Voicemail.

In the event of an unexpected disruption, advance notice is not possible. In such cases, SCS Consulting Group Ltd. provides notice, as soon as possible, through its communication networks.

A Temporary Disruption of Service Notice template has been included in Appendix C.

1.6  Process to Receive and Respond to Feedback

Policy

SCS Consulting Group Ltd. has a process in place for receiving and responding to feedback about how goods and services are provided to customers with disabilities.

Procedures

Persons with disabilities can offer their feedback in the following ways:

  • On-line at scsconsultinggroup.com
  • E-mail and telephone, (re-directed, as required, to the appropriate response employee)
  • In writing where correspondence is re-directed to the appropriate response employee
  • In person to staff/ management

Once feedback is received, the following actions are taken to respond:

  • The feedback is directed to the appropriate person for action.
  • The feedback is entered into our company AODA Matrix, located on our intranet.
  • The feedback is assessed for appropriate action. (Note: the customer service standard does not require a response to be provided for all feedback).
  • Customers who provide feedback can expect an answer within five (5) business days.

The feedback process is readily available to the public through:

  • A notice on the website,
  • A document describing the feedback process, available on request in different formats,
  • SCS Consulting Group Ltd. has posted a notice to the public and staff on our kitchen bulletin board stating that we accept feedback, a copy of this notice has been included in Appendix B,
  • Other communication networks, as appropriate.

1.7  Customer Service Training

Policy

SCS Consulting Group Ltd. provides training to all employees.

Procedures

SCS Consulting Group Ltd. will provide training to employees, volunteers and others who deal with the public or other third parties on our behalf.

All staff will participate in training as part of the orientation at SCS Consulting Group Ltd.

This training will be provided to staff within their first week of employment at SCS Consulting Group Ltd.

Training will include:

  • An overview of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 and the requirements of the customer service standard’s plan.
  • SCS Consulting Group Ltd. related to the customer service standard.
  • 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.
  • What to do if a person with a disability is having difficulty in accessing SCS Consulting Group Ltd.
  • The Matrix of SCS Consulting Group Ltd. staff that have been trained can be found on our intranet.

Staff will also be trained when changes are made to the plan.

SCS Consulting Group Ltd. will review the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, Customer Service Standard Procedures annually.

1.8  Posting of Documents

Policy

Notices are posted, informing the public that the documents required by the Customer Service Standard are available upon request and will be provided in a format that takes a person’s disability into account.

Procedures

Documents are available through the following networks, as appropriate.

  • Website (PDF Copy)
  • Hard copy which can be found in the administration office bookcase.
  • Soft copy in PDF format found on our intranet.

Modifications to This or Other Policies and Procedures

Any policy of SCS Consulting Group Ltd. that does not respect and promote the dignity and independence of people with disabilities will be modified or removed.

In addition to compliance with the Customer Service Standard –AODA, SCS Consulting Group Ltd. has several additional policies and procedures to enhance the experience for customers with disabilities. These include:

  • Sit down service: If required, staff will leave the desk and come around to assist the customer with a disability.
  • SCS Consulting Group Ltd. website will be conformed with the World Wide Web Consortium Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.0, Level AA.
  • SCS Consulting Group Ltd. will notify all job applicants that we have available accommodations for people with disabilities.
  • SCS Consulting Group Ltd. will create individual accommodation plans for persons with disabilities. It will include the following:
    • How the employee can participate in the development plan.
    • How the employee is assessed on an individual basis.
    • How the employee can request an evaluation by a third party medical provider.
    • If denied the requested accommodation plan SCS Consulting Group Ltd. will discuss with the employee the reasons for denial. SCS Consulting Group Ltd. will also notify the employee in writing.
Information and Communications

SCS Consulting Group Ltd. has been updating all of its documents and templates to reflect AODA standards. Our company website is in the process of being updated to WCAG 2.0 levels A/AA.

Employment

SCS will notify candidates that accommodations are available upon request during the recruitment process and make all employees aware of our policies for accommodating employees with disabilities.

Return to Work

Should an employee be absent from work due to a disability and require accommodations to return to work SCS Consulting Group Ltd. will complete the following items to -accommodate the changes that may need to occur in the workplace:

  • Meet with the individual returning to work prior to returning to SCS Consulting Group Ltd. and complete the form in Appendix D.

We have also noted on our orientation checklist for all new and returning employees to ensure AODA items have been addressed, copy added to Appendix D.

Return to Work

Should an employee be absent from work due to a disability and require accommodations to return to work SCS Consulting Group Ltd. will complete the following items to -accommodate the changes that may need to occur in the workplace:

  • Meet with the individual returning to work prior to returning to SCS Consulting Group Ltd. and complete the form in Appendix D.

We have also noted on our orientation checklist for all new and returning employees to ensure AODA items have been addressed, copy added to Appendix D.

Training Documentation

All employees of SCS Consulting Group Ltd. will be trained using the documents provided in Appendix E and in conjunction with the SCS Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, Ontario Human Rights Code, Customer Service Standard Policies and Procedures, November 2012.

Contact Information

For more information on this accessibility plan, please contact our People & Culture Specialist at:

30 Centurian Drive, Suite 100
Markham, ON. L3R 8B8
[email protected]
905-475-1900 ext. 2411

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