Cuddy Farms
Limited 2008
Multi Year Accessibility
Plan Summary
Table of Contents:
Message from our President & CEO 2
Introduction 2
Past Achievements to Remove and Prevent Barriers
Customer Service 3
Information and Communications 3
Employment 4
Training 4
Strategies and Actions Planned for Years up to 2021
Customer Service 5
Information and Communications 5
Employment 5
Training 5
For More
Information 6
Message
from our President & CEO – Statement of Commitment
Cuddy
Farms is committed to providing a barrier-free environment for all stakeholders
including our clients/customers, employees, job applicants, suppliers, and any
visitors who may enter our premises, access our information, or use our
services. As an organization, we respect and uphold the requirements set forth
under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (2005),
and its associated standards and regulations.
Cuddy
Farms understands that we have a responsibility for ensuring a safe, dignified,
and welcoming environment for everyone. We are committed to ensuring our
organization’s compliance by incorporating accessibility legislation into our
policies, procedures, equipment requirements, training, and best practices. We
will review these policies and practices annually, as organizational changes
occur, or in anticipation of compliance deadlines.
Providing
an accessible and barrier-free environment is a shared effort, and as an
organization, Cuddy Farms is committed to working with the necessary parties to
make accessibility for all a reality. For more detailed information on our
accessibility policies, plans, and training programs, please contact Human
Resources.
Introduction
Cuddy
Farms strives to meet the needs of its employees and customers with
disabilities and is working hard to remove and prevent barriers to
accessibility. Our organization/business
is committed to fulfilling our requirements under the Accessibility for
Ontarians with Disabilities Act. This accessibility plan outlines the steps Cuddy
Farms is taking to meet those requirements and to improve opportunities for
people with disabilities. Our plan shows
how Cuddy Farms will play its role in making Ontario an accessible province for
all Ontarians.
Past Achievements to Remove and Prevent Barriers
This document includes a
summary of the accessibility initiatives that Cuddy Farms
has implemented to improve
accessibility for people with disabilities and to meet requirements of the Accessibility for Ontarians with
Disabilities Act.
Customer Service
Cuddy
Farms remains in compliance with the Customer Service Standard under in
accordance with the Accessibility
Standards for Customer Service, Ontario Regulation 429/07. We make every reasonable
effort to ensure that our policies, practices and procedures are consistent
with the principles of dignity, independence, integration and equal opportunity
by:
Cuddy
Farms provides customers with the opportunity to provide feedback on the
service provided to customers with disabilities.
For more
information about Ontario’s Customer Service Standard, visit ontario.ca/AccessON.
Information and Communications
Cuddy Farms is committed to communicate
with people with disabilities in ways that take into account their disability.
When asked, we provide information about our organization and its services in
accessible formats or with communication supports. Our Statement of Commitment is posted at our
main office locations.
Employment
Cuddy Farms notifies
employees, potential hires and the public that accommodations can be made
during recruitment and hiring. We
welcome and encourage applications from people with disabilities and inform
them that accommodations are available for candidates taking
part in all aspects of the recruitment and selection process.
We notify our employees that
supports are available for those with disabilities. We have put into place a
process to develop individual accommodation plans for employees when
required. Where needed, we will also
provide customized emergency information to help an employee with a disability
during an emergency. Any performance
management and career development processes will take into account the
accessibility needs of all employees.
Training
We are committed to training our employees in Ontario’s
accessibility laws and aspects of the Ontario Human Rights Code that relate to
persons with disabilities. We will train
our employees on accessibility as it relates to their specific roles through
different methods as determined by the employees’ needs and abilities. Customer Service training is provided to
employees in customer services roles.
Understanding Human Rights training is provided to all employees within
our organization. Other training is provided as policies are developed, changed
or amended.
Strategies and Actions
The
following projects and programs are planned between now and 2021 to meet the
requirements of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act and to
remove and prevent barriers to people with disabilities.
Customer Service
The
Cuddy Farms is committed to providing accessible customer service to people
with disabilities. This means that we will provide goods and services to people
with disabilities with the same high quality and timeliness as others. We will
continue to follow our policy and practices and ensure new employees are
provided with the appropriate training when hired.
Information and Communications
Cuddy Farms is committed to
making our information and communications accessible to people with
disabilities. We will continue to communicate with people with disabilities in
ways that take into account their disability and when asked, we will continue
to provide information about our organization and its services, in accessible
formats or with communication supports.
We will plan to meet
internationally-recognized Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0
Level AA website requirements in accordance with Ontario’s accessibility laws
by 2021.
Employment
Cuddy
Farms is committed to fair and accessible employment practices and will
continue to promote these employment practices by developing, implementing
and maintain our accessibility policies. These policies will be reviewed annually
and changes will be made as required to reflect current practices of the
organization.
Accessibility
policies will continue to be available to the public when requested.
Training
Cuddy
Farms is committed to providing training in the requirements of Ontario’s
accessibility laws and the Ontario Human Rights Code as it applies to people
with disabilities. We will continue to provide training to new employees when
hired and provide training to all employees when policies are developed,
changed or amended.
For More Information
For more information on this accessibility plan, please contact Lori
Henderson at
[519-245-1592 extension 200 or by email at lorih@cuddy.com.
Cuddy Farms website addresses: www.cuddyfarms.com.
Standard and accessible formats of this
document are free on request from the Human Resources department.