Purpose
The purpose of this policy is to create a more accessible environment for all stakeholders, including employees, Workers, job applicants, customers, suppliers and visitors, in line with the goals of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 (the “AODA”). The AODA aims to create a more accessible Ontario by identifying and, to the extent possible, preventing and eliminating barriers experienced by people with disabilities. The Integrated Accessibility Standards regulation (the “IASR”) has been enacted under the AODA to establish certain general requirements along with five accessibility standards under the headings of customer service, information and communications, employment, transportation, and design of public spaces. These regulations inform Sweets from the Earth’s approach to accessibility and help ensure that our workspaces and practices accommodate employees of varying needs and abilities.
Sweets from the Earth has implemented the following Accessibility Policy to comply with its obligations pursuant to the AODA.
Scope
This policy applies to all of Sweets from the Earth’s operations in Ontario and to all Workers who perform services for Sweets from the Earth in Ontario, although certain sections will be applicable only to employees of Sweets from the Earth.
Definitions
For the purposes of this policy:
| “Assistive Device” | means any device that is designed, made or adapted to assist a person to perform a particular task, including physical or technical aids, such as communication devices, canes, crutches, hearing aids and wheelchairs. |
| “Barrier” | means anything that prevents a person with a disability from fully participating in all aspects of society because of his or her disability. This includes a physical barrier, an architectural barrier, an information or communications barrier, an attitudinal barrier, a technological barrier, a policy or a practice.
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| “Disability” | means:
(a) 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 coordination, 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; (b) a condition of mental impairment or a developmental disability; (c) a learning disability, or a dysfunction in one of more of the processes involved in understanding or using symbols or spoken language; (d) a mental disorder; or (e) an injury or disability for which benefits were claimed or received under the insurance plans established under the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, 1997.
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| “Service Animal” | includes any animal if,
(a) it is readily apparent that the animal is used by the person for reasons relating to his or her disability; or (b) the person provides a letter from a regulated health professional confirming that the person requires the animal for reasons relating to the disability.
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| “Support Person” | means, in relation to a person with a disability, another person who accompanies him or her in order to help with communication, mobility, personal care or medical needs or with access to goods, services or facilities.
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| “Accessible Formats” | may include, but are not limited to, large print, recorded audio and electronic formats, braille and other formats usable by persons with disabilities;
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| “Communication Supports” | may include, but are not limited to, captioning, alternative and augmentative communication supports, plain language, sign language and other supports that facilitate effective communications;
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| “Workers” | includes all Employees who deal with members of the public or other third parties on behalf of Sweets from the Earth, or who are responsible for developing Sweets from the Earth’s policies, including employees, agents, volunteers and contractors of Sweets from the Earth.
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| “Employee” | means an employee of Sweets from the Earth, whether engaged on a full-time, part-time, temporary, casual or reduced work arrangement, and does not include contractors or volunteers.
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| “Applicant” | means a person applying for paid employment with Sweets from the Earth. |
Statement of Organizational Commitment
Sweets from the Earth is committed to treating all people in a way that allows them to maintain their dignity and independence. We believe in integration and equal opportunity and are committed to meeting the needs of persons with disabilities in a timely manner by identifying, preventing and removing barriers to accessibility and meeting accessibility standards in accordance with the AODA and the IASR.
Accessible Customer Service Policy
Policy Statement
Sweets from the Earth strives to provide a barrier-free environment for our customers and to provide goods and services to people with disabilities in a manner that respects their dignity and independence, ensuring they receive the same high standard of service excellence that we endeavor to provide to all customers.
The goal of the AODA is to create a more accessible Ontario by identifying, and to the extent possible, preventing and eliminating barriers experienced by persons with a disability. The Customer Service Standard has been established under the AODA to ensure goods and services are, where at all possible, equally accessible to every Ontarian.
Core Principles
We endeavor to ensure that all of our Accessible Customer Service Policy and related practices and procedures are consistent with the following four (4) core principles:
Dignity – Customers with a disability must be treated as valued customers as deserving of service as any other customer.
Equality of Opportunity – Customers with a disability should be given an opportunity equal to that given to others to obtain, use and benefit from our services.
Integration – Wherever possible, customers with a disability should benefit from our goods and services in the same place and in the same or similar manner as any other customer. In circumstances where integration does not serve the needs of the customer with a disability, services will, to the extent possible, be provided in another way that takes into account the customer’s individual needs.
Independence – Services must be provided in a way that respects the independence of customers with a disability. To this end, we will always be willing to assist a customer with a disability but will not do so without the express permission of the customer.
Accessibility of Services
Communicating with Persons with Disabilities
Sweets from the Earth strives to communicate with customers with a disability in a manner that takes into account both the disability and the customer’s preferred method of communication.
Sweets from the Earth can communicate with customers via telephone, email, or in person at the store front. Sweets from the Earth recognizes that not all customers will wish to communicate in the same manner.
All Workers will receive training on how to interact and communicate with persons with disabilities.
Use of Assistive Devices
Customers with a disability who attend at our premises are permitted, where possible, to use their own Assistive Device when on our premises for the purposes of obtaining, using or benefiting from our services.
If there is a physical, technological or another type of barrier that prevents the use of an Assistive Device on our premises we will first endeavor to remove that barrier. If we are not able to remove the barrier, we will ask the customer how they can be accommodated and what alternative methods of service would be more accessible to them. We will make reasonable efforts to provide an alternative means of assistance to the customer with a disability.
All Workers will receive training on various Assistive Devices that may be used by customers with a disability while accessing our services.
Use of Service Animals
Similarly, customers with a disability who attend at our premises may be accompanied by a Service Animal and keep the Service Animal with them on the premises, if the public or other third parties have access to such premises and the Service Animal is not otherwise excluded by law. If a Service Animal must be excluded, we will explain to our customer why this is the case and explore alternative ways to meet the customer’s needs.
It is the responsibility of the customer using the Service Animal to ensure that the Service Animal is kept in control at all times.
All Workers will receive training on how to interact with customers with a disability accompanied by a Service Animal.
Use of Support Persons
Customers with a disability may be accompanied by a Support Person and have access to the Support Person on Sweets from the Earth premises.
Sweets from the Earth may require a customer with a disability to be accompanied by a Support Person where it is necessary to protect the health or safety of the customer with a disability or the health or safety of others on the premises, and there is no other reasonable way to do so.
All Workers will receive training on how to interact with customers with a disability who are accompanied by a Support Person.
Notice of Temporary Service Disruptions
Sweets from the Earth will notify customers if, during regular business hours, there is a planned or unexpected disruption of a facility or service customers with a disability use to access our services. The notice will be posted on our website and a sign will be posted on our retail store’s window.
The notice will include the following information:
- That a facility or service is unavailable and the reason for the disruption.
- The anticipated duration of the disruption.
- Alternative facilities or services, if available.
In the event of an unexpected disruption, notice will be provided as soon as possible.
Feedback Procedure
Comments regarding how well customer expectations are being met are welcomed and appreciated.
Customers may provide feedback on the manner in which Sweets from the Earth provides our services to customers with disabilities through the following channels:
In person at our retail store front
Sweets from the Earth is prepared to provide accessible formats and communication supports for persons with disabilities who wish to provide feedback to Sweets from the Earth, upon request. Please contact us using any of the contact methods listed above to request accessible formats and communication supports.
Sweets from the Earth will respond to all feedback received as soon as practicable, and acknowledge receipt of the feedback within twenty (20) business days of receipt. A reply will be provided in the format requested by the customer, by email, phone or in writing, if practicable. The response will contain an acknowledgement of the receipt of the customer’s feedback, and outline any further action(s) to be taken.
Where appropriate, feedback will be taken into consideration as part of the ongoing review of this Policy.
Availability of Documents
In accordance with the requirements of the AODA, a copy of this Policy, which includes information regarding Sweets from the Earth’s feedback process, is made available by posting it on Sweets from the Earth’s website. On request, Sweets from the Earth will provide documents, or the information contained in documents, to a person with a disability in an accessible format or with communication support, in a timely manner that takes into account the person’s accessibility needs due to disability and at a cost that is no more than the regular cost charged to other persons.
Download Sweets from the Earth Multi Year Accessibility Plan (PDF)