Accessibility Policy And Plan

To request an alternate format, please contact: accessibilities@iovate.com.

INTRODUCTION
In 2005, the government of Ontario passed the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA). It is the goal of the AODA to remove barriers and make Ontario a welcoming and accessible place for persons with disabilities.

As part of this legislation, Iovate is required to create an accessibility policy and plan to aid us in meeting our accessibility goals. This accessibility policy and plan outlines the actions that Iovate will put in place to improve opportunities for people with disabilities, and will also support planning for AODA compliance.

STATEMENT OF COMMITMENT
Iovate Health Sciences International Inc. is committed to ensuring that all decisions with respect to hiring, promotion, job assignment, training, rewards and other Human Resource management functions are made on the basis of qualifications, ability and performance. Iovate 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. We are committed to meeting the needs of people with disabilities in a timely manner, and will do so by meeting accessibility requirements under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA).

OUR GOAL IS TO PLAN FOR AND ACHIEVE COMPLIANCE ACCESSIBLE EMERGENCY INFORMATION
Iovate is committed to providing employees, customers and clients with publicly available emergency information in an accessible way upon request. We will also provide employees with disabilities with individualized emergency response information when necessary.

TRAINING
Iovate will provide training to employees on Ontario’s accessibility laws and on the Human Rights Code as it relates to people with disabilities. Training will be provided in a way that best suits the duties of employees. Iovate will:

Provide training to employees who participate in developing the organization‘s policies
• The Executive Leadership Team (ELT), Senior Leadership Team (SLT) and Management Leadership Team (MLT) will all receive training via PowerPoint slides
• Human Resources, Office Services and all Joint Health & Safety Members will receive training via PowerPoint slides
Training will cover requirements in the AODA, as well as the Ontario Human Rights Code as it relates to people with disabilities

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION
Iovate is committed to meeting the communication needs of people with disabilities in a manner that takes into account their disabilities. We will consult with people with disabilities to determine their information and communication needs. Iovate will:

• Consider how a Customer’s disability may affect the way he or she expresses, receives or processes communications, and, where possible, ask the
• Customer how to best communicate with him or her
  Customers are encouraged to identify any barriers to communication that they are experiencing to assist Iovate in meeting this commitment
• Consult with Digital Marketing team to gain compliance with website requirements for accessibility
• Provide information and communicate in an accessible manner about goods, services or facilities to people with disabilities, on request
• Information must be provided in a timely manner and at a cost that is no more than the regular price charged to others

ASSISTIVE DEVICES

Persons with disabilities who use assistive devices are encouraged to use their devices as necessary in order to use or benefit from the services provided by Iovate. Assistive devices that may be used by individuals with disabilities will be welcome on Iovate’s premises that are open to the public or other third parties, including – but not limited to – canes, crutches, walkers, wheelchairs, scooters, oxygen tanks, screen readers, listening devices, speech amplification devices, magnification devices, note-taking devices and communication boards. Iovate will take steps to ensure that Iovate employees are trained as to be familiar with various assistive devices that may be used by Customers.

SERVICE ANIMALS
Iovate welcomes guide dogs or other animals that serve individuals with disabilities in those areas of Iovate’s premises that are open to Customers, and will permit the Customer to keep the service animal with him or her, except for those animals that are otherwise excluded by law from the premises. In the event that a service animal is otherwise excluded by law from the premises, Iovate will provide the applicable Customer with an alternative method of obtaining, using or benefitting from its goods or services.

SUPPORT PERSONS
Iovate welcomes persons who support individuals with disabilities to accompany them onto Iovate’s premises that are open to the public or other third parties. Iovate will ensure that Customers who so require have access to their support persons while on the premises. Such support persons need not be paid professional support workers. They may be volunteers, family members or friends who provide support to the Customer. Iovate will seek the consent of the Customer before confidential information is discussed in front of the support person. In some instances, support persons may be asked to sign a Confidentiality Agreement. Iovate will require a support person to accompany a Customer while on premises when it determines that such an arrangement is necessary to protect his or her health and safety, or that of others on the premises.

EMPLOYMENT
Iovate is committed to fair and accessible employment practices.

Recruitment: We will take/have taken the following steps to notify the public and employees that, when requested, Iovate will accommodate people with disabilities during the recruitment and assessment processes, and when people are hired:

• Evaluated the recruitment process and tools, and ensured they are compliant with AODA accessibility requirements
• Investigate alternative candidate sourcing options in the recruitment process to be as inclusive as possible
• Included in the careers section of our websites our statement of commitment, and have let candidates know that, if they ask for them, accommodations are available to support them in applying for jobs, and during the interviewing and assessment process
• If a selected applicant requests accommodation, Iovate shall consult with the applicant to provide and arrange for suitable accommodation, taking into account the applicant’s accessibility needs due to disability
• Provided training to anyone involved in the recruitment process about Iovate’s management of requests for accommodation during the recruitment and selection process

ACCOMMODATION PLANS AND RETURN-TO-WORK PLANS
Iovate has taken the following steps to develop and put in place a process for developing individual accommodation plans and return-to-work policies for employees who have been absent due to a disability. Iovate has:

• Developed a Return-to-Work Checklist to be completed when employees return to work after being absent due to a disability
• Informed existing employees of plans and policies used to support employees with disabilities by posting this policy on Iovation
• For all new employees, we will inform them of the Accessibility Policy during our new-hire orientation presentation
• Provide updated information to employees whenever there is a change to existing policies on the provision of job accommodations
• If required by an employee with a disability, Iovate will consult with the employee to determine the most appropriate accessible formats or communication supports required

CAREER AND PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT
Iovate will take the following steps to ensure that the accessibility needs of employees with disabilities are taken into account with respect to performance management, career development and redeployment processes. Iovate will:

• Ensure that barriers are identified, and that removal of barriers is planned and implemented
• Review and consider individual accommodation plans or accessibility needs when managing employee performance
• Determine if the format and location of the performance management meeting are accessible
• Ensure that managers review employee accommodation plans prior to performance management sessions, to ensure that all relevant accommodations are implemented and taken into account in the assessment and discussion of performance
• Take into account accessibility needs of employees with disabilities and individual accommodation plans when providing career development and advancement to employees with disabilities
• Take into account accessibility needs of employees with disabilities when redeploying employees to other departments or jobs within the organization
• Ensure that management of any employee who has moved to a new position due to redeployment is aware of any individual accommodation plans

OTHER BARRIERS
Iovate will take the following steps to prevent and remove other accessibility barriers as they are identified:

• Formal and informal feedback will be collected by the Joint Health and Safety Committee and members of the Human Resources team; we will use this feedback to further develop and enhance our Accessibility Policy

DESIGN OF PUBLIC SPACES
Iovate will meet the Accessibility Standards for the Design of Public Spaces when building or making major modifications to public spaces. Public spaces include:

• Outdoor public eating areas – our Iovate Café patio
• Outdoor paths of travel – sidewalks, ramps, stairs, curb ramps and rest areas
• Accessible off-street parking
• Waiting areas

In the event of a service disruption, we will notify the public of the service disruption and alternatives available.

CUSTOMER ACCESS TO THIS POLICY AND RELATED DOCUMENTS
A notice advising Customers how they can request a copy of this Policy will be posted on Iovate’s website. Iovate will strive to provide Customers with disabilities who request a copy of this Policy with a format that takes into account their disability.

For more information on this accessibility plan, please contact any member of the Human Resources team at:

• Phone: 905-678-3119
• Email: accessibilities@iovate.com

FROM PLANNING TO ACTION
Every member of Iovate has a role to play in increasing the accessibility of our work environment. Part of our commitment to building a culture of accessibility is in the added focus of our Joint Health and Safety Committee to be aware of and create a culture around accessibility. The Committee will serve to work across departments and with a variety of stakeholders to facilitate the removal of barriers and the implementation of innovative solutions. This plan will be revised annually in consultation with Human Resources.

FEEDBACK PROCESS
Iovate invites feedback on the way that it provides goods or services to individuals with disabilities. Those who wish to provide such feedback are encouraged to do so:

• In person
• By telephone
• In writing
• By delivering an electronic text by email or on a diskette; or
• Otherwise

All feedback will be directed to the Human Resources team. Any feedback that is in the nature of a complaint will be addressed promptly. The provider of the feedback will be provided with a response in the format requested (or the most appropriate format, which takes into account his or her disability, where no request was made).

Iovate will take the following steps to ensure existing feedback processes are accessible to people with disabilities upon request, and will:

• Create a process for receiving and responding to feedback, and ensure that the processes are accessible to persons with disabilities by providing or arranging for accessible formats and communications supports, upon request
• An email address – accessibilities@iovate.com – has been created and allows the public, employees, potential candidates, etc. to advise us of their disability needs and how we can assist them; this email address is made known through Iovation and www.iovate.com