Easy Read Summary of this Plan
The Standards Council of Canada (SCC) is committed to being more accessible. We have made a plan to improve accessibility in 6 different areas. These areas are:
- The built environment
- Employment
- Information and communications technology
- Communication, other than information and communications technology
- Procurement of goods, services, and facilities
- Design and development of programs and services
This plan is for 2023 to 2025 and will be updated in 2025. The goals we will be working towards are:
- Install an automatic door opener at our main office door.
- Lower first-aid kits, and defibrillators to a more accessible height.
- Install light switch covers that are easier to see.
- Apply stripes to glass doors to make them easier to see.
- Remove barriers in the hiring process.
- Review our equitable employer message to better reflect the language used by people with disabilities.
- Review and make changes to our Accessibility, Accommodation and Disability Policy to improve it and make things easier for our employees with disabilities.
- Review our job postings and descriptions to make sure people with disabilities will want to apply to work for us.
- Train our staff on how to conduct accessible meetings.
- Make sure all the videos we post have captions and transcripts.
- Respond to requests for documents in alternative formats.
- Train our Communications team on how to create accessible social media posts.
- Make sure our social media content is written in plain language.
- Make sure all the pictures and images we post on SCC’s website and social media accounts have alt-text descriptions.
- Train our staff on how to write in plain language.
- Add plain language guidelines to our Communications policy.
- Make sure our new website is as accessible as possible.
- Make sure we think about accessibility whenever we buy new products or services.
- Review our IT systems to identify barriers to accessibility for employees with disabilities and enable accessibility features as they become available.
- Train our staff on how to improve the accessibility of our in-person and virtual events.
- Develop a plan for training all our employees on disability and accessibility awareness.
We created these goals by consulting with people with disabilities. We consulted our employees, contract assessors and people who interact with SCC. We are committing to continue to consult with people with disabilities in the future. Improving accessibility is something SCC will keep doing to try to become fully accessible.
Table of Contents
1. General
1.1 Statement of Commitment
1.2 Description of SCC
1.3 Contact Information and Feedback Process
1.4 Alternative Formats of this Plan
1.5 Definitions
2. Areas Described under Section 5 of the ACA
2.1 Organization Wide Initiatives
2.2 The Built Environment
2.3 Employment
2.4 Communication, other than ICT
2.5 Information and Communications Technology
2.6 The Procurement of Goods, Services and Facilities
2.7 The Design and Delivery of Programs and Services
2.8 Transportation
3. Consultations
4. Conclusion
1. General
1.1 Statement of Commitment
Accessibility is important in making sure the world we live in is fair and equitable for everyone. The Standards Council of Canada is committed to improving the state of our accessibility for our employees and stakeholders. As the organization that promotes standardization that aims to improve health, safety and overall quality of life, we understand the importance of accessibility standards and how they improve the lives of people with disabilities. We are committed to using the same spirit of innovation we use in our work to promote accessibility practices in our organization. This plan is one part of our commitment to always do better for people who live with disabilities.
1.2 Description of SCC
The Standards Council of Canada (SCC) is a Canadian government organization that promotes voluntary standardization in Canada. In other words, we encourage organizations to use standardization to make things safer and more equitable. With 150 employees and an office in Ottawa, the organization reports to Parliament through the Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry.;
SCC’s work touches everything around you. This includes the food you eat, the clothes you wear, and the everyday tools that make your life easier like your cell phone or eyeglasses. Standards and conformity assessment work like an invisible shield, allowing you to go about your day, safely. SCC’s role is to put the full power of standardization to work for all people in Canada.
1.3 Contact Information and Feedback Process
SCC welcomes feedback, including feedback submitted anonymously, from our employees, member institutions, and members of the public about accessibility at SCC and about this plan. We are committed to reviewing the feedback we receive and taking steps to address barriers that are identified through this feedback.
You can submit feedback about accessibility at SCC or this plan by contacting:
Kendra McDonald, Communications Advisor
info@scc.ca
+1 613 238 3222
55, rue Metcalfe Street, Suite/bureau 600, Ottawa, Ontario K1P 6L5
We will also accept feedback through our social media pages at the following links:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/StandardsCanada
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/standardscanada
Information about how to submit feedback to SCC is also available on our public website at the following link: https://www.scc.ca/en/contact-us
If you contact us to give us feedback and it is not anonymous, we will be sure to let you know we’ve received your feedback within 48 business hours. All the feedback we receive will be saved for seven years. This feedback will be used to help us measure the progress we’re making in becoming more accessible. The feedback will also make us aware of barriers to accessibility that we can address in our next plan.
1.4 Alternative Formats of this Plan
You can request alternative formats of this plan, and a description of our feedback process by contacting:
Kendra McDonald, Communications Advisor
info@scc.ca
+1 613 238 3222
55, rue Metcalfe Street, Suite/bureau 600, Ottawa, Ontario K1P 6L5
SCC will provide the following alternative formats within 15 days of the initial request:
- Large print (increased font size)
SCC will provide the following alternative formats within 45 days of the initial request:
- Braille (a system of raised dots that people who are blind or with low vision can read with their fingers)
- Audio (a recording of someone reading the text out loud)
1.5 Definitions
The following definitions apply throughout this plan:
Disability: Any impairment, or difference in physical, mental, intellectual, cognitive, learning, or communication ability. Disabilities can be permanent, temporary, or can change over time.
Barrier: Anything that might hinder people with disabilities’ full and equal participation. Barriers can be architectural, technological, attitudinal, based on information or communications, or can be the result of a policy or procedure.
Accessibility: The design of products, devices, services, environments, technologies, policies and rules in a way that allows all people, including people with a variety of disabilities, to access them.
Equitable: Fair and equal
2. Areas Described under Section 5 of the ACA
2.1 Organization Wide Initiatives
Overview
SCC recognizes that accessibility begins with attitudes. To effect change and improve accessibility at our organization, we will be providing training to all staff.
Training
1) By the end of 2024, SCC will develop a plan for how to roll out disability and accessibility training to all employees. This plan will outline
- What training we decide to do
- Who will deliver the training
- The platform or method of training (i.e., online, in person, etc.)
- How often the training will be offered and who will be required to take it
2) By the end of 2025, SCC will implement training for all existing and new employees on disability awareness and accessibility.
2.2 The Built Environment
Overview
SCC conducts most of its business in an office on the sixth floor of a building in Ottawa. While we can’t control the accessibility of the building overall, we can control the accessibility of our offices. We also can work with the building management to try to make it better. We recently had an audit done in our office to see where we could improve accessibility for our employees. The following goals will address some of the barriers found in our office.
Accessibility Goals
1) By March of 2023, SCC will install an automatic door opener for its main office door.
2) By December of 2023, SCC, will lower first-aid kits, and defibrillators to a more accessible height, based on CSA Accessible Design for the Built Environment standard.
3) By December of 2023, SCC will install light switch covers that have appropriate contrast to the walls.
4) By March of 2024, SCC will apply continuous opaque strips at the level indicated by the CSA Accessible Design for the Built Environment standard on all glass doors to create better visibility for people with low vision.
2.3 Employment
Overview
SCC has about 150 employees. The jobs done at SCC are mainly office-based with some travel. Our employees mostly work from home with some coming into the office from time to time. By the end of 2023, our Human Resource team will have completed disability sensitivity training. We know there is more we can do to make employment at SCC better for people with disabilities. The following goals will help us do that.
Accessibility Goals
1) By the end of 2023, SCC will remove previously identified barriers in the hiring process. Changes to our hiring process will include:
- Providing interview questions in advance
- Breaking complex questions into multiple parts
- Increasing testing times
2) By the end of 2023, SCC will review its equitable employer message to better reflect the language used by people with disabilities.
3) By the Spring of 2024, SCC will review its Accessibility, Accommodation and Disability Policy to identify improvements and reduce burden on employees with disabilities.
4) By the end of 2025, SCC will implement changes to our Accessibility, Accommodations and Disability policy based on the information learned in our review.
5) By the end of 2024, SCC will do a review of its job postings to make sure that job descriptions and required skills are true to the position. We will also make sure that there is nothing in the job postings that might discourage people with disabilities from applying.
2.4 Communication, other than ICT
Overview
SCC communicates in a variety of ways with organizations around the world. Our communications range from technical information for standards and accreditation professionals, to information the public needs to know about the work we are doing. We have news articles, monthly newsletters, bulletins, videos and other updates on our website. Internal communication among staff is done through meetings (virtual and in-person), emails, newsletters, videos and other platforms.
SCC knows the importance of providing information to people in a way that they will understand and in a format that is accessible to them. The following goals will help us communicate with everyone in way that meets their needs.
Accessibility Goals
1) By the end of 2023, SCC will make sure that our employees are informed on how to conduct accessible meetings as presenters and participants. Once our staff has been informed, SCC will commit to the following accessibility practices for internal (employee only) meetings:
- Automated captions or other accessibility features as they become available
- Meeting materials sent out ahead of time when possible
- Attendees turn their camera on when speaking
- Visual content described when screen-sharing
- Other accommodations will be available upon request.
2) Starting in March of 2023, all new videos created by SCC and posted on our website or social media channels will have captions and a transcript of the information found in the video.
3) By the end of 2024, SCC will add captions to all the videos found on its website and YouTube page.
4) By the end of 2025, SCC will have a transcript accompanying all videos found on its website and YouTube page.
5) By the end of 2023, SCC will create and implement a process for requesting and receiving documents and materials in alternate formats.
6) By the spring of 2024, all staff who create social media content will have received training on social media accessibility.
7) By the end of 2024, all posts will have the following accessibility features:
- Descriptive alt-text on all images
- Captions on all videos
- Posts will be written using plain language
8) By the end of 2023, all new pictures and images on SCC’s website will have alt-text description.
9) By the end of 2025, all pictures and images on SCC’s website will have text description.
10) By the end of 2024, all staff who write information meant for the public will receive training on how to write in plain language
11) By the end of 2024, SCC will add plain language guidelines to the Communications policy.
2.5 Information and Communications Technology
Overview
SCC uses a variety of technologies such as our public website and portals for employees. We are currently developing a new website which will be more accessible overall. We do not know the current state of accessibility of our internal technologies. The following goals will help us remediate the barriers we are aware of and identify other barriers that we can address in the future.
Accessibility Goals
1) By June of 2023 SCC will consult with a web accessibility expert in the development of its new website to make sure that the new website is as accessible as possible.
2) By the end of 2023, SCC will have replaced its website for a new one that is more accessible.
3) From January 2024 onwards, accessibility will be considered by SCC in all procurement of information technology products by including specific accessibility requirements in bid invitations.
2.6 The Procurement of Goods, Services and Facilities
Overview
SCC buys products and services that help us work. We have not always considered accessibility when making purchases. We will be changing the way we ask for goods and services to improve the accessibility of the products and services we use.
Accessibility Goals
4) By December 2024, SCC will make sure that accessibility considerations are added to procurement where most impactful by asking companies to outline how their practice or their product is accessible as a step in the bidding process.
2.7 The Design and Delivery of Programs and Services
Overview
SCC works with organizations to ensure that standards and accreditation are in place in the interest of the Canadian economy, the environment, and public safety. We work nationally and internationally to promote and improve standards and accreditation. A lot of our work has people coming together for meetings and conferences. Our goals reflect how we can make those meetings with stakeholders and conferences more accessible to people with disabilities.
Accessibility Goals
1) By March of 2024, SCC staff will receive information on creating accessible in-person and virtual meetings with stakeholders and conferences.
2) By the end of 2025, all virtual meetings with stakeholders and conferences hosted by SCC will have these accessibility measures in place:
- Live captioning or other accessibility features as they become available
- Materials sent out ahead of time and provided in the chat
- Making sure all slides and images are described when presenting
- A short guide to using the meeting platform including an overview of accessibility features
3) By March of 2025, all in-person SCC meetings with stakeholders and conferences will have these accessibility measures in place:
- Live captioning or other accessibility features as they become available
- Materials available provided ahead of time upon request
- Alternate formats available upon request
- A sound system to amplify speakers and that can connect to individual devices
2.8 Transportation
Overview
SCC does not provide transportation, so we have no goals related to this priority area.
3. Consultations
SCC is fully committed to listening to people with disabilities. To ensure that this commitment is upheld, SCC has consulted with people with disabilities in the development of this accessibility plan. We will continue to consult people with disabilities as we enter new projects. The following sections of this plan outline how people with disabilities were consulted in the preparation of this plan. For this plan, we consulted people disabilities in these ways:
- A survey for employees with disabilities
- A survey for contract assessors with disabilities
- A survey for stakeholders with disabilities
- A meeting with an accessibility focus group
SCC consulted our employees, contract assessors, and stakeholders with disabilities through three anonymous surveys. These surveys asked whether people with disabilities experienced any barriers while working at or interacting with SCC. We also asked people who answered the survey to give details about the barriers they encountered. Finally, we asked for suggestions for improving accessibility at SCC.
SCC doesn’t regularly interact with the public, so to get additional feedback from people with disabilities, we consulted with a group of people with disabilities to provide some feedback on our public facing activities. The group looked at our website, newsletters, standards library, and careers page. They also tried to communicate with SCC through email and looked at our social media sites. This group of people with disabilities then told us which barriers they experienced and how we could improve the accessibility of our website, videos, social media posts and careers page.
SCC recognizes that consultations need to be ongoing, and we are dedicated to building relationships of trust with people with disabilities to engage in effective consultations going forward.
4. Conclusion
SCC knows that to make real change for people with disabilities, we need to commit to becoming fully accessible. This plan is a step towards improving accessibility at SCC and tracking our progress in that mission. SCC will work towards achieving the goals outlined in this plan in consultation with people with disabilities. SCC is committed to continue improving accessibility in hopes of one day becoming fully accessible.