This multi-year accessibility plan (“Accessibility Plan”) outlines the policies and actions that GroupM Canada
Inc. (referred to as “Company”) has put in place and will maintain to prevent and remove barriers for people
with disabilities, in compliance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (“AODA”). The
Accessibility Plan will be reviewed and updated at least once every 5 years.
STATEMENT OF COMMITMENT
The Company is committed to the objectives of the AODA and the Ontario Human Rights Code. The Company
will continue to provide its goods and services to persons with disabilities consistent with the core principles of
independence, dignity, integration and equality of opportunity.
For more detailed information on our accessibility policies, plans, and training programs, please contact the
People and Culture department.
CUSTOMER SERVICE
The Company strives at all times to provide goods and services in a way that respects the dignity and
independence of persons with disabilities. The Company is also committed to giving people with disabilities
the same opportunity to access our goods and services and allowing them to benefit from the same services,
in the same place and in a similar way as other customers.
The Company will continue to take the following steps to ensure it continues to meet AODA requirements:
• Provide training on accessible customer service to all new employees, volunteers, and all persons who
participate in developing the Company’s policies and others who provide good, services or facilities on
behalf of the Company.
• Review and update policies and standards regularly to ensure high quality, accessible customer service.
• Review all customer feedback and take appropriate action.
• Continue to implement service disruption protocol by posting signs to advise the public where alternate
service may be obtained, while repairs to existing services are completed.
Please refer to our Customer Service Policy for more details on the above.
TRAINING
The Company will continue to provide training to all employees, volunteers, and other staff members and
required individuals on the requirements of the accessibility standards under the AODA and on the Human
Rights Code of Ontario as it relates to people with disabilities. Training will be provided in a way that best suits
the duties of employees, volunteers and other staff members.
The Company will continue to take the following steps to ensure all required persons are provided with the
training needed to continue to meet AODA requirements:
• Provide ongoing training to all employees, volunteers, and other staff members and required
individuals by means of online, in-person, and self-directed materials.
• Record all training to ensure that all employees, volunteers, other staff and required individuals have
received training.
• Continue to ensure our policies and training materials are made part of our orientation / on-boarding
package.
ACCESSIBLE EMERGENCY INFORMATION
The Company is committed to providing our customers and clients with publicly available emergency
information in an accessible way, upon request.
The Company will continue to take the following steps to ensure its customers, clients and employees are
provided with accessible emergency information as per the AODA requirements:
• Provide publicly available emergency procedures/plan or public safety information in an accessible
format. i.e.: evacuation procedures, floor plans, health and safety information.
• Provide individualized emergency response information to employees with disabilities when
necessary.
• Prepare for the specific needs employees with disabilities may have in emergency situations.
KIOSK
Where applicable, the Company shall strive to include accessibility features where it can, in the self-service
kiosks available on its premises. It will continue to include in the self-service kiosks technical features (such as
colour contrast on the display screen, extra time for people to complete tasks, audio instructions, voice-
activated equipment) as well as structural features (such as height and stability of the kiosk, headset jacks with
volume control, specialized keypads or keyboards (e.g. tactile keyboard)) to ensure compliance with the AODA
requirements, where applicable.
INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS
The Company is committed to meeting the communication needs of people with disabilities. We will consult
with people with disabilities to determine their information and communication needs.
WEBSITES AND WEB CONTENT
The Company will maintain its website in compliance with the World Wide Web Consortium Web Content
Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0, Level AA. We will work with our web development group as well as
utilizing online accessibility validator tools to identify and address any accessibility problems.
The Company will continue to take the following steps to ensure it continues to meet AODA requirements:
• Work with our web development group to ensure WCAG 2.0 Level AA is met as required.
• Conduct an assessment of the Company’s website and conduct testing for accessibility.
FEEDBACK
The Company will take the following steps to ensure any feedback processes are accessible to people with
disabilities:
• Encourage feedback about our accessibility, including customer service, website, and employment
practices.
• Feedback can be submitted by any of the channels provided under “For More Information”.
• The Company will ensure all publicly available information is made accessible upon request.
• Post on our website that we can provide accessible information upon request.
• If a person with a disability asks for it, we will work with them to figure out how to meet their needs
within a reasonable timeframe.
ACCESSIBLE FORMATS AND COMMUNICATION SUPPORTS
The Company will continue to take the following steps to ensure its policies and information are accessible to
people with disabilities upon request:
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• Upon request, provide or arrange for information in accessible formats and/or provide communication
supports for people with disabilities.
• Ensure that the information is provided in a timely manner, at no extra cost, and that the person making
the request is consulted in order to determine the most appropriate format or support.
• Train all staff in the availability of communications in accessible formats and to whom requests should
be forwarded.
• Ensure that specific people (Human Resources, Marketing, Information Technology are aware of the
importance of responding to information requests).
EMPLOYMENT
The Company is committed to fair and accessible employment practices that attract and retain talented
employees with disabilities.
RECRUITMENT
The Company will continue to take the following steps to ensure it continues to meet the employment standards
and in accordance with its policies:
• Notify employees and public about availability of accommodation(s) for applicants in the recruitment
process.
• Notify applicants who have been invited to participate in a recruitment, assessment or selection
process that accommodation(s) are available.
• Notify successful applicants of policies for accommodating employees with disabilities.
• Inform all employees of all polices used to support employees with disabilities (existing employees,
new hires and when there is a change to the policy).
• Provide, in an accessible format, information needed to perform the job and information which is
generally available to employees in the workplace.
• Train hiring managers and monitor their success in telling prospective employees that
accommodations are available throughout the interview process.
WORKPLACE EMERGENCY RESPONSE INFORMATION
The Company will provide individualized workplace emergency response information to employees with
disabilities where the disability is such that individualized information is necessary and the Company is aware
of the need for accommodation.
Where an employee who receives individualized workplace emergency response information requires
assistance, the Company will designate a person to provide assistance and, with the employee’s consent, the
Company will provide the workplace emergency response information to such person.
The Company will review an employee’s individualized workplace emergency response information, at
minimum, whenever:
• The employee moves to a different location within the company;
• The employee’s overall accommodation needs or plans are reviewed; or
• The Company reviews its general emergency response policies.
INDIVIDUAL ACCOMMODATION PLANS AND RETURN-TO-WORK
The Company will maintain the processes for developing individual accommodation plans and return-to-work
policies for employees that have been absent due to a disability. In this regard, the Company will continue to:
• Work to identify those employees that require an individual accommodation plan and involve them in
the development of said plan which outlines the accommodations we will provide.
• Provide plans in accessible formats or using communication supports, as required.
• Keep all individualized accommodation plan information private.Work in consultation with the employee with disability to ensure that the appropriate communication supports
and accessible formats are utilized.
The accommodation and return to work policy will document the steps the employer will take to facilitate the
return to work of employees who are away from work due to disability.
PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT, CAREER DEVELOPMENT AND RE-DEPLOYMENT
We will continue to ensure the accessibility needs of employees with disabilities as well as individual
accommodation plans are taken into account if the Company is using performance management, career
development, and redeployment processes:
• Performance plans can be provided in large print or can be read aloud to an employee with low vision.
• Review an employee’s individualized accommodation plan to understand their needs and determine
whether the plan needs to be adjusted to improve his or her performance on the job.
• Adjust the accommodation plan, with the employee’s participation, to meet any new role or
responsibilities in the event of a promotion or re-deployment.
DESIGN OF PUBLIC SPACES
The Company will meet the Accessibility Standards for the Design of Public Spaces when building or making
major modifications to public spaces, as applicable (including exterior paths of travel, parking, and service-
related elements such as service counters and waiting areas). To remove barriers to persons with
disabilities, the Company will continue to:
• Maintain a robust preventive and emergency maintenance procedure for all accessible elements in
public spaces that it controls.
• If there is a disruption, the Company will affix signage regarding the disruption and offer alternatives
to the recipient.
ACCESSIBILITY REPORT
The Company will file the next accessibility report as per the stipulated timeline.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
In person or by mail: People and Culture at 155, Queens Quay East, Toronto M5A1B6
By email: [email protected]
Accessible formats of this document are available free upon request from the above contacts.
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