Loblaw’s multi-year accessibility plan

Introduction

Loblaw Companies Limited (“Loblaw” or the “Company”) is committed to providing goods, services and employment in an integrated and accessible manner that respects the dignity and independence of persons with disabilities. This Multi-Year Accessibility Plan is an Appendix to our national Accessibility Policy. It outlines Loblaw’s strategy to prevent and remove barriers to accessibility and describes the Company’s progressive approach to meeting or exceeding applicable legal and regulatory requirements, including those set out in human rights and accessibility-related legislation.

Loblaw’s national Accessibility Policy was implemented January 1, 2014. The Policy affirms Loblaw’s commitment to meeting the accessibility needs of persons with disabilities in a timely manner and governs the way that Loblaw will achieve accessibility.

Loblaw created this Multi-Year Accessibility Plan outlining the Company’s continued strategy for identifying, removing and preventing barriers to accessibility. The Plan will be reviewed and updated at least once every five years.

Feedback And Alternative Formats

Loblaw welcomes questions and feedback in relation to this Plan or about how we provide goods and services to all of our customers.

Members of the public may ask questions or provide feedback in the manner most convenient to them, including in-person, by telephone (1-800-296-2332), in writing, or online through our banner websites. Please direct written questions and feedback to Loblaw Companies Limited, c/o Customer Service,1 President’s Choice Circle, Brampton, Ontario L6Y 5S5.
Loblaw’s processes for receiving and responding to feedback are accessible, by providing or arranging for the provision of accessible formats and communication supports, upon request.
Upon request Loblaw provides or arranges for the provision of accessible formats and communication supports for persons with disabilities, in a timely manner and at no extra cost.
Requesting persons will be consulted as to the suitability of an accessible format or communication support.
Our Accessibility policies, Multi-Year Accessibility Plan, feedback and alternative format request procedure are available under the Accessibility link on our corporate website at www.loblaw.ca.

Definitions

In accordance with the Accessible Canada Act (ACA), the following definitions are used in this plan:

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.
Barrier: Anything that might prevent people with disabilities from achieving full and equal participation. Barriers can include features of the built environment, technology, attitudes, and information communication. Policy and procedures that are inaccessible can also create barriers.
Disability: Any impairment, or difference in physical, mental, intellectual, cognitive, learning, or communication ability. Disabilities can be permanent, temporary, or can change over time.
Service Animals: An animal is considered a service animal if it can be “readily identified” as assisting a person with a physical or mental disability. The animal has received specific training.

Customer service accessibility

Achievements:

Loblaw ensures training is provided to every person who interacts with the public on the Company’s behalf, as well as to all those who are involved in the development of Loblaw’s policies, procedures and practices governing the provision of goods or services to the public. This training includes the purpose of standards regarding accessibility set by provincial legislation and related requirements, as well has how to communicate, interact and support persons with disabilities in ways that take the person’s disability into account. The training is delivered as soon as practicable after hire and on an ongoing basis in connection with changes to Loblaw’s policies or procedures governing the provision of goods or services to persons with disabilities.
Customers with disabilities are permitted to use their own assistive devices to obtain, use or benefit from Loblaw’s goods and/or services (Note: It is the responsibility of the person to ensure that their assistive device is operated in a safe and controlled manner at all times).
Customers with disabilities accompanied by a service animal will have access to Loblaw premises with the animal and will be able to keep the animal with them, except in those areas in which the animal is excluded by law. When an animal is excluded from an area by law, other reasonable arrangements will be explored with the customer with the disability to allow the person to access the goods or services in that area.
Where a customer with a disability is accompanied by a support person, both the person with the disability and the support person are provided equal access to our goods and services.
Notice is provided to the public of any temporary or other disruptions to facilities or services usually used by customers with disabilities, including information about the reason for and expected length of the disruption and a description of any alternative facilities and/or services that are available.

Planned actions:

We will continue to train and educate colleagues on supporting customers with service animals.

Information and communication

Achievements:

From January 1, 2014, Loblaw’s new or substantially refreshed websites and web content conformed to Level A of the Worldwide Web Consortium’s Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG 2.0). Loblaw’s has implemented a plan to ensure that all of its websites comply with WCAG 2.0 Level AA by 2021. Compliance is incorporated into website project management.
Emergency procedures and public emergency safety information that is prepared by Loblaw and made available to the public is made available in an accessible format or with appropriate communication supports, as soon as practicable, upon request.
Alternative emergency preparedness plans are created and updated, as required and as soon as practicable, for colleagues who Loblaw is aware are unable to follow the standard emergency plan in their Company work location, as a result of a permanent or temporary disability. The colleague and, if the colleague consents, any designated assistant(s) are provided with the alternative emergency preparedness plan.
Alternative emergency preparedness plans are stored with the standard Emergency Plan(s) in the colleague’s location.

Planned actions:

Where appropriate, continue to review and update our WCAG Compliance levels on our websites.
We will continue to explore opportunities to raise awareness for our colleagues on inclusive technology and capabilities for colleagues.
We will continue to ensure that closed captioning is available for organization-wide Town Halls, e-Learnings, and enterprise-created media.

Employment

Achievements:

Notifies all job applicants and the public that accommodation is available during the recruitment process on request, by specifying the same in job postings and on the careers section of the corporate website.
Specifies that accommodation is available for applicants with disabilities in recruitment related materials and during scheduling of interviews and assessments.
If an applicant requests accommodation, consult with the applicant and arrange for the provision of suitable accommodation that takes into account the applicant’s needs due to disability.
When making offers of employment, notify the successful applicant of Loblaw’s policies for accommodating colleagues with disabilities.
Provides appropriate training to colleagues responsible for recruitment, assessment, selection and onboarding to ensure these planned actions are delivered, and accommodation requests are fulfilled in an effective and timely manner.
Offers system process for candidates to identify the accommodation required, notifying hiring managers and central team for next steps.
Review and, as necessary, modify existing orientation and onboarding processes to ensure new colleagues are provided information about Loblaw’s accessibility policies as soon as practicable after employment commences, including a description of same in new hire kits and on Loblaw’s intranet.
Develop a procedure, which may include Huddle Tips and a posting on Loblaw’s intranet, to advise colleagues whenever there is a change to existing policies on the provision of workplace accommodation.
Develop and integrate procedures for documenting and updating, as required, documented individual accommodation plans, which will provide for the method(s) by which requesting colleagues will be assessed and represented, how they can participate in the plan’s development, and the method by which a copy of the plan will be provided to the colleague in a format that takes their accessibility needs into account.
Develop and provide appropriate training to managers and colleagues responsible for supporting the individualized accommodation plan process, and a training schedule that will ensure the efficacy of the process on a continuing basis.
Conduct targeted campaigns for colleague self-identification, Count Me In, to inform strategy through data-informed decision making.
Review and, as necessary, modify and documents existing return to work processes for colleagues who have been absent from work due to a disability and require accommodation in order to return to work.
Ensures documented individual accommodation plans comprise part of the return-to-work process.
Develops and provides appropriate training to managers and other colleagues responsible for supporting the return-to-work process for colleagues who require accommodation in order to return to work, and a training schedule for same that will ensure effective execution of the return-to-work process on a continuous basis.
Reviews and, as necessary, modifies existing performance management, career development and redeployment processes to ensure that the accessibility needs, and individual accommodation plans of colleagues with disabilities are taken into account.
Develops and provides appropriate training to managers and other colleagues responsible for supporting or impacting performance management, career development and advancement, and redeployment processes, and a training schedule for same that will ensure compliance with the processes on a continuous basis.

Planned actions:

We will continue to Partner with organizations and agencies that support the employment of people with disabilities.
We will continue to explore how to make our online candidate self-assessment tool more accessible.
We will improve training for all hiring managers and Talent Acquisition team members responsible for recruitment activities.
We will amplify and continue to educate leaders and colleagues on the accommodation process in the workplace and continue to measure through our colleague engagement survey.

Integrated accessibility standards training

Achievements:

Effective January 1, 2015, in Ontario, all colleagues were trained on the Integrated Accessibility standards set by provincial legislation regarding accessibility as well as aspects of local human rights legislation relating to persons with disabilities. Effective October 2019, training was extended to all colleagues across Canada and is delivered through e-learning.
Training is completed as soon as practicable after hire and on an ongoing basis in connection with changes to Loblaw’s policies or procedures governing the provision of goods or services to persons with disabilities.

Planned actions:

We will continue to provide mandatory training to people leaders, educating on accessibility and disability.

Loblaw Premises and Design of Public Spaces

Accessibility is integrated into all new or redeveloped Loblaw public spaces in accordance with the criteria established by Ontario’s Integrated Accessibility Standards, including but not limited to the following:

Achievements:

In 2013, existing procurement practices and procedures were updated to ensure that Loblaw has regard to accessibility criteria and features when assessing, procuring, or acquiring self-service kiosks.
In outdoor public use eating areas, at least 20% of the tables (minimum one table) will have knee and toe clearance, have clear ground space around them, and be approachable by a surface that is level, firm and stable.
Outdoor sidewalks and walkways, including associated ramps, will have a surface that is firm and stable.
Off-street parking will include signed parking spaces and access aisles for persons with disabilities, including van accessible spaces.
At least one service counter in each store will accommodate mobility aids in respect of countertop height, knee clearance and clear floor space. All such service counters will be clearly identified with signage.
Fixed queuing guides will provide sufficient width to allow for the passage of mobility aids and mobility assistive devices, will have sufficiently clear floor area to permit mobility aids to turn where queues change direction, and be cane detectable.
Waiting areas with fixed seating will include at least one seating space in which a person using a mobility aid can wait.
Procedures on how to deal with temporary disruptions when accessible elements are not in working order.
At select offices, built quiet rooms to provide distraction-free environment for colleagues to focus and accommodate diverse work styles.
At all corporately run offices, built single stall, universal washrooms with automatic door openers, 50% of our kitchenettes have accessible counter and sink access, all meeting rooms have dimmable lights for individual control, various furniture options are available for colleagues to choose from in meeting rooms, desk seating, and accessible outdoor areas.

Planned actions:

At select stores, Caroline’s Carts to be available ensuring inclusive shopping for persons with disabilities, seniors, and people with limited mobility.
At select store and office service counters, continue to equip with hearing loop technology providing accessible communications technology to people with hearing loss.
Loblaw will continue to review current physical accessibility of Loblaw premises based on colleague and customer feedback to determine options for enhancements, including washrooms, sensory-friendly environments, meeting rooms, workstations, and more.

Accessible culture

Loblaw has an active ABLE at Loblaw resource group focused on eliminating barriers for people with disabilities. Through ongoing education, resource development and tools, Loblaw continues to highlight how to create an inclusive and accessible culture. Loblaw funding, in the form of Community Investment Grants, supports organizations and programs for persons with disabilities. The legislation requirements have been implemented across Canada and Loblaw continues to evaluate its procedures and implement new technologies to build a workforce that is reflective of the Canadian population at all levels of the organization.

Have general questions?

1-800-296-2332