Accessibility Standards Canada selected as a National Capital Region's Top Employer for 2024

GATINEAU, QC, Feb. 6, 2024 /CNW/ - Accessibility Standards Canada is proud to announce that the organization has been named, for the first time, one of the National Capital Region's Top Employers. This recognition is a testament to its commitment to continuously improving as an employer and creating the conditions to offer employees one of the most exceptional and accessible places to work.

Accessibility Standards Canada is a one-of-a-kind organization. It is the first federal organization led by a Board of Directors comprised of a majority of people with disabilities. Since its creation by the Accessible Canada Act (the Act) in 2019, it has prioritized providing a healthy and barrier-free environment for all employees.

In all aspects of its work, the organization strives to fully embody its core values of accessibility, equity, inclusion, and diversity; from its policies, processes, and tools to a workplace that applies universal design principles.

This inclusive approach means that, as an employer, Accessibility Standards Canada puts emphasis on:

• Providing support and encouraging employees to reach their full potential by getting the skills and knowledge they need through personal and professional development opportunities.
• Fostering a rich and inclusive organizational culture by ensuring employees receive training on various topics such as accessibility, biases, inclusion and diversity, workplace mental health, and Indigenous learning.
• Considering and addressing employees' requests for accommodation on an individual basis and working with them to identify and meet their needs.
• Encouraging work-life balance through a workplace culture that provides flexibility in work options, offers family-friendly policies, and appreciates and supports accomplishments outside the office.
• Embedding accessibility into its work tools, hiring processes, and procurement philosophy.

Accessibility Standards Canada's work environment also exemplifies the importance for the organization to lead by example. Its permanent office space in Gatineau is custom-built. It applies the principle of "accessibility by design" to enable and support the full, active, and equal participation and contribution of all employees, regardless of their disabilities. Its workplace is the leading model of an accessible workplace in the Government of Canada.

"We strive to build a strong, diverse, and talented workforce. We embed accessibility, diversity, equity, and inclusion into everything that we do. As an employer, this is our commitment and greatest pride. Becoming more equitable and diverse as an organization opens you up to new ways of thinking and resolving challenges. It undeniably improves the performance of the organization as well as its culture. We are not just following the letter of our mandate ? which is to help build a Canada without barriers by 2040 ? but also its spirit. We are glad to see the positive impact it has had on our employees and our organization."
? Philip Rizcallah, Chief Executive Officer, Accessibility Standards Canada

• Accessibility Standards Canada is an accredited standards development organization. Its mandate is to help achieve a barrier-free Canada by 2040 by developing accessibility standards for organizations under federal rule, supporting accessibility research, and sharing information related to accessibility.
• The organization develops equity-based standards with an intersectional lens by engaging the best people with expertise in each of the 7 priority areas defined by the Accessible Canada Act. This includes people with lived experience who know best the needs of the groups they represent, as well as industry experts. Every step of the process is designed to be accessible and engage persons with disabilities.
• Once ready, standards are published and recognized as national standards of Canada. They are made available for use free of charge.
• Accessibility Standards Canada has a workforce of approximately 65 employees. People with disabilities lead the work of organization at all levels:
  • the Board of Directors is comprised of a majority of people with disabilities;
  • people with disabilities make up over 35% of employees;
  • 58% of the members of its standards development technical committees are people with disabilities.
• Accessibility Standards Canada aims to deliver world-class accessibility standards by ensuring it provides its employees with an open, inclusive, and accessible work environment, setting the bar high and applying best practices.

• About us - Accessibility Standards Canada
• National Capital Region's Top Employers (2024)

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SOURCE Accessibility Standards Canada