BenchSci’s Commitment to Accessibility

BenchSci is committed to treating all people in a way that allows them to maintain their dignity and independence. We are committed to meeting the needs of people with disabilities in a timely manner. We will do so by preventing and removing barriers to accessibility, and meeting the accessibility needs of our employees and customers.

BenchSci’s Accessibility Policy

Organizational commitment to accessibility

BenchSci is committed to:
ensuring that our platform is accessible to all our customers,
ensuring our customer service policies and processes respect and promote the dignity and independence of all customers, and
promoting the values of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusiveness among our employees and supporting a work environment where all individuals, including those with varying abilities, are treated with dignity and respect, and
meeting the accessibility needs of persons with disabilities in a timely manner.

Legal obligations and standards
BenchSci also has legal obligations to address accessibility issues the sources of which include:
the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (“AODA”) and other applicable accessibility legislation in Canada;
web-related standards, including the Government of Canada’s standards on Web Accessibility and Web Usability, and the World Wide Web Consortium’s WCAG 2.0, level AA standard; and
human rights legislation.

Feedback
BenchSci welcomes feedback regarding the methods we use to provide services to persons with disabilities. Individuals may provide their feedback in the following ways, and accessible formats are available upon request:
Email: DEI@BenchSci.com
Phone: 1-437-370-8077
Mail: Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, 25 York St., 11th Floor, Toronto, ON M5J 2V5

The Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Team will review and assess all feedback received with respect to BenchSci’s accessibility practices and policies. If the feedback is in the nature of a complaint, the comment(s) or allegation(s) will be investigated, unless they are made in bad faith, or are frivolous or vexatious. When investigating complaints, those staff who directly interacted with the complainant or those who would typically interact with the complainant, if any, will be asked to comment on the allegation(s) made in the complaint. After reviewing and investigating a complaint, the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Team will provide a written response to the individual who provided the feedback. Responses shall be provided within a reasonable amount of time and will depend on the complexity of the issues raised.

Modifications
Modifications to this or other policies will not be made unless the impact of the changes on persons with disabilities has been considered. Any BenchSci policy that does not respect and promote the dignity and independence of persons with disabilities will be modified or removed.

Questions
If there are questions about this policy, or if its purpose is not understood, please contact the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Team. BenchSci encourages suggestions from the team for improving this policy and the manner in which we provide services to persons with disabilities.
Requests for AODA compliance documents
Upon request, BenchSci shall provide a copy of this documentation or other information in a format that takes into account the requestor’s disabilities in a timely manner.

Multi-Year Accessibility Plan

BenchSci’s Accessibility Strategy and Multi-Year Accessibility Plan

BenchSci has developed a Multi-Year Accessibility Plan to identify the steps that BenchSci has taken to date and a road map for future actions to prevent and remove accessibility barriers. This Multi-Year Accessibility Plan will be reviewed regularly and at a minimum on an annual basis.
BenchSci will put into place appropriate strategies to meet the needs of people with all levels of ability. These strategies include:
communicating with customers with varying abilities in ways that best meet their needs;
enabling persons with disabilities who use assistive devices or who are accompanied by a service animal or support person to obtain, use or benefit from BenchSci’ services;
incorporating accessibility criteria and features when procuring goods, services, or facilities;
providing accessible websites and web content;
providing an inclusive and accessible workplace;
providing accessibility training to its employees; and,
meeting these commitments in a timely manner.

Accessible Emergency Information
BenchSci is committed to providing 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
BenchSci will provide training to team members 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 and responsibilities of team members.
BenchSci has taken the following steps to make sure employees are provided with the necessary training:
Posted our Accessibility Policy and summary of training materials on our internal knowledge management system (Guru)
BenchSci will take the following steps to ensure employees are provided with the necessary training by January 1, 2022:
Ensure all current employees and new employees have received the Accessibility Policy and completed AODA pieces of training relevant to their role
Ensure all managers complete our Mental Health and Wellness training by January 1, 2022
Information and communications
BenchSci 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.
BenchSci will continue to take the following steps to ensure all new websites and content on our websites conforms with WCAG 2.0, Level A:
Review new content and ensure it is up to date with WCAG 2.0., Level A
Make any amendments as necessary
BenchSci has taken the following steps to make sure existing feedback processes are accessible to people with disabilities upon request:
Identified feedback process in Accessibility Policy
Encourage those with feedback to contact the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Team at DEI@benchsci.com or 1-437-370-8077.
Upon request, provide publicly available information in different ways (ex: Large print, read aloud etc.)
BenchSci will take the following steps to ensure all websites and content conform with WCAG 2.0, Level AA by January 1, 2022:
Review new website content and ensure it is up to date with WCAG 2.0., Level AA
Make any amendments as necessary
Employment
BenchSci is committed to fair and accessible employment practices. We will take the following steps to notify the public and our team members that, when requested, BenchSci will accommodate people with disabilities during the recruitment and assessment processes and when people are hired:
Update the online careers page with BenchSci’s commitment to accessibility
Highlight accessibility accommodations on each job posting
Install appropriate hardware in all meetings & gathering rooms so that remote workers can attend
BenchSci develops and puts in place individual accommodation plans and return-to-work plans for employees that have been absent due to a disability. BenchSci will take the following step to prevent and remove other accessibility barriers identified:
Identify clear accommodation policy
Provide an open forum for reporting any accessibility barriers and needed accommodation.

For more information on this accessibility plan, please contact the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Team at:

Phone: 1-437-370-8077
Email: DEI@BenchSci.com

Accessible formats of this document are available free of charge upon request.