Statement of commitment

Sandvine Corporation understands its obligations under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 (AODA). We will ensure we offer a safe and welcoming environment that is respectful of each person’s abilities.

The AODA’S key principles of integration, equality, dignity, and independence will be applied regardless of whether an individual is:

  • Working within or visiting our office as a customer, employee or external contractor
  • Accessing our Information online
  • Obtaining our services and support online, over the phone or in office

Sandvine Corporation believes in the dignity and worth of all individuals. Our goal is to continually strive to uphold the requirements of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA), 2005 in all of our business activity. We’re committed to providing a barrier-free environment for all our customers, employees, visitors, job applicants and other stakeholders that who may enter our premises, access our information, or use our services.

Sandvine Corporation is proud to provide employment accommodation during the recruitment process. If you require accommodation, please indicate this on your application and we will work with you to meet your accessibility needs. If you have any questions or require recruitment documents in a different format, please contact the Human Resources department at (519-880-2600) or via email at GTATeam@sandvine.com.

Customer Service Statement – AODA

Providing Goods and Services to People with Disabilities – AODA (Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act)

 

Our Commitment

Sandvine Corporation is committed to excellence in serving all customers including persons with disabilities. We strive at all time to provide our goods and services in a way that respects the dignity and independence of people with disabilities. We are committed to giving people with disabilities the same opportunity to access our services and allowing them to benefit from the same services, in the same place and in a similar way as other customers.

 

Providing Goods and Services

Assistive Devices

Assistive technology is a term used to describe the various forms of devices such as assistive, adaptive, and rehabilitative devices used to assist persons with disabilities. These devices are used to support the needs of the individual person and specific disability by enabling them to perform tasks that they may not have been able to accomplish formerly.

 

Examples of assistive devices include hearing aids, speech amplification devices, white canes, wheelchairs, screen readers, etc. Ontario Employers are not responsible for providing any assistive devices under the Customer Service Standard, but rather, are responsible for ensuring all associates are properly trained.

 

Sandvine Corporation will ensure that our staff is trained and familiar with various assistive devices that may be used by customers with disabilities while accessing our good and services.

 

Communication

Accessible customer service requires associates to overcome and find ways around different barriers that customers may have. Employers need to ensure that their associates are trained on how to successfully communicate with customers with disabilities to ensure accessible goods and services.

 

Sandvine Corporation associates will communicate with people with disabilities in ways that take into account their disabilities.

 

Service Animals

With certain types of disabilities, an animal may be more of an assistive form of aid rather than a device. These services animals are trained to carry out certain tasks that help people with disabilities. There are three types of assistive animals that have been categorized by the international assistance animal community:

  1. Guide Animals: Used to guide the blind

  2. Hearing Animals: Used to help signal the hearing impaired

  3. Service Animals: Used to do work for persons with disabilities other than blindness or deafness

 

Under the Customer Service Standard, service animals must be allowed on parts of the workplace premises (excluding certain areas such as a kitchen). Fines for denying a service animal access in areas for the general public can be up to $3000 in Ontario.

 

Sandvine Corporation will welcome people with disabilities and their service animals into our workplace when it is readily apparent that the animal is used by the person for reasons relating to his or her disability or, if the person provides a letter from a regulated health care professional, confirming the need for a service animal for reasons relating to a disability.

 

Support Persons

Support persons are those that help persons with disabilities perform day to day tasks. Without support, the person may not be able to access your organization. All support persons should be welcomed into the workplace.

 

A person with a disability who is accompanied by a support person will be allowed to have that person accompany them on our premises.

 

Sandvine Corporation may require a person with a disability to be accompanied by a support person when on premises, but only if a support person is necessary to protect the health or safety of the person with a disability or the health or safety of others on the premises. We will consult with the person with a disability to understand their needs.

 

 

Notice of Temporary Disruption

In the event of a planned or unexpected disruption to services or facilities for customers with disabilities at Sandvine Corporation will notify customers promptly. A clearly posted notice will include information about the reasons for the disruption, its anticipated length of time and a description of alternative facilities or services, if available. The notice will be posted at the point of service or facility disruption.

 

Training

Under the Customer Service Standard all associates must be trained Sandvine Corporation will provide training to all associates, volunteers and others who deal with the public or other third parties on our behalf.

 

Our training will include:

  • An overview of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005

  • The requirements for the Customer Service Standard

  • How to interact with people with various types of disabilities

  • How to interact with people with disabilities who use an assistive device

  • How to interact with people who use the assistance of a service animal

  • How to interact with people who use a support person

  • How to use any equipment or devices available at your workplace to assist with providing goods or services to persons with disabilities

  • What to do if a person with a disability is having difficulty accessing our organization’s goods or services

 

New associates will be trained after being hired, within two (2) weeks, and retrained in the event that changes are made to the policy.

 

Integrated Accessibility Standards (IAS)

The following standards were developed by Sandvine Corporation to break down barriers and increase accessibility for persons with disabilities in the areas of information, communications and employment.

 

Our multi-year accessibility plan is a tool for Sandvine Corporation to communicate its accessibility initiatives internally and to the public. Upon request, Sandvine Corporation will provide a copy of this plan in an accessible format.

 

Feedback Process

A process must be established for receiving feedback on how companies will provide service to customers with disabilities, and how companies will respond back and take action on any complaints.

Sandvine Corporation customers who wish to provide feedback on the way we provide goods, services or facilities to people with disabilities can provide feedback via phone to (519) 880-2600, through this form, or in writing to Sandvine at 410 Albert St., Waterloo, ON N2L 3V3.

All feedback, including complaints, will be handled by Human Resources and you can expect to hear back within ten (10) business days in the manner within which the feedback was originally communicated.