Accessible Customer Service Policy

Policy Statement

Tuft and Needle Canada(the "Company") will endeavour to provide its goods and services in a way that respects the independence and dignity of all persons and encourages integration and equality of opportunity. The Company is commited to preventing, identifying, and removing barriers that impede the ability of persons with disabilities to access our goods and services.

Background

The Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 (AODA) was created with the goal of developing and enforcing standards to improve accessibility for people with disabilities across Ontario. The Company's Accessible Customer Service Policy has been established in order to meet the requirements of the AODA and its regulation, the Accessibility Standards for Customer Service.

Definitions

Assistive Devices - Devices that include technical aids, communication devices, medical aids and other supports that are used by persons with disabilities to enable them to carry out the activities of daily living.

Barrier - Anything that prevents a person with a disability from fully participating in all aspects of society because of his or her disability, including a physical barrier, an architectural barrier, information or communications barriers, an attitudinal barrier, a technological barrier, a policy or practice.

Disability -As defined by the Ontario Human Rights Code, a disability is:

• Any degree of physical disability, infirmity, malformation or disfigurement that is caused by bodily injury, birth defect or illness and, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, includes diabetes mellitus, epilepsy, a brain injury, any degree of paralysis, amputation, lack of physical co-ordination, blindness or visual impediment, deafness or hearing impediment, muteness or speech impediment, or physical reliance on a guide dog or other animal or on a wheelchair or other remedial appliance or device,
• A condition of mental impairment or a developmental disability,
• A learning disability, or a dysfunction in one or more of the processes involved in understanding or using symbols or spoken language,
• A mental disorder, or
• An injury or disability for which benefits were claimed or received under the insurance plan established under the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, 1997.

Service Animal – An animal used by a person with a disability for reasons relating to his or her disability where it is readily apparent that the animal is used by the person for reasons relating to his or her disability; or where the person provides a letter from a physician or nurse confirming that he or she requires the animal for reasons relating to his or disability.

Support Person – A person who accompanies a person with a disability in order to help with communication, mobility, personal care or medical needs or with access to goods or services. A support person can be a paid professional, a volunteer, a friend or a family member.

Communication

The Company will communicate with persons with disabilities in ways that take into account their disability and respects their dignity.

Assistive Devices

The Company is committed to serving people with disabilities who use assistive devices to access our goods and services. Persons with disabilities may use their assistive devices as required in accessing goods and services provided by the Company. Exceptions may occur if the Company determines that the assistive device may pose a health and safety risk to the person with a disability or to others. In such cases, the Company will make every effort to ensure that other measures are made available to enable the person with a disability to access the Company's goods and services.

It is the responsibility of the person using the assistive device to ensure that the assistive device is operated in a safe and controlled manner at all times.

Support Persons

The Company is committed to serving people with disabilities who are accompanied by a support person in order to access our goods and services. Any person with a disability who is accompanied by a support person will be allowed to enter the Company's premises with their support person. At no time will a person with a disability who is accompanied by a support person be prevented from having access to his or her support person while on our premises.

The Company may require a person with a disability to be accompanied by a support person while on the Company's premise in situations where it is necessary to protect the health and safety of the person with a disability or the health and safety of others on the premises.

Service Animals

The Company is committed to welcoming persons with disabilities who are accompanied by a service animal when accessing our goods and services on the parts of our premises that are open to the public and other third parties. It is the responsibility of the person using the service animal to ensure that the service animal is kept in control at all times. If a service animal is excluded from our premises by law, the Company will make every effort to ensure that other measures are made available to enable the person with a disability to access the Company's goods and services.

Service Disruptions

Where there is a temporary disruption to services, the Company will take reasonable steps to notify persons with disabilities who might be affected by the disruption and issue a public notice where appropriate. In particular, the Company will identify the reason for the disruption, its anticipated length, and information about alternative services. Notice will be posted at the site and/or the visitor will be contacted directly by the Company representative with whom they are meeting.

Availability of Documents

All documents that detail the Company's accessibility policies and procedures will be made available upon request. The Company will make every effort to make the information available to persons with disabilities in a format that takes into account their disability.

Training For Staff

The Company will ensure that all employees who deal with the public or third parties on the Company's behalf and all those who are involved in the development and approvals of customer service policies, practices and procedures receive training. The training will include the following:

• An overview of the AODA and the requirements of the Accessibility Standards for Customer Service;
• How to interact and communicate with people with various types of disabilities;
• How to interact with people with disabilities who use an assistive device or require the assistance of a service animal or a support person;
• How to use the assistive devices available on the premises that may assist with the provision of goods or services to persons with disabilities;
• What to do if a person with a disability is having difficulty in accessing the Company's services; and
• The Company's policies, practices and procedures relating to the Accessibility Standards for Customer Service.
• Training will also take place on an ongoing basis when changes are made to the Company's policies, practices and procedures.

Feedback Process

The Company welcomes feedback on the ways in which it provides its customer service to persons with disabilities. Individuals are encouraged to provide their feedback directly to the Human Resources Department who will be responsible for investigating the matter and determining the actions to be taken. Feedback may be provided via email at [email protected] or by mail to: Human Resources Department, Tuft and Needle Canada, Unit #1, 2550 Meadowvale Blvd., Mississauga, Ontario, L5N 8C2

In all cases, every effort will be made to respond to the feedback in a timely and effective manner.

AODA Integrated Standard Policy

Commitment to Persons with Disabilities

Tuft and Needle Canada is committed to treating all people in a way that allows them to maintain their dignity and independence. We believe in integration and equal opportunity and 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 accessibility requirements under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (2005).

Tuft and Needle Canada has developed and made available upon request, this policy and a multi-year accessibility plan which outlines the actions we will put in place to improve opportunities for people with disabilities.

Please refer to the multi-year plan for details about how Tuft and Needle Canada will address the following

• Accessible Emergency Information
• Feedback from Customers and Employees
• Accessible Formats and Communication Supports
• Emergency Procedures/Plan or Public Safety Information
• Accessible Websites & Web Content
• Employment Standard
• Recruitment, assessment and selection
• Accessible formats and communication supports for employees
• Workplace emergency response information
• Documented Individual accommodation plans
• Performance Management
• Career Development and Advancement
• Redeployment

Training

Tuft and Needle Canada will provide training to employees and volunteers 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 of the employees, volunteers and others who represent the organization. Training will include but is not limited to, the Integrated Standard and the Ontario Human Rights Code as it pertains to persons with disabilities.

Tuft and Needle Canada will take the following steps to ensure employees and volunteers are provided with the training needed to meet Ontario's accessibility laws. Tuft and Needle Canada will utilize the video program created and hosted by the Ontario Human Rights Commission, Working Together: The Code and the AODA. The program includes sections on:

• the Code
• understanding the duty to accommodate
• applying human rights principles
• compliance and enforcement

In addition, Tuft and Needle Canada's policy and multi-year plan will be reviewed during the training session.

Training records will be kept as a record of who has been trained and when they were trained.

For more information on this policy or the multi-year accessibility plan, please contact Human Resources via email [email protected], or by mail to: Human Resources Department, Tuft and Needle Canada, Unit #1, 2550 Meadowvale Blvd., Mississauga, Ontario, L5N 8C2

Accessible forms of this document and the accessibility plan are available upon request.