Accessibility

Multi-Year Accessibility Plan

Riverside Natural Foods Ltd. strives to meet the needs of its employees and customers with disabilities and is working hard to remove and prevent barriers to accessibility. 

Our company is committed to meeting the requirements outlined by the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act. Our multi-year plan will outline the steps Riverside Natural Foods Ltd. will take to remove those barriers and increase the awareness to promote accessibility and inclusion.

Customer Service

Riverside Natural Foods Ltd. is committed to ensuring we meet the needs of all customers. We will take all actions to provide an inclusive environment to our employees, customers, volunteers, and our contractors. 

Riverside has taken the following actions to ensure that measures are met: 

• Reviews policies and procedures yearly to ensure that we meet the requirements by AODA and the ESA. 
• Provide AODA training for all employees to understand the purpose of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities act, 2005. 
• Allow those persons with disabilities to provide feedback by telephone, in writing and by email. We will train all those employees who will be in contact with those persons to ensure clear communication to a variety of different disabilities. 
• Support persons and Support animals are welcomed into the facility to those areas outlined in the policy.

Completion Status:	Complete
Update:	➢ AODA Policy for 2020 in final draft

 

Information and Communications

Riverside Natural Foods Ltd. that those persons with a disability are communicated fairly and is committed to providing information in accessible formats for all persons. 

Riverside has taken the following steps to ensure that the following measures are met: 

Website and Feedback 

• Complied with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0 Level A and will be included in all Riverside’s brands web pages. 
• Accessible formats will be provided, if asked, and will be provided by Riverside in a timely manner at no additional cost to the individual. 

Emergency Public Safety Information 

• Emergency procedures, plans, or public safety information is available to the public in accessible formats when requested. Riverside has provided additional support to persons who identify with a disability to ensure they have access to this information in emergency situations. 
• Riverside’s fire wardens have been trained how to assist persons with disabilities. Detailed information about emergency plans can be found in our Employee Handbook.

Completion Status:	Complete
Update:	➢ Update to the Emergency Procedure and Plan in May 2020  ➢ Start implementing the WCAG 2.0, Level AA prior to January 2021

 

Employment 

Riverside Natural Foods Ltd. is committed to providing an inclusive environment that will focus on our recruitment, our workplace, and our AODA training. 

Recruitment 

• Riverside will notify its employees and the public about the availability of accommodation throughout the recruitment process. 
• Upon selection of individual job candidates, Riverside will advise that accommodations are available upon request. If accommodation is needed, we will reach out to those candidates and provide a suitable accommodation that takes into account their accessibility needs. 
• Candidates in the final stages of the recruitment process will be notified of our AODA policy.
• All employees will be trained on how to support candidates throughout the recruitment process including the onboarding process, that will consist of accessible formats and AODA training. 

Riverside 

• Managers, supervisors, and those persons with direct reports, will receive additional training to assist those with disabilities. 
• Additional support will be provided to employees to ensure a smooth transition in the return to work process for absence that was due to a disability. This will include an outline of steps and documentation of individual.

Training 

• Riverside will ensure training is provided on the requirements outlined by the accessibility standards and on the Human Rights Code as it pertains to persons with disabilities to all employees, volunteers, all those who participate in developing the organizations policies, and all other persons who provides services/facilities on behalf of the organization.
• All those persons will be trained as soon as possible once employed and will be on an ongoing basis.
• Riverside will keep a detailed record of the training including dates of training and number of people who it is provided.

Completion Status:	Complete
Update:	➢ AODA training revised May 2020  ➢ Annual AODA training for production employees December 2020

 

Design Public Spaces 

Riverside Natural Foods Ltd. is committed to providing an accessible public space that is available to all when building or making changes. 

Riverside has taken the following steps to ensure that the public eating area has provided inclusion: 

• Ensuring that the public eating area is accessible to all persons at all three facilities.
• Ensure that the locations of the seating areas allow all persons to sit at the table with their peers with a sufficient amount of space.
• Ensure that the ground level provides persons to sit with ease.
• All parking spaces will follow the laws according to the Toronto and Vaughan parking requirements for persons with a disability.

Completion Status:	Complete  ➢ New facility will follow the same protocol that is provided
Update:	➢ New facility is following the accessibility policy and will have further information in the new few months

 

Feedback Process

Riverside Natural Foods Ltd. is committed to meeting the needs of our customers and to improve access to our products and services. We welcome comments and feedback about our services. All accessibility related feedback will be handled through our regular complaint handling procedures. 

For more information on our accessibility policy and to request a standard and accessible format, please contact us at 416-360-8200 or by email at aoda@riversidenaturals.com.