Accessibility | Mindful Snacks: Full Service Healthy Snack Provider

ACCESSIBLE CUSTOMER SERVICE POLICY AND PROCEDURE

Providing Goods and Services to People with Disabilities

Purpose

The intent of the Accessible Customer Service Policy is to ensure accessibility for persons with disabilities by identifying, removing and preventing barriers that might interfere with the ability to obtain the goods and services provided by Mindful Snacks.

Commitment

Mindful Snacks strives to provide its goods and services in a way that respects the dignity and independence of people with disabilities. Mindful Snacks is also committed to giving people with disabilities the same opportunity to access our goods and services and allowing them to benefit from the same services, in the same place and in a similar way as other customers.

Application

The Policy shall apply to every person who deals with members of the public or other third parties on behalf of Mindful Snacks. The Policy shall also apply to every person involved in the development of policies, procedures and practices pertaining to the provision of goods and services by Mindful Snacks.
Procedures for Providing Goods and Services to People with Disabilities

Mindful Snacks is committed to excellence in serving all customers including people with disabilities by removing barriers that might arise in the course of doing business as follows:

(a) Communication

We will communicate with people with disabilities in ways that take into account their disability.

(b) Telephone services

Mindful Snacks is committed to providing fully accessible telephone services to our customers. We will train employees to communicate with customers over the telephone in clear and plain language and to speak clearly and slowly.

In addition, we will offer to communicate with customers by email if telephone communication is not suitable to their communication needs or is not available and will also accommodate our customers’ use of TTY and relay services as required.

(c) Assistive devices

A person with a disability may provide their own assistive device for the purpose of obtaining, using and benefiting from our goods and services. Exceptions may occur in situations where Mindful Snacks has determined that the assistive device may pose a risk to the health and safety of a person with a disability or others on the premises. In such situations, and others, Mindful Snacks may offer a person with a disability other reasonable measures to assist in obtaining, using and benefitting from our goods and services, where other measures are available.

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

(d) Service animals

A person with a disability may enter premises owned and/or operated by Mindful Snacks accompanied by a service animal and keep the animal with them if the public has access to such premises and the animal is not otherwise excluded by law. If a service animal is excluded by law, Mindful Snacks will ensure that alternate means are available to enable the person with a disability to obtain, use and benefit from our goods and services.

It should be noted that it is the responsibility of the person with a disability to ensure that the service animal is kept in control at all times.

(e) Support persons

A person with a disability may enter premises owned and/or operated by Mindful Snacks with a support person and have access to the support person while on the premises.

In addition, Mindful Snacks may require a person with a disability to be accompanied by a support person while on the premises in situations where it is necessary to protect the health and safety of the person with a disability or of others on the premises.

(f) Notice of temporary disruption

Mindful Snacks will make reasonable efforts to provide prior notice of disruptions, if possible, recognizing that in some circumstances such as in the situation of unplanned temporary disruptions, advance notice will not be possible. In all cases, Mindful Snacks will notify customers promptly by posting a notice that includes information about the reason for the disruption, its anticipated duration and a description of alternate facilities or services that may be available. The notice will be posted in reasonable places. When possible, disruptions that are known in advance will be posted online.

Training

Mindful Snacks will provide training to appropriate employees, volunteers and others who deal with the public or other third parties on behalf of Mindful Snacks. In addition, Mindful Snacks will provide training to persons involved in the development of policies, procedures and practices pertaining to the provision of goods and services.

The format of training given will be tailored to suit each person’s interactions with the public or third parties or involvement in the development of policies, procedures and practices, as applicable.

Training will include the following:

The purposes of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 and the requirements of the customer service standard
Instruction on Mindful Snacks’ policies, procedures and practices pertaining to the provision of goods and services to persons with disabilities;
How to communicate with persons with various types of disabilities
How to interact with persons with disabilities who use assistive devices or who require the assistance of a service animal or support person
How to use equipment or devices that are provided which may help people with disabilities access goods and services provided by Mindful Snacks
What to do if a person with a particular type of disability is having difficulty accessing Mindful Snacks’ goods or services.

All employees will be trained on policies, practices and procedures that affect the way goods and services are provided to persons with disabilities. Training will also be provided on an ongoing basis in connection with changes to the policies, practices and procedures governing the provision of goods and services to persons with disabilities.

Feedback process

Mindful Snacks is committed to providing high quality goods and services to all of its customers. Feedback from customers and/or third parties is welcomed as it may identify areas that require change and encourage continuous service improvements.

Feedback from a member of the public about the delivery of goods and services to persons with disabilities may be provided by filling out our feedback form, available here or by calling our customer care line at 905-564-6660.
Completed feedback forms should be directed to:

People & Culture Department
5885 Kennedy Road
Mississauga ON L4Z 2G3
Canada
Email: accessibility@mindfulsnacks.com

Alternatively, accessibility concerns can be directed to our customer care representatives at the phone number above, who will then forward them to our People & Culture Department. If they wish to be contacted about their feedback, persons must provide their name and contact information.

Modifications to the Policy

Mindful Snacks is committed to developing customer service policies that respect and promote the dignity and independence of persons with disabilities. Therefore, no changes will be made to this policy before considering the impact on persons with disabilities. In the event that we do modify this policy, we will post the updated policy on our website and make it available to you upon request.

Questions about the Policy

Any questions about this policy should be referred to the contact information noted above.

INTEGRATED ACCESSIBILITY STANDARDS POLICY

The following policy has been established by Mindful Snacks Inc. to govern the provision of services with Regulation 191/11, “Integrated Accessibility Standards” (“Regulation”) under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005.

These standards are developed to break down barriers and increase accessibility for persons with disabilities in the areas of information, communications and employment.

Mindful Snacks is governed by this policy as well as the Accessibility Standards for Customer Service Policy and the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 in meeting the accessibility needs of persons with disabilities.

Commitment

Mindful Snacks 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. We are committed to meeting the needs of persons with disabilities in a timely manner, and will do so by preventing and removing barriers to accessibility and meeting accessibility requirements under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act.

This policy will be implemented in accordance with the time frames established by the Regulation.

Accessibility Plan

Mindful Snacks will develop, maintain and document an Accessibility Plan outlining the company’s strategy to prevent and remove barriers from its workplace and to improve opportunities for persons with disabilities.

The Accessibility Plan will be reviewed and updated at least once every five years, and will be posted on the company’s website. Upon request, Mindful Snacks will provide a copy of the Accessibility Plan in an accessible format.

Training Employees and Contractors

Mindful Snacks will ensure that training is provided on the requirements of the accessibility standards referred to in the Regulation and continue to provide training on the Human Rights Code as it pertains to persons with disabilities, to:

all its employees and contractors;
all persons who participate in developing Mindful Snack’s policies; and,
all other persons who provide goods, services or facilities on behalf of the company

The training will be appropriate to the duties of the employees, contractors and other persons.

Employees will be trained when changes are made to the accessibility policy and Mindful Snacks will keep a record of the training it provides.

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS STANDARDS

Feedback

Mindful Snacks will continue to ensure that its process for receiving and responding to feedback is accessible to persons with disabilities by providing, or arranging for the provision of, accessible formats and communications supports, upon request.

Accessible Formats and Communication Supports

Upon request, Mindful Snacks will provide, or will arrange for the provision of accessible formats and communication supports for persons with disabilities in a timely manner that takes into account the person’s accessibility needs due to disability.

Mindful Snacks will consult with the person making the request in determining the suitability of an accessible format or communication support.

Mindful Snacks will also notify the public about the availability of accessible formats and communication supports.

EMPLOYMENT STANDARDS

Recruitment

Mindful Snacks will notify its employees and the public about the availability of accommodation for applicants with disabilities in its recruitment process.

Recruitment, Assessment or Selection Process

Mindful Snacks will notify job applicants, when they are individually selected to participate further in an assessment or selection process, that accommodations are available upon request in relation to the materials or processes to be used.

If a selected applicant requests an accommodation, Mindful Snacks will consult with the applicant and provide, or arrange for the provision of, a suitable accommodation in a manner that takes into account the applicant’s accessibility needs due to disability.

Notice to Successful Applicants

When making offers of employment, Mindful Snacks will notify the successful applicant of its policies for accommodating employees with disabilities.

Informing Employees of Supports

Mindful Snacks will continue to inform its employees of its policies (and any updates to those policies) used to support employees with disabilities, including policies on the provision of job accommodations that take into account an employee’s accessibility needs due to disability. This information will be provided to new employees as soon as practicable after commencing employment.

Accessible Formats and Communication Supports for Employees

Upon the request of an employee with a disability, Mindful Snacks will consult with the employee to provide, or arrange for the provision of, accessible formats and communication supports for information that is needed to perform his/her job, and information that is generally available to other employees.

In determining the suitability of an accessible format or communication support, Mindful Snacks will consult with the employee making the request.

Workplace Emergency Response Information

Mindful Snacks will provide individualized workplace emergency response information to employees who have a disability, if the disability is such that the individualized information is necessary, and if Mindful Snacks is aware of the need for accommodation due to the employee’s disability. Mindful Snacks will provide this information as soon as practicable after becoming aware of the need for accommodation.

Where the employee requires assistance, Mindful Snacks will, with the consent of the employee, provide the workplace emergency response information to the person designated by Mindful Snacks to provide assistance to the employee.

Mindful Snacks will review the individualized workplace emergency response information when the employee moves to a different location in the organization, when the employee’s overall accommodations needs or plans are reviewed.

Documented Individual Accommodation Plans

Mindful Snacks will maintain a written process for the development of documented individual accommodation plans for employees with disabilities.

If requested, information regarding accessible formats and communications supports provided would also be included in individual accommodation plans.

In addition, the plans will include individualized workplace emergency response information (where required), and will identify any other accommodation that is to be provided.

Return to Work Process

Mindful Snacks maintains a documented return to work process for its employees who have been absent from work due to a disability and who require disability-related accommodations in order to return to work.

The return to work process outlines the steps Mindful Snacks will take to facilitate the return to work and will include documented individual accommodation plans as part of the process.

This return to work process will not replace or override any other return to work process created by or under any other statute (i.e., the Workplace Safety Insurance Act, 1997).

Questions about this policy

This policy has been developed to break down barriers and increase accessibility for persons with disabilities in the areas of information, communications and employment. If anyone has a question about the policy, or if the purpose of a policy is not understood, an explanation will be provided by:

People & Culture Department
5885 Kenney Road
Mississauga ON L4Z 2G3
Canada

905-564-6660

Email: accessibility@mindfulsnacks.com

More Information

Please contact Mindful Snacks at accessibility@mindfulsnacks.com for more information or to:

Request a copy of the Accessible Customer Service or Accessibility Standards policy
Provide feedback on the way we provide products and services to customers with disabilities
Request a document in accessible format
Request additional information or provide your comments