Accessibility Standards Canada is proud to announce that the organization has been named, for the first time, one of the National Capital Region's Top Employers. This recognition is a testament to its commitment to continuously improving as an employer and creating the conditions to offer employees one of the most exceptional and accessible places to work.
Accessibility Standards Canada is a one-of-a-kind organization. It is the first federal organization led by a Board of Directors comprised of a majority of people with disabilities. Since its creation by the Accessible Canada Act (the Act) in 2019, it has prioritized providing a healthy and barrier-free environment for all employees.
In all aspects of its work, the organization strives to fully embody its core values of accessibility, equity, inclusion, and diversity; from its policies, processes, and tools to a workplace that applies universal design principles.
This inclusive approach means that, as an employer, Accessibility Standards Canada puts emphasis on:
- Providing support and encouraging employees to reach their full potential by getting the skills and knowledge they need through personal and professional development opportunities.
- Fostering a rich and inclusive organizational culture by ensuring employees receive training on various topics such as accessibility, biases, inclusion and diversity, workplace mental health, and Indigenous learning.
- Considering and addressing employees' requests for accommodation on an individual basis and working with them to identify and meet their needs.
- Encouraging work-life balance through a workplace culture that provides flexibility in work options, offers family-friendly policies, and appreciates and supports accomplishments outside the office.
- Embedding accessibility into its work tools, hiring processes, and procurement philosophy.
Accessibility Standards Canada's work environment also exemplifies the importance for the organization to lead by example. Its permanent office space in Gatineau is custom-built. It applies the principle of "accessibility by design" to enable and support the full, active, and equal participation and contribution of all employees, regardless of their disabilities. Its workplace is the leading model of an accessible workplace in the Government of Canada.
