Intent
Tenold
Transportation Ltd. (the “Company“)
is committed to providing a barrier-free environment for all stakeholders,
including customers, employees, job applicants, suppliers, and any visitors who
enter the premises, access information provided by the Company, or use the
Company’s services.
The Company will
work to identify and remove barriers, and prevent new barriers, for persons
with disabilities as they relate to employment, communication, the built
environment, and transportation at the Company. This plan outlines the
Company’s Accessibility Plan and strategy for identifying, removing, and
preventing these barriers.
The Company is
part of a network of wholly-owned companies and limited partnerships that are
subsidiaries of Mullen Group Ltd. (“Mullen
Group“). Mullen Group’s corporate office (“Corporate Office“)
provides the Company certain services and will assist with the development and
implementation of the Accessibility Plan on an ongoing basis.
General
This information
is provided for the purposes of providing feedback and for requesting
alternative formats of the plan and/or feedback process.
Feedback Process and Contact Information
The Company
welcomes feedback regarding the manner in which it is implementing its
Accessibility Plan and any barriers encountered by persons with disabilities.
Persons who provide formal feedback will receive acknowledgement of their
feedback in the same manner in which it was received, unless feedback is
submitted anonymously. The Company is committed to reviewing the feedback
received in good faith and taking steps to address barriers identified in this
feedback.
Business: Tenold
Transportation Ltd.
Head Office
Address: 30691 Simpson Road, Abbotsford, BC V2T 6C7
Mailing Address:
PMB# 248, #102-3240 Mt Lehman Road, Abbotsford, BC V4X 2M9
Office Phone
Number: 604-881-7822
Email Address:
hr@tenold.com
Feedback can be
submitted in person, by mail, by telephone and by email to the following
individuals:
Human
Resources Contact:
Name: Victoria
Thoutenhoofd
Position:
Director of Human Resources
Phone:
604-881-7808
Email:
vthoutenhoofd@tenold.com or hr@tenold.com
Company
Contact:
Name: Ben Thomson
Position:
President
Phone:
604-881-7812
Email:
ben@tenold.com
Feedback can be
provided anonymously, if desired, and will remain confidential unless the
person consents to the disclosure of their personal information. Feedback is
received in whatever format the individual providing the feedback is most
comfortable with. Any feedback received will be reviewed with the Company’s
Business Unit Leader and provided to Corporate Office. Consideration will be
given to the feedback upon review by the representative collecting feedback,
the Company’s Business Unit Leader and Corporate Office and a response or
summary will be included in the next progress report.
Any changes to
the Accessibility Plan or the feedback process are published as soon as
reasonably possible and notice of any changes are reported to the Accessibility
Commissioner. The personal information of anyone who provides feedback remains
confidential in accordance with all applicable privacy laws.
Alternative Formats
The Accessibility
Plan is offered in any of the following formats upon request:
Print;
Large print;
Braille;
Audio; and
Electronic.
You can request
alternative formats of the Accessibility Plan by contacting:
Name: Victoria
Thoutenhoofd
Position:
Director of Human Resources
Phone:
604-881-7808
Email:
vthoutenhoofd@tenold.com or hr@tenold.com
Mailing Address:
PMB# 248, #102-3240 Mt Lehman Road, Abbotsford, BC V4X 2M9
The Accessibility
Plan will be made available as soon as feasible. In the instance of a request
for the plan in a Braille or audio format, it will be provided 45 days after
the day the request was received. Requests for other formats will be provided
within 15 days after the day the request was received.
Executive Summary
Tenold
Transportation Ltd. strives to be an organization that is accessible to all. We
are a company that accommodates to the point of undue hardship.
Some notable
areas that we are accessible as an organization are in the areas of recruitment
and employment. In the recruitment process we ensure that we are accessible to
all and that everyone is welcome to apply. Any accommodations an applicant
needs will be given to them to the point of undue hardship. Regarding
employment, we have a robust Employee Guide that has many policies designed
with accommodation, inclusivity and being an Employer of Choice in mind.
Some areas that
we could grow in are accessibility to the built environment and vetting our
vendors.
As a company we
are committed to continuing to grow in our understanding of accessibility and
to continuously adapt to ensure that we are always accessible to all. We will
be reviewing our Accessibility Plan on an annual basis to see if there is
anything that we need to update or improve on. We will also provide updates on
the current barriers and where we are at with the current action plans and the
status of them.
Accessibility Statement
At Tenold
Transportation Ltd. we are committed to being a company that is accessible to
all people and to provide a service to our clients that is as accessible as
possible to all. At Tenold Transportation Ltd. we strive to be an inclusive
workplace. We are actively working to improve ourselves as an organization and
to improve our accessibility and the experience for staff, stakeholders,
clients, and visitors.
This
Accessibility Plan is in accordance with the Accessible Canada Act.
Our Mission
Statement is “Our product is service – we do not take for granted the
trust our customers and partners bestow on us to exceed expectations in service
and value every day. Our strength is our people – through diversity of culture,
gender, religion, age and experience, we empower our people to provide a unique
and qualified perspective, dedicated to continuous improvement. Our focus is
Employer of Choice – without compromise to safety, we remain steadfast in our
commitment to ethical business practices, mutual respect, social
responsibility, and environmental stewardship, while investing in our people
and the communities we serve.”
Our Environmental
Commitment is “Tenold is committed to minimizing negative impact on the
environmental through the use of leading technologies, educated choices, and
innovative thinking. We seek to create a culture of environmental stewardship
by planting seeds of knowledge and caring within the Tenold family. We will
demonstrate through our choices and actions that environmental prosperity and
our own prosperity are found on the same path. These same choices produce sound
and profitable business decisions.”
Glossary
The following
section will address words or expressions that are found in this Accessibility
Plan and provide definitions for them. If further clarification is needed,
please connect with one of the Accessibility Plan Company contacts.
Accessibility:
refers
to the design of products, devices, services, or environments for people who
experience disabilities.
Accessibility
Plan:
this Accessibility Plan includes an overview of our policies, programs,
practices, and services in relation to the identification and removal of
barriers and the prevention of new barriers. The Accessibility Plan was
prepared and published by June 1, 2023, and will be updated every three years
following that, or sooner if necessary.
Accommodate: to provide with something
desire, needed, or suited.
Barrier: anything physical,
architectural, technological, or attitudinal, anything that is based on
information or communications, or anything that is the result of a policy or a
practice that hinders the full and equal participation in society of a person
with an impairment, including a physical, mental, intellectual, cognitive,
learning, communication, or sensory impairment, or a functional limitation.
Confidential: intended to be kept
secret.
Continuous: is determined to be
uninterrupted or not to have ceased.
Disability: any impairment, including
a physical, mental, intellectual, cognitive, learning, communication, and
sensory impairment, or functional limitation that is either permanent,
temporary, or episodic in nature. It can be evident or not in interaction with
a barrier to hinder a person’s full and equal participation in society.
Discrimination: the unjust or prejudicial
treatment of different categories of people, especially on the ground of
ethnicity, age, sex, or disability.
Diverse: including or involving
people form a range of different social and ethnic backgrounds and of different
genders, sexual orientations etc.
Employer
of Choice: someone whom workers choose to work for when presented with
other employment choices. This choice is a conscious decision made when joining
an organization and when deciding to stay with that organization.
Ergonomic: relating to or designed
for efficiency and comfort in the working environment.
Goals: refer to a commitment to
improve or excel to meet an established target. Goals should be written down,
specific, realistic, measurable and have a time frame.
Gossip: casual or unconstrained
conversation or reports about other people, typically involving details that
are not confirmed as being true.
Human
Resources Department: is
the Human Resources Department of the Company which oversees people related
activities including payroll, benefits, and Human Resource strategies.
Inclusive: the act of including
someone or something as part of a group, list, etc., or a person or thing that
is included.
Interpret: translate orally or into
sign language the words or a person speaking a different language.
IT
Department: is the Information Technologies Department of the Company which
is charged with establishing, monitoring, and maintaining information
technologies systems and services.
Nepotism: the practice among those
with power or influence of favoring relatives, friends, or associates,
especially by giving them jobs.
Orientation: when newly hired
employees are welcomed to their new workplace and introduced to their job,
company, work environment, and colleagues. This usually happens during their
first few days of employment. Orientation programs generally include a tour of
the workplace.
Pre-trip
Inspection: involves the driver performing a thorough check of their
vehicle, making sure each part is working as required.
Probation: a trial period so that
the employer can decide if they want to keep you in the job.
Recruitment: the action of finding new
people to join an organization or support a cause.
Safety
Department: is the Safety Department of the Company which deals with all
aspects of safety and safety training.
Vetting: make a careful and
critical examination of something.
Viability: ability to work
successfully.
If there are
words that need further definition when reading them, please reach out to the
Human Resources Department for clarity.
General
Employment
The Company
understands that improving workplace accessibility and ensuring an accessible
recruitment and selection process for applicants with disabilities can
contribute to a more diverse and welcoming workplace culture. The Company
reviews its practices and procedures to identify, remove, and prevent barriers
by developing inclusive employment procedures that support persons with
disabilities. Where necessary, accommodations are made during the recruitment
and selection stages, and throughout the employment lifecycle. Technological
and systemic barriers may exist for employee orientation and training, as such,
training and development programs provided by the Company should be reviewed to
consider an employee’s barriers and abilities. Systemic barriers can be
identified with respect to conventions associated with the hiring process.
·
The Company will
review current job application processes for persons with disabilities who
experience barriers and evaluate potential alternatives.
·
Review corporate
policies, with the support of Corporate Office, that pertain to accommodations
for employees and candidates with disabilities and make plans to remove any
barriers that are discovered.
·
Train those
responsible for hiring on the barriers that may exist in the hiring, selection,
and accommodation process, with support from Corporate Office.
·
Review human resource
policies for improvements with respect to inclusion and accessibility, with
support from Corporate Office.
·
Provide online
learning on accessibility and inclusiveness to employees.
·
Offer training on
unconscious bias to human resources employees to improve awareness of
accessibility issues.
·
Review potential
opportunities, where suitable, for establishing mentorship for employees of the
Company that are persons with disabilities.
Progress Report 2024: Employment
At Tenold
Transportation Ltd. we strive to be an employer of choice and to provide the
best employment experience possible. The ways that we do that are through our
recruitment process, interview process, orientation process, probation period,
and our policies. Some of the policies that we have in our Employee Guide that
are notable regarding Tenold’s Accessibility Plan are Employee Consultation and
Reporting Procedure, Employment Equity, and Accommodation.
Recruitment:
The Company is
committed to abide by all the laws pertaining to fair employment practices. The
Company abides by a non-discriminatory practice of hiring or transferring, any
qualified applicant without regard to race, color, religion, national or ethnic
origin, age, gender, gender identity or expression, genetic characteristics,
sexual orientation, disability, marital status, family status and pardoned
convictions.
The Company will
offer equal opportunities for employment and advancement to all qualified
applicants and employees. All reasonable efforts will be made to fill vacancies
from within the Company, however, the Company policy is to fill the positions
with the best-qualified individual.
Employees will be
considered for promotion in terms of present performance, specialized
background, education, experience, and potential. Seniority will only be a
factor when two or more applicants possess equal qualifications. If the
employee is interested in transferring to a new position in another department
or Business Unit, they are to advise their Team Leader.
Interview:
When interviewing
we always ensure that there are at least two people represented from the
Company to ensure that there is no unintentional bias. We also ensure that we
take notes and check references to ensure there is documentation of every
hiring decision. Physically we try to set the interview up in such a way that
is accessible to all. If someone needs additional accommodations for the
interview, then we try our best to accommodate.
Orientation:
Our company
orientation helps to assist new hires in providing them the tools and
foundation to succeed in their role. Our Orientation Policy is the following:
All employees and
contractors will be provided with a Company orientation within the first two
weeks of employment at the Company. Orientation will be scheduled by the Human
Resources Department and the Team Leader.
The Company
Orientation will consist of the following:
·
Human Resources
Orientation
·
Information Technology
Orientation
·
Safety Orientation
·
Job Specific Training
If an employee
changes roles internally they will be provided any further orientation or
training required for their new role.
During the
orientation process we make accommodations needed to help ensure that the new
hire has the most valuable orientation process. An example of one of the
accommodations we made during the orientation process was to allow a new hire
to have their child join them while they were orientating as they wanted them
to help translate the training for them.
Probation:
Upon being hired,
employees will complete a 3-month probationary period. The probationary period
is a time for the Company to assess the fit of the employee within the position
and the Company. For the employee to pass the probationary period, a probationary
review will be completed.
If it is
determined that the employee is not a fit for continued employment the employee
will not be entitled to pay in lieu of notice if the employment relationship
ends within three months of employment.
During the
probationary period and throughout the employee’s employment we ensure that we
provide accommodation and support to help every staff be as successful in their
role as possible.
Employee
Consultation and Reporting Procedure:
The Company
endorses an open-door practice that encourages employees to discuss any
concerns they may have with those people who can and will decide what to do
about it. In most instances, that means raising concerns with the Team Leader
or the Human Resources Department.
Reporting
procedures have been developed to assist when individuals are uncomfortable
with addressing concerns with their Team Leader.
If an
accommodation is needed, then staff can reach out to their supervisor, or the
Human Resources Department and we will see what we can do as a Company.
Employment
Equity:
Canada is a place
of increasing diversity with people of different ethnicity, sexual orientation,
physical abilities, lifestyles, values, and personal interests, living,
learning, and working together. Understanding and valuing this diversity in our
employees, customers, suppliers, and shareholders and reflecting it in our
workplace are key to the Company’s success.
The primary
purpose of employment equity is to ensure that employees and job applicants –
particularly women; aboriginal people; individuals with disabilities and
members of visible minorities – are provided with opportunities for employment
and advancements consistent with their proven skills and abilities. The intent
is to identify and remove any systemic or unintentional discriminatory
practices contained within the Company’s employment practices and procedures.
Our Company is
committed to maintaining a workplace where the terms and conditions of
employment are equitable, non-discriminatory, and free from barriers. We are
committed to building a skilled and balanced workforce where opportunities are
provided on the basis of merit and where all employees have the opportunity to
reach their full potential and contribute positively toward our goals.
The Company
continues to ensure that our workforce is one that is representative of the
available skilled and qualified labor pool available in our region.
All employees
play a role in achieving employment equity. With all the employee’s support and
help, we will demonstrate leadership in our industry by creating a workplace
climate in which employees advance, achieve and contribute regardless of race,
color, religion, national or ethnic origin, age, gender, gender identity or
expression, genetic characteristics, sexual orientation, disability, marital
status, family status and pardoned convictions.
The Company’s
employment equity objectives are to:
·
Raise awareness,
understanding and appreciation of the diversity that characterizes our
employees, customers, suppliers, and shareholders.
·
Help ensure fairness
to all employees (present and future) while making the best use of all
available and qualified resources.
·
Review our human
resources policies and practices to ensure that they are free from
discriminating words and actions.
·
Make accommodations to
prevent undue hardship for all employees.
·
Work at removing
physical and attitudinal barriers.
·
Monitor our progress
toward an equitable workplace.
Accommodation:
·
Definition &
Commitment
The Company
recognizes the diversity of its workforce and is committed to ensuring that all
employees can effectively and efficiently use their skills and experience to
contribute to the Company’s performance and service. This includes the
opportunity to participate, without discrimination, in both work-related and
other activities conducted within a work context.
Accommodation is
the responsibility of all individuals and Team Leaders of the Company. The
Company will establish and maintain an effective system (including policies,
practices, and procedures) to ensure an inclusive workplace and provide
workplace accommodation short of undue hardship. Factors that may contribute to
undue hardship include unsupportable cost (that would affect the viability of
the Company), substantial disruption of operations and health and safety
concerns.
The Company will
provide in a timely and effective way, accommodation specific to an
individual’s needs including (but not limited to) workstation access and
adjustments, hiring practices, work procedure adjustments, facilities, aids or
equipment and reassignment. All requests for accommodation will be kept
confidential and will comply with all requirements of the PIPEDA legislation to
protect personal information.
·
Eligibility
The standard
applies to all current employees as well as employees at the point of hire.
Individuals being contacted for job interviews will be accommodated if required
to attend the interview. A requirement for accommodation will not be used when
evaluating the merits of candidates. Inquiries about the need for accommodation
necessary to perform the work should be made only after a job offer has been
made to the candidate.
·
Responsibilities
Employee
Responsibility
The
responsibility for requesting accommodation rests with the individual requiring
accommodation. The employee should also explain the sorts of accommodation they
require to their Team Leader.
All employees may
request accommodation needs by making an appointment with their Team Leader.
Requests are required to be written on a Notification of Need for Accommodation
Form and all requests are kept strictly confidential. Employees may be requested
to provide supporting medical documents for accommodation needs.
If the
accommodation request is denied, the reasons will be clearly communicated to
the employee. The employee may request a second opinion by submitting a request
for appeal form through the Human Resources Department. If not satisfied, the
individual may file a complaint with the Canadian Human Rights Commission.
Employer
Responsibility
Team Leaders are
expected to assess each employee’s request to determine whether or not, with
the proper accommodation, the employee would be able to perform the essential
duties of the position. Once a request for accommodation is received, the Team
Leader will thoroughly review the request and complete a report on the outcome
of accommodation request form. If no undue hardship to the Company would
result, the accommodation request will be approved.
The completed
report and accommodation form is to be supplied to the Human Resources
Department to be kept in the employee’s confidential file.
Barrier #1:
Currently it is a
challenge to find qualified applicants and due to the competitive nature in the
market to attract applicants. As such we are not attracting applicants from
underrepresented populations such as persons with disabilities. Also due to the
nature of some of our positions, they are not desirable for persons with
disabilities due the physical nature of the role.
·
Actions: Updating our careers section on our website to be more user
friendly and to reflect that we are an inclusive employer. Ensuring each job ad
has something about accessibility and inclusion on it.
·
Timelines: Updating the website happened during quarter one of 2024. Job
ads are ongoing whenever there is a new opening.
·
Roles and
Responsibilities: It is the
responsibility of the IT department to work on keeping the website up to date
and accessible. It is the responsibility of the HR department to supply content
for the careers page and to keep job ads up to date.
·
Determining and
Tracking Intended Outcomes: If we are receiving
more applicants that are diverse and have potential barriers to employment, we
will know that our advertising as an inclusive employer is successful.
Barrier #2:
Currently all our
policies are only in English and in written formats. We do have quite a few
staff that English is their second language. As a result of this there could be
a barrier to employees understanding company policies.
·
Actions: When there is an employee that is not understanding a policy or
a form, we can get it translated for them in the language that they are most
comfortable with. If needed we can also work on getting the policies or
procedures to the individual either in braille, audio version or verbally so
that they can know what the policies and procedures are.
·
Timelines: On an as needed basis.
·
Roles and
Responsibilities: This will be the
responsibility of the HR Department and the Safety Department to ensure that
all staff are understanding the policies and if they are not then it is their
responsibility to develop an action plan to ensure that the staff member is
accommodated.
·
Determining and
Tracking Intended Outcomes: By asking the staff
member questions we will be able to determine whether the accommodation helped,
and they understand the policies.
The Built Environment
The Company
wishes to improve its publicly accessible facilities with a goal of working
towards making such facilities free of physical barriers, in order to promote a
space of inclusivity. Physical barriers may exist in the Company’s offices and
facilities, that can be improved upon.
·
With support from
Corporate Office, the Company will evaluate its offices and facilities to
assess the need for further accessibility features.
·
The Company will
review and update, as necessary, its emergency and disaster response plans to
account for employees, and visitors with disabilities.
·
Evaluate facilities to
verify that smoke, fire and other emergency alarms have visual and auditory
signals and assess if improvements are required.
·
Review Company
workspaces, and customer facing facility areas to identify any physical
barriers, by the end of 2025 and plan improvements.
Progress Report 2024: The Built Environment
Tenold
Transportation Ltd.’s “built environment” consists of two
environments, one environment is the vehicles’ used by the drivers and the
other environment is the office building, warehouse, or terminal that employees
are working out of.
Tenold
Transportation drivers are owner operators who are deemed contractors and use
their own vehicle and equipment. Owner operators are responsible for their own
maintenance, design, and accessibility of their vehicles. The role of driver
unfortunately is not very conducive for a person with physical disabilities due
to the physical nature of the job. Some challenges would be entering and
exiting the vehicle as the vehicles are all raised and three points of contact
due to the height of the cab is required to safely enter and exit the vehicle.
Due to the nature of the types of loads we transport as a company a flat-deck
strap down is required. Drivers are responsible to secure their own loads which
can be a physical and timely process. The drivers are also required to do a
pre-trip inspection where they must be able to look over the vehicle at all
angles including underneath the vehicle and the engine which is raised. Some of
our drivers need to transport the loads manually, hand bombing materials therefore,
the ability to be able to push, pull and carry heavy items is required. Any
accommodations or accessibility needed would be the responsibility of the owner
operator as they are contractors.
Tenold
Transportation Ltd.’s office buildings are designed with accessibility in mind.
The head office is entirely on one floor, so it is accessible to all. The
office building also has wide hallways and are wheelchair accessible. The
bathrooms also have stalls and sinks that are wheelchair accessible. For office
positions, we have more flexibility due to the nature of the jobs to ensure
that the “built environment” is accessible for all. We provide staff
with sit/stand desks if required as well as ergonomic keyboards and mouses. We
try to ensure that all staff’s workstations are tailored to them and are
ergonomic. If a staff has a changing need in terms of accessibility, then we
will work with them to support them if possible. In our Emergency Response plan,
it addresses emergency egress for those that need accommodations in event of an
emergency. Tenold’s terminals are unable to be accessible to all due to the
nature of being warehouses with boxes, shelves, forklifts, gravel yard for
storage etc. While we will make every effort to have our head office
accessible, the terminals are not feasible to be accessible to all because the
jobs at the terminals are not accessible to all and the built environment would
be too challenging to adjust to individual’s needs.
Barrier #1:
The vehicles are
not able to be made accessible to those with physical disabilities.
·
Actions: Unfortunately, due to the nature of the work, making the
vehicles more accessible is not possible and it would also be the
responsibility of the owner operator to adapt their vehicle to their own
personal needs.
·
Timelines: N/A
·
Roles and
Responsibilities: N/A
·
Determining and
Tracking Intended Outcomes: N/A
Barrier #2:
Total
accessibility to the new Abbotsford building is a challenge as it is an old
building.
·
Actions: We have to build a ramp at our new facility as well as provide
accessible parking on pavement in order to make the building accessible to all.
There will also need to be signage for the accessible parking and entrance.
We also need to update the fire alarms to ensure that the emergency egress is
accessible for all.
In the
bathrooms we need to do some work to make them more accessible. We need to move
the towel dispenser, soap dispenser and door pulls to be more accessible. We
also need to add another grab bar in the accessible stall. We may also need to
adjust the doors in the bathrooms to be wider and lighter so that all can
access them.
·
Timelines: Ensure the new Abbotsford office is accessible by the next
progress report. As well as review on an ongoing basis the accessibility of the
building depending on the needs of the individuals that work at the Company.
·
Roles and
Responsibilities: The President and
Director of HR will ensure that this gets completed and follow up with the
correct trades to ensure that the work gets completed.
·
Determining and
Tracking Intended Outcomes: If everyone one can
access the building then we will be successful in completing the above action
plan.
Information and Communication Technologies (ICT)
Software with
accessibility functionality is already utilized by the Company; however, the
Company recognizes that systemic barriers exist within technology and
presumptions made about its use. The Company wishes to remove barriers and
improve accessibility for employees with disabilities, by making such
technology more accessible.
·
Add accessibility as
an evaluation metric when acquiring or developing new software or technology,
with support from Corporate Office.
·
Review website content
for any minor barriers, including assessing the following:
·
Text contrast;
·
Text size;
·
Navigation and
compatibility with screen readers; and
·
Clear formatting.
·
Provide guidance and
support on the accessibility features of utilized software with existing
accessibility features.
Progress Report 2024: Information and Communication Technologies
(ICT)
The main
information and communication technologies that Tenold Transportation uses is
our company website, Outlook, Microsoft Teams, ADP, Workhub, Truckmate,
Business Connect and Synergize. With all the technologies we use, our IT
Department will assist staff and provide them with one-on-one training if
necessary and any accommodations needed.
Website:
Tenold uses our
company website as a communication tool to Stakeholders and Clients.
Outlook:
Outlook is used
for all email communication within the Company. Outlook is also used as a
scheduling tool for staff. Upon hire all employees who work in the office are
set up with a company email address through Outlook. Our IT department provides
regular training sessions on how to use better use Outlook.
Microsoft
Teams:
Microsoft Teams
is used for video meetings between our different terminals. The chat function
is also used for internal communication between staff.
ADP:
ADP is the Human
Resources Information System that we use. This system is one where staff can
enter in their timecards, see their pay stubs, tax forms, and vacation
balances. ADP also has a homepage where important company information is posted
for staff to access.
Upon hire, staff
are set up with an ADP account and are provided support on how to login and use
ADP. Both the IT and HR Department are available if staff have any trouble or
questions in accessing or using ADP.
The HR Department
will also provide documentation directly to staff that have challenges with
accessing their ADP portal. The HR Department is available to help with any
accommodations needed. One example of an accommodation that was done was an
individual was having a hard time accessing information on ADP and so HR
printed off the information for the individual as well as gave them a tutorial
on how to use it.
Workhub:
Workhub is a
Safety Training website that the Company uses as a platform to host and track
training. Every new staff and contractor are provided with a log in to Workhub
and is assigned specialized training based on their position within the
organization. Workhub has different accessibility options for those that need
it.
Truckmate:
As we are a
transportation company, we use Truckmate which is an industry specific software
that helps to manage our business and to dispatch drivers and to track product
for customers. Upon being hired employees are provided with job specific
training on Truckmate. As a company we are always looking at new software’s to
see if there are other ones that provide a better service. When reviewing
transportation software’s, we have been keeping accessibility in mind.
Business
Connect:
Business Connect
is an app that we use on our mobile phones to connect us to our work phone.
This app uses wifi to make phone calls, video calls and allows us the ability
to talk on teams. We do our best as a company to accommodate. One of the
accommodations that has been done in the past is buying a special headset to
connect to Business Connect to help with audio and ergonomics.
Synergize:
Synergize is a
cloud-based document management app. As a company it helps us to be paperless
and to get documents from our drivers without them having to come to one of our
offices. Staff are provided training on how to use Synergize upon being hired.
Accommodations are provided if needed.
Barrier #1:
All of these
technologies that we use require that users are able to use a computer and be
tech savvy. This could be an accessible barrier to some individuals. As a lot
of the technologies that we use are industry specific there are not a lot of
options in terms of different technologies we could use that are more
accessible to all.
·
Actions: Providing more training on our different platforms to ensure
that all users are confident in the technologies used within Tenold. We can
provide some how-to training videos as well as one-on-one training and support.
When looking at new technologies we can look at them from an accessible
standpoint to see what option is the most accessible to all.
·
Timelines: We will work on a training video library as needed. We will also
provide one on one training and support whenever needed. Reviewing technologies
will be an ongoing project.
·
Roles and
Responsibilities: HR, Safety and IT will
come up with training videos for their corresponding technologies. They will
also be the ones to provide the one-on-one support as needed. It will be IT’s
role to review new technologies from an accessible standpoint.
·
Determining and
Tracking Intended Outcomes: If staff become more
comfortable with our technologies, we will know that our training has been
valuable and efficient. If we find technological options that provide more
accessibility to all then we will have achieved the intended outcome.
Communication
The Company
acknowledges that content and medium are both important in providing accessible
communication to its customers, employees, job applicants, suppliers, and any
visitors that access the premises. Communication barriers exist in the content
and format of online information, in-person interactions and meetings and
presentations. One of the Company’s goals is to work towards providing more
accessible communications.
·
Provide training on
accessibility and barriers for employees who work on communications, including
information on potential different communication styles.
·
Evaluate website,
social media posts, meetings and presentation conventions and practices to
create a plan to address barriers to accessibility if discovered, including
assessing the following:
·
Adding alternative
text for images;
·
Using high contrast
font; and
·
Providing transcripts
of audio and video posts, where appropriate.
·
Review virtual meeting
practices for accessibility, including the provision of presentations and real
time transcripts, and considering alternative means of communication.
·
Review orientation
processes and resources for new employees for improvements to accessibility,
with the support of Corporate Office.
Progress Report 2024: Communication Other Than ICT
In this section
the Company will address the communication that is not related to Information
and Communication Technologies.
Tenold
Transportation values communication and always tries to communicate in the
clearest way possible. Some of the ways that Tenold communicates is through the
following mediums:
·
verbal face-face
communication
·
over the phone
communication
·
verbal communication
via Teams video chat
·
written communication
via Teams chat
·
written communication
via email
·
written communication
via letters
·
written and visual
communication via social media
·
written and visual
communication via website
We can provide
communication in audio files or braille. We can also provide communication in
larger font print if needed.
Barrier #1:
Most of our
official communication is done in one format, writing so this could be a
barrier to individuals.
·
Actions: We can create documents and communication in staff’s needed
format to make communication more accessible. This would be supplying
electronic copies that are compatible with adaptive technology, enlarged print,
given to them verbally, audio format, and braille.
·
Timelines: The goal would be on an as needed basis.
·
Roles and
Responsibilities: The Safety Department
will be responsible for adapting any Safety posters, policies and
communication. The Human Resources Department will be responsible for adapting
any HR policies or communication and supplying them in a different format of
documentation.
·
Determining and
Tracking Intended Outcomes: Having staff clearly
understanding communication and feeling that we have worked with their
individual communication needs would be the intended outcome.
Barrier #2:
We currently have
not had a need for any different forms/types of communication so it would be
good to get a company lined up so that if it was needed the process can be
performed in a timely manner.
·
Actions: Research companies that provide audio files and documents in
braille.
·
Timelines: Have this research completed by the 2025 Progress Report.
·
Roles and
Responsibilities: The HR Department will
be responsible for conducting research.
·
Determining and
Tracking Intended Outcomes: If we find a company
for each of the terminal locations then we will have reached our intended
outcome.
The Procurement of Goods, Services and Facilities
Procurement
practices have the potential to be subject to unconscious bias and systemic
barriers. It is the Company’s goal to consider accessibility in its procurement
processes, where possible.
·
Review procurement
practices and improve, where reasonable and applicable, to consider
accessibility in the purchase of goods, services and the use or purchase of
facilities.
Progress Report
2024: Procurement of Goods, Services and Facilities
Currently Tenold
Transportation Ltd. does not purchase many good, services or facilities. The
goods that we typically purchase are trucks, vehicle parts, gas, office
equipment, coffee, and food. The services that we typically procure are
mechanical services, cleaning services, landscape services, coffee refill
services and pest control services. We do not regularly purchase facilities but
when we do, we typically buy the facility as is and then renovate it to suit
the Company’s needs. This allows us to renovate the building with accessibility
in mind. In most cases the Mullen Group is the one purchasing or leasing the
property, not the business unit.
Barrier #1:
Currently Tenold
Transportation’s procurement procedures do not take accessibility requirements
into consideration due to most of them being industry specific and not having a
lot of options.
·
Actions: In future we should vet any vendors we use to ensure that they
have Accessibility Plans in place and are following the Accessible Canada Act.
·
Timelines: As needed.
·
Roles and
Responsibilities: The responsibility of
whoever is looking at the service.
·
Determining and
Tracking Intended Outcomes: If a company does not
have an Accessibility Plan, then we should choose to do business with another
company that does have an Accessibility Plan and is following the Accessible
Canada Act.
The Design and Delivery of Programs and Services
The Company’s
primary customers are other businesses, and as such, evaluating the design and
delivery of programs and services to the public is not applicable. The Company
considers the design and delivery of programs and services as it might apply to
its employees and customers.
·
Review the
accessibility of design and delivery of programs and services with respect to
employees and customers with disabilities.
Progress Report
2024: Design and Delivery of Programs and Services
Currently we
design and deliver our policies and programs with all staff in mind. The
programs we have put in place are with every employee in mind. Some of these
programs are the Employee and Family Assistance Program, Lifeworks, and our
Benefits Program. We also have a Social Committee where we try to honor and
celebrate diversity.
The services we
provide to customers, we always try to adapt our service to meet the needs of
our customers and to provide the best service possible. We are a company that
has a mindset of continuous improvement so we are always look at how we can
better design and deliver our programs and services.
Barriers #1:
In the past we
have not always thought about accessibility in a larger picture, only in terms
of the current staff and their accessibility challenges.
·
Actions: Going forward accessibility needs to be considered from a big
picture in every aspect of the company.
·
Timelines: This should occur anytime we change or create a program,
service, or policy.
·
Roles and
Responsibilities: The Executive Team is
responsible for this as they are the team that would be making these changes.
·
Determining and
Tracking Intended Outcomes: If we become known as
a company that is diverse, inclusive, and accessible we will see more hires who
do have barriers to employment and staff that are happier and feel that they
work for a great company.
Transportation
The Company’s
business may provide transportation, logistics services, and/or specialized and
industrial services, it does not provide passenger transportation services. As
such, barriers to the public and passenger-based services are not considered.
The Company’s focus is on continually evaluating potential barriers that exist
for employees and candidates. Such barriers might include, physical barriers,
like ramps, curbs, vehicle and equipment design or lack of vehicle and
equipment adaptability. The Company will work towards reducing barriers for
employees with disabilities to the extent reasonable, pursuant to applicable
occupational health and safety legislation, and other relevant legislation.
·
Assess the
accommodations available for vehicles and equipment that would be compliant
with the Company’s occupational health and safety, and other relevant
legislative, contractual and other obligations for opportunities for safe
implementation.
Progress Report 2024: Transportation
All owner
operator or company vehicles are used solely for the purpose of transporting
customer’s goods to and from a location. No vehicles are used for the purpose
of transporting people. As of this progress report we are also currently not
using any company vehicles for providing services to customers, all the
vehicles being used are owner operator’s vehicles and because it is their own
vehicle, they would be responsible for the accessibility of their own vehicles.
Currently Tenold
Transportation does not transport any of the staff. Every staff is responsible
for getting to and from work on their own. If a staff needs any adaptations to
their personal vehicle to make it more accessible, it would be the staff’s responsibility
to do so.
As a result of
this, the standards for transportation are not required to be a scope in this
plan. Subsequently, there are no barriers to accessibility when it comes to
Transportation at Tenold.
Barrier # 1:
There are no
barriers in this current section due to Tenold Transportation not transporting
people but goods.
·
Actions: N/A
·
Timelines: N/A
·
Roles and
Responsibilities: N/A
·
Determining and
Tracking Intended Outcomes: N/A
Budget and Resource Allocation
We work with each
employee to ensure that their workstation is set up to meet their needs. This
means that if they require an ergonomic chair, a different keyboard or mouse or
a sit/stand desk that we provide them with that and cover the cost. If there is
a special requirement that a new hire or current staff have then we will help
accommodate them until the point of undue hardship.
At each of our
different buildings, we will budget funds to ensure that the building is
accessible to all.
We also cover the
cost of accessibility training to key staff to ensure that we are continually
expanding our knowledge in the area of accessibility and staying up to date.
Training
Tenold
Transportation invests in training for all staff. Each staff upon hire
completes a lengthy orientation. The orientation focuses on Information
Technology Training, Safety Training, Human Resources Training and Job Specific
Training. When a staff changes to a new position they are also provided Job
Specific Training. All training can be adapted to meet the needs of the staff
and to ensure that the training is valuable for them.
All our Executive
and Management team complete the Personal Information Protection Act Training
so that they know how to handle staff’s personal information.
We also have a
Business Management Course through the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology
that we provide staff to complete that helps them to grow as leaders.
Our Human
Resources Department and Information Technologies Department will also be
participating in training through Accessibility Services Canada.
If training is
required in a different format, then we will work at adapting it to be
accessible for all.
Consultation
The Company
understands that collaborating with persons with disabilities is an important
factor in developing an Accessibility Plan. Mullen Group consulted with the
Foothills Advocacy in Motion Society (“FAIM“) on behalf of its federally
regulated subsidiaries in the development of this Accessibility Plan (the
“Consultation“).
The Consultation process was two-fold and included:
·
a review completed by
FAIM of a draft of the Accessibility Plan; and
·
several in person
conversations with persons with disabilities facilitated by FAIM.
The first facet
of the Consultation consisted of FAIM reviewing and providing feedback on a
draft of the Accessibility Plan, prior to the in-person portion of the
Consultation. The second facet of the Consultation included in-person
discussions that were facilitated by a staff member of FAIM. These discussions
posed questions and asked for input regarding the barriers faced by persons
with disabilities, including, physical, attitudinal, technological and
communication barriers. These conversations also asked for input on
recommendations for improving policies and procedures to support persons with
disabilities, and for recommendations on the inclusiveness and accessibility of
events and activities.
Progress Report 2024: Consultations and Feedback Submitted and
Considered
To align with
Tenold Transportation’s commitment to make our workplace accessible to all, we
have developed our Accessibility Plan in consultation with our employees,
including those with disabilities.
We gathered
feedback and input from employees by conducting one on one meetings with
employees with disabilities. Based on the feedback provided by some of the
staff and their changing needs we are making some changes to the built
environment. We are thankful for the wisdom and guidance of our staff who live
with disabilities who helped to create this plan.
The Government of
Canada’s website was also consulted to ensure that as a company we are
compliant with the Accessible Canada Act.
https:
//www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/programs/accessible-canada-regulations-guidance/accessibility-plans/template.html#h2.1
https:
//truckinghr.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/AccCanadaAct.E.5.pdf
Progress Reports
The Company
prepares, publishes, and submits a progress report to the Accessibility
Commissioner regarding the implementation of the Accessibility Plan each year
the plan is not required to be updated. This report follows a similar structure
to the Accessibility Plan and includes feedback and contact information,
information about the consultations completed for the development of the plan,
and any good faith feedback received on the Accessibility Plan. The report
addresses how the consultations and feedback were taken into consideration
during the process. Progress reports can be made available upon request and are
available in all accessible formats the Accessibility Plan is available in.
Document Retention
The Company keeps
detailed records of the creation, implementation, and updating of the
Accessibility Plan and progress reports. The Accessibility Plan and feedback
process are retained (https: //tenold.com/accessibility/ and at our Head
Office) for seven years from the publication date. Any feedback provided to the
company is retained for seven years from the date it is received. Where
necessary, names and personal information of individuals and employees who
participated in the feedback process are redacted to ensure confidentiality and
privacy. The Company will not retain contact information for any anonymously
provided feedback.
