The Canadian Council on Rehabilitation and Work (CCRW), a leading organization on disability and work, has launched AccessPath, a free online tool to help businesses assess and improve the accessibility of their workplaces. New data from Statistics Canada reveals that 49% of employed Canadians with disabilities encounter barriers in their physical workplace.
“Accessible workplaces benefit both workplaces and their employees, but many companies don’t know where to start on their accessibility journey,” says Maureen Haan, President and CEO of CCRW. “AccessPath gives employers a clear starting point. It helps them understand where their organization stands today and what steps they can take to build a more inclusive environment.”
Understanding and improving accessibility
AccessPath allows companies to evaluate their accessibility practices through five key assessments that cover every stage of employment, from recruitment to retention:
1) Support, Policy, and Leadership
2) Culture, Engagement, and Education
3) Recruitment, Hiring, and Onboarding
4) Retention and Career Development
5) Development and Maintenance of an Accessibility Support System
Once they complete the evaluation, employers receive an overall accessibility score and a personalized action plan to strengthen inclusion across their organization. As companies make changes, they can update their answers and track progress over time.
The areas covered in AccessPath are based off of the Employment Standard from Accessibility Standards Canada. For federally regulated entities, AccessPath will support them with designing their path to alignment with the standard.
“AccessPath is a practical way for businesses to measure what matters,” adds Haan. “We know many employers want to be more inclusive, but they’re unsure where to start. This tool helps them take that first step and the next one.”
Why accessibility matters more than ever
With 27% of Canadians aged 15 and over (8 million people) reporting at least one disability, the economic and social benefits of inclusion are clear. Yet the employment rate for persons with disabilities (62%) still lags behind that of persons without disabilities (78%).
Good for business
CCRW notes that while many companies know that removing barriers is the right thing to do, they should also know that it’s also good for business and for the economy. Businesses report a 170% Social Return on Investment (SROI) on investments they make in accessibility, and this includes economic value generated from an investment. Furthermore, research shows that closing Canada’s labour market gap for people with disabilities could create up to 450,000 jobs and add $50–60 billion CAD to GDP over the next decade.
Contrary to common myths, accessibility improvements are rarely costly. CCRW data shows that the average one-time accommodation costs only a few hundred dollars.
CCRW creates accessible and inclusive employment opportunities and works with businesses, communities, and job seekers to break down barriers to employment.
Photo: iStock
