Accenture multi-year accessibility plan and policies

Accenture 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 people 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 (“AODA”).

Accenture provides employees with disabilities individualized emergency response information when necessary. We have recently launched our Toronto Accessibility Centre that is open to all employees in Canada. Accenture’s global Accessibility Centers humanize technology by enabling and empowering persons with disabilities with state-of-the-art processes, equipment, and facilities through in-person and virtual assessments/tours. The spaces also serve as a hub for engaging, collaborating, and exchanging ideas to support our people with disabilities, our partners, clients, and the broader community.

Located on the 30^th floor of the Toronto King Office, each innovative space showcases a wide variety of assistive technology and devices Persons with Disabilities can interact with. New technology and tools will be added as they become available.

• For Hearing: Various devices engineered with features including headsets with noise cancellation, boom microphone, and HD voice portable speakerphone. Sound meters and noise guides to monitor levels and make people more aware of the impact noise in work surroundings.
• For Vision: Keyboards with features including low vision, large font, and braille stickers. Braille wall and number panels to help sighted individuals learn and teach read Braille. English talking calculator with clear audio entries & results displayed on the LCD screen.
• For Mobility: WeWalk Smart Cane that attaches to the traditional white cane, transforming it into an innovative smart cane. This technology increases visually impaired people’s independence and promotes full-participation in society via detecting obstacles, pairing with phone, and integration with Google Maps.
• For Prevention: All-in-one Desk Bike with easily adjustable laptop holder. Sit/stand desk and classic riser standing desk to provide easy transition from sitting to standing. Ergonomic seat, anti-fatigue feet mat, and ergonomic mouse and keyboard.

Accenture will ensure that its business practices, processes, and procedures are consistent with the following principles:

• The goods or services must be provided in a manner that respects the dignity and independence of persons with disabilities.
• The provision of goods or services to persons with disabilities and others must be integrated unless an alternate measure is necessary, whether temporarily or on a permanent basis, to enable a person with a disability to obtain, use or benefit from the goods or services.
• Persons with disabilities must be given an opportunity equal to that given to others to obtain, use and benefit from the goods or services.

All employees are expected to communicate with people with disabilities in ways that consider their disability. Employees who interact with clients, vendors and contractors have access to training modules regarding disability in the workplace, and tools and assistive devices will be made available.

Accenture provides training to employees, contractors and volunteers on the AODA Customer Service Standard and the requirements under this law which must be followed when providing customer service to people with disabilities.

Accenture provides training to employees, contractors and volunteers on Ontario’s accessibility laws under AODA and on the Human Rights Code as it relates to people with disabilities. Training is structured in a way that best suits the duties of employees, contractors and volunteers.

Accenture has provided employees with the training needed to meet AODA requirements and has refreshed the training in 2022. The latest training provides a comprehensive overview of the five AODA Standards. These five standards are targeted at removing barriers for persons with disabilities in key areas of daily living (Customer Service; Information and Communications; Employment; Design of Public Spaces; and the Transportation Standards).

Accenture is committed to meeting the communication needs of people with disabilities. Accenture has taken the following steps as required by the Information and Communication Standards:

• Accenture has integrated public feedback channel into Accenture.com website.
• Accenture has included on Accenture.com how complaints related to the accessibility of the public website or the accessibility of goods and services provided by Accenture are handled.
• Accenture has established an employee feedback channel through HR Requests.
• Accenture ensures that alternative formats for publicly available information are made accessible upon request.
• Accenture has taken steps to make websites and content conform to WCAG 2.0, Level AA, including:
  • Conforming to WCAG 2.0 Level AA for all websites and content.
  • Conforming to WCAG 2.0 Level AA for intranet sites and SharePoint Sites.

Accenture is committed to fair and accessible employment practices.

Accenture has taken the following steps:

• Accenture ensures the recruitment process considers the needs of people with disabilities.
• Accenture ensures the job applicant assessment process considers the needs of people with disabilities.
• Accenture ensures the hiring process considers the needs of people with disabilities.
• Accenture creates awareness among recruiters and hiring managers on hiring people with disabilities.
• Accenture has developed a written process to document individual accommodation plans for employees with disabilities.
• Accenture has developed a process that supports employees who have been absent due to a disability and require disability-related accommodations when they return to work.
• Accenture ensures the accessibility needs of employees with disabilities during the performance management process.
• Accenture reviews and updates accommodation plans as necessary when an employee with a disability is promoted or redeployed.
• Accenture provides workplace related “reasonable accommodations” for people with disabilities.
• Accenture ensures Emergency Preparedness and Responses procedures consider the needs of people with disabilities.
• Accenture provides accessible workplace design and facilities.