Deloitte
AccessAbility Action Plan
Aldo Fierro is a Toronto-based visually impaired graphic artist and designer with experience in a variety of media. He finds inspiration in music, art, and film, with ideas often coming to him on his daily runs. Themes of movement, openness, and nature are key to this piece; they represent the fundamental journey toward the evolution of accessibility, diversity, equality, and inclusion.
Table of contents
- Message from our Leadership .....................................2
- Canada 2030: bringing words to action .....................3
- Our journey ......................................................................4
- Deloitte’s AccessAbility Action Plan .............................5
- Our participation ..............................................................6
- Our guiding pillars ............................................................7
- Commitment to AccessAbility .......................................8
- Governance and accountability..................................13
Message from our Leadership
"At Deloitte Canada, we are guided by our Purpose: to make an impact that matters by inspiring and helping our people, organizations, communities, and country to thrive. We seek to build a better future for all Canadians by not only accelerating access to knowledge, but also by removing the barriers that prevent people from accessing opportunities."
"That’s why our AccessAbility Action Plan is so important. It reaffirms our commitment to creating a safe, welcoming, and accessible environment at the firm for people with disabilities through action. It also outlines the types of commitments all Canadian organizations must make if we are truly committed to building a brighter future for Canada, one that is inclusive and available to all Canadians."
"Our journey to become a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive firm is one of continual growth— learning and evolving along the way to ensure that the actions we take truly benefit those we are trying to reach. We look forward to continuing on this path and inspiring others to do the same."
"Inclusive and accessible organizations are places where employees thrive, and where everyone benefits from inclusively designed buildings, policies, and practices. An inclusive culture blossoms when we embrace a caring spirit, our commitment to each other, and our willingness to take risks, learn, and hire based on ability, not because of a disability. Inclusive organizations are built on a foundation of success and confidence knowing that they can do better. We can always do better."
"The AccessAbility Action Plan is neither the start nor the end of our journey to create an inclusive and accessible Deloitte. The plan has clear, measurable actions that clearly set out the path for us to follow. It is a plan in which each of us has a role to play. Whether you are a prospective or existing employee with disabilities, lead a business unit, or a parent wanting a better future for your child, we are all in this together. We can create that culture of inclusion, and nurture that special place to work."
Canada 2030: bringing words to action
Deloitte has challenged corporate Canada and governments to take a path to a brighter future by 2030. A key action needed to attain this brighter future is unlocking under‑represented and under‑employed labour pools that have been historically passed over.
Canadian corporations are increasingly focused on not only complying with federal and provincial laws and regulations which require that they better serve, and hire more, people from marginalized communities, but also on designing a workforce for the future to make them globally competitive.
Deloitte envisions a workforce that will bring our values and purpose to life and create the Canada we all want in 2030: one that is stronger, more resilient, and inclusive for all.
Please read the report the report and share it widely; let’s work together to build a prosperous and equitable future for all Canadians.
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Our journey
Deloitte’s accessibility journey
Our journey has been both long and winding, and, as with most organizations, it has also been complex and personal. We have learned, shared, and strived to become a more inclusive workplace. Our goal is to create an accessible and inclusive environment for our people and our because it is our belief that by doing so, we will become a more productive and profitable professional services firm.
In 2012, the federal government asked our general counsel at the time, Kenneth J. Fredeen, to chair a panel that studied and reported on marketplace opportunities for people with disabilities. The panel’s report, Rethinking disability in the private sector, disability in the private sector, was tabled in January 2013 and it received international attention and recognition. Since then, Mr. Fredeen and Deloitte Canada have been recognized for their accessibility leadership.
Successful employment programs
Profiled below are three successful Deloitte hiring initiatives:
We created a program within our Toronto office to facilitate the hiring of Special Olympics athletes by our hospitality services vendor, Sodexo. These athletes are provided with an opportunity to transition their skills from sport to work in the hospitality industry. Athletes were hired to work at our Toronto office and we are now extending this program across Canada in partnership with Special Olympics and Ready, Willing & Able, a federally funded employment agency.
We are participating in CNIB’s Come to Work program, an innovative initiative that focuses on employment and technology, and taps into the abilities of individuals who are blind, partially sighted, or Deafblind. The idea started as a way to strategically add people with sight loss to the Deloitte talent acquisition team to help mitigate some of the unconscious bias that occurs during the interview stages of the recruiting process while also promoting a more inclusive workplace. We will continue to participate in the program, building on what we learn from our successful collaboration with CNIB.
Deloitte recognizes that people with Autism Spectrum Disorder or an intellectual disability provide valuable skill sets often overlooked by employers. In collaboration with Ready, Willing & Able, we have an education and hiring program that uses the skills and qualifications of this talent pool.
Deloitte has launched an initiative with auticon Canada, an I.T. consulting firm, to subcontract their highly skilled consultants on the autism spectrum on large complex I.T. projects - both client facing and internally.
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Deloitte’s AccessAbility Action Plan
Our purpose and vision
We exist to inspire and help others thrive, and we are committed to building a better future by accelerating and expanding access to knowledge and opportunities for all.
Our AccessAbility Action Plan is both our commitment to creating an accessible and inclusive environment at Deloitte for people with disabilities, and our commitment to inspiring our clients and others to do the same.
Guiding principles
We have established the following guiding principles to bring to life our purpose and vision.
- Remain compliant with provincial legislation and the Federal Contractors Program.
- Create a barrier-free experience for people with disabilities.
- Raise awareness of the importance of accessibility for our country, Deloitte, and our clients.
- Align with Deloitte Canada’s inclusion strategy.
- Support our clients to fulfill their accessibility objectives.
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Our participation
Duncan Sinclair, Chair of Deloitte Canada
Our AccessAbility Action Plan is an opportunity to rededicate ourselves to the future, and address all of the ways that Deloitte Canada can be a pillar of courage, strength, and support to the disability community. Millions of Canadians with disabilities make unique contributions to our country and world, and because of them, our nation is a vibrant mosaic worth celebrating.
Yet, we know that many members of this community are often unemployed or under-employed, and are not represented at leadership tables. We must make the collective decision to do better. Deloitte Canada commits to working every day to address lingering injustices, amplify voices, tear down barriers, and ensure that every member of our nation is valued, respected, included, and inspired.
Carole Mendonca, Manager, Accessibility
As we shift our focus from disability to ability, it is remarkable how many opportunities we can create. An inclusive workforce includes people with disabilities. That is why the AccessAbility Action Plan is so important. It requires a collective commitment by all of us to initiate the conversation and transform the way we think, act, and do business.
By focusing on increased awareness and education efforts, we will continue to break down barriers and make meaningful change within our workforce. I am proud to play a leadership role in an organization that is taking action to advance accessibility, to be part of the future, and to be ambassadors for change. Through the Plan’s initiatives and efforts, we will make a meaningful difference, not only within Deloitte but also within the communities we serve. By being committed to our values and working together, the opportunities are endless.
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Our guiding pillars
Pillars for our leadership
Deloitte’s AccessAbility Action Plan brings our AccessAbility vision to life, and is the framework for breaking down barriers and increasing accessibility for people with disabilities at Deloitte.
We have created four guiding AccessAbility pillars, each with specific actions that can be measured. Our success is built upon these pillars.
The AccessAbility Action Plan will not only make us more inclusive, it will be a guided path for others to follow.
Our AccessAbility pillars
Inclusive environment: Deloitte seeks to create a safe and welcoming workplace for people with disabilities. We are committed to building an inclusive culture in everything we do.
Education and awareness: Deloitte understands the importance of educational awareness regarding people with disabilities. We will provide learning opportunities to educate our employees at all levels.
Employment: Deloitte will continue to hire, engage, and empower current and future employees with disabilities so they can achieve their full potential.
Marketplace: Deloitte will work to create a positive impact, both in the marketplace by helping and inspiring our clients, and on businesses owned by people with disabilities.
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Commitment to AccessAbility
Deloitte seeks to create a safe and welcoming workplace for people with disabilities. We are committed to building an inclusive culture in everything we do.
Inclusive environment
| Commitment | Target | Timeline | Responsibility | AAP pillar |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ensure Deloitte’s physical environment is accessible and inclusive for people with disabilities, whether they are our clients or our people. | Adhere to the Rick Hansen Foundation checklist for all new Deloitte Canada offices during the design stage, and implement the Rick Hansen Gold Standard Certificate to new Deloitte offices (starting with Vancouver), where applicable. For existing Deloitte Canada offices, ensure the National Building Code and Deloitte’s office accessibility checklist are met. | 2020-2023 | AccessAbility committee | Inclusive environment |
| Business operations | ||||
| Corporate real estate | ||||
| Ensure current Deloitte policies and processes include a disability lens to create a safe, inclusive, and welcoming workplace for people with disabilities. | Review and adapt current accessibility policies, support systems, and I.T. platforms to accommodate people with disabilities. | 2020-2023 | AccessAbility committee | Inclusive environment |
| Talent | Employment | |||
| I.T. | Education and awareness | |||
| Create a long-term I.T. accessibility plan to ensure we are accessible on all internal and external Deloitte websites. | Work with a vendor focused on digital accessibility to ensure we remain accessible and compliant on all Deloitte websites and applications. | 2020-2023 | AccessAbility committee | Inclusive environment |
| Talent | ||||
| I.T. |
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| Commitment | Target | Timeline | Responsibility | AAP pillar |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ensure that we are fulfilling all of our legislative compliance requirements in all areas of accessibility. | Create a list of requirements (Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, Nova Scotia Accessibility Act, Federal Contractors Program, etc.) and assign an owner to maintain compliance. | 2020-2023 | AccessAbility committee | Inclusive environment |
| I.T. | • Education and awareness | |||
| Talent | Employment | |||
| Business operations | ||||
| Office of general counsel | ||||
| Implement a best practice accommodation process. | Create a centralized accessibility fund for activities (such as workplace accommodations, I.T., and building changes) related to accessibility and compliance at Deloitte. | 2021 | AccessAbility committee | Inclusive environment |
| Create a team to streamline people with disabilities accommodations and support process. | I.T. | Employment | ||
| Talent | ||||
| Business operations | ||||
| Continue to support the AccessAbility Network Employee Resource Group (ERG) to foster mentorship, leadership opportunities, and event sponsorship for employees with disabilities at Deloitte. | Review operating budget and revise where necessary to support AccessAbility network ERG activities. | Ongoing | AccessAbility committee | Inclusive environment |
| Inclusion |
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Deloitte understands the importance of educational awareness regarding people with disabilities. We will provide learning opportunities to educate our employees at all levels.
Education and awareness
| Commitment | Target | Timeline | Responsibility | AAP pillar |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Distribute constant and ongoing updates and communications on Deloitte Canada’s AccessAbility Action Plan to raise awareness and encourage participation throughout Deloitte. | Publish AccessAbility highlights through internal communications. | Annually, or more frequently, as appropriate | AccessAbility committee | Education |
| Inclusion | Inclusive environment | |||
| Communications | ||||
| Create an internal hub for accessibility educational resources including compliance guidelines, accommodations support, disability awareness training, and accessible technology certifications. | Publish accessibility educational resources and updated compliance information through the AccessAbility hub. | Annually | AccessAbility committee | Education |
| AccessAbility network ERG | Inclusive environment | |||
| Inclusion | ||||
| Business operations | ||||
| Corporate real estate | ||||
| I.T. | ||||
| Talent | ||||
| Identify and deliver accessibility training. Require all professionals assigned to accessibility engagements to complete training. | Complete Accessibility training with Deloitte digital and human capital professionals. Include the training on the AccessAbility hub to provide the option for all employees to take part. | 2020-2021 | AccessAbility committee | Education |
| Inclusion | Inclusive environment | |||
| Talent | ||||
| Communicate existing opportunities and accompanying resources for Deloitte Canada professionals to participate in accessibility holidays, events, workshops, educational materials, mentorship, and volunteer opportunities at the firm. | Publish opportunities and resources through internal communications. | Annually, or more, frequently, as appropriate | AccessAbility committee | Education |
| AccessAbility network ERG | Inclusive environment |
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Deloitte will continue to hire, engage, and empower current and future employees with disabilities so they can achieve their full potential.
Employment
| Commitment | Target | Timeline | Responsibility | AAP pillar |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nationally and at the local‑office level, design and implement recruiting and talent strategies to hire, develop, and retain more people with disabilities in each office. | Increase the number of people with disabilities in each local Deloitte office. | People with disabilities target: five percent of the total employee population by 2023 | Talent | Employment |
| Inclusive environment | ||||
| Diversify the talent pipeline by working with external organizations focused on employing people with disabilities. | Work with existing employment partnerships and implement hiring process through talent (for example, Special Olympics, Ready, Willing & Able, auticon, and CNIB). | 2020-2023 | Talent | Employment |
| Inclusive environment | ||||
| Implement an employment tracking system to ensure we are focused on the development of career paths for employees with disabilities. | Identify the number of people with disabilities at the firm through an employment equity survey, and include who develop a disability. Monitor retention for employees at all levels. | 2020-2021 | Talent | Employment |
| Inclusion | Inclusive environment | |||
| Office of general counsel |
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Deloitte will work to create a positive impact on the marketplace by helping and inspiring our clients, and on businesses owned by people with disabilities.
Marketplace
| Commitment | Target | Timeline | Responsibility | AAP pillar |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Utilize our eminence in the accessibility space to create marketplace opportunities for Deloitte Canada. | Derive revenue and collaboration opportunities for Deloitte Canada through accessibility-related projects. | 2020-2023 | Inclusion | Marketplace |
| Consulting | Inclusion | |||
| Executive leadership | ||||
| Increase business spend on Canadian businesses owned by people with disabilities. | Strive to source one percent of applicable procurement spend for local offices from businesses owned by people with disabilities. | 2020-2022 | Procurement | Marketplace |
| Inclusion | Inclusion | |||
| Talent | ||||
| Continue to collaborate with external stakeholders and like-minded organizations to support Canada’s accessibility journey. | Lead and deliver two roundtables per year on accessibility for federally regulated organizations, and co-publish a white paper on accessibility efforts in Canada (focusing on COVID-19 learnings). | 2020-2023 | AccessAbility committee | Marketplace |
| Inclusion | Inclusion | |||
| • Executive leadership |
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Governance and accountability
Governance team
The Chief Culture and People Officer will be the executive sponsor for this plan. He will appoint a chair or chairs to oversee its execution. The chair(s) will lead the Deloitte AccessAbility committee, which will be comprised of Deloitte Canada professionals with disabilities, as well as those who are typically-abled, from coast to coast. They are the owners of this plan and are committed to the advancement of accessibility.
The committee will meet monthly to provide progress on accessibility commitments and work toward the completion of targets. To help with this, Deloitte’s AccessAbility network provides regional assistance during events or programs to encourage our people to become more aware of and engaged with the firm’s accessibility initiatives.
AccessAbility committee
Accessibility representation
Accessibility Co-chairs
Office of general counsel
Business operations
Procurement
Inclusion
I.T.
Talent
AccessAbility network ERG
Regional representation
Ontario
Quebec
Montreal
Toronto
Prairies
British Columbia
Atlantic
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About Deloitte
Deloitte provides audit and assurance, consulting, financial advisory, risk advisory, tax, and related services to public and private clients spanning multiple industries. Deloitte serves four out of five Fortune Global 500® companies through a globally connected network of member firms in more than 150 countries and territories bringing world-class capabilities, insights, and service to address clients’ most complex business challenges. Deloitte LLP, an Ontario limited liability partnership, is the Canadian member firm of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited. Deloitte refers to one or more of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited, a UK private company limited by guarantee, and its network of member firms, each of which is a legally separate and independent entity. Please see www.deloitte.com/about for a detailed description of the legal structure of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited and its member firms.
Our global Purpose is making an impact that matters. At Deloitte Canada, that translates into building a better future by accelerating and expanding access to knowledge. We believe we can achieve this Purpose by living our shared values to lead the way, serve with integrity, take care of each other, foster inclusion, and collaborate for measurable impact.
To learn more about Deloitte’s approximately 312,000 professionals, over 12,000 of whom are part of the Canadian firm, please connect with us on LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook.