ACTION
PLAN
FOR
HANDICAPPED
PERSONS
2010-2011
Project co-ordinated by Ginette Déry
Adviser, Human Resources
Talent Management and Organizational Development [email protected]
Participants
Maxim Chagnon
Senior Director, Media and Public Relations Communications
Ginette Boucher
Strategic Adviser, Communications Strategic Communications
Christian Allard
Director, Work Environment Business Services
Lise Tremblay Systems Adviser
Information Technology
Table of contents
Context ... 4
Brief portrait of the Caisse and its areas of operation ... 5
Commitment to reducing barriers to integration ... 6
Measures taken ... 7
Barriers identified and measures planned for 2010-2011 ... 10
Complaints ... 14
Follow-up process ... 14
Approval of the action plan ... 14
Publication and dissemination of the Action Plan for Handicapped Persons ... 14
CONTEXT
The Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec hereby presents, in its annual Action Plan for Handicapped Persons 2010-2011, the measures already taken and those planned to reduce the barriers to the integration of people with disabilities.
Pursuant to section 61.1 of the Act to secure handicapped persons in the exercise of
their rights with a view to achieving social, school and workplace integration,
government departments, most public agencies and the most populous municipalities in Québec must prepare, adopt and publish annually an action plan for handicapped persons.
Section 61.1
Not later than 17 December 2005, every government department or public agency employing at least 50 persons and every local municipality with at least 15,000 inhabitants shall adopt an action plan identifying the barriers to integration handicapped persons encounter in the sector of activity of the department or agency, and describing the measures taken over the past year and those to be taken in the coming year to reduce barriers to integration in that sector of activity. The action plan includes any other element determined by the Government upon recommendation of the Minister, and must be prepared and published annually.
Definitions
Public agencies (R.S.Q., c. E-20.1, s.1, para. e. 1)
“public agency” means a government agency or enterprise within the meaning of the Auditor General Act (chapter V-5.01).
Handicapped person (R.S.Q., c. E-20.1, s.1, para. g.)
“handicapped person” means a person with a deficiency causing a significant and persistent disability, who is liable to encounter barriers in performing everyday activities.
BRIEF PORTRAIT OF THE CAISSE AND ITS AREAS OF
OPERATION
Background
The Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec was created in 1965 by an Act of the National Assembly to manage the funds contributed to Québec’s newly created universal pension plan, the Régime des rentes du Québec. In the decades that followed, other organizations also deposited their funds at the Caisse.
Our mission
Our team
The Caisse has one of the largest specialized teams of fund managers in Canada and North America.
> 696 employees as at December 31, 2009 > 79% of whom are university graduates
The Caisse has identified two employees as handicapped persons. They hold full-time positions at different hierarchical levels.
Organizational structure
The Caisse has an organizational structure that enables it to deal effectively with the increasing complexity of its role as an investor. The structure reflects its determination to adopt the best governance practices. It is also designed to derive the maximum benefit from its human and physical resources.
The Caisse’s teams are organized along two main lines: the investment groups have a mandate to manage its holdings, while the general services groups support and complement the management teams.
The Caisse’s main office is in Montréal and its head office is in Québec City.
COMMITMENT TO REDUCING BARRIERS TO INTEGRATION
The Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec does not provide services directly to the public in any aspect of its mission. It undertakes, however, to deploy and to maintain its efforts to reduce or to eliminate barriers to the integration of handicapped persons into its various operations.
In line with this initiative, the Caisse has adopted a deductive approach that consists of determining barriers to integration on the basis of an analysis of the environment that it offers handicapped persons.
MEASURES TAKEN
List of measures taken:Accessibility of premises
Ultramodern building constructed in 2003 that goes beyond the basic criteria of the Building Code
Environment accessible to people with disabilities > Access ramps
> Reserved parking spaces
> Auditory signals and visual signage in elevators
> Elevator door open buttons within reach of people of any height
> Extra-wide walkways and passages
> Workstations designed to take into account any employee’s physical feature
> Up-to-date emergency plan
> Training session for the evacuation brigade
> Men’s and women’s washroom doors that open automatically on the Parquet level
> Doors that open automatically on all floors providing access to the garage
> Development of layout plans to respond rapidly to future needs
> Addition of signage for quick and easy identification of elevator access on the ground floor
> Identification of an ergonomist to provide advice and make any necessary adjustments
Identification of people with reduced mobility
Continual update of the list of people with reduced mobility. This list ensures quick identification of persons who need special assistance in an emergency. It is given to the Fire Department
> Information provided to individuals identified in the list of security measures and actions to be taken in case of emergency
Reception
practices (vis-à-vis the general public)
Purchase of two portable teletypewriters to ensure people with hearing disabilities are received courteously
> Training of personnel concerned
Information technology
> Remote access to e-mail and various computer applications > Identification of suppliers to obtain any computer tools
required to respond to needs
Access to documents
> Identification of suppliers and conclusion of an agreement for the production of certain documents according to various reading options (sign language, Braille, audio and large type) if requested by an online user
> Analysis of corporate documents on the Intranet site that need to be accessible to handicapped employees
Best human resources practices
> Form in the orientation kit to state a physical disability > Contacts with organizations that facilitate integration of
handicapped persons into the job market to obtain advice and suggestions so as to target these people
> Statement in all job postings that the Caisse endorses the principles of equal employment
> Statement on the website that the Caisse endorses the principles of equal employment
> Continuation of the committee that developed the Action Plan for Handicapped Persons
> Standardization of the self-identification process for handicapped persons
> Organization of an awareness meeting on equal access to employment for the Human Resources team
> Meetings with various organizations affiliated with
handicapped persons in order to set up a partnership. This will enable us to improve recruiting and selection of
employees belonging to this target group
> Organization of confidential individual meetings with
employees who are handicapped or have reduced mobility so as to obtain their comments and suggestions
> Transmission of all job postings to organizations that promote the integration of handicapped persons into the workplace > Benchmarking survey involving several organizations
conducted to ensure the implementation of best practices > Participation in an intercorporate committee on best practices
related to groups referred to in the Act respecting equal
access to employment in public bodies
> Review of hiring processes and implementation of tools to promote equal employment opportunities for everyone > Participation in job fairs aimed at handicapped persons
Employee awareness
In all visuals used for internal and external purposes, be they in electronic or in print format, the Caisse ensures that various social groups, including the disabled, are represented
> Meeting to raise awareness about the various groups referred to in the Act respecting equal access to employment in public
bodies for all team leaders
> Les mille et un visages week-long event to raise employee awareness regarding the various groups referred to in the Act
respecting equal access to employment in public bodies
Caisse website and Intranet site
> Incorporation of the rules of the Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI)
> Consultation and implementation of recommendations in the
Guide d’accessibilité et d’adaptation des services gouvernementaux (March 2005)
> Development of a text version of online illustrations presented as graphs
> Provision of written transcripts of audiovisual documents on demand
Accessibility of information
> Creation of pages on the website containing the Caisse's statement and action plan with respect to handicapped personsAnnouncement in the internal newsletter to inform employees of the pages on the Caisse website intended for this purpose and the Action Plan for Handicapped Persons > Acknowledgement on the Caisse website that, on request, we
will provide certain corporate documents intended for the general public according to various reading options (sign language, Braille, audio and large type)
> Conclusion of a service agreement with a supplier for the production of documents according to various reading options so as to make available, on request, certain corporate
BARRIERS IDENTIFIED AND MEASURES PLANNED FOR 2010-2011
Ongoing from the 2009-2010 action plan
Barriers Measures Persons in
charge Planned completion Action indicators Status
Website The platform of our website does not permit the changes required to make it more accessible to all handicapped persons
> Adjust font size of certain links on the website in line with new site standards
> Ensure compliance of website with three standards defined by the Ministère des Services
gouvernementaux
Director, Content and New Media, Strategic Communications Summer 2010 Completion of projects Best human resources practices Team leaders lack information with respect to handicapped persons
> Train team leaders on management issues related to equal access to employment Adviser, Human Resources, Talent Acquisition and Organizational Development December 2010 Degree of progress made in organizing the training program Number of team leaders who take part in the training program
Persons in charge
Planned Action Status
Barriers Measures completion indicators Diversity, including diversity as it applies to handicapped persons, is not prominent enough in internal and external events. > Organize Diversity
Week every year
Adviser, Human Resources, Talent Acquisition and Organizational Development Fall 2010 Holding of Diversity Week Best human resources practices Public relations The Caisse's initiatives with respect to handicapped persons do not receive sufficient exposure
> Ensure all social groups, including the disabled, are
represented in visuals used for internal and external purposes
Senior Director, Media and Public Relations
2010-2011 Number of
initiatives implemented
BARRIERS IDENTIFIED AND MEASURES PLANNED FOR 2010-2011
Priority barriers to be addressed in 2010-2011
Barriers Measures Persons in
charge Planned completion Action indicators Status Priority 1 Employee awareness Misconceptions about what handicapped persons experience tend to hinder their integration into the organization > Promote greater employee awareness via the publication of articles in the internal newsletter to demystify certain misconceptions Strategic Adviser, Communications, Strategic Communications 2010-2011 Number of articles published Priority 2 Accessibility of premises The employee cafeteria is not adapted for use by handicapped persons
> Development of a layout that will quickly
accommodate future needs Director, Work Environment Business Services Fall 2010 Completed plan Priority 3 Best human resources practices
The Caisse is not sufficiently well known by handicapped persons
> Increase the Caisse's exposure through presentations to handicapped persons via organizations with which we have established a partnership Senior Adviser, Talent Acquisition, Talent Management and Organizational Development Winter 2011 Number of presentations given and number of handicapped persons present
Barriers Measures Persons in charge Planned completion Action indicators Status Priority 4 Accessibility of premises Disabled access at the New York and Québec City offices has not been evaluated > Identification of possible measures to be undertaken to increase accessibility for handicapped persons Director, Work Environment Business Services Winter 2011 Number of measures identified
COMPLAINTS
The Caisse has not received any complaints from employees or members of the public with respect to handicapped persons.
FOLLOW-UP PROCESS
The person responsible for the Action Plan for Handicapped Persons will provide semi-annual follow-up with the various persons in charge to ensure that the identified measures are implemented and will submit progress reports to Frédérick Charette, Executive Vice-President, Talent Management and Organizational Development. The action indicators specified earlier will make it possible to determine the level of progress made for each measure.
APPROVAL OF THE ACTION PLAN
The Action Plan for Handicapped Persons 2010-2011 has been approved by Frédérick Charette, Executive Vice-President, Talent Management and Organizational Development.
PUBLICATION AND DISSEMINATION OF THE ACTION PLAN FOR
HANDICAPPED PERSONS
The Action Plan for Handicapped Persons is available to employees and the general public on the website of the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec. It is posted under the Governance tab in the section Act, Regulations and Policies on a page titled Actions Affecting Handicapped Persons.
If you would like to obtain a hard copy of the action plan by mail, please contact Maxime Chagnon, Senior Director, Media and Public Relations, at 514-847-5493 or by e-mail at [email protected].
