Accessibility

Our commitment

Compugen strives at all times to provide its goods and services in a way that respects the dignity and independence of people with disabilities. We are also committed to giving people with disabilities who may be employed by the customer organizations we serve the same opportunity to access our goods and services and allowing them to benefit from the same services, in the same place and in a similar way as other staff members of these customer organizations.

Providing goods and services to people with disabilities

Compugen is committed to excellence in serving all customers including people with disabilities and we will carry out our functions and responsibilities in the following areas:

Communication

We will communicate with people with disabilities in ways that take into account their disability.
We will work with the person with a disability to determine what method of communication best suits their needs.

Telephone services 

We are committed to providing fully accessible telephone service to our customers. We will train staff to communicate with customers over the telephone in clear and plain language and to speak clearly and slowly.
We will offer to communicate with customers by e-mail, relay services or TTY if telephone communication is not suitable to their communication needs or is not available.

Assistive devices

We are committed to serving people with disabilities who use assistive devices to obtain, use or benefit from our goods and services.

Billing and other documentation

We are committed to providing accessible invoices to all of our customers. For this reason, invoices will be provided in the following formats upon request: hard copy, large print, e-mail, and PDF. We will answer any questions customers may have about the content of the invoice in person, by telephone or e-mail.

Use of service animals and support persons

We are committed to welcoming staff members of customer organizations with disabilities who may have a business requirement to visit our premises and are accompanied by a service animal. We will also ensure that all of our staff involved in hosting customer visits are properly trained in how to interact with people with disabilities who are accompanied by a service animal. If it is not easy to identify that an animal is a service animal, our staff may ask the person with the disability to provide documentation from a regulated health professional. The documentation must confirm that the individual requires the service animal for reasons relating to their disability.

 

If a health and safety concern presents itself for example in the form of a severe allergy to the animal, Compugen will make all reasonable efforts to meet the needs of all individuals.

 

We are committed to welcoming staff members of customer organizations with disabilities who may have a business requirement to visit our premises and are accompanied by a support person. Any such person will be allowed to enter Compugen’s premises with his or her support person. At no time will a person with a disability who is accompanied by a support person be prevented from having access to his or her support person while on our premises.

 

In certain situations, Compugen might require a person with a disability to be accompanied by a support person for health or safety reasons. Prior to making a decision, Compugen will:

• Consult with the person with a disability to understand their needs

• Consider health or safety reasons based on available evidence

• Determine if there is no other reasonable way to protect the health or safety of the person or others on the premises

 

In situations where confidential information might be discussed, consent will be obtained from the customer, prior to any conversation where confidential information might be discussed.

Notice of temporary disruption

Compugen will provide customers with notice in the event of a planned or unexpected disruption in the facilities or services usually used by people with disabilities. This notice will include information about the reason for the disruption, its anticipated duration, and a description of alternative facilities or services, if available.

 

The notice will be placed on the Compugen website and also communicated by other appropriate means to individuals and customer organizations likely to be affected.

Training for staff

Compugen will provide accessible customer service training to:

 

• All staff members and volunteers

• Anyone involved in developing Compugen’s policies

• Anyone who provides goods or services to customers on Compugen’s behalf

 

This training will be provided within one month of the relevant staff member or volunteer commencing their duties.

 

Training will include the following:

• The purpose of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 and the requirements of the customer service standard

• Compugen’s policy on providing accessible customer service

• How to interact and communicate with people with various types of disabilities

• How to interact with people with disabilities who use an assistive device or require the assistance of a service animal or a support person

• Information on how to use any equipment or devices available to help provide goods or services to people with disabilities

• What to do if a person with a disability is having difficulty in accessing Compugen’s goods or services

 

All staff members and volunteers will be trained on an ongoing basis when changes are made to Compugen’s accessible customer service policy.

Feedback process

The ultimate goal of Compugen is to meet and surpass customer expectations while serving customers with disabilities. Comments on our services regarding how well those expectations are being met are welcome and appreciated.

 

Feedback regarding the way Compugen provides goods and services to people with disabilities or questions regarding this policy can be submitted by email by contacting pc@compugen.com.

If preferred, feedback can be provided by phone or mail to:

 

Morgan Chapuis
Email: MChapuis@compugen.com
Toll-Free Phone Number: 1 (800) 350-7404

Mailing Address:

Morgan Chapuis c/o People and Culture
Compugen Inc.
100 Via Renzo Drive
Richmond Hill, Ontario L4S 0B8
Email: MChapuis@compugen.com

 

Customers that provide formal feedback will receive acknowledgement of their feedback, along with any resulting actions based on concerns or complaints that were submitted. Customers can expect to hear back in 5 – 10 business days.

Compugen will ensure that its feedback process is accessible to people with disabilities by providing or arranging for accessible formats and communication supports, on request.

MODIFICATIONS TO THIS OR OTHER POLICIES

We are committed to developing customer service policies that respect and promote the dignity and independence of people with disabilities. Therefore, no changes will be made to this policy before considering the impact on people with disabilities.

ADMINISTRATION

This policy and its related procedures will be reviewed as required in the event of legislative changes.

If you have any questions or concerns about this policy or its related procedures, please contact:

 

Morgan Chapuis
Email: MChapuis@compugen.com
Toll-Free Phone Number: 1 (800) 350-7404

Mailing Address:

Morgan Chapuis c/o People and Culture
Compugen Inc.
100 Via Renzo Drive
Richmond Hill, Ontario L4S 0B8
Email: MChapuis@compugen.com

Revised: 29 December 2020

Integrated Accessibility Standards Policy

Commitment

Compugen 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 persons with disabilities in a timely manner, and will do so by preventing and removing barriers to accessibility and meeting accessibility requirements under applicable legislation.

Accessibility Plan

Compugen maintains and documents an Accessibility Plan outlining the company’s strategy to prevent and remove barriers from its workplace and to improve opportunities for persons with disabilities. The Accessibility Plan will be reviewed and updated at least once every five years and will be posted on the company’s website. Upon request, Compugen will provide a copy of the Accessibility Plan in an accessible format.

Training Staff and Volunteers

Compugen will ensure that training is provided on Accessibility Standards and will continue to provide training on the relevant Human Rights legislation as it pertains to persons with disabilities, to:

 

• all its staff members and volunteers;

• all persons who participate in developing organizational policies; and,

• all other persons who provide goods, services or facilities on behalf of the company

 

The training will be appropriate to the duties of the staff, volunteers and other persons.

 

Staff members will be trained when changes are made to the accessibility policy. New staff will be trained within the orientation period.

 

Compugen will track and keep a record of the training it provides.

 

Information and Communication Standards

Feedback

Compugen will continue to ensure that its process for receiving and responding to feedback is accessible to persons with disabilities by providing, or arranging for the provision of, accessible formats and communications supports, upon request.

Accessible Formats and Communication Supports

Upon request, Compugen will provide, or will arrange for the provision of accessible formats and communication supports for persons with disabilities in a timely manner that takes into account the person’s accessibility needs due to disability.

 

Compugen will consult with the person making the request in determining the suitability of an accessible format or communication support.

 

Compugen will also notify the public, where applicable, about the availability of accessible formats and communication supports.

Accessible Websites and Web Content

Compugen will ensure that our Internet websites, including web content, conform to the World Wide Web Consortium Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0, at Level AA except where this is not an option.

 

Employment Standards

Recruitment

Compugen will notify its staff and the public about the availability of accommodation for applicants with disabilities through all aspects of recruitment process.

Recruitment Process

We will notify job applicants, when they are individually selected to participate further in an assessment or selection process that accommodations are available upon request in relation to the materials or processes to be used. If a selected applicant requests an accommodation, we will consult with the applicant and provide, or arrange for the provision of, a suitable accommodation in a manner that takes into account the applicant’s accessibility needs due to disability.

Notice to Successful Applicants

When making offers of employment, we will notify the successful applicant of its policies for accommodating staff with disabilities.

Informing Staff of Supports

Compugen will continue to inform its staff of its policies (and any updates to those policies) used to support staff with disabilities, including policies on the provision of job accommodations that take into account a staff members’ accessibility needs due to disability. This information will be provided to new staff as soon as practicable after commencing employment.

Accessible Formats and Communication Supports for Staff

Upon the request of a staff member with a disability, Compugen will consult with the staff member to provide, or arrange for the provision of, accessible formats and communication supports for information that is needed to perform his/her job, and information that is generally available to other staff.

 

In determining the suitability of an accessible format or communication support, Compugen will consult with the staff member making the request.

Workplace Emergency Response Information

Compugen will provide individualized workplace emergency response information to staff that have a disability, if the disability is such that the individualized information is necessary, and if Compugen is aware of the need for accommodation due to the staff member’s disability. We will provide this information as soon as practicable after becoming aware of the need for accommodation.

 

Where the staff member requires assistance, we will, with the consent of the staff member, provide the workplace emergency response information to the person designated by us to provide assistance to the staff member. Compugen will review the individualized workplace emergency response information when the staff member moves to a different location in the organization, when the staff’s overall accommodations needs or plans are reviewed.

Documented Individual Accommodation Plans

Compugen will maintain a written process for the development of documented individual accommodation plans for staff with disabilities.

 

If requested, information regarding accessible formats and communications supports provided will also be included in individual accommodation plans.

 

The plans will include individualized workplace emergency response information (where required), and will identify any other accommodation that is to be provided.

Return to Work Process

Compugen maintains a documented return to work process for its staff who have been absent from work due to a disability and who require disability-related accommodations in order to return to work.
The return to work process outlines the steps we will take to facilitate the return to work and will include documented individual accommodation plans.

 

This return to work process will not replace any other return to work process created by or under any other statute.

Performance Management, Career Development and Advancement & Redeployment

Compugen will take into account the accessibility needs of staff with disabilities, as well as individual accommodation plans, when conducting performance management, providing career development and advancement to staff, or when redeploying staff.

Questions about this policy

This policy has been developed to break down barriers and increase accessibility for persons with disabilities in the areas of information, communications, and employment. Questions about this policy can be directed to:

pc@compugen.com or call our People and Culture department at 1.800.387.5045