2024 Accessibility Progress Report

FinDev Canada remains committed to creating accessible, inclusive and equitable experiences for our clients, employees and all Canadians, especially people with disabilities. Our first three-year Accessibility Plan (2023-2025) published in 2023 is now in its second year of implementation. Proactive, incremental steps are being taken to embed accessibility into everything we do, as described in this progress report.

FinDev Canada is proud to offer its 2023 and 2024 Accessibility Progress Reports, Accessibility Plan and description of our feedback processes in alternate formats. Below you will find the formats available to you, along with delivery times. You can request a copy in the following formats:

• Print PDF format – 15 days after your request is received.
• Large print PDF – 15 days after your request is received.
• Large print Word – 15 days after your request is received.
• Braille – 45 days after your request is received.
• Audio format – 45 days after your request is received.

We welcome your comments and feedback on this progress report, our plan feedback process, or any other inquiries you may have. Similarly, we welcome feedback on barriers you may have encountered when visiting our workplace or website, or during the implementation of our accessibility plan.

To submit feedback, request a copy of our progress report or accessibility plan in any of the above-mentioned formats, or for a description of our feedback processes, you can submit a request using any of the communication channels noted in the Contact Information below.

Our Accessibility Lead will acknowledge receipt of your feedback and follow up with you directly, unless it was received anonymously. We may address some feedback right away or use it to develop our accessibility plans.
We hope to hear from you.

Accessibility lead
FinDev Canada – Operations Team

Online: Accessibility feedback form can be found on our Accessibility page
Email: Accessible@findevcanada.ca or via Get In Touch at https://www.findevcanada.ca/en/contact

In person:
Accessibility Lead
FinDev Canada
150 Slater Street
Ottawa, ON K1A 1K3 Canada

Social media: LinkedIn, Twitter (@FinDev_Canada), YouTube
Phone: 1-613-852-8241

Accessibility feedback

We welcome feedback on barriers you may have encountered when visiting our workplaces or website, or during the implementation of our accessibility plan. Consult our description of feedback processes found on our Accessibility page for ways to provide feedback, and to learn how your information is used and safeguarded.

Since our initial assessment of the Accessible Canada Act (ACA), we have gained a deeper understanding of the scope and complexity involved and have adjusted our approach to ensure sustained success at FinDev Canada. While the progress made this year represents initial steps, the work accomplished is helping to set the foundation for future accessibility outcomes. One of the ways that we have done this is by taking a proactive approach to accessibility commitments across the organization.

In our Consultations and Feedback sections you will learn about the input we received about this report from the DiversABILITY Employee Resource Group (ERG) at our parent company, Export Development Canada (EDC). At FinDev Canada, we benefit from these engagements and learn alongside EDC. For example, EDC’s first in person all-staff event since 2020 showed us that, while this was their most accessible event ever, there is more to do. The post-event feedback from the ERG on this event is included in this report.

We are committed to ensuring that going forward we take on a proactive approach to achieve our accessibility commitments. Change is underway.

We welcome your feedback, suggestions, or questions on this report. Please use the above-described processes to share any comments you may have.

NB: For Employment, these functions are carried out in partnership with our parent company, Export Development Canada (EDC)

• Benchmark against Accessibility Canada Act (ACA) standards for employment.
• Partner with disability employment partners and hiring teams to attract, engage, enable, and retain employees with disabilities.
• Increase employee awareness of our accommodation program and provide guidance to support employee accessibility requests.
• Increase employee awareness of wellness and mental health services and provide guidance to leaders and employees to promote access to supports.

(identified specifically for our parent company, EDC, but which can also apply to FinDev Canada)

• Employees and visitors have low levels of awareness regarding the accommodations and support they can access when in FinDev Canada spaces, or when attending FinDev Canada-hosted events or meetings.
• A leader or colleague questions the capabilities of people with disabilities, which can negatively impact hiring decisions, job assignments, or promotions.
• An employee avoids sharing information about their disability or requesting accommodations due to stigma from a leader or colleague.

We are committed to applying an accessibility, inclusion, diversity and equity lens to every stage of the employment lifecycle, from recruitment to retention, to build an inclusive work culture for employees with disabilities.

This year, through our parent company, EDC, we have made refinements to our accommodation program, with the most notable being an update to the intake process for medical accommodations with our insurer, Canada Life. The goal of these changes is to make the accommodation process as simple and accessible as possible for employees who need support. To date, there have only been a few requests for accommodations during the hiring process (all made to our parent company, EDC), typically involving additional time for candidates to process and respond to questions. In 2025 and through our parent company, EDC, we plan to further develop our approach to accommodating employees at the recruitment stage. We benefit from engagement with community partners undertaken by our parent company, EDC, with partners such as the Employment Accessibility Resource Network (EARN) and Performance Plus Rehabilitative Care, partnerships to develop further in 2025.

We are also committed to promoting mental health support as part of our overall programming. Each year, we engage employees during national Mental Health Week in May, benefitting from offerings from our parent company, EDC, such as webinars, a workshop and resources that highlight the mental health supports available. In October, during Healthy Workplace Month, we reinforced these messages to ensure employees are aware of the variety of supports available to them. Our leaders can participate in the Workplace Mental Health Leadership Certificate Program which will help them better support their teams. FinDev Canada managers will be able to benefit from cultural sensitivity awareness training for leaders to begin in early 2025.

We recognize that we initially underestimated the amount of work required to fully support the Employment priority area of the Act. Looking ahead, the Employment standard – covering all aspects of the employment lifecycle – will require a detailed gap analysis, development of a comprehensive road map to prioritize accessibility, a plan for funding, and clear identification of roles and responsibilities. This work will be launched by our parent company, EDC, in 2025 with refinement in 2026 following the publication of the final Employment standard.

As part of our continuous improvement efforts, through our parent company, EDC, we will continue to work with employees with disabilities, including with our DiversABILITY employee resource group and allies of persons with disabilities to gather feedback and ensure that all our programs, including accommodations, are as effective as possible.

(NB: identified specifically for our parent company, EDC, but which apply to FinDev Canada)

• Benchmark against ACA standards published for built environment:
  • Standard on Accessibility of Outdoor Spaces.
  • Standard on Accessible Emergency Egress, and Model Standard on the Built Environment – Accessibility, targeted for publication in 2024.
• Complete an audit of our Ottawa location through the audit of the Head Office of our parent company, EDC, and develop an action plan to prioritize and implement actions relevant to this space, as needed.
• Work with our lessors to incorporate accessibility best practices for our leased spaces.
• Increase employee and visitor awareness and adoption of emergency and safety procedures and available support when at FinDev Canada spaces or events.

• Office space or meeting room elements such as heavy sliding doors and/or poorly positioned meeting cameras create unintended barriers for people with disabilities.
• Hybrid office re-design may disadvantage employees who need quiet workspaces, or customized desks to support accommodation requirements.
• Employees and visitors are not aware of our safety and emergency procedures.

We are committed to ensuring all our office spaces are designed with accessibility in mind, making them inclusive for both employees and visitors with disabilities. All our office spaces are leased, and our health and safety standards provide guidance for people with disabilities, including emergency procedures.

Since our last report, our parent company’s Real Estate and Facilities (RE&F) team, which also manages FinDev Canada’s offices, has made progress in removing barriers in our physical spaces at the FinDev Canada head office in Montreal and at its Ottawa and Toronto offices, both of which are located within EDC offices in those locations.

In November 2023, Adaptability Canada completed an accessibility assessment of the head office of our parent company, EDC (same location for FinDev Canada’s Ottawa office) for invisible disabilities, and their report was received in January 2024. The EDC RE&F team has combined these findings with an earlier assessment from the Rick Hansen Foundation (RHF) and are using the findings to guide improvements for FinDev Canada’s Ottawa location, and to the design of our new head office in Montreal.

Using these results, the team developed an action plan that outlines timelines, expected impact, responsibilities, and budget requirements for increased accessibility. We are actively working on implementing these improvements with some initiatives expected to continue into 2025.

Accessibility improvements at the Ottawa location over the past year include:

• Installed accessible door openers at the Fitness Centre and doors on the 5^th floor,
• Installed automatic door operators for the 18^th floor patio,
• Added visual fire alarms in the parking garage, changing facilities and universal washrooms on the 2^nd and 17^th floors, and
• Clarified responsibilities for accessibility improvements between us and our landlord.

For our new Montreal head office, we have incorporated best practices from the accessibility assessments, such as:

• Universal washrooms,
• Wayfinding and signage,
• Colour contrasts for better visibility, and
• Adequate clearance in meeting rooms.

In both our Toronto office where we are located within the EDC office, we have installed emergency equipment at accessible heights, following recommendations from the Rick Hansen Foundation and the CSA/ASC B651:23 standard.

• Benchmark against ACA standards for ICT:
  • CAN-ASC-6.1 Information and Communication Technology, based on the European harmonized standard, EN 301 549.
• Create an inclusive experience for all users, including people with disabilities, of FinDev Canada digital services and products.
• Implement accessibility enhancements to external website to ensure equal access to information.
• Update or replace technology across FinDev Canada that do not meet digital accessibility requirements.
• Increase employee awareness and use of accessibility features embedded in the technology, platforms, and digital tools regularly used at FinDev Canada.

• Technology often does not meet the accessibility needs of people with disabilities who use assistive technology.
• Some technology suppliers are unaware of federal accessibility requirements, or have no immediate plans to update their solution to include accessibility features.
• Some teams do not currently have the knowledge or skillset required to design barrier-free experiences for people who use assistive technology.
• Employees have decreased awareness of accessibility best practices and features to support inclusive experiences for their customers and colleagues.

We are advancing our technology and digital capabilities to improve our client and employee experience through improvements to our website, information and communication technology (ICT) tools. Each is described below.

FinDev Canada’s website

In 2024, a vendor was selected to help FinDev Canada develop a new fully accessible website, compliant with Web Content Accessibility Guidelines version 2.2 level AA (WCAG 2.2 AA) and Plain language standards. The discovery phase was conducted in the second half of 2024, and the work of design, development and implementation will continue in 2025.

Preliminary accessibility scans were shared by the vendor with FinDev Canada, which started to implement useful improvements, where possible, to the existing website.

As in 2023, FinDev Canada continues to analyze new content for accessibility compliance. Scans are conducted with browsers and website extension tools: Accessibility Insights for Web, Axe DevTools and Chrome’s Lighthouse accessibility report. Scans are detailed in internal documentation. It lists the detected anomalies, how to fix them and when the fixes are implemented.

Information Technology Tools

FinDev Canada rolled out the style guide for Power BI reports and dashboards that was developed in 2023. The main goal is to harmonize all contents created by various contributors of FinDev Canada, including instructions regarding accessibility, to ensure accessibility compliance regard to readability (color contrast, minimum size of text, etc.).

Similarly, a style guide was developed in 2024 for Microsoft Power Apps with an emphasis on developing accessible applications when utilizing these development tools. The style guide ensures accessibility by:

• Ensuring the use of colors with sufficient contrast-ratio
• Ensuring a readable minimum size of text
• Displaying tooltips and accessibility labels
• Ensuring important messages don’t rely only on color code or icons to be understood
• Displaying clear wording and logical hierarchy of information, in phase with business logic, so the use of any application is facilitated for any new user
• Testing keyboard navigation and validating that elements can be accessed in a logical order and focus is visible.

The guide also includes several links to accessibility audits tools such as the Microsoft Power Apps in-app development tool “App checker”, and Microsoft-built external tool “Power Apps Code Review tool”, which both results validate application compliance.

In 2024, the FinDev Canada team developed an internal application based on this style guide which was validated to meet the standards set out in the style guide.

On a continuous basis, FinDev Canada has been increasing employee awareness and use of accessibility features embedded in the technology, platforms and digital tools regularly used at FinDev Canada, such as built-in accessibility features in the Microsoft Teams meetings functionality, and the technology in FinDev Canada boardrooms. More work will be undertaken in 2025 to raise awareness of accessibility solutions.

• Benchmark against ACA standards for communication:
  • Standard on Plain Language.
• Provide content, brand, and design expertise to embed accessibility into all corporate and internal communications.
• Provide communications expertise for external and internal website redesign and updates to ensure equal access to information for people with disabilities.
• Embed accessibility into external‑facing corporate events and meetings and provide guidance to planners and hosts for internal corporate events and meetings led by employees or teams.

• Our communications may only be available in one format, or in inaccessible formats.
• Information from our policies and guidelines to our services and support for customers and employees is difficult to find, access, and understand.
• Our communications including terminology, language, and images we use, may not be inclusive of people with disabilities, preventing customers and employees from engaging with us.
• Our content leads are not familiar with how to make their content accessible.
• Meeting planners and hosts may design meeting communications and materials without considering accessibility requirements to support equal participation for all.

Our progress in this section has been slow, but through our parent company, EDC, we are pleased to have identified an external consultant that can guide us on how to make our communications, internal and external, more accessible and to meet accessibility compliance requirements. We look forward to equip teams with the skills to communicate in a way that meets the needs of diverse audiences, while being inclusive and accessible to persons with disabilities.

• Benchmark against ACA standards for procurement:
  • No standards for procurement are currently targeted for publication.
• Establish accessibility expectations of suppliers in our Supplier Code of Conduct.
• Incorporate accessibility requirements in our Procurement Policy and Guidelines, including public competitive procurement processes for suppliers.
• Enhance our Supplier Diversity Program to increase participation of businesses owned by people with disabilities.

• Minimal information exists in the market on Accessible Procurement to help guide our work in this area.
• Internal partners may not consider accessibility criteria and features when procuring goods, services and facilities.
• Procurement policies, programs, guidelines, and processes may create unintended barriers for people with disabilities.

Through our parent company, EDC, we are working on building accessibility into our procurement processes, and we are still in the early stages of setting the groundwork. Since sharing our plan, we have discovered helpful resources, including toolkits from international non-profit organizations and provincial institutions like colleges and universities, that are helping us shape an accessible procurement program.

We have taken a proactive approach to new guidelines, as highlighted in our Information and Communication Technology (ICT) priority area. As part of this effort, our parent company, EDC, now has in place an interim digital accessibility policy from which FinDev Canada will benefit. This policy incorporates Canada’s national ICT standard (CAN/ASC EN 301 549:2024) and WCAG 2.2 Level AA, ensuring that we are aligned with the latest accessibility standards for consideration in our procurements going forward.

This year, the Accessibility team at our parent company, EDC, has partnered with the Sourcing and Supplier management team to create a roadmap for embedding accessibility into existing processes. It includes undertaking a gap analysis, creating a clear road map with defined priorities, and defined roles and responsibilities. This effort, which will also apply to FinDev Canada, started later this year and will continue into 2025, shaping our next accessibility plan.

We recognize that accessible procurement also involves business, initiative- and product-owners and technical authorities. To support them, FinDev Canada will benefit from offers of targeted training from our parent company, EDC, to ensure accessibility is considered from the outset as part of our procurement of goods and services. This year, FinDev Canada has benefitted from work undertaken by our parent company, EDC, with Shared Services Canada (SSC), leveraging SSC’s expertise in integrating accessibility language into contracts and Statements of Work. The EDC Procurement team, which also manages FinDev Canada’s procurements, participated in June in an introductory webinar on accessible procurement, and training for procurement and vendor management leaders will continue in 2025.

In 2025, the EDC Accessibility team will support FinDev Canada teams with proposal evaluations, helping to ensure that accessibility becomes a core consideration throughout the procurement process.

• Benchmark against ACA standards for design and delivery of services and programs.
  • No standards for design and delivery of services and programs are currently targeted for publication.
• Establish ad hoc advisory groups to help scale, embed, and sustain accessibility within teams.
• Build a culture where universal design and the user experience guide the design and delivery of our services, programs, and products.
• Partner with teams to meaningfully engage people with disabilities at all phases of the design and delivery lifecycle of our services, programs, and products.
• Use EDC’s design system to support digital accessibility goals for the design and delivery of our services, programs, and products.

• Employees who interact directly with FinDev Canada clients may not know how to communicate effectively with people with disabilities and for different disability types.
• Teams may not meaningfully engage people with disabilities in the design and delivery of our services, programs, or products.
• Employees make assumptions or decisions about the accommodations a person may need, rather than asking them directly about their requirements.
• Team activities, including team-building or social events, are often designed for people without disabilities, and may unintentionally exclude participation by peers with disabilities.

FinDev Canada continued to learn from our parent company, EDC, regarding adaptations and leadership in program design and delivery. This means borrowing some of the practices for organizing meetings such as practices implemented at EDC’s employee conference in 2024: making information and facilities available keeping in mind those who face accessibility challenges.

In addition, EDC’s Learning and Development team, which also supports FinDev Canada, made progress in our internal learning and development processes, with a focus on removing barriers.

• EDC’s learning management system (LMS), now conforms to WCAG, benefitting both learners and administrators. We have made significant design enhancements to improve the learning experience for employees with visual and hearing impairments.
• The platform that hosts our learning materials also meets WCAG standards, ensuring accessibility across all learning resources.
• Any custom learning modules produced in-house are now WCAG-compliant.
• The development of an online digital accessibility guide is now complete and available on our LMS.

• Benchmark against ACA standards for transportation:
  • No standards for transportation are currently targeted for publication.
• Provide accessible travel information in relevant EDC communications to help people with disabilities plan their travel to FinDev Canada-hosted events or meetings.

• We do not always share information on accessible travel with employees or visitors to our spaces or events and meetings we host.
• Our travel and hospitality suppliers may not offer options for employees requiring accessible transportation or accommodations.

FinDev Canada learned from the experience of our parent company, EDC, in making large conferences or meetings more accessible through the availability of tools such as a venue map as a visual reference for everyone, noting the location and availability of accessible parking and transportation details, and for easy access, adding these details to any information provided about the event venue, whether on a website, or elsewhere.

Through our parent company, EDC, we have been working to choose a travel management company. By bringing an accessibility lens to this process, we have helped to ensure that the services they provide, including the travel booking tool, are not just functional, but also accessible. This means looking at whether the platform offers features that support those with vision or motor impairments and cognitive conditions. All employees, regardless of their abilities, should have an accessible travel experience, from the booking tool or service center call through to the end of their journey.

In the spirit of the Act and as part of our ongoing commitment to accessibility, we have shifted to a more proactive approach. Instead of waiting for standards to be released, with leadership from our parent company, EDC, we are moving ahead with actions that will build a strong foundation for an inclusive and accessible environment.

Over the next year, we will introduce a maturity model to help us begin assessing our progress, align our efforts and inform our next accessibility plan.

• Collaboration with AccessNow: Through the partnership between our parent company, EDC, with AccessNow, the DiversAbility ERG launched an initiative to map accessibility in our communities. In September, they held a virtual launch event and a mapping exercise to identify accessible and non-accessible locations. This was followed up with a reflection session in October to review the insights gained.
• Awareness building: The ERG also hosted a speaker series where members shared personal stories in townhalls and sessions like “Navigating Invisible Disabilities” and “Learning to Live with Hearing Impairment.” A member wrote an article for our parent company’s intranet site, to which FinDev Canada employees have access, titled “Disability and why accessibility matters”, as part of our organization’s Self-Identification campaign. The ERG also contributed to a refresh of an internal invisible disability video to support the same 2024 campaign.
• Team resource growth: We have allocated key internal roles to support accessibility at FinDev Canada, notably the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and the Strategic Advisor reporting to the CFO. This reflects leadership’s commitment to ensuring progress on our accessibility commitments.
• Accessibility Steering Committee: FinDev Canada benefits from the Accessibility Steering Committee established this year by its parent company, EDC, with membership that includes senior leadership from FinDev Canada. Monthly meetings help ensure that our accessibility work is on track, creates visibility, and holds teams accountable. These meetings have proven to be vital in keeping accessibility at the forefront of our organizational priorities.
• Accessibility Training Program: Training is key to embedding accessibility across FinDev Canada, helping us raise awareness and build the foundation needed to support the Act and inclusivity. We have identified training needs based on priority roles, assigning learning outcomes and recommending role-based training.
• The Procurement and Vendor Management leaders have started accessible procurement training with Shared Services Canada (SSC). Looking ahead to 2025, targeted employees will begin training that aligns with their roles. We have plans to continue training for our marketing, corporate communications and digital teams and begin plain language and culture workshops for leaders to promote a positive accessibility culture. Planning will be finalized by year-end.