RICHELIEU HARDWARE
CUSTOMER SERVICE POLICY STATEMENT – AODA

PURPOSE - This policy sets out customer service standards of Richelieu Hardware (“Richelieu”) in providing goods and services to people with disabilities in Ontario.

COMMITMENT - Richelieu strives to provide its goods and services in a way that respects the dignity and independence of people with disabilities. As such, Richelieu is committed to give people with disabilities the same opportunity to access Richelieu’s goods and services, and allow them to benefit from the same services, in the same place and in a similar fashion as its other customers.

PROVIDING GOODS AND SERVICES TO PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES - Richelieu is committed to excellence in serving every one of its customers, including people with disabilities. As such, Richelieu intents to carry out its functions and responsibilities as follow:

• Richelieu will communicate with its customers with disabilities in ways that take into account their disability. Doing so, Richelieu will offer training to all team members who deals with customers directly on how to interact and communicate with people with various types of disabilities;
• Richelieu will provide fully accessible telephone services to its customers. Doing so, Richelieu will train all team members who communicate with customers over the telephone to speak in clear and plain language, clearly and slowly. Richelieu will further offer to communicate with its customers by way of web-based customer care request, e-mail or fax if telephone communication is not reasonably suitable to their communication needs;
• Richelieu will use all commercially reasonable efforts to help any customer using assistive devices to obtain, use or benefit from its goods and services. Doing so, it will ensure that its team members are reasonably trained and familiar with all types of assistive devices that may be used by people with disabilities while accessing and/or communicating with Richelieu. It will also ensure that its team members are reasonably trained to use those available assistive devices on its various premises for customers.

ORDERS AND BILLING - Richelieu is committed to providing accessible order placements and invoices to all of its customers. Richelieu will answer any questions customers may have about their orders or the content of an invoice in person, by telephone or e-mail.

USE OF SERVICE ANIMALS AND SUPPORT PERSONS - Richelieu is committed to welcoming people accompanied by a service animal on any of Richelieu’s premises open to customers in Ontario. Richelieu will ensure that all team members dealing with such customers and third parties are properly trained in how to interact with people are accompanied by a support person or a service animal. At no time will a person with a disability who is accompanied by a support person or a service animal be prevented from having access to his or her support person or service animal while on Richelieu’s premises.

NOTICE OF TEMPORARY DISRUPTION - Richelieu will provide its customers with reasonable prior notice in the event of a planned 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. This notice will be placed at the entrances of every of our service counters located in Ontario.

TRAINING FOR STAFF - Richelieu will provide training to all team members dealing with Ontario customers on Richelieu’s behalf, including those involved in the development and approvals of this Customer Service Policy, related practices or procedures. Training may include any of the following:

• the purposes of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 and the requirements of customer service standards;
• 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 support person or a service animal;
• how to use alternative means to help provide goods or services to people with disabilities;
• what to do if a person with a disability is having difficulty in gaining access to Richelieu’s goods or services; and
• the purposes of Richelieu’s policies, practices and procedures relating to the Ontario Accessibility Customer Service Standard.

Team members will be trained on policies, practices and procedures that affect the way goods and services are provided to people with disabilities. Team members will also be trained on an ongoing basis when changes are made to these policies, practices and procedures.

FEEDBACK PROCESS - Richelieu strives to meet and surpass its customer expectations, including while serving customers with disabilities. Comments regarding how well those expectations are being met are welcome and appreciated. Feedback regarding the manner in which Richelieu provides its services to people with disabilities can be made verbally in person, by phone, by e mail or by fax. All feedback will be directed to Richelieu’s customer service centers. Customers can expect to hear back from us within ten business days.

MODIFICATIONS TO THIS POLICY - No changes will be made to this policy without careful consideration of the impacts of such changes on people with disabilities. Any Policies of Richelieu that do not respect and promote the dignity and independence of people with disabilities will be modified or removed as soon as reasonably practicable.

EMPLOYMENT POLICY STATEMENT – AODA

PURPOSE - This policy sets out employment standards of Richelieu Hardware Canada Ltd. (“Richelieu”) in providing job position accessibility to candidates and employees with disabilities in Ontario.

COMMITMENT - Richelieu strives to provide commitment and strategies to prevent and remove barriers, enhance opportunities for people with disabilities and meet current and future requirements of AODA. As such, Richelieu is committed to fair and accessible employment practices that attract and retain talented employees with disabilities.

RECRUITMENT, ASSESSMENT OR SELECTION PROCESS - Richelieu will notify its employees and the public about the availability of accommodation for applicants with disabilities in all phases of the recruitment process by including a statement to this effect in all Ontario job postings. If a selected applicant requests an accommodation, Richelieu will consult with the applicant and provide or arrange for the provision of a suitable accommodation in a manner that considers the applicant’s accessibility needs due to disability.

NOTICE TO SUCCESSFUL APPLICANTS - When making offers of employment, Richelieu will notify the successful applicant of its policies for accommodating employees with disabilities, upon request.

INFORMING EMPLOYEES OF SUPPORTS - Richelieu will inform employees of its policies to support those with disabilities and consult with employees where accommodation of a disability is requested.

ACCESSIBLE FORMATS AND COMMUNICATION SUPPORT FOR EMPLOYEES - Richelieu will provide communication supports and accessible formats to employees who need assistance in accessing information required to perform their job duties. The company will consult with the employee making the request to determine the suitability of an accessible format or communication support.

WORKPLACE EMERGENCY RESPONSE INFORMATION – Subject to applicable job requirements, we will provide individualized workplace emergency response information to employees who have a disability, if their disability is such that the individualized information is necessary, and that Richelieu has been made aware of the need for accommodation. Individualized workplace emergency response information will be reviewed when an employee moves to a different location in the organization, when the employee’s overall accommodation needs or plans are reviewed and when Richelieu reviews its general emergency response policies.

DOCUMENTED INDIVIDUAL ACCOMMODATION PLANS - Richelieu will maintain a written process for the development of documented individual accommodation plans for employees with disabilities.

RETURN TO WORK PROCESS - Richelieu maintains a documented return to work process for its employees who have been absent from work due to a disability and who, subject to applicable job related requirements and/or limitations, require disability-related accommodations in order to return to work. The return to work process outlines the steps Richelieu will take to facilitate the return to work and will include documented individual accommodation plans as part of the process. This return to work process will not replace or override any other return to work process created by or under any other statute - ie., the Workplace Safety Insurance Act, 1997.

PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT, CAREER DEVELOPMENT AND ADVANCEMENT & REDEPLOYMENT - Richelieu will continue to consider the accessibility needs of employees with disabilities as well as individual accommodation plans, when conducting performance management reviews, providing career development and advancement to employees when appropriate and/or reasonably feasible; and/or whenever redeploying employees.