Accessibility

Providing Goods and Services to Persons with Disabilities

Statement of Commitment

Taro Pharmaceuticals Inc. (Taro Canada) strives to provide our products and services to all of our customers in a way that respects the dignity and independence of persons with disabilities. We are committed to offering equal opportunity to access our products and services and to providing the benefit of the same services, in the same place and in a similar way to all customers including persons with disabilities. Taro Canada’s commitment to accessible customer service will be provided in accordance with the intent of all applicable legislation and Taro Canada’s own policies.

Definitions

Disability – the term disability as defined by the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005, and the Ontario Human Rights Code, refers to:

• any degree of physical disability, infirmity, malformation or disfigurement that is caused by bodily injury, birth defect or illness and, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, includes diabetes mellitus, epilepsy, a brain injury, any degree of paralysis, amputation, lack of physical co-ordination, blindness or visual impediment, deafness or hearing impediment, muteness or speech impediment, or physical reliance on a guide dog or other animal or on a wheelchair or other remedial appliance or device;
• a condition of mental impairment or a developmental disability;
• a learning disability, or dysfunction in one or more of the processes involved in understanding or using symbols or spoken language;
• a mental disorder; or
• an injury or disability for which benefits were claimed or received under the insurance plan established under the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, 1997.

Assistive Device – is a technical aid, communication device or other instrument that is used to maintain or improve the functional abilities of people with disabilities. Personal assistive devices are typically devices that customers bring with them such as a wheelchair, walker, recording machine or a personal oxygen tank that might assist in hearing, seeing, communicating, moving, breathing, remembering and/or reading.

Guide Dog – is a highly-trained working dog that has been trained at a specialized facility to provide mobility, safety and increased independence for people who are blind.
Service Animal/Service Dog – an animal is a service animal/service dog for a person with a disability if:

• it is readily apparent that the animal is used by the person for reasons relating to his or her disability; or
• if the person provides a letter from a medical practitioner confirming that the person requires the animal for reasons relating to the disability.

Support Person – An individual who accompanies a person with a disability in order to help with communication, mobility, personal care, medical needs or access to goods and services.

Accessible Customer Service Plan

Taro is committed to providing our products and services to all of our customers by removing barriers that may arise.

Communication
We will communicate with persons with disabilities in ways that take into account their disability and are consistent with the principles of dignity, independence, integration and equal opportunity. We will train our employees, volunteers, agents and/or contractors who deal with the public on how to communicate and interact with people with various types of disabilities. 

Telephone Services
We will provide a fully accessible telephone service to all of our customers. We will train our staff to communicate with customers in a clear and easy to understand language while speaking at moderate pace. In the event telephone communication is not suitable to the need of the customer or is not available, email will be offered as secondary option.

Assistive Devices
Persons with disabilities may use their own assistive devices as required when accessing goods or services provided by Taro Canada at pharmacies or wholesalers or approved visitors to our facility.
Our staff will be trained and familiarized with various assistive devices that may be used by customers with disabilities while accessing our good or services.
In cases where the assistive device presents a safety concern or where accessibility may be limited, other reasonable measures will be used to access goods and services ensuring the safety of both the customer and business.

Documentation
Upon request, all published documents including invoices, will be made available in alternative formats in order to satisfy the customer’s requirements.

Support Persons
Persons with disabilities who are accompanied by a support person are welcome to enter our premises together and Taro Canada will ensure that the person with disabilities will not be prevented from having access to the support person at any time.  In situations where confidential information may be discussed, consent will be obtained from the customer, prior to any conversation where confidential information may be discussed.

Service Animals
Persons with disabilities who are accompanied by a guide dog, service animal or service dog are welcome to access premises that are open to the public unless otherwise excluded by law. “No pet” policies do not apply to guide dogs, service animals and/or service dogs. We will ensure that our staff, volunteers, pharmacists and wholesalers who deal with the public are properly trained on how to interact with persons with disabilities who are accompanied by a service animal.

Notice of Disruption of Service
Service disruptions may occur due to reasons that may or may not be within the control or knowledge of Taro Canada. In the event of any temporary disruptions to facilities or services that our customers rely on to access or use Taro Canada’s goods or services, reasonable efforts will be made to provide advance notice through our pharmacists and wholesalers offering our products for sale. Posting notice of temporary disruption of service will take place as soon as reasonably possible once Taro Canada is aware of the disruption. In some circumstances, such as in the situation of unplanned temporary disruptions, advance notice may not be possible.

Training
All Taro Canada employees will be provided with training on our policies and procedures that have an impact on the way goods and services are provided to persons with disabilities. Training will be provided to new employees during the onboarding process and all existing employees, volunteers, agents and/or contractors who deal with the public or other third parties that act on behalf of Taro Canada, have received training on servicing customers with disabilities.

Training includes:

• A review of the purpose of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005.
• A review of the requirements of the Accessibility Standards for Customer Service, Ontario Regulation 429/07.
• Instructions on how to interact and communicate with people with various types of disabilities.
• Instructions on how to interact with people with disabilities who:
  • use assistive devices;
  • require the use of a support person; or
  • require the assistance of a service dog.
• Instructions on how to use equipment or devices that are available at our premises or that we provide that may help people with disabilities.
• Instructions on what to do if a person with a disability is having difficulty accessing our services.
• Taro Canada, procedures and practices pertaining to providing accessible customer service to customers with disabilities.

Feedback Process
We welcome feedback regarding the way in which services are provided to customers with disabilities.  Information about the feedback process will be readily available to all customers through our pharmacies and wholesalers selling our products. Alternate methods of providing feedback such as verbally (in person or by telephone) or written (hand written, delivered, website or email), are also available.

Customers can submit feedback to:
VP Sales & Marketing
(905) 790 5131
126 East Dr.
Brampton, Ontario L6T 1C1
customerservice@taro.ca

Customers that provide formal feedback will receive acknowledgement of their feedback, along with any resulting actions based on concerns or complaints that were submitted.

Questions about this policy
Any questions about this policy should be referred to:

Director, Human Resources
Taro Pharmaceuticals Inc.
(905) 790-5140
126 East Drive
Brampton, Ontario L6T 1C1
HR@taro.ca