Since the Accessible Canada Act passed in 2019, there has been growing awareness of the need to prioritize accessibility in procurement as well as remove and prevent barriers to equal and full participation for all. With Accessible Procurement being an essential element to disability inclusion, it is of great utility to learn from the experiences and expertise of those who are leading the way.
For example, Disability:IN’s recent webinar featured corporate leaders: Monica Goel, Executive Director at CVS Health; Larry Goldberg, former Head of Accessibility at Yahoo; and Mike McCabe, Employee Accessibility PMO, at JP Morgan Chase, who explored best practices for ensuring purchased workplace technology is accessible and for everyone. Likewise, the CAN Connect Forum hosted a webinar wherein Jeff Wilson, Founder and CEO of Adaptability Canada, and Deidre Guy, Founder and President of Inclusive Workplace and Supply Council of Canada (IWSCC), shed light on how organizations can best go about meeting the needs of people with disabilities through Accessible Procurement.
A few takeaways:
- Go Upstream: prioritize consideration for diversity, inclusion, and accessibility from the get-go and embed this within Requests for Information, Requests for Proposals, and contracts.
- Create training internally to connect the dots surrounding the impact and resounding benefits of Accessible Procurement for everyone involved in the process.
- Collaborate with other organizations on accessibility and share best practices. No single organization has all the answers.
To learn more about Accessible Procurement, please view the following links:
- Webinar: Accessible Procurement: An Essential Element of Disability Inclusion Transcript and Recording
- Can Connect Forum: Accessibility in Procurement Recording
- Accessible Canada Act and Government Procurement
