Accessibility

We have implemented this Accessibility Policy to ensure that people with disabilities are given the same opportunities as everyone else to obtain, use and benefit from Standard Life’s services offered in any premises owned, leased, occupied or operated by Standard Life and to comply with accessibility standards, laws and regulations.

1. Communication
2. Assistive devices
3. Use of Service Animals
4. Use of Support Persons
5. Notice of temporary disruptions
6. Training for Employees
7. Feedback
8. Questions about this policy
9. Complaint

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Communication

Communication is an integral part of our customer service commitment. Therefore, Standard Life is dedicated to making reasonable efforts to take into account customers' disabilities when communicating with them.

Standard Life clearly understands that communication is a critical aspect of accessibility to our services. Every reasonable effort should therefore be made by employees to understand communication barriers, take these into consideration and, when necessary, to ask our customers how best to communicate with them.

Assistive devices

Individuals with disabilities may use their own personal assistive devices.

Use of Service Animals

Service animals are allowed to accompany any individual with a disability wherever they need to go while accessing services from Standard Life.

Use of Support Persons

Support persons are allowed to accompany any individual with a disability wherever they need to go while accessing services from Standard Life. The disabled individual’s consent must be obtained prior to the discussion and release of any confidential information.

Notice of temporary disruptions

Standard Life will provide customers with notice in the event of a planned or unexpected disruption in the services used by persons with disabilities. This notice will include information about the reason for the disruption, how long the disruption is expected to last and a description of any alternative services available (if any).

Depending on the nature of the disruption, notice will be provided on outgoing telephone messages and on our website. If applicable, notices will be placed at all public entrances and service counters on our premises.

Training for Employees

Standard Life will provide training to employees to raise their awareness about providing services to persons with disabilities.

Feedback

We strive to improve accessibility for our customers with disabilities. Feedback can be provided by completing the Feedback Form or by:

• Mail:
  Ombudsman
  Standard Life
  1245 Sherbrooke St. West
  Montréal, Québec H3G 1G3
  
  
• Email: ombudsman@standardlife.ca
  
  
• On-line contact form

Questions about this policy

If a stakeholder has a question about the policy or wishes to receive a copy of it, they may complete the Feedback Form.

Complaint

If a customer wants to formulate a complaint about accessibility to our services, they can contact the Ombudsman of Standard Life.

Ombudsman
1245 Sherbrooke Street West
Montréal, Québec H3G 1G3
ombudsman@standardlife.ca

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• Trouble displaying a page

The Standard Life retail websites have been designed to be viewed on all mainstream computers and internet browsers, including magnification and speech browsers for the visually impaired. Please note that the following guide is for Windows users. For other computers and operating systems, please consult your manual.

1. Trouble displaying a page
2. Trouble viewing text
3. Screen looks squashed or stretched

Trouble displaying a page

From time to time a page may not display as you would wish. This can be caused by issues such as missing graphics or elements being stored (known as cached) from a previous session.

If you run into any such problems then it is best to completely refresh your page. To do this either hit the refresh icon in your browser tool bar or, on your keyboard, press Ctrl and F5 together.

Trouble viewing text

If you find that the text is too large or too small then there are ways to increase or decrease the font size. This is also dependent on the type of browser you are using.

Internet Explorer

Firefox

Screen looks squashed or stretched

How can you check your browser resolution is set up correctly?

1. From the Start Menu choose settings and control panel:
   
2. Once the Control Panel is open double click on the Display Icon shown:
   
3. From the window that opens choose the Settings tab located in the far right-hand corner:
   
4. You will now be able to adjust the screen resolution from here*
   Choose from the colour quality: Highest (32bit):
   

* Please note that Standard Life cannot accept liability for any damage to your personal computer on changing your settings. Note that if your monitor and computer are of a certain age then they may not be able to change settings as suggested.

• Trouble downloading documents

All product guides and investment reports can be viewed using Adobe Acrobat® Reader. This can be downloaded via the Adobe website. If you have accessibility problems viewing these documents then you can also use the accessibility tools provided by Adobe access.

Wherever possible ensure that your version of Adobe Acrobat® Reader is the most recent. When viewing a PDF document you can also save the document. When in view mode click on the disk icon within the Adobe Acrobat window.

• Browse out loud

If you have trouble reading online, learn how to make your computer speak back to you.

Windows Narrator

Windows Narrator is a basic screen-reading program. The program gives speech feedback for menus and dialogue boxes. It does not speak out the whole web page.

1. Click the Start button or press the Windows logo key on your keyboard.
2. Open Programs. Click All Programs or press P on the keyboard until All Programs is highlighted and press Enter.
3. Click Accessories or press A on the keyboard until Accessories is highlighted and press Enter.
4. Click Accessibility. If you are using the keyboard, it will already be highlighted, press Enter.
5. Click Narrator or press N on the keyboard until Narrator is highlighted, press Enter.
6. This opens the Microsoft Narrator box. The Narrator immediately begins to read instructions on how to use the feature.
7. Click OK or press Enter on the keyboard. Another window will appear with various options. Click the checkbox or press the spacebar on your keyboard to customize your options. You can also adjust voice settings by clicking the Voice button or pressing V on the keyboard.

Macintosh VoiceOver Utility

VoiceOver Utility is a screen-reading program built into the latest versions (OS 10.4 and 10.5) of Apple Macintosh Operating Systems. It provides speech feedback for menus and dialogue boxes and can speak out whole web pages once configured.

1. Visit the VoiceOver website for more information about VoiceOver utility
2. Visit the VoiceOver download section for an accessible PDF manual or audio recordings of the "Getting Started" manual for VoiceOver Utility.