Accessibility and Inclusivity

The Importance of Accessibility

At Lakeland Artisan, we recognise the legal, commercial, and ethical significance of accessibility. Ensuring our website, facilities, and practices are inclusive is not only a legal requirement but also a business opportunity to reach a wider customer base and create a positive impact. We believe that everyone should have equal access to our products and services, regardless of ability or background. By prioritizing accessibility, we demonstrate our commitment to integrity, empathy, and social responsibility.

Removing Barriers to Customer Groups

We strive to remove barriers and provide an inclusive experience for all customer groups. Here are some ways we ensure accessibility:

• Providing alternative text for images to assist visually impaired users.
• Ensuring keyboard navigation support for easier browsing without a mouse.
• Maintaining a consistent and logical tab order for easy navigation.
• Implementing high colour contrast to aid users with visual impairments.
• Offering resizable text for users who prefer larger font sizes.
• Using descriptive link text to provide clear navigation options.

Creating an Inclusive Welcome

We welcome all customers with integrity and empathy at the heart of our approach. Here's how we provide an inclusive welcome:

• Training our staff to be mindful of diverse customer needs and treat everyone with respect.
• Creating an inclusive atmosphere where customers feel comfortable and valued.
• Being attentive to individual requirements and providing assistance when needed.
• Seeking feedback from customers to continuously improve our inclusivity efforts.

Inclusive Features and Facilities

We ensure our physical, digital, and operational features and facilities are inclusive by:

• Providing accessible access and restroom facilities at our warehouse.
• Ensuring our website and online ordering system comply with accessibility guidelines.
• Offering alternative contact options such as email or phone for customers with different needs.
• Training our staff to assist customers with disabilities and provide necessary accommodations.

Marketing Accessibility

To effectively market our accessibility efforts, we follow these strategies:

• Highlighting our commitment to accessibility on our website, social media, and marketing materials.
• Providing information about our accessible features and facilities to potential and existing customers.

Becoming an Inclusive Employer

Creating an inclusive internal culture is essential for fostering diversity and supporting employees. Here's how we achieve this:

• Ensuring our hiring practices and policies promote diversity and accommodation for employees with disabilities.
• Providing reasonable workplace adjustments and accommodations based on individual employee needs.
• Offering diversity and inclusion training for all employees to cultivate an inclusive mindset.
• Encouraging open communication channels for employees to voice their needs and concerns.

Measuring Success and Accountability

We believe in measuring our accessibility progress and holding ourselves accountable. We do this by:

• Conducting regular accessibility audits and assessments to identify areas for improvement.
• Seeking customer feedback and incorporating suggestions to enhance our accessibility efforts.
• Setting goals and targets for accessibility improvements and tracking our progress.
• Appointing dedicated personnel responsible for overseeing and championing accessibility initiatives.