Revealing accessibility through employee voices
By Christianna Scott, Director, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Employee Accessibility at Air Canada.
When I think about how our accessibility work began, I don’t think about frameworks or timelines first. I think about a room full of employees who were given space to say, “Here’s what gets in my way.” That moment set the tone for everything that followed. What we heard wasn’t a list of frustrations; it was lived experience showing us where tools broke the flow, where guidance went quiet and where a process created friction instead of clarity. Those early conversations didn’t just inform the accessibility plan; they humanized it.
What moved me most were the people behind the insights. Colleagues showed me where a lack of information in the employee onboarding process created barriers and how clear and timely messaging could prevent it. Michael Fitzmorris, Air Canada’s Managing Director of Engineering, Airframe Maintenance and Powerplants, trusted us enough to share the accessibility hurdles he faces while navigating our workplace facilities, saying, “Awareness, understanding, and transparency brings understanding and thoughtfulness. When we share, share in real time and real-world examples, it is easier for employees to understand and help or, at the very least, understand the challenge.” It was their candour — and the candour of so many others — that shaped the employee component of this work.
This series is a reflection of that journey. It’s a look at where we started, what employees taught us, how those lessons reshaped our systems and where we still have more work to do. You’ll see the moments that pushed us, the changes we prioritized and the cultural shifts that happened quietly, then unmistakably.
Most of all, you’ll see the people because accessibility, at its core, is human work. And it’s built one conversation, one decision and one act of clarity at a time.
I’m grateful to everyone who trusted us with their stories. They are the reason this work has direction, urgency and heart.
Let’s begin.