Evaluation Criteria - DCD Awards
Inclusive Services Award Criteria
- Criterion 1: Service Design (20%)
- Service Design Methodologies
Applying methodologies for designing and developing the service using standards that ensure inclusive and accessible communication with POD, providing them with a usable service that meets their requirements and considers their physical, mental, psychological, and cognitive abilities — such as Universal Design standards. - POD Needs and Requirements
Designing the service while taking into consideration the current and future requirements and needs of POD, ensuring their effective participation and/or the participation of their families in the service development and design process. This includes consulting their opinions, obtaining their free and informed consent, and incorporating their feedback to meet their requirements effectively. - Creativity and Innovation
Incorporating creativity and innovation in designing and developing the service, and providing new and effective solutions, while ensuring the use of modern technologies to improve the quality of life for POD and making sure to get their feedback and approval. - Pilot Implementation
Conducting a pilot implementation of the service while actively engaging POD to gather their feedback, insights, suggestions, and utilizing them to improve the service prior to its official launch.
- Service Design Methodologies
- Criterion 2: Access to the Service (40%)
- Inclusive Marketing and Promotion
Implementing a clear, inclusive and accessible requirements for marketing and promoting the service, and ensuring all marketing material are available in accessible formats (readable, audible, and written) across various media and communication channels (digital, audio, visual, and in-person). - Ease of Access to Information
Ensuring easy and inclusive access to information related to the service in line with international standards for universal and inclusive design. By providing documents, data, and images in accessible formats such as Braille, large print, electronic or audio formats, sign language interpretation, or any other method that allows POD to understand and access the information. - Effective Communication
Ensuring that POD has accessible and effective means to inquire, request, or provide feedback and complaints about the service. This includes a variety of channels such as call centers, text chat options, and high-quality voice and video call. - Diverse Service Delivery Channels
Offering multiple ways to access the service, including in-person visits to service centers, home delivery of services, digital platforms, phone services, and smart applications—allowing POD to choose the method that best suits their Requirement and circumstances with ease and convenience. - Inclusive Physical Environment
Ensuring physical accessibility to service centers and facilities, making them compliant with international standards for universal design. Catering to POD mobility needs, and providing dedicated parking spaces, accessible restrooms, appropriate signage and guidance tools (visual, auditory, tactile such as tactile ground surface indicators), along with safety and emergency measures to protect POD, especially in evacuation situations. - Inclusive Digital Environment
Ensuring accessibility to digital and electronic services that meet universal accessibility standards by providing user interfaces that are flexible and compatible with assistive technologies. These may include screen readers, voice controls, touch panels, specialized keyboards, eye-tracking devices, and other tools that facilitate effective access to digital services and information for POD. - Service Delivery
Delivering a value-added service that is easy to complete, high in quality, fast, and highly flexible. The service should meet the diverse needs and requirements of POD and include supportive services when needed, such as personal assistance and assistive devices (e.g., voice aids, magnifiers for vision, touch-control tools, wheelchairs, lifting devices). The service should meet the expectations of POD and have a clear, positive impact on their quality of life and that of their families.
- Inclusive Marketing and Promotion
- Criterion 3: Service Providers’ Professionalism (25%)
- Awareness
Raising awareness among service providers about the rights, challenges, and needs of POD, and how to interact with them with flexibility and professionalism, while responding to their requests and providing support in ways that promote a sense of equity and equality. - Specialized Training
Providing a specialized and trained workforce of service providers and equipping them with the necessary knowledge and skills required to interact with POD and respond to their requirements effectively. This includes training staff to handle requests from POD, whether made via phone, electronically, or in person at service centers, (e.g., staff proficient in sign language, programmers knowledgeable about universal accessibility requirements for digital and electronic services, and contact center personnel trained to understand and meet POD requirements). - Respect and Privacy
Ensuring respectful and dignified interaction with POD while maintaining their privacy and taking into account cultural and linguistic diversity by providing support in multiple languages and formats that align with their varied cultures and abilities.
- Awareness
- Criterion 4: Results and Impact (15%)
- Feedback
Collecting regular feedback from POD regarding the service through appropriate accessible tools and channels that help identify their needs and requirements, measure their satisfaction with the service, and respond to their complaints and suggestions. - Performance Measurement
Measuring service performance through satisfaction surveys and performance indicators, which may include (but are not limited to): Time taken to receive the service, number of disability related training sessions for service provider, the percentage of POD accessing services, quality of the provided service, satisfaction rates of POD and/or their families, trust in the service, outcomes of complaints and suggestions handling (processing time, number and types of complaints and suggestions, resolutions, etc.), measuring the impact of the service on POD and their families. - Continuous Improvement
Ensuring continuous development and improvement of the service based on feedback, performance and impact results analysis, benchmarking, and exploration of advanced technologies.
- Feedback
Inclusive Employment Award Criteria
- Criterion 1: Inclusive Environment (25%)
- Accessible Physical Environment
The organization must ensure that its internal facilities and surrounding workplace environments are designed and prepared in accordance with universal accessibility standards—such as UAE Universal Design Code. This should guarantee ease of access and use without barriers for POD in the workplace, and readiness for safe evacuation in emergency situations in line with occupational health and safety standards. The organization should also provide accessible parking spaces, restrooms, and appropriate signage and guidance systems for POD. In addition, it should offer assistive technologies and devices such as voice-assist tools, visual magnifiers, touch-control tools, wheelchairs, lifting devices, and other assistive technologies. - Accessible Informational and Digital Environment:
The organization must ensure that POD in the workplace can easily access and use technological services, information, and educational resources (such as signage, websites, digital platforms, smart applications, social media channels, and communication tools) in alignment with international best practices. This includes providing user interfaces that are flexible and compatible with assistive technologies such as screen readers, voice control systems, touchscreens, specialized keyboards, eye-tracking devices, and others that facilitate effective digital access. Moreover, the organization should make information available in accessible formats—by converting documents, data, and images into Braille, large print, electronic or audio content, or sign language translation. - Embedding an Inclusive Culture:
Embedding an Inclusive Culture through awareness and training of the organization’s employees on the rights of POD in the workplace and how to engage with them appropriately, in a way that fosters a sense of belonging and enables them to carry out their duties effectively in the workplace. - Results
Measuring the organization’s efforts in providing an inclusive work environment through perception surveys and performance indicators and using the results for continuous improvement. These may include but are not limited to: (Number of disability-related training sessions for employees, number of awareness campaigns or workshops on disability, level of compliance with international standards or the UAE Universal Design Code, level of compliance with international standards for digital accessibility, POD employees’ satisfaction rate regarding the inclusive work environment.
- Accessible Physical Environment
- Criterion 2: Inclusive Policies and Bylaws (35%)
- Employment Plans for POD:
Developing recruitment plans/ strategies for POD that are aligned with job requirements and the type and degree of disability, in support of inclusive hiring. This includes ensuring the application of universal accessibility standards throughout all phases of recruitment and employment, and across all job advertisement platforms (digital, audio, visual, and in-person). - Inclusive Employment Policies and Bylaws:
Establishing and implementing policies and bylaws that ensure equity, equal opportunity, and equality throughout the employment process (recruitment, selection, application, interviews, assessment, and training). - Safe Work Environment:
Establishing and enforcing bylaws that ensure a safe environment and protecting them in the workplace against discrimination, abuse, neglect, or exploitation throughout all stages of employment. - Community Engagement and Partnerships:
Enhancing the organization’s societal role by forming partnerships and collaborations across the public, private, and third sectors, as well as with suppliers, to support the inclusion of POD within the organization and the broader community. - Results
Measuring the organization’s efforts in establishing inclusive policies and bylaws through perception surveys and performance indicators and using the findings for improvements. Indicators may include but are not limited to: ((Percentage of POD employed in roles suited to their abilities, number of partnerships aimed at supporting POD and its outcomes, satisfaction of POD in the workplace regarding recruitment mechanisms, flexible work policies, fairness, and equality).
- Employment Plans for POD:
- Criterion 3: Empowerment of POD in Work Environment (40%)
- Equal Access to Training and Capacity Building:
Providing fair and equal opportunities for specialized training, ensuring accessible opportunities for skill development and qualifications enhancement for POD. - Equal Opportunities for Career Advancement:
Ensuring fair and equal opportunities for professional development, career progression, and fair performance evaluation for POD in the workplace. - Reasonable Accommodation and Support Services:
Providing the necessary reasonable accommodations (e.g., flexible work arrangements, allocated office space when needed) and supportive services (such as assistive devices, technologies, and personal assistance) to enable POD in the workplace to perform their duties and have inclusive access to the organization’s services. - Feedback Channels:
Providing accessible channels to collect feedback, manage complaints and suggestions from POD in the workplace, and measure their perspectives and satisfaction. - Communication and Community Participation:
Creating opportunities for effective communication and community engagement for POD in the workplace and encouraging innovation and creativity within the organization to deliver solutions and services that promote the social inclusion of POD in the work environment. - Results
Measuring the organization’s efforts in empowering POD in the work environment through accessible perception surveys and performance indicators and using the findings to drive improvement. These may include, but are not limited to: (Percentage of POD in supervisory or leadership roles, number of specialized training sessions for POD employees, percentage of POD employees participating in community activities organized or attended by the organization, POD employees turnover rate, the number of innovative ideas related to services for POD in work environment, satisfaction of POD employees with their opportunities for career development and growth, training, evaluation, equal opportunity and treatment, equity, equality, reasonable accommodation, and supportive services.
- Equal Access to Training and Capacity Building:
Accessibility (Physical & Digital) Award Criteria
- Criterion 1: Accessible Physical Environment (50%)
This criterion evaluates the efforts made to provide an inclusive physical environment, ensuring that the organization’s facilities are designed to be accessible for POD and aligned with universal design standards, such as the UAE Universal Design Code. Ultimately enabling POD to access, navigate, and use facilities comfortably and engage in activities with ease without barriers. This may include, but is not limited to:
- Universal Access to Facilities:
The organization provides accessible interior spaces designed to accommodate the mobility needs of POD, facilitating ease of use and movement and navigation within the facilities. It also offers functional and comfortable areas for sitting, social interaction, and easy service access. (Examples: wide pathways, appropriate ramps, large elevators equipped with audio announcements, illuminated buttons with Braille; adjustable furniture and counters; non-slip flooring; proper lighting, etc.) - Universal Facility Design:
The organization provides accessible interior spaces designed to accommodate the mobility needs of POD, facilitating ease of use, movement, and navigation within the facilities. It also offers functional and comfortable areas for sitting, social interaction, and easy service access. (Examples: wide pathways, appropriate ramps, large elevators equipped with audio announcements and illuminated buttons with Braille, adjustable furniture and counters, non-slip flooring, proper lighting, etc.) - Safety and Security:
The organization implements safety and emergency measures to protect POD, including visual and audio emergency signals, accessible emergency exits and escape routes, as well as ensuring that trained personnel are available to assist in the evacuation of POD during emergencies. - Assistive Technologies and Devices:
The organization provides assistive technologies and devices for POD, such as voice-assist tools, magnifiers for visually impaired, touch-control tools, wheelchairs, lifting devices, and other assistive technologies. - Guidance and Signage:
The organization offers accessible directional and warning signage for POD, including visual, auditory, and tactile indicators (e.g., tactile ground surface markers). It also ensures the presence of readable and understandable signage with large print and Braille in all facilities. - Accessible Restroom Facilities:
The organization ensures the availability of accessible restrooms that meet international universal design standards. These restrooms are easy to access, appropriately equipped, and maintained regularly. - Results
The organization measures its efforts in providing an inclusive physical environment through perception surveys and performance indicators and utilizes the findings for improvement. Indicators may include, but are not limited to: Level of compliance rate with inclusive design physical environment requirements based on the international standards / UAE Universal Design Code, average time required to navigate within buildings, satisfaction level of customers with disabilities regarding the physical environment, satisfaction level of employees with disabilities regarding the physical environment, number of evacuation training sessions that take into account the needs of POD.
- Universal Access to Facilities:
- Criterion 2: Accessible Informational and Digital Environment (50%)
This criterion assesses the efforts made to provide an inclusive informational and digital environment, ensuring that information and services—whether offered at the organization’s centers, on its website, or through its smart applications—meet the required accessibility standards for digital information and services, and in alignment with international standards. This includes, but is not limited to: signage, websites, digital channels, printed materials, on-site services, social media platforms, and communication tools.
- Accessibility and Universal Design of Information and Digital Services:
Compliance with accessibility requirements and universal design standards for digital information and services related to the rights of POD, when designing and managing platforms, applications, and services. Information in all formats should meet global standards such as the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) and offer user-friendly interfaces compatible with assistive technologies—such as screen readers, voice control systems, touch panels, specialized keyboards, and eye-tracking devices—enabling effective access to digital services and information by POD. - Accessible Formats:
Providing accessible formats for documents, information, data, and images This may include: converting material into Braille, using large print offering, providing content in electronic or audio formats, using simplified reading formats, translating into sign language, or using any other method that enables POD to understand and access the content. - Communication and Connectivity:
Providing suitable tools that ensure effective communication and access for POD via telephone and internet channels, such as call centers, text chats option, high-quality audio and video calls, to ensure smooth and efficient communication. - Awareness and Training:
Raising employee awareness of the rights of POD and how to interact and communicate with them. This includes ensuring the presence of a trained and specialized team of service providers capable of responding to the needs of POD, whether via phone, electronic channels, or in-person at service centers. (Examples: staff trained in sign language, developers familiar with accessibility requirements for digital and electronic services, and call center staff trained to respond to the needs of POD.) - Results
Measuring the organization’s efforts in providing an accessible informational and digital environment through perception surveys and performance indicators and using the results to drive improvement. These may include, but are not limited to: (Compliance rate with accessibility and universal design standards for digital and informational environments, percentage of documents, data, and images provided in accessible formats, rate of assistive technology usage across websites, applications, and services, frequency of assistive technology utilization, number of awareness workshops and training sessions on disability for employees, level of social and digital engagement by POD, satisfaction rate of customers with disabilities regarding the accessibility of the informational and digital environment, satisfaction rate of employees with disabilities regarding the accessibility of the informational and digital environment.
- Accessibility and Universal Design of Information and Digital Services: