Accessibility in practice: What inclusive brands do best 

This impacts the ease and speed at which they engage with products, services, and experiences, especially if these offerings don’t account for a range of access needs.  

Disabilities aren’t always permanent; they can affect anyone at any time, and often in unexpected ways. There is now more awareness of the different types of disabilities than ever before. But despite this, more than 80 percent of brand homepages fail to meet Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) standards, and while organisations have made progress in embracing accessibility, there is still a significant gap between awareness and implementation. How can organisations prioritise accessibility to create better products, services, and experiences for all?  

The cost of inaction

US courts now apply the Americans with Disabilities Act to digital apps, websites, and printed materials. To comply, it’s widely accepted that websites should conform to WCAG, at AA level. Non-compliance can lead to legal action. These lawsuits are on the rise; website compliance cases relating to the Americans with Disabilities Act are increasing, with a 42 percent spike in 2023 compared to 2022. 

The cost of inaction extends beyond lawsuits. Typical marketing, brand, and product strategies are based on broad audience segments or personas focused on demographics. This limited representation may not consider challenges faced by people with visual impairments, mobility limitations, or cognitive differences. If solutions are created without a wide range of needs in mind, exclusion will inadvertently occur, and this will damage both the individual and the organisation through lost engagement.  

Leading by example with accessible tech for all 

Microsoft has made significant efforts to enhance the accessibility of its products and services. The tech giant prioritises inclusive design by involving users with disabilities in product development, and using an Inclusive Design Toolkit. Accessibility features are integrated across Microsoft’s software, such as Narrator and Magnifier in Windows, and real-time captions in PowerPoint. Microsoft also trains employees on accessibility and promotes inclusive hiring practices. Dedicated support channels and continuous feedback loops from users drive ongoing improvements, ensuring accessible digital environments evolve alongside changing needs. In our Brand Impact Index report, Microsoft ranked 32 out of over 300 brands and scored particularly highly in the ‘innovate intelligently’ component, demonstrating that these efforts have not gone unnoticed.    

The opportunity: shifting from reactive to proactive 

Embedding accessibility into brand DNA means elevating its role and importance within the organisation, making it a strategic initiative rather than a compliance effort. Creating a better experience for all through inclusive design and less friction has obvious societal benefits. It also creates stronger brand loyalty and deeper, long-term relationships with a wider audience. Being recognised as socially responsible and inclusive can also help to attract the right talent.  

Three ways to embed accessibility into your brand   

1. Start at design stage

Designing for accessibility leads to better overall products, services, and experiences. Features that aid individuals with disabilities, such as simplified navigation and clear content, can improve the user experience for everyone. Truly committing to accessibility means starting at design stage. It requires engagement with and from a diverse audience, so offerings are created with inclusivity at the heart, and based on valuable feedback. At design stage, consider the amount of mental processing power it takes to use products or services. Use consistent mental models that are familiar to audiences, creating straightforward user journeys that prioritise key calls to action.  

2. Build inclusive behaviours  

Formal accessibility training can build inclusivity behaviours by raising awareness and encouraging accountability. When organisations invest in training and toolkits, they help their teams to build the knowledge and skills to deliver accessible products and services. Bringing awareness within each individuals’ role highlights their responsibility and leads to a culture of inclusivity.

It’s worth experimenting with different upskilling methods. A self-organised learning approach can promote continuous education and thinking. Rather than asking routine questions about the legal consequences of non-compliance with accessibility regulation, organisations can ask the big, gritty questions. Why is accessibility important? What would happen if we didn’t make accessible products and services for our customers? How could our teams benefit from working alongside talented colleagues living with disabilities?  

3. Integrate accessibility into the strategy 

Accessibility aspirations must be rooted in strategy, and that strategy must be quantifiable and baselined to measure progress. Agile approaches can make it faster and more effective to integrate accessibility into organisational DNA. The goal setting framework OKRs (Objectives and Key Results) commonly used in Agile practices is a way to set common objectives and track progress towards achieving them. OKRs need to be born from the vision, mission, and strategy of the brand. Including accessibility in high-level objectives will ensure it isn’t just an afterthought, as will developing internal policies and external commitments that outline the organisation's commitments.

Leaders will have to provide regular updates on how close the brand is to achieving its vision, as well as demonstrating buy-in from senior decision-makers. The OKR framework provides a formula for tracking key results. Think about customers as people with multiple personas and diverse, changing needs – not just generic ‘types’. Building objectives around customer experience and satisfaction should always include those with additional needs or accessibility requirements.  

Adopting a ‘culture to strategy’ approach will enable brands to position inclusivity and diversity as a key input, creating key results in design objectives with a sound and tangible accessibility focus. To ensure this focus is maintained, leaders can conduct regular accessibility audits by evaluating digital tools, products, and printed materials to identify barriers, using guidelines such as WCAG.   

By following the above recommendations, organisations can take a whole business approach to accessibility that delivers significant benefits. Building a culture of accountability and collaboration that prioritises accessibility enables organisations to serve a large and often overlooked customer base while achieving sustainable, responsible growth.