Getting started with accessibility in your organisation
What you will learn in this chapter
- Resources on the business case for inclusion
- Guidance on including accessibility in policies
- Ways to create a culture of inclusion
Introduction
Raising accessibility awareness with everyone in your organisation is important. Disability should be seen as everywhere. It has the potential to impact everyone. Remember it’s external barriers that disable people. This can be situational and temporary too.
There are a few things you can do to:
- raise awareness
- engage colleagues and teams in accessibility
Business case for accessibility
Unfortunately, sometimes pushing for accessibility and inclusive design comes down to money. But there is a financial benefit to being accessible. There are other benefits too, like:
- driving innovation
- enhancing your brand
- increasing market and customer reach
- reducing the legal risk
W3C goes into more detail about each of these areas. You can use this to help build a business case within your organisation.
Business case for accessibility (W3C)
Scope for business also has an article on disability and accessibility facts and statistics. This can help raise awareness and build your case with evidence.
Accessibility and disability: facts and figures
Including accessibility in your organisation’s policies
Disability and accessibility need to be built into organisations’ policies, procedures, and strategies. It’s not just your customers but your colleagues you need to think about too. Your equality, diversity and inclusion strategy must include disability too.
W3C has put together some guidance on creating policies for web accessibility. The principles can apply to other areas too.
Developing Organisational Policies on Web Accessibility (W3C)
There’s also an example of an accessibility statement under planning and policies guidance.
Example of Complete Accessibility Statement (W3C)
Creating a culture of inclusion
It’s important to create a culture of inclusion and engage everyone in accessibility. This might include creating an accessibility champion network. A network can help you implement this culture and develop your internal capabilities.
Business Disability Forum offer a guide to accessibility champions and sponsors.
Best Practice Guide: Accessibility Champions and Sponsors
There are a few businesses that have already set up successful networks. The BBC, for example, is known for its accessibility champion network. This podcast has guest speakers from different organisations. They share how they have approached creating an accessibility champions network.
Podcast: Creating an Accessibility Champions Network (AbilityNet)
ASOS have also been on an interesting accessibility journey. This article shares how they integrated accessibility in their work and team culture. It’s got some useful steps others can use in their organisations too.
A journey towards sustainable accessibility (ASOS Tech Blog on Medium)