Digital accessibility is not just an option; it’s an obligation. In recent years, digital activity increased exponentially worldwide, along with the difficulties that people with disabilities face each day. Companies across the globe are responding with a newfound emphasis on a11y initiatives. Our IAAP-certified specialists have seen firsthand the rise in demand for digital accessibility talent and solutions.
This increasingly hot topic is more than just a trend; it’s an ethical duty, a legal requirement, and a proven strategy for operational success. Here’s why digital accessibility should be a top priority for your company:
1. Social Responsibility
Accessibility is not just a means to profitability; it’s a matter of human decency. All businesses have a social responsibility to be inclusive of all people. Optimizing your digital assets means removing barriers to access, including individuals equally, and empowering those with disabilities to live the everyday life so many take for granted.
2. Legal Compliance
As laws like the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) cover digital accessibility, non-compliant websites and mobile applications can lead to lawsuits for businesses of all sizes. Each suit could cost a business up to $350,000, and the number of digital accessibility lawsuits has increased by 300% since 2018. In 2023, more than 50 were filed each week.
3. Market Reach
Inaccessible assets fail to reach over a billion prospective customers. 1 in 4 U.S. adults and over 15% of the world are estimated to live with a disability, and 1.3 billion people are affected by blindness or disabling visual impairment alone. The global disability community is estimated to be a 13 trillion dollar market.
4. User Experience
Best accessibility practices are also best usability practices and best digital design practices. Optimization elevates digital experiences, benefiting individuals with and without disabilities. For example, accessibility features and assistive technologies offer flexible ways to interact with digital assets that all users can appreciate.
5. Brand Loyalty
Accessibility initiatives serve as Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion measures. Such priorities can directly impact a brand’s reputation, customer loyalty, and ultimately, revenue. A Mckinsey report shows that ⅔ of America takes a brand’s social values into consideration, and those numbers are steadily increasing.
When it comes to digital accessibility, the right thing to do is also the right thing for you because accessible also means moral, legal, and successful. So, expand your DEI program, and ensure your website is ADA compliant. Connect with previously untapped audiences within and outside of the disabilities community. Upgrade your user experience for all, and empower everyone who visits your digital assets to access them.
We specialize in inclusivity and accessibility.
As a specialized staffing and solutions provider, we understand accessibility needs in ways that others don’t to fill the roles that others can’t. Our IAAP-certified specialists also perform accessibility audits, remediate defects, and build elite teams.
Connect with certified experts.
Connect with us for any questions you may have about building accessibility teams, meeting ADA, WCAG or Section 508 compliance standards, and making your digital assets accessible for all.
