As web accessibility becomes increasingly regulated, more and more organizations are not only meeting the requirements but also searching for ways to go above and beyond for their users. This alone often speaks volumes about the organization itself. Learn more about what accessibility means.
Innovation
Accessibility often drives innovation by providing different challenges that designers and developers strive to solve. The flexibility associated with the nature of accessibility allows people to think outside of the box and create new unique solutions. Organizations that strive to find these accessible solutions are found to be forward thinking and attract driven, committed and innovative employees. View our recent website project for the Town of Collingwood that was highly focused on web accessibility.
Brand
When a business or organization has a strong commitment to accessibility it shows the public that they are committed to functioning a way that is inclusive and celebrates diversity. Many successful companies such as Google and Apple place a high focus on accessibility and let it drive their creations and approach to becoming a better company. Accessibility should be a part of the brand's strategy to set it up for high performance and inclusion.
Marketing Research
Creating a website that anyone can use opens it up to the potential to reach many more users. When accessibility is integrated into a company’s core and strategies it can actually result in cost savings as end-users can use the site without having to reach out to staff for assistance. The market of those with disabilities is often much larger than most people realize. Canada has one of the highest global rates of multiple sclerosis (MS) with an estimated 77, 000 people living with the disease and an average of 11 Canadians diagnosed daily. Sign up to receive our Accessibility Whitepaper that takes a look at accessibility statistics in Canada and the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) Accessibility Principles. Additionally, read this article to learn more about what WCAG is.
Legalities
Accessibility is becoming more and more prevalent in today’s legalities. Ontario is the first province to implement accessibility rules for businesses and non-profits. Learn more about the AODA and if it applies to your website, ensure you are complying.