Best practice for accessibility statements

The majority of companies that already have accessibility statements use one accessibility statement for all their products and services. The focus of these statements is on explaining the accessibility features available across their offerings.

Unlike many statements required for regulatory compliance, the format of these statements is much more varied, reflecting the company’s brand whilst complying with accessibility requirements. We are also seeing many statements that are less text heavy organise the information provided in a more image-driven or diagrammatic way as opposed to traditional policies. However, this is not required and we expect to see more traditionally formatted statements as more companies begin to publish these.

In Appendix 1 we have included a checklist of aggregated items to we are seeing being addressed in an such accessibility statements which also incorporates output from our AI tool, Percy.

Appendix 1 – Accessibility statement checklist

1. Introduction

   • Briefly explain the purpose of the accessibility statement and the organisation's commitment to accessibility.

2. Scope

   • Specify which parts of the website the statement applies to

3. Accessibility Standards

   • Mention the accessibility standards or guidelines the website aims to comply with, such as the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1/2.2.

4. Accessibility Features

   • Highlight specific accessibility features of the website, such as keyboard navigation, screen reader compatibility, and text resizing options.

5. Known Issues

   • Acknowledge any known accessibility issues and provide a timeline or plan for addressing them.

6. Feedback Mechanism

   • Provide contact information for users to report accessibility issues or provide feedback.
     Include multiple contact methods, such as email, phone, or a contact form.

7. Assistance

   • Offer information on how users can request assistance if they encounter accessibility barriers.

8. Ongoing Efforts

   • Describe the organisation's ongoing efforts to improve accessibility, such as regular audits and updates.

9. Date of Statement

   • Include the date when the accessibility statement was last updated.

10. Legal Compliance

    • Mention any legal requirements the website complies with, such as the EEA [market equivalent].

11. Third-Party Content

    • Address the accessibility of third-party content or services integrated into the website.

12. Additional Resources

    • Provide links to additional resources or tools that can help users with accessibility needs.