Communications specialists Lisa Riemers and Matisse Hamel-Nelis on the importance of making content accessible for all consumers and how this can be achieved.

Digital accessibility means making sure everyone can access, understand and interact with your content, regardless of ability. It's about removing barriers that prevent people with disabilities from engaging with your websites, emails, social media, documents and videos. This includes considerations for people who are blind or have low vision, are D/deaf or hard of hearing, have mobility limitations or experience cognitive differences. It’s also about making your communications have a bigger impact for everyone!

Why accessibility matters now

The business case has never been stronger.

It’s estimated that:

• 1.3 billion people worldwide or around 1 in 6 globally, have some form of disability.
• 1 in 10 people have dyslexia
• 1 in 12 men (8%) and 1 in 200 women are colour blind
• 1 in 3 of us will need assistive technology, which includes reading glasses, at some point in our lives.

It’s clear that accessibility isn’t an edge case. This represents a significant portion of your employees, customers, investors and community members who may struggle with your content if it's not designed with them in mind – and may take their business elsewhere. That’s a combined spending power exceeding $13 trillion annually (when you include their family and friends too)

Legislation is expanding worldwide. The European Accessibility Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the U.K. Equality Act and similar laws in countries from Australia to Japan are making accessibility a legal requirement for organizations. Non-compliance can result in lawsuits, reputational damage and missed opportunities to connect with a substantial portion of your audience.

What do accessible communications look like in practice?

Beyond compliance, accessible communications are simply better communications. Clear structure helps everyone scan content more efficiently. Captions benefit people in sound-sensitive environments or non-native speakers. Plain language improves comprehension.

Writing descriptive alt text for images helps screen reader users as well as someone who can’t download your image. Ensuring sufficient colour contrast means your graphic works whatever the device or lighting condition.

It also means creating documents that work with screen readers, providing transcripts for audio content and designing interfaces that keyboard users can navigate. But it’s not just a technical checklist and it isn’t somebody else’s responsibility. It's a fundamental shift in how organizations approach communication with all their stakeholders.

Moving beyond the checklist

Many organizations approach accessibility as a one-time audit or a set of technical requirements. They hire consultants, fix flagged issues and consider the job done. This approach misses the point.

Real accessibility requires a cultural shift where inclusive communication becomes everyone's responsibility. It needs to be embedded in your processes, not bolted on at the end.

Start with leadership commitment

Culture change begins at the top. If the leadership doesn’t prioritize accessibility and allocate resources it makes things a lot harder. Including accessibility in your corporate values, setting measurable goals and holding teams accountable help it stick.

When executives talk about accessibility in town halls, include it in strategic plans and ask about it in project reviews, it signals that this matters. That signal cascades through the organization.

Build knowledge and skills

Most communicators want to create accessible content. They simply don't know how. Invest in training that goes beyond awareness to build practical skills.

Workshops should cover the fundamentals: how to write effective alt text, structure documents properly, choose accessible colour combinations and test content with assistive technology. Make these sessions interactive and role-specific, so your social media team learns different skills than your investor relations group.

Consider creating accessibility champions within teams who can answer questions and review materials. These advocates help build momentum and provide peer support.

Integrate accessibility into workflows

The best time to address accessibility is during content creation, not after publication – build it into your workflow.

Update your content templates to include prompts for alt text and captions. Add an accessibility review as a step in your approval process. Create checklists for different content types. When it becomes part of the routine, accessibility stops feeling like extra work.

Choose the right tools

Your technology stack should support accessible content creation. Use design tools that check colour contrast. Choose video platforms that make captioning straightforward.

When evaluating new tools, include accessibility requirements in your selection criteria. Ask vendors about their accessibility features and roadmap. The right tools make it easier for your team to do the right thing.

Listen to people with disabilities

Nothing about accessibility should happen without input from people with disabilities. Their lived experience is invaluable for understanding barriers and solutions.

Include people with disabilities in user testing. Consult with disability organizations. Create feedback mechanisms that make it easy for stakeholders to report accessibility issues. Then act on what you learn.

Measure and communicate progress

Track accessibility metrics just as you would any other communications KPI. Monitor the percentage of videos with captions, documents that pass accessibility checks or issues resolved. Share these metrics regularly to maintain momentum and celebrate improvements.

Be transparent about your journey. Publish an accessibility statement that acknowledges current limitations and outlines your commitment to improvement. Stakeholders respect honesty and ongoing effort.

Building for the long term

Creating a culture of accessibility doesn't happen overnight. It requires sustained effort, resources and commitment. But the organizations that embrace this challenge will communicate more effectively with all their stakeholders - a competitive advantage worth pursuing.