Accessibility as a Competitive Advantage
This concept isn't new. Previously, companies focused mostly on technical aspects, such as optimizing for search engines and ensuring that bots could index their content efficiently. However, as the emphasis on inclusion has grown, more attention is shifting towards real users. Since users are also customers, providing accessible products can create a significant competitive advantage.
Still undecided about tackling accessibility in your company? Let's look at 5 reasons why you definitely should.
- Legislation
Accessibility will soon be mandatory for companies. Starting in June 2025, the European Union will require digital products to meet the new WCAG 2.2 standard, at least at the AA level. In Czech law, this is mandated by Act No. 424/2023 Sb. The legislation will also apply to banks, insurance companies, telecom providers, and transport companies. Fines for non-compliance can reach up to 10 million CZK. - Company Image
Accessibility isn't just about compliance—it's fundamentally a question of social responsibility. By providing accessible products, companies demonstrate they care about all users, including those with disabilities. An ethical approach improves company reputation and strengthens customer loyalty. A brand that considers the minority population is seen as more appealing. - Broader Market Reach
Approximately 15-20% of the population in the Czech Republic struggles with inaccessible websites and applications. This includes not only people with disabilities (~10% of the population) but also the elderly (~20% of the population). Companies that make their products accessible to everyone can significantly increase their market share. - Better Search Engine Rankings
Ensuring accessibility can greatly enhance your SEO efforts, leading to higher search engine rankings. Websites that are well-structured, properly labeled, and optimized gain higher rankings in search engines. On the other hand, inaccessible websites are penalized by Google, which reduces their global ranking. - Cost Reduction
It's often far cheaper for companies to address accessibility from the outset of development than to fix issues retroactively. When accessibility requirements are integrated early in the design process, the integration is much smoother and less costly. On the other hand, retrofitting products after they are completed often requires complex modifications to the code, design, and user interface—leading to higher costs and potential disruption.
How We Help Companies Create Accessible Products
GAP Analysis
We begin by assessing your product's accessibility to identify key problem areas. After that, we audit your website or application to identify errors and recommend the most effective solutions. Using automated tools for testing, we manually review critical parts or test them directly with users with disabilities. After 4-6 weeks, you receive a report with specific steps for improvement.
Long-term Education
We train your teams to integrate accessibility into their daily work. We organize workshops and training for developers, designers, product managers, and content editors. We can also create community events so everyone can gain at least a basic understanding of accessibility. Accessibility then becomes an integral part of your company culture.
Governance Model
We teach you how to manage accessibility in the long term without relying on external agencies. Together, we establish internal processes, define rules, and assign individual responsibilities. The governance model includes strategic workshops and regular testing with users with disabilities.
Need help with accessibility? Get in touch with us. We'll help you create digital products that meet the current WCAG requirements and are accessible to all potential customers.
