The role of accessibility

What do we mean by accessibility?

When we consider accessibility, we mean making sure that anyone can access products and services, regardless of their ability or needs. From ramps into physical stores, to digital services that work if someone uses assistive technology, or finds themselves in a situation that makes it harder to use the application.

Accessibility as cultural currency

Expectations around inclusion are converging across borders, fuelled by social media, remote work, and digital-first experiences. When an inaccessible website goes viral on TikTok, the criticism does not stay local. It spreads globally.

Yet many businesses still don’t know where to start. The number one accessibility issue found by the WebAIM Million report is poor colour contrast, which makes it harder for many people to see it. Audits reveal that 98% of e-commerce product pages lack proper image descriptions, excluding millions of potential customers. With global digital commerce projected to reach $7.9 trillion by 2027, this oversight is more than an inconvenience. It is a missed market opportunity, when you consider that 1.6bn people identify as having a disability.

The rise of remote work sharpened the need for inclusion. Captions, screen-reader compatibility, and accessible collaboration tools quickly became essential. Companies that had already invested in accessibility adapted more smoothly. Those that had not scrambled to include employees and customers with disabilities in their digital transformation.

Regional legislation is also driving change. The European Accessibility Act, for example, is prompting international companies to standardise practices across markets. Step by step, accessibility expectations are aligning worldwide.

The disconnect between awareness and action

Despite this momentum, implementation remains inconsistent. Many organisations proclaim inclusion in their values while neglecting it in their user experiences. Others rely on automated tools, which catch only about 30% of issues, leaving the majority unresolved.

Cultural attitudes add another layer of complexity. What counts as inclusive in one country may be seen as inadequate in another. Social media collapses these differences in real time.

An inaccessible video in Mumbai can tarnish a brand’s reputation in Manchester within minutes. The legal landscape reflects these cultural demands. In 2024, accessibility lawsuits hit record highs, with one in four citing automated widgets as barriers rather than solutions. The message is unmistakable: surface-level compliance no longer meets cultural or legal expectations.

(Pic right: Matisse Hamel-Nelis)

Navigating an evolving landscape

The future of accessibility is difficult to predict. Generational shifts in awareness and accountability are reshaping expectations faster than many companies can adapt. Emerging technologies complicate the picture. Virtual and augmented reality are becoming mainstream business tools, yet accessibility standards for immersive experiences remain fragmented. Artificial intelligence offers new possibilities but risks replicating cultural biases embedded in training data.

Global trends add urgency

Climate change and permanent remote work are increasing temporary and situational disabilities. At the same time, conversations around neurodiversity, aging populations, and mental health are broadening the definition of who benefits from accessible design.

Leadership through accessibility

The organisations that thrive in this environment treat accessibility as core strategy rather than compliance. They recognise that inclusive design benefits all users, expands reach and sparks innovation.

True leaders invest in expertise and include people with disabilities from diverse cultural contexts in their design process. They balance global standards with local insights, ensuring that solutions resonate. They also embrace transparency. By sharing progress and setbacks, they build trust with audiences who value authenticity over perfection.

(Pic below: Lisa Riemers)

The cultural imperative

The question for businesses is no longer whether they must prioritise accessibility, but how quickly. Accessibility has become a reflection of values, a measure of credibility, and a cultural expectation.

Those who lead will help shape a global movement toward a more inclusive society. Those who lag will find themselves struggling to catch up. Accessibility is not simply about compliance or market access. It represents a deeper transformation in how we understand disability, inclusion, and corporate responsibility.

Accessibility is no longer about minimising risk. It is about standing on the right side of cultural change.

Lisa Riemers is an independent communications consultant and accessibility advocate.

Matisse Hamel-Nelis is an award-winning communications and digital accessibility consultant and PR professor at Durham College. They co-wrote Accessible Communications.