Making your policies, services and products accessible to as many people as possible will give can give you advantages in growth and inclusivity.

There are already strategies, reports and laws in place to support innovation which is accessible to all and benefits everyone. These include:

• UK innovation strategy: leading the future by creating it
  This government strategy aims to make the UK a global hub for innovation. It encourages innovation and provides businesses with the support, knowledge, and skills needed to make the most of the latest innovations. It was published under the 2019 to 2022 Johnson Conservative government.
• Supporting diversity and inclusion in innovation (PDF)
  This report by Innovate UK highlights the need for targeted support and initiatives to promote diversity and inclusion in innovation.
• European accessibility act
  This act is in effect from June 2025. It mandates the implementation of common accessibility requirements for certain products and services across the European Union so that everyone can benefit from technological advancements.

Accessibility as a growth strategy

Accessibility is proven to drive connection, innovation, and profitability. Policy leaders need to get behind accessible, inclusive products and services. They are leading the way in inclusive innovation and growth to meet the demands of an increasingly diverse global audience.

Tools for accessible and inclusive innovation

We invite policymakers to encourage businesses to comply with accessibility standards by employing tools like:

1. Accessibility plan
   Introduce a comprehensive accessibility plan to comply with accessibility standards like the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2, to at least level AA standard
2. User testing plan
   Make sure businesses test products and services with a diverse group of users, including disabled users, early in the design process as well as throughout. This will help identify accessibility issues early, which means they will be less costly to fix as well as less disruptive to the project timeline
3. Accessibility auditing
   Make sure accessibility auditing takes place regularly with assistive technologies like screen readers, voice recognition software and keyboards. This tests for compliance with WCAG 2.2 AA and helps identify accessibility issues that need to be fixed
4. Accessibility training
   Educate employees on accessibility ‘best practice’ and how to apply them, to make sure the organisation takes a holistic approach to accessibility
5. Accessibility statements
   Encourage websites to publish accessibility statements that outline existing accessibility issues and explain how and when they will be fixed
6. Accessibility legal requirements
   Make sure everyone complies with relevant laws such as the Public Sector Bodies Accessibility Regulations (PSBAR) in the UK and the European Accessibility Act (EAA) in the EU. These laws require digital products and services be accessible to disabled people