AbilityNet spearheads new accessibility campaign

22/02/2010

AbilityNet’s business case for accessible ICT has begun in earnest with the formation of the OneVoice Coalition for Accessible ICT a group of like-minded organisations who have developed a shared agenda for change.

Sponsored by AbilityNet, the OneVoice Coalition is spearheading its campaign with a unique report based on the real life experiences of the ICT industry, business, government, the third sector and academia. Executives from some of the UK’s principal employers, procurers and producers of ICT have participated, discussing their business rationale for making diversity and inclusion core business values and how their investment in accessible ICT has reaped commercial benefits.

The report also offers practical advice and guidance as to how to put in place an accessible ICT strategy.

The business case for accessible ICT focuses on the core message that gaining business advantage means ensuring that your ICT systems, products and services are accessible to both consumers and employees. Increasing scrutiny from government, regulatory bodies and the media enhances the case for responsible provision of ICT, as does the threat of legal action for discrimination.

Valuable insights are provided by a range of household names as diverse as British Airways, Sainsbury’s and UnumProvident, and case studies including the BBC, the British Museum, Defra and Lloyds TSB explain why investing in accessible ICT makes sound business sense by realising six main objectives:

Reaching new markets
Maximising employee engagement and productivity
Providing high quality products and services
Improving supply chain management
Building partner and community relations
Minimising the risk of legal action

Crucially, the report demonstrates how their investment impacts positively on the bottom line by measuring critical success factors relating to customers, employees and internal processes.

Says OneVoice Chair and CEO of AbilityNet, Nigel Lewis: "Whether a company is seeking to attract quality traffic through its on-line presence, improve business performance, be an exemplar employer or simply minimise the risk of legal action, accessible ICT has a pivotal role to play."

The report helps us define accessible ICT – the ultimate goal of inclusive design – which takes people’s diverse needs into account, as well as the wide range of hardware and software that they use. ‘Design for all’ also depends on companies providing adaptive user interfaces as well as providing assistive devices to facilitate or enhance access.

In conclusion, the report advocates the creation of an ‘ICT Accessibility Champion’ in every organisation, whose aim it will be to realise a deliverable action plan which can then be appraised through the application of key performance indicators. This strategic framework for action will ensure that accessible ICT plays a fundamental role at the heart of any organisation.

Through its ICT accessibility portal – www.onevoiceict.org – and with the support of this invaluable research document, the OneVoice Coalition aims to provide tools and resources for the journey towards accessibility and best practice.

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