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Digital accessibility is one of the fastest-growing trends in investor relations. Unfortunately, it can be a dense topic that overwhelms your team. If no one in your department has accessibility experience, you may not know what you should and shouldn’t do to foster an accessible IR website.
But don’t worry — this vast subject isn’t something you have to parse and learn on your own. Every investor relations team can turn to these three resources for insights.
1. An Experienced IR Firm
An IR consulting company is a fantastic resource for many things — not least of which is web accessibility. In addition to the usual questions about engagement analytics and capital markets events, you can also ask your IR consulting company how to raise your accessibility so that all site visitors, investors, and stakeholders can engage with your site.
When looking for your IR partner, consider their credentials. An IR firm such as Q4 boasts a web design portfolio that conforms to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1, which sets the standard for web accessibility across the globe. As a Toronto-based company, Q4 also complies with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA).
Why do these credentials matter? It means the IR firm’s engineers, data scientists, and web designers have collaborated with accessibility professionals to understand accessibility best practices. This knowledge intersects with the firm’s investor relations experience, providing unique insights into what your team can do to break down barriers within the capital markets.
2. Local Governments
As mentioned above, the industry-leading IR experts at Q4 comply with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act. The AODA represents one of many accessibility standards created by governments. The AODA was created via consultation with disability groups, so they establish helpful guidelines wherever you live.
However, it’s important you seek out local legislation when refining your web accessibility best practices. There’s a good chance your local government has different priorities and laws than Ontario, and you need to know these rules to remain compliant. Each province, state, and territory may have its own unique standards you must refer to during your accessibility journey.
3. The World Wide Web Consortium
The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) is the standards organization for the World Wide Web. The Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI), under the control of the W3C, publishes the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG).
Besides introducing three wordy acronyms in as many sentences, this grouping is essential to your accessibility. The WCAG represents a global set of web accessibility standards used by the EU, US, UK, Canada, Australia, and Israel. In these countries, federal laws require companies to comply with the latest WCAG best practices.
Today, the WCAG is up to version 2.0 AAA. It includes design and functionality rules that dictate the look and operation of compliant websites. As a result, it covers a broad selection of details, ranging from text spacing and contrast to reading level, animation flashes, pop-up windows, navigation buttons, and more.
Making Your IR Website a Disability-Friendly Destination
If you want to create an accessible digital space for investors, take advantage of these readily available resources. The WCAG, local governments, and an experienced IR firm can help you understand best practices, so you can create an accessible IR site today.
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