Jump to a video summary of our senior leadership finding.
Senior leadership who supports an inclusive culture can make a real difference.
Organisations that put an inclusive approach in place had an appointed sponsor. It could be an Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) leader. Or it could be a member of an executive team who is the named accessibility sponsor. Staff need to know who is responsible. The sponsor needs to be accountable for progress at a senior level. This clarity will help deliver inclusive content.
Leaders need to have operational responsibility too. They need to support new internal processes. Internal processes can improve compliance. This means more content will be accessible. For example, website content cannot go live unless it meets Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) guidelines. Support from leaders is important to staff who are responsible for delivery. Staff need to feel supported if they must push back on inaccessible content. For example, the use of too many images or an image not having alt-text.
“We have an equality and diversity lead who’s been incredibly supportive of accessibility initiatives. [They have made] the organisation aware of its responsibilities. That’s something that has been really helpful – getting us visibility at an executive level.”
Processes are better when teams work in a joined-up way. We heard how digital service developers worked with the EDI lead. Regular planning sessions lead to improved content. It is important to highlight the value of operational teams having access to the sponsor. When there is a direct link, it is easier for teams to influence. It can also reduce frustration in operational teams.
Inclusive communications 