URB-B.03.D - Digital Accessibility Standards Compliance
Does the company ensure compliance with international digital accessibility standards to support users with disability?
About the data
The WBA Urban Benchmark measures and ranks the world's most influential companies on their efforts to shape sustainable, inclusive and resilient urban environments, tracking how companies address essential urban needs while respecting planetary boundaries across dimensions including decent work and human rights, environmental and climate impacts, social inclusion, and sustainability leadership. The 2026 edition assessed 300 companies across four key industries shaping urban environments: real estate, construction and engineering, transport, and utilities. Companies were scored on 24 urban-specific indicators plus 18 core social indicators, spanning four measurement areas: sustainable governance, inclusive cities, healthy cities, and climate change and resilient cities. The benchmark is designed to incentivise the private sector to take adequate responsibility for its role in ensuring affordable, safe and inclusive urban environments for all. More information can be found here.
Methodology
Cities across the world are often difficult to navigate, especially for children, elderly and
people with disabilities, since many buildings, transport infrastructures and facilities are not designed
with these groups in mind. In addition, access to essential information can create more barriers for
people with disabilities to be able to enjoy and take advantage of the urban environment. Ensuring
websites and apps comply with digital accessibility standards, offering support programmes and
adopting strategies for universal access are critical steps towards inclusion. Moreover, engagement
with users with disabilities is crucial to ensure that their needs are correctly considered and that
accessibility initiatives are effectively communicated.
Research Guidance
The company has implemented and maintains compliance with Web Accessibility Standards (such as W3C) to ensure that information is delivered in accessible formats.
To meet these standards, the company should:
Use readable and scalable fonts for text content to accommodate diverse user needs.
Provide text alternatives (alt text) for images and non-text content to ensure accessibility for screen readers.
Include captions and transcripts for multimedia content, such as videos and audio recordings.
Enhance visual and auditory clarity to make it easier for users to see and hear content.
Ensure full keyboard functionality while supporting additional input methods beyond the keyboard.
Provide intuitive navigation options to help users locate information easily.
Maximize compatibility with assistive technologies, such as screen readers and voice-controlled interfaces.
A general statement of compliance or partial compliance is insufficient; the company must demonstrate full implementation of these standards in practice.
people with disabilities, since many buildings, transport infrastructures and facilities are not designed
with these groups in mind. In addition, access to essential information can create more barriers for
people with disabilities to be able to enjoy and take advantage of the urban environment. Ensuring
websites and apps comply with digital accessibility standards, offering support programmes and
adopting strategies for universal access are critical steps towards inclusion. Moreover, engagement
with users with disabilities is crucial to ensure that their needs are correctly considered and that
accessibility initiatives are effectively communicated.
Research Guidance
The company has implemented and maintains compliance with Web Accessibility Standards (such as W3C) to ensure that information is delivered in accessible formats.
To meet these standards, the company should:
Use readable and scalable fonts for text content to accommodate diverse user needs.
Provide text alternatives (alt text) for images and non-text content to ensure accessibility for screen readers.
Include captions and transcripts for multimedia content, such as videos and audio recordings.
Enhance visual and auditory clarity to make it easier for users to see and hear content.
Ensure full keyboard functionality while supporting additional input methods beyond the keyboard.
Provide intuitive navigation options to help users locate information easily.
Maximize compatibility with assistive technologies, such as screen readers and voice-controlled interfaces.
A general statement of compliance or partial compliance is insufficient; the company must demonstrate full implementation of these standards in practice.
License
Topics
Framework Mappings
Value Type
Category
Options
Yes
No
Not Applicable
Assessment
Steward Assessed
Report Type
Aggregate Data Report