What it is, why it's mandatory, and how to make your website compliant
Making a website accessible means opening up your content to everyone and, at the same time, complying with a regulatory framework that now applies to private companies as well.
Every day, thousands of people browse the web using a screen reader, just a keyboard, or high-contrast settings. When they come across a well-designed website, they stay, read, and make purchases. When they come across one designed for only a few, they look elsewhere.
Accessibility is where ethics, technical quality, and business results converge: an accessible website is clearer for everyone, is rewarded by search engines, and protects you from new regulatory deadlines.
On this page, you’ll find what the law says, which WCAG requirements you need to comply with, and practical steps you can take to make your website compliant.
Web accessibility refers to the set of technical and design choices that make a website usable by everyone, including people with visual, motor, hearing, or cognitive disabilities.
An accessible website features perceivable content, keyboard-navigable controls, readable text, and a well-organized structure that assistive technologies can interpret correctly.
The benefit goes beyond accessibility. The same rules that help a blind person navigate a website using a screen reader also make the site clearer for all users and more readable for search engines, which analyze the code in a similar way.
Accessibility, quality of experience, and organic visibility all grow together.
A website is accessible when everyone—including people with visual, mobility, hearing, or cognitive disabilities—can understand its content and navigate it independently.
The technical reference is the WCAG 2.1 guidelines, with their three levels of conformance: A, AA, and AAA.
Level AA is the level required by European regulations.
The Italian regulatory framework began with the Stanca Law of 2004, which established accessibility requirements for the public administration and for entities that provide public services.
For the public sector, this remains the primary reference: if you work in that field, you can find all the details on our page dedicated tothe accessibility of public administration websites.
The new development that directly affects private companies isthe European Accessibility Act (EU Directive 2019/882).
This directive extends accessibility requirements to providers of digital products and services in the European market, with implementation deadlines starting in 2025 and thresholds that will gradually affect an increasing number of companies.
Complying in a timely manner protects against the risk of penalties and turns an obligation into a competitive advantage.
The WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) are the W3C’s international guidelines and represent the technical standard recognized by law.
They are based on four principles: content must be perceivable, controls must be operable, information must be understandable, and code must be robust—that is, it must be reliably interpreted by assistive technologies.
The guidelines specify three levels of compliance: A ensures minimum requirements, AA represents the standard required by European law, and AAA defines the most advanced level.
To be compliant, the target level is AA.
A website that adapts to any screen is already halfway to being accessible: text sizes, large touch areas, and flexible layouts help everyone, from people with low vision to those browsing on smartphones.
When we design a responsive website, we lay the technical groundwork that makes WCAG compliance easier.
Accessibility and usability are two complementary qualities.
Accessibility ensures that everyone can access and understand the content, including people with disabilities.
Usability refers to how easily and quickly any user can perform an action: finding information, filling out a form, or completing a purchase.
A website can be technically accessible and, at the same time, have room for improvement in terms of usability—and vice versa.
The best results come when these two aspects are designed together: a clear navigation path helps everyone, and an accessible website is almost always easier and more enjoyable to use.
Making a website accessible means addressing different needs with specific solutions. People who are blind or visually impaired use screen readers and need alternative text for images, adequate contrast, and a well-organized semantic structure.
People with mobility impairments often navigate using only the keyboard and need commands that can be accessed without a mouse.
People with hearing impairments benefit from captions and transcripts, while those with cognitive challenges appreciate clear language and straightforward processes.
Designing to accommodate this variety of needs broadens the audience your site can reach and makes the experience more robust for every visitor. An accessible website welcomes everyone.
The accessibility statement is a formal document in which the website owner reports the level of compliance achieved with the WCAG and provides a feedback channel for reporting any barriers.
It has long been mandatory for the public sector and must be updated annually.
Oncethe European Accessibility Act is fully implemented, the declaration will also serve as a reference for private entities affected by the directive.
Preparing it carefully demonstrates transparency toward users and validates the work done on the site.
We managedthe accessibility of four websites belonging to the Heineken Italia group —Birra Moretti, Birra Messina, Birra Dreher, and Birra Ichnusa—guiding them toward WCAG Level AA compliance, the standard required by European regulations.
The project combined technical analysis of the websites, corrective actions on content and code, and the implementation of UserWay technology, of which we are a partner.
Working on well-known brands and four websites simultaneously has allowed us to establish a replicable method that can be applied to organizations of all sizes seeking to achieve compliance within predictable timeframes and at predictable costs.
Factory Communication guides companies through the entire compliance process: we start with an audit that assesses the site’s current status in relation to the WCAG, define an action plan with clear priorities, and implement the technical corrections, all the way through to the accessibility statement.
We combine regulatory expertise, technology, and a focus on the user experience, because a compliant website is also a better website for everyone.
If you want to understand where your website stands and what steps you need to take to achieve compliance, the first step is a preliminary assessment.
A website is considered accessible when everyone—including people with visual, motor, or cognitive disabilities—can navigate it and access its content independently. The reference standards are the WCAG 2.1 guidelines, which are divided into Levels A, AA, and AAA.
Public administrations are required to comply with the Stanca Law.
Under the European Accessibility Act, the requirement extends to private entities that offer digital products and services in the EU, with implementation deadlines starting in 2025 and thresholds that affect an increasing number of businesses: assessing your own situation today is the most prudent course of action.
The WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) are the W3C’s international guidelines.
They are divided into three levels: A (minimum), AA (standard required by European regulations), and AAA (maximum).
Level AA is the level that must be achieved to comply with the law.
Accessibility ensures that anyone, including people with disabilities, can access content.
Usability refers to the ease and efficiency of navigation for all users.
They complement each other and work best when designed together.
It is a formal document in which the website owner declares the level of compliance with the WCAG and the available feedback channels.
It is mandatory for public administrations; for private entities affected by the European Accessibility Act, it also serves as a guideline. It must be updated periodically.
EU Directive 2019/882 extends accessibility requirements to private companies that offer digital products and services in the EU, with implementation deadlines starting in 2025.
Complying in a timely manner protects you from penalties and improves the experience for all users.
The cost depends on the complexity of the website, the technologies used, and the level of compliance required.
Services range from an initial audit to structural work on complex sites. A preliminary assessment is the starting point for obtaining an accurate estimate.
We start with automated tools (WAVE, Axe, Lighthouse) that identify the most obvious issues, supplemented by a manual analysis and testing with assistive technologies such as screen readers.
The combination of these two approaches provides a comprehensive and reliable picture.
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