Digital accessibility governance: understanding organizational obligations and issues

Digital accessibility obligations are becoming increasingly prevalent: WCAG, SGQRI 008 3.0, AODA, The Accessibility for Manitobans Act, Accessible Canada Act, etc. Yet many organizations still face challenges in understanding how to meet these requirements, including managing legal, reputational, and operational risks, integrating accessibility into projects, overseeing vendors, and clearly defining roles and responsibilities. The later accessibility is considered, the higher the costs of remediation, compliance, and risk management become. Conversely, when accessibility is addressed proactively and strategically, compliance becomes more predictable and often less costly than many organizations expect. This conference is intended for managers and project managers who need to guide, mentor or supervise their organization's accessibility efforts. Through discussions and examples, it helps participants understand accessibility requirements, the risks associated with non-compliance, and the governance mechanisms needed to support long-term compliance. Participants will be made aware of the responsibilities of the various stakeholders, the ways to integrate accessibility into organizational processes, and the elements to consider to maintain efforts over time, because sustainable accessibility is based as much on thoughtful governance as on the technical requirements themselves.