FTSE corporate websites inaccessible to disabled

The
majority of FTSE 100 company websites are not accessible to people with disabilities
– restricting opportunities for employment and possibly discriminating against
them, according to new research by digital design company Nomensa.

The
results show that while 90 per cent of corporations claim to have adopted
social responsibility practices, just 37 per cent of FTSE 100 companies meet
minimum standards when making online information accessible to those with
disabilities, such as including options for bigger text for the visually
impaired.

The
Nomensa study, Accessibility of FTSE 100 Company Websites, found that only 37
per cent of FTSE 100 corporate websites achieved a Level A pass, which
represents conformity with minimum standards of website accessibility. However,
none of the companies achieved AA or AAA status, the levels needed to be
compliant with the 1995 Disability Discrimination Act.

It
states that websites should be accessible to all, and organisations that don’t
meet these guidelines risk legal action under disability discrimination laws.

Simon
Norris, managing director of Nomensa, said: "Our initial research 12
months ago revealed that only 11 FTSE 100 companies had made any reasonable
effort to ensure their corporate websites were accessible to all users.

"Now,
with around 37 per cent achieving a Level A pass, it’s clear that the message
is finally getting through," he added. "A responsible attitude
towards diversity groups can make a business more competitive, more resilient
to shocks, and more likely to attract and keep hold of both consumers and the
best employees."

By
Quentin Reade

www.nomensa.com

The
best and the worst of the FTSE 100 accessibility scores

High-scoring
websites

–
Gallaher Group
– Prudential
– Centrica
– HBOS
– Inter Continental Hotels Group
– Rolls-Royce
– BG Group
– Friends Provident
– J Sainsbury
– Kingfisher

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Low-scoring
websites

–
Wolseley
– Safeway
– Whitbread
– Morrison
– Liberty International
– BOC Group
– Tesco
-Smiths Group
– Amvescap
– Allied Domecq