Financial sector's escalating need for digital accessibility as a key competitive factor

In the ever-evolving landscape of financial services, digital accessibility has emerged as a critical factor for success. The best practices for implementing digital accessibility in this sector focus on three key areas: accessibility by design, scaling accessibility across the organization, and training teams effectively.

Firstly, accessibility by design means integrating accessibility principles from the very beginning of any digital or document creation process. This approach involves following recognised standards like WCAG, ensuring websites, apps, and documents are usable by people with disabilities. By providing alt text for images, captions for videos, screen reader compatibility, and keyboard navigation support, financial institutions can create an inclusive environment that promotes innovation and fairness, enabling all customers to independently use financial services.

Scaling accessibility is another crucial aspect, especially for large financial institutions with multiple brands and digital properties. A centralised governance approach can help achieve this, using common processes, shared tools, and custom dashboards to monitor and maintain accessibility standards consistently across all teams and products. Partnering with accessibility experts can facilitate this scale and provide tailored solutions for complex portfolios.

Training teams is critical for building and sustaining accessibility maturity. Financial institutions should offer accessibility training to all business units involved in creating customer experiences—developers, designers, content creators, compliance staff—enabling them to understand and apply accessibility best practices. Evidence shows that organisations with highly effective accessibility training significantly improve customer retention.

Additional recommendations include conducting actionable accessibility audits focused on critical user journeys, extending accessibility efforts beyond websites and apps to include digital documents, testing digital products with real users with disabilities, and maintaining enterprise-ready security while implementing accessibility solutions.

By adopting an "accessibility by design" approach and scaling accessibility across the organisation, financial services providers can ensure they are catering to all customers and maximising their potential. Enlisting an expert partner can help accelerate this journey. A recent survey revealed that 94% of financial services professionals believe better digital accessibility provides a competitive advantage.

The levels of accessibility maturity vary among financial services providers, presenting an opportunity for brands to differentiate themselves. It's worth noting that digital accessibility may be an obligation for many financial institutions due to ESG commitments or regulations such as the European Accessibility Act (EAA).

In the increasingly competitive financial services market, embracing accessibility early on can provide a significant competitive advantage. For instance, in 2024, a record 1.32 million people switched their current bank account provider. By ensuring digital accessibility, financial institutions can reduce legal risk, improve customer satisfaction, and drive innovation.

In the UK and EU, approximately one in four people have some form of disability. As of 11.08.2025, 40% of the adult population in the UK have digital-only bank accounts. By prioritising digital accessibility, financial services providers can foster a more inclusive environment, catering to all customers and enhancing their overall experience.

Russell Webb, VP Europe at Level Access, emphasises the importance of digital accessibility in the financial sector, stating, "By embracing digital accessibility, financial institutions can create a more inclusive environment, catering to all customers and enhancing their overall experience."

Financial sector's escalating need for digital accessibility as a key competitive factor