Global research conducted by Level Access shows digital accessibility has become a recognized driver of business growth.
The State of Digital Accessibility Report 2025-2026, which surveyed more than 1,600 professionals across several industries in the U.S, the U.K., and Europe, revealed a wideheld belief among respondents that accessibility has improved several business outcomes, including:
- User experience (91%)
- Customer satisfaction (90%)
- Brand reputation (88%)
Level Access has produced its annual industry report since 2019, in partnership with the Global Initiative for Inclusive ICTs (G3ict) and the International Association of Accessibility Professionals (IAAP). Other benefits of digital accessibility cited by this year’s respondents include reduced legal risk (86%), competitive advantage (89%), and improved revenue (75%).
“Businesses now see accessibility as much more than a compliance box-checking exercise,” said Tresilian (Sil) Segal, Chief Marketing Officer at Level Access. “There is a recognition that accessibility, when treated as a strategic priority, has the potential to drive innovation, enhance brand perception, and deliver tangible financial returns.”
Broad recognition of the business impact of accessibility may be contributing to continued investment in mature, sustainable programs. The survey found that most organizations (77%) now have three core elements of a mature accessibility program in place—namely a digital accessibility policy, a person or team accountable for accessibility within the organization, and a dedicated budget. More than two thirds (68%) also plan to increase or at least maintain their level of spending on digital accessibility over the next year.
Additionally, the deployment of AI solutions in digital accessibility has accelerated. More than eight in ten (82%) respondents said their organization is now incorporating AI tools into their accessibility strategy, and organizations with three core elements of a mature accessibility program in place—policy, accountability, and budget—were 57% more likely to be incorporating AI.
However, the study also revealed that certain gaps in accessibility maturity still exist—with many organizations failing to address accessibility early enough in the development life cycle to maximize its full impact. When developing digital assets, just 28% of respondents said their organization addresses accessibility at the planning stage, and just 27% in the design phase.
“Executives are committed to accessibility, at a strategic level, yet many teams remain stuck solving technical issues downstream,’’ says Corbb O’Connor, Director of Accessibility Advocacy at Level Access. ‘‘They still lack the time, tools, and guidance to innovate with disabled users in mind. Accessibility must be prioritized at the start of the digital development life cycle—not just to reduce risk, but to unlock inclusive innovation and ensure organizations can deliver on their promises.”
Other key highlights of the study include:
- Perceived legal risk has intensified—particularly for public-sector organizations in the U.S. Eight in ten (80%) of U.S. public-sector respondents said they feel at risk of legal or regulatory action in the year ahead—compared to 59% of all respondents. Almost half (49%) cited lack of process supporting digital accessibility as a reason for legal vulnerability.
- Leadership and training are key to maximizing the impact of digital accessibility programs. Respondents with a “highly supportive” leadership team were nearly seven times as likely to say that digital accessibility contributes to improved revenue, and respondents with “highly effective” accessibility training were more than 2.5 times as likely to say they approach accessibility proactively.
“This year’s findings reinforce what we’ve observed across the global business community: organizations that prioritize empowering their workforce with accessibility knowledge and skills unlock measurable business benefits, including improved customer experience,” said Christopher M. Lee, PhD., CEO of G3ict. “We hope organizations use this data as added motivation to embed accessibility into their cultural practices and business strategy in 2026.”
The Seventh Annual State of Digital Accessibility Report and an executive summary are available now at LevelAccess.com.
Notes to editors
Methodology
As part of our commitment to advancing digital inclusion, Level Access commissions annual research on the state of digital accessibility to guide industry progress. The quantitative research upon which the 2025-2026 report is based was performed by independent market research specialist Vanson Bourne. A total of 1,622 professionals were surveyed during July and August 2025.
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