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Accessibility Statement

Compliance Status

AHEAD and Employers for Change are committed to making this website accessible in accordance with European Union (Accessibility of Websites and Mobile Applications of Public Sector Bodies) Regulations 2020 – S.I. No. 358/2020 and to ensuring this website is accessible to the widest possible audience, regardless of technology or ability.

Some of the measures taken to ensure high levels of accessibility in the development of this website include:

  • Prioritising accessibility in the procurement criteria used to award the tender for its development
  • Commissioning Hex Productions as development partners in part because of their strong experience in both accessible digital design, and accessibility auditing of websites
  • Commissioning user testing by a range of disabled users using a range of assistive technologies on the website via HeX Productions as part of the development and post-development processes, and incorporating feedback provided into its design

This accessibility statement applies to the website wide.employersforchange.ie.

This website is partially compliant with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.2 level AA, due to the non-compliances listed further below.

This statement is separated into the following sections:

Getting the most from this site

We have designed the site to have high levels of accessibility. This benefits all users, especially assistive technology users. Here are the ways you can maximise comfort and efficiency when using our site.

Visual Appearance

Colours

We have taken care to ensure the colour contrasts under our control meet accessibility guidelines for text and buttons. We do not use colour alone to convey information. You can use Windows or Mac settings as well as browser settings and free browser plug-ins (such as HighContrast or ScreenShader) to change the background colour/contrast.

Magnification

The content is designed to be responsive. This means you can magnify in the browser up to 400% (using Control and +) without having to scroll left and right and without loss of functionality. The default text size can be increased up to 200% using browser settings without loss of functionality.

Navigation

Multiple routes consistently organised: Navigation menus are consistently located at the top of each page, and a breadcrumb menu is also available, showing the path to each page, enabling users to easily go back by level. There are multiple other ways to navigate around the site, including side navigation, footer navigation, in page card links, in page text links, a search facility in certain areas, and a news paging system. Navigation systems are templated and consistent. On Action pages, supplementary links are available in the widget area on the right.

We have included invisible labels (ARIA) to help screen reader users make best use of navigation features. Landmarks can be used by assistive technology to quickly identify and navigate to large sections of the document and are used to clearly indicate content areas by type. All page content is included in landmarks.

On larger pages such as Action pages, a return to top button has been included for easier navigation back to the top of the page.

Hyperlinks

Hyperlink text is unique and meaningful to aid navigation by screen reader users. All links are contextualised so can be understood without any additional contextual information being needed.

To reduce confusion and avoid user unintentionally leaving the website, links to internal pages on the site open in the same window, whereas links to external websites such as those in the resource library and supplier directory open in new tabs.

Some pages, like the resource library and supplier directory pages, allow you to search content using filters.

All buttons and icons have available content in the form of html text, alternative text or an additional aria label.

Media

Videos

All videos have accurate closed captions and, where appropriate, visual content on the screen is described. All video content is embedded using the YouTube media player, which is keyboard accessible and can be operated without a mouse. It has audio controls, play controls, and speed controls.

Images

Decorative images have been marked as such. Other images have been given an appropriate description. Please note that with some screen-reading software, Image Captions are read out before the Image Description/Alternative Text.

Photosensitivity

We have tested all videos using the Photosensitive Epilepsy Analysis Tool (PEAT) test, and no videos have been uploaded with issues.

Keyboard accessibility

You can navigate the entire site and operate all its features using either a mouse or a keyboard. The relevant keys are the Tab key, Shift+Tab (to go back), the Spacebar, Enter key, Escape key and the arrow keys. The current keyboard focus is clearly visible as you tab around the content. Similar controls may be needed for navigating through tab content, but again, this will depend on the keyboard set-up or screenreader controls.

Text-to-speech compatibility

All the text-based content can be accessed via text to speech tools. This includes:

  • commercial tools,
  • built in browser tools (such as Read aloud in Microsoft Edge),
  • free text-to-speech plug-ins such as Selection Reader or Read aloud.

Non-accessible Content

To make this statement as useful as possible, we’ve split the “non-compliant” items into the following three categories:

  1. Content or item that does not comply, and we’re currently working towards making it fully accessible,
  2. Content or item that does not comply, and it would involve a disproportionate burden to make fully accessible; this content will be marked as such, either with guidance on alternative content, or with a view to archival,
  3. Content or item that is out of scope.

Non accessible uploads (e.g. PDF documents, Office files etc)

Videos: While no videos have a media alternative on the page, following the YouTube link in the bottom right of the video allows users to access a transcript of the captions if needed, so this is a pass for all videos.

Disproportionate burden

Not applicable.

Out of scope

Content that is not directly hosted on the WIDE website but is instead linked to, such as third party resources in the Resource Library, or supplier websites linked to in the supplier directory, are not guaranteed to be accessible.

Preparation of this Accessibility Statement

This statement was developed on 16th October 2025.

This website was tested for compliance with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG 2.2) Level-AA in Oct 2025. The test was carried out as part of the development of this website by Hex Productions, accessibility consultants, using the Website Accessibility Conformance Evaluation Methodology (WCAG-EM). These results were internally verified by members of the WIDE team.

Feedback and Contact Information

If you come across content that is not yet accessible and require it in an alternative format, or notice any issues with the website, please contact us at wide@ahead.ie. We will always endeavour to respond within 28 working days. Depending on the nature of the request, it may take more or less time, in which case we will notify you.

If you are dissatisfied about how we respond to your request, you can submit a complaint to the WIDE team through AHEAD’s Complaints process. AHEAD and Employers for Change are committed to dealing effectively with any complaints you may have about our services through this process. AHEAD’s Complaints Policy sets out the mechanism for those whom we engage with on how to complain and to ensure that all complaints are considered and responded to promptly, fairly and sensitively. AHEAD and Employers for Change aim to use the information garnered from complaints to learn, adapt and improve our services.

Enforcement Procedures

If you are dissatisfied with how we respond to your request or complaint, you can complain to the Office of the Ombudsman under the terms of the Disability Act 2005.

Office of the Ombudsman, 6 Earlsfort Terrace, Dublin 2, D02 W773
Tel: +353 (0)1 639 5600
Email: complaints@ombudsman.ie
Web: www.ombudsman.ie/disability-act/make-a-complaint

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