V500 Scorecard Reveals Gaps in Digital Readiness Ahead of EAA Deadline

With just weeks to go before the European Accessibility Act (EAA) compliance deadline, a new independent benchmark reveals that most of the world’s top organisations still lack the foundational digital capabilities needed to meet emerging compliance, inclusion and performance expectations, despite major investment and public commitments.

The Valuable 500 Scorecard, developed by independent digital benchmarking organisation AAAnow, assessed the online fitness of 500 global organisations that make up the Valuable 500 – a collective of the world’s most influential companies, each committed to advancing disability inclusion at the leadership level.

The assessment found that only 14 out of 500 companies – fewer than 3% - earned a top-tier A or B rating.

“Today’s approach to digital performance is overly reactive, technical and siloed, which is holding progress back. Despite strong commitments, most organisations lack the foundational readiness needed to achieve their goals.” said Lawrence Shaw, CEO of AAAnow. “Good intentions alone aren’t enough. Organisations are simply not positioned to meet their accessibility goals. We need to shift to a proactive, executive-led model rooted in risk management, not technical checkpoints.”

A Compliance Crisis in the Making

AAAnow’s AI-driven forecasting model, built on 3.7 trillion data points and over 25 years of analysis, estimates that the average organisation would require over 7,400 hours to achieve one-time compliance using traditional methods. That figure doesn’t even account for the ongoing effort needed to maintain compliance over time.

By contrast, AAAnow’s modelling suggests that organisations could reduce that effort by up to 80%, achieving faster, more meaningful progress at a fraction of the time and cost. In total, up to $250 million in avoidable spend could be eliminated globally by moving away from audit-heavy, manual approaches.

According to AAAnow’s ongoing analysis, fewer than 6% of global organisations currently meet basic digital accessibility standards, despite years of investment in transformation and audits.

The Case for Risk-Based Reporting and Executive Oversight

The Scorecard evaluates digital performance across accessibility, privacy, user experience and environmental impact - providing a business-first perspective designed for C-level visibility and boardroom decision-making.

“Compliance isn’t a web team problem. It’s a procurement, HR and leadership issue,” Shaw added. “Executives need a one-minute view of exposure and progress - not a 40-page audit full of technical jargon. That’s where we come in.”

AAAnow calls on executives to take three key steps:

1. Confirm your current position: run an independent risk assessment to understand digital exposure
2. Ensure clarity across the organisation: shift from technical audits to compliance risk evaluation
3. Reframe the issue: stop blaming web teams and start addressing root causes in procurement and content production

Organisations can explore the full V500 Scorecard to see how the world’s leading brands are performing - and what that means for their own digital strategy: www.AAAnow.ai/V500 (opens in a new window)

Laying the Right Foundations

At its core, the Scorecard confirms whether the digital foundations are strong enough to support scale, deliver value and reduce risk – the essential first step before evolution, optimisation, or innovation can occur. Without these foundations, progress is uncertain and risk is amplified. It’s not just about diagnosing issues, but about knowing when you’re truly ready to scale, evolve and deliver measurable value from digital investment.

A Smarter, Scalable Compliance Model

As digital channels increasingly define brand value and reputation, online performance can no longer be treated as a back-office issue. Remaining competitive depends on ensuring digital is always working at full value - with minimal risk and maximum inclusion.

AAAnow has developed a business-first AI compliance solution that streamlines accessibility monitoring and enables leadership teams to manage digital risk at scale - reducing manual workload and delivering measurable improvements in a fraction of the time.

“We’re not here to scare or shame,” Shaw said. “We’re here to help brands protect their reputation, avoid unnecessary risk and deliver on their commitments to inclusion - starting with visibility and clear reporting.”