“Why Digital Accessibility Must Be Treated as a Risk Management Priority” – CMSWire article by Lawrence Shaw, July 2025

Lawrence Shaw, www.AAAnow.ai/ (opens in a new window), makes a clear case for treating accessibility as a core business risk—on par with cybersecurity or data privacy. Drawing on over two decades of experience, he argues that until leaders recognize accessibility as a strategic vulnerability, most organizations will remain exposed.

Key Takeaways

1. Accessibility is a hefty legal and financial risk

Most digital properties still aren’t WCAG 2 AA compliant - 5% of top homepages meet the standard. As a result, businesses face rising lawsuits, penalties, and reputational damage.

2. Evolving regulatory landscape demands attention

New laws and standards are being enforced globally:

• European Accessibility Act (EAA) enforceable June 28, 2025.

• U.S. state laws like California AB 1757 (pending) and Colorado HB24 1454/HB25 1152 impose strict WCAG 2.x AA compliance and vendor accountability.

• Virginia HB2541 requires vendors to disclose accessibility levels and progress during public procurement.

3. Accountability extends to vendors and public-sector suppliers

Procurement rules increasingly place liability on vendors. Colorado’s legislation, for example, holds tech providers responsible for accessibility failures in public-sector contracts.

4. Accessibility isn’t just legal - it’s strategic

Beyond compliance, accessible digital design improves engagement, loyalty, market reach, and brand reputation.

5. Embed accessibility across your organization

This isn’t just an IT or UX issue. Accessibility must be framed as an enterprise-wide risk factor, with WCAG standards embedded in procurement, development, and governance.

Strategic Implications

Area: Risk Management
Action: Make digital accessibility part of your enterprise risk framework.

Area: Compliance Monitoring
Action: Stay current with WCAG and regional laws through continuous audits.

Area: Vendor Engagement
Action: Require enforceable accessibility commitments in all contracts.

Area: Brand & CX Impact
Action: Embrace accessibility to improve user experience and brand trust.

Final Note

To stay ahead, organizations should:

• Executives: check where you are at ‘RIGHT NOW’ https://aaatraq.com/check/ (opens in a new window)

• Include accessibility reporting in board packs

• Audit and fix digital properties to meet WCAG 2.x AA

• Build accessibility clauses into supplier contracts

• Use inclusive design to gain commercial and reputational advantage