Why embracing accessibility will put your startup ahead of the curve

Next time you’re out having a coffee, sitting in the cinema or watching a game of footy, look around you.

Would you believe me if I told you that 46.6% of the people in that cafe, theatre or stadium are disabled and/or living with a chronic illness? That’s right, nearly half of us.

Not only is that true but so is this: of the more than 1000 disability discrimination complaints the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) received in 2019–20, 59% related either to the complainant’s employer or to a situation in which they were provided with goods, services or facilities.

In other words, businesses and those working within businesses were the most likely to discriminate against those with disabilities.

And why? One can make an educated guess that it relates to preconceived ideas about what it means to be disabled or chronically ill, to lack of awareness of or education about inclusion and diversity, or to lack of exposure to those with firsthand, lived experience of what everyday life is like with a disability or chronic illness. Ableism, in other words.

This is, paradoxically, pretty hard to fathom given the extreme prevalence of such ‘atypical’ circumstances. 

The Oxford Dictionary defines ‘accessibility’ as how easy something is to reach, enter, use, see, etc. 

There is no mention of terms like ‘disabled’ or ‘chronically ill’ in the definition as to be truly accessible is to be easy for all people — regardless of any physical and/or mental difference or particular personal situation — to reach, enter, use or see.

Economic ramifications

What does this mean for the startup community? I see startups as being uniquely positioned to foster a business culture that is founded on the core principles of accessibility from the word go. 

To do this, startup founders must first and foremost think of accessibility as being of benefit to everyone, not just those who are disabled and/or chronically ill.

And those benefits are not just measurable in human terms, but financially as well. 

A 2019 report by Deloitte Access Economics estimated the economic dividend from a more ‘inclusive’ Australia could be up to $12.7 billion annually as a result of improved workplace productivity, better employment and health outcomes. 

With so many established businesses leaving accessibility and inclusion in the too-hard, too-time-consuming or too-expensive basket, startups have the opportunity to enjoy the lion’s share of these economic benefits if they genuinely work to ingrain accessibility and inclusion into their operational ethos from the beginning. 

There is also a whole gamut of other reasons why accessibility has the potential to provide startups with a competitive edge, a few of which I’ve outlined below:

1. Greater market reach

   By designing products and services that are accessible to a broader range of people, startups can reach a larger market. This includes the disabled and chronically ill community, those who are neurodivergent, older adults, those with poor digital literacy and people from diverse cultural backgrounds.
   

2. Legal compliance

   In many countries, including Australia, there are laws that require businesses to make their products and services accessible. Non-compliance can result in legal action and financial penalties.

3. Enhanced user experience

   Accessible products, services and features stand to benefit all users. For example, captions and transcripts not only make videos more accessible to people who are deaf or hard of hearing, but they can also be helpful for people who are watching videos in noisy environments, to enhance interculturality or to heighten cognitive reinforcement (remembering where you read or heard something).

4. Innovation

   By forcing us to think laterally, accessibility naturally invites a design-led approach. As a result, startups often create products and services that are more innovative and that meet the needs of a wider range of people than they otherwise might have.
   

5. Positive brand image

   Everyone wants to feel special. By embracing accessibility, the likelihood of startups creating a positive brand image in the minds of consumers is much higher. As the saying goes, you don’t get a second chance to make a first impression. 

Thinking laterally

There are so many ways you can incorporate accessibility in your business in a practical sense. 

The first and most paramount example is arguably the simplest and that is to regularly talk to your team members and customers about their needs and then proactively respond.

Would someone be able to better understand your product or service if it was explained to them in plain english? Would one of your employees benefit from more flexible work arrangements? Could you include a statement about accessibility in your job advertisements? 

Other ideas to help you walk the walk include offering training and development regarding accessibility and inclusion to new staff, creating a formal accessibility policy or plan for your business, depicting people in a realistic and diverse way in your marketing materials, and ensuring your customers always have the means to provide you with feedback regarding their experiences with your business.

We must always remember that all of us, at some point in our lives, even if indefinitely, will almost certainly experience a chronic illness and/or disability. Maybe even concurrently.

When we’re in the throes of establishing a business we must therefore ask ourselves — time and time again — how we would feel if we were excluded or discriminated against?

And we must commit to using this, as well as a healthy dose of empathy, to inform every decision we make as founders and by implication, how inclusive and accessible the range of products and services we offer our customers are. 

There is literally no possibility of losing by doing this, we can all only win. 

Jen Clark is the founder and CEO of early-stage startup Hosting With Heart, a digital directory and booking platform.