The greatest accessibility challenge is no longer spreading awareness; it’s maintaining momentum. Audits get done. Issues get flagged. But without the right people and processes in place, progress stalls fast.
In our recent webinar, “Beyond the Audit: How Top Enterprises Make Accessibility Sustainable,” our CPACC-certified team explored actionable tips for driving lasting success from day one. More than talk about what’s broken, they revealed how to build something better — covering everything from preparing for audits to integrating efforts and monitoring for new defects.
Kate O’Connor, Vice President of Onward Accessibility, opened the event with warmth and candor, introducing ASL interpreters who were spotlighted and celebrated from the start. Joining her were panelists Pete Bruhn, Director of Digital Accessibility Solutions, and Cathi Sherry, Director of Staffing. While Bruhn spoke about planning, processes and best practices, Sherry explained how to orchestrate and empower the people behind it all. Here are seven key takeaways our leaders shared on how to make accessibility last within any enterprise organization.
1. Don’t just get accessible; get sustainable.
Bruhn kicked off the panel discussion by explaining what “sustainability” means in the context of digital accessibility. He quickly clarified that it’s not environmental; it’s operational.
“When we talk about ‘making accessibility sustainable,’ we mean ensuring your digital products and content are accessible for the long term,” Bruhn declared. How do you make sure progress doesn’t vanish after an audit report is filed? As digital experiences evolve, how can you maintain accessibility over time? And when priorities shift, how do you keep it from falling off the radar?
Accessibility sustainability is setting your organization up to continue and repeat success. “That’s what sustainability really means — continuity,” Sherry elaborated. And it’s critical to consider this from the start, not just at the end.
2. Plan for audit results before they come in.
Many organizations begin with audits. But before the audit, there’s support to gain, expectations to set, and preparations to be made.
“Let teams know the audit is coming,” Bruhn warned before firing off a wealth of actionable tips. His key points: Be ready for a long list of issues to surface because it likely will. Map your digital assets and identify high-risk areas early. Assign clear responsibilities ahead of time. And build remediation work into existing sprint cycles. Some teams dedicate 10–20% of capacity to it.
If you’re not ready to act when your audit results come in, they’ll quickly become outdated. The list of defects will grow. And development won’t be able to keep up. This is what O’Connor refers to as “audit rot.” Her answer to it: Plan for remediation before you even get the results.
3. Consider accessibility early and often.
The most crucial piece of advice our leaders shared is also one of the most repeated mantras in the accessibility world. Yet, it cannot be said enough: Shift left.
“Shifting left is all about integrating accessibility as early as possible in your workflow — ideally, even before code is written or designs are created,” Bruhn explained with a voice of urgency. Set requirements early. Include accessibility in your definition of “done.” And make it a success metric from day one.
When you make accessibility a part of the process, you not only sustain your progress; you maximize efficiency. And the figures are truly staggering. According to Bruhn, “About 80% of accessibility issues can be avoided just by getting things right in design,” and studies show that shifting left can make remediation 100 times less costly. But doing so demands talent.
4. Structure your team for success.
When speaking about the importance of organizing teams and talent for success, Cathi Sherry brought the emotional core. “Sustaining accessibility starts with people,” Sherry reminded participants. Not tools. Not templates. People.
Her voice softened when she spoke of the burnout that occurs when one lone champion is tasked with dragging an entire enterprise toward inclusion. “One passionate person isn’t enough,” she added. “It has to be everyone’s job.”
She went on to address what so many in this field feel, even if they rarely say it aloud: there is no such thing as a “unicorn” hire — someone who can audit, remediate, train, and lead alone. Companies need to stop searching for them and start building teams. According to Sherry, every accessibility team is different, but many include the following:
- Accessibility Lead or Program Manager
- Accessibility Engineer
- UX / Inclusive Designer
- QA with Manual Testing Experience
- Trainer / Enablement Partner
5. Divide the responsibilities among teams.
“A strong program isn’t just one team,” Bruhn declared, elaborating on Sherry’s people-focused guidance. Although small organizations may start out with a single team, the responsibilities often need to be distributed not just across professionals but across functions.
You can have a central lead or program owner driving strategy. Then, embed accessibility champions or points of contact within key groups, such as design, development, QA, content, and procurement. Accessibility isn’t one team’s job; it’s everyone’s.
To that end, Bruhn offered what may have been the most pragmatic tip of the hour: use a RACI matrix. For the uninitiated, that’s R-A-C-I: Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, Informed. It’s a framework as old as corporate org charts, and in Bruhn’s words, “It helps everyone understand their part and builds shared ownership.”
6. Balance internal talent with external support.
No two programs are the same, but the most successful ones achieve the right balance of internal staff and external support. “This isn’t an either/or, it’s both/and,” Bruhn wisely articulated.
Start by evaluating your team, their strengths and their goals. Consider the size of your organization and the scope of the work.
- Outsource services for speed, unbiased perspectives, and overflow work — especially audits or document remediation.
- Hire professionals when you need strategy, leadership, or deep technical capabilities that your internal team lacks but requires on a day-to-day basis.
- Upskill employees when your team already has capacity and some capability, as digital accessibility overlaps with their roles.
To sustain success, nearly every enterprise-sized company needs some internal or embedded accessibility experts — due to the scale and cross-functional nature of the work. And internal teams often require a level of training in companies of all sizes.
7. Combine automated monitoring with manual testing.
As your digital products and content evolve, so will your accessibility needs. That’s why digital accessibility can’t be treated as a one-time project; it needs to be a continuous process. And monitoring effectively means going beyond automation alone.
“Automated tools are helpful for catching issues early,” Bruhn acknowledged, referring to defects like missing alt text or improper heading structure. But those tools can’t interpret context. And they can’t tell whether a screen reader user can actually navigate your page. That’s why “you still need manual audits and user testing,” according to Bruhn.
The strongest programs use both. Automation helps empower sustainability. But manual audits and testing — especially by people with disabilities — add depth, accuracy, and lived experience. Build a rhythm. Set a cadence. And make maintenance a permanent part of your strategy.
Final Thoughts
Apple. Microsoft. CVS Health. The session closed with examples of companies embracing digital inclusion. These weren’t just name-drops; they were case studies in organizations that made accessibility a core value, sustained their efforts, and reaped the benefits: stronger products, wider customer bases, fewer legal risks, and better cultures.
In an era where some organizations are deprioritizing DEI, the panelists reminded their audience that accessibility remains a moral imperative, a competitive advantage, and an initiative worth sustaining. To paraphrase Bruhn’s words, “Even when the language changes, the work continues.” Accessibility, after all, isn’t just about following the law or supporting people with disabilities; it’s about building better experiences for everyone.
“It’s not a project or a box to check; it’s a process and a journey,” O’Connor concluded. Conduct audits, yes, but do so with a remediation roadmap already in place. Balance internal teams with external support. Design with every user in mind. Define who owns what. And always move forward, never back.
O’Connor wrapped up the masterclass with a kind reminder: “Just remember: every step forward is a win.” And participants left the Zoom room feeling something you wouldn’t expect from a webinar on accessibility sustainability: moved.
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