National Inclusion Week | Fostering Digital Accessibility and Inclusivity at Zero Waste Scotland

At Zero Waste Scotland, we strive to create an equal, diverse, and inclusive circular economy in Scotland. A significant milestone in this journey came earlier this year as we launched our new, accessible, website. ?

Initially, we began this project as part of our commitment to digital inclusion and to ensure that the wealth of information found on our website serves as a valuable resource to people in Scotland. According to the World Health Organisation, a staggering 90% of people cannot access vital assistive technologies.

Working with The Union allowed us to create a user-led website, informed by insights gathered from real people and an understanding of how they would use our website to get information. Our agency partner also ensured that the new Zero Waste Scotland website met the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 - a globally recognised set of guidelines designed to make web content, digital documents, and applications more accessible for a wide spectrum of users. ?

Partnering with Recite Me , a cloud-based based software that lets visitors view and use our website in a way that works best for them, means we now have an integrated accessibility and language toolbar. Visitors to our website can choose from a range of functions including audio, text, and colour, as well as meeting the needs of the 4.2 million people in the UK who speak a language other than English at home, by translating our content into over 100 languages.?

While we’ve been working hard to make our website more accessible, we know that there is always more to be done. Our efforts to enhance digital accessibility is a recent – and important - step towards a more inclusive and accessible future for Zero Waste Scotland. We’re committed to continuously championing inclusivity through the work that we do, as well as in conversations with our colleagues. ?

We'd love to hear what other organisations are doing to make the world more inclusive for all this National Inclusion Week? ?