Accessible Workplaces through Accessible ICT Solutions and Inclusive Procurement Practices
Radostina Tsvetkova · 2025 · Proceedings of the 22nd International Web for All Conference (W4A) · doi:10.1145/3744257.3744272
Summary
This short paper examines how accessible ICT solutions and inclusive procurement practices can help reduce digital barriers in workplaces, with a focus on the Norwegian context. Tsvetkova argues that inaccessible workplace technology is a significant barrier to employment for people with disabilities and older workers, and that mandating accessibility requirements for internal workplace ICT systems could meaningfully increase workforce participation. The paper reviews Norway's current legal framework, noting that while the country has strong anti-discrimination legislation and accessibility regulations for public-facing ICT, requirements for internal workplace systems remain limited. A 2021 study by CMS Kluge confirmed this gap, and a subsequent government-commissioned cost-benefit analysis concluded that the benefits of regulating workplace ICT accessibility significantly outweigh the costs. The Norwegian government announced plans in late 2024 to introduce further regulation by 2030. Tsvetkova maps the specific digital barriers faced by employees with vision impairments, hearing impairments, motor impairments, and cognitive or neurodivergent disabilities, as well as older workers whose functional abilities may decline with age. She identifies the full range of workplace technology that must be considered—from HR systems and financial tools to video conferencing, time tracking, and helpdesk platforms—arguing that accessibility must extend well beyond document creation software. Drawing on her own experience at Norway's Labour and Welfare Administration (NAV), the author presents a detailed set of 11 procurement requirements that organizations can use to ensure ICT systems meet accessibility standards.
Key findings
The employment rate for disabled people in Norway was just 40.6% compared to 73.4% for the general population (2020 data), representing approximately 636,000 people with disabilities in a population of 5.4 million. Current accessibility regulations primarily cover public-facing ICT, leaving a significant gap for internal workplace systems. The Norwegian government's cost-benefit analysis found that mandating accessible workplace ICT would deliver benefits that significantly outweigh costs. The paper presents NAV's 11-point procurement framework, which requires suppliers to comply with EN 301 549 and WCAG 2.1 AA, document conformance through WCAG-EM or Accessibility Conformance Reports, declare supported assistive technologies by name and version, provide test environments for expert assessment, and maintain remediation plans for any deviations. Norway's aging population projections reinforce the urgency—as the proportion of older workers grows, accessible workplace technology becomes essential to keeping people in the workforce longer. The paper emphasizes that management responsibility is critical: technical solutions alone are insufficient without organizational commitment to implementing and enforcing accessibility measures.
Relevance
This paper addresses a frequently overlooked dimension of digital accessibility: the systems employees use internally every day. Most accessibility regulation and attention focuses on public-facing websites and apps, but workers with disabilities often encounter their greatest barriers in HR portals, time tracking systems, and enterprise software that were never designed with accessibility in mind. The NAV procurement requirements presented here offer a practical, ready-to-adopt template that any organization could incorporate into their vendor evaluation process. For accessibility practitioners, this paper reinforces the importance of advocating for accessibility in internal tools, not just customer-facing products. The Norwegian policy trajectory—moving toward mandatory workplace ICT accessibility by 2030—may also signal a broader European trend, particularly as the European Accessibility Act takes full effect.
Tags: accessible workplaces · inclusive procurement · digital inclusion · workplace accessibility · ICT accessibility · employment · aging workforce
Standards referenced: EN 301 549 · WCAG 2.1 · WAI-ARIA · ATAG · European Accessibility Act · Web Accessibility Directive · UN CRPD