From Ad-hoc Audits to Sustainable Compliance Governance
Download the whitepaper here: Whitepaper (EAA: Administrative Risk – PDF 507KB)
Executive Summary
The European Accessibility Act (EAA) poses a growing administrative risk: non-compliance can lead to legal sanctions, reputational damage and loss of public tenders.
Current ad-hoc WCAG audits fall short because they only provide snapshots without structural assurance of accessibility in governance and decision-making.
Allxs transforms this risk into manageable assurance with a sustainable compliance governance approach that integrates accessibility into policies, processes, and continuous monitoring — ensuring organizations are demonstrably and permanently compliant with the EAA.
Chapter 1: The vulnerability
Digital accessibility management is often mistakenly delegated to the IT or Product department, when in essence it is a strategic risk that belongs to the board level.
1.1 The Illusion of Compliance (The Snapshot)
A one-time WCAG audit provides a snapshot of accessibility status.
As soon as the audited products are updated, or as soon as new products are launched, the status is already outdated.
Without formal and organizational anchoring, this leads to continuous non-compliance now that the legislation is in force.
1.2 Uncontrollable Risk and Legal Exposure
The lack of a central, formal strategy results in an uncontrollable Register of Cumulative Risks spread across the organization.
The Legal department does not have a transparent view of the legal exposure.
Management cannot demonstrate demonstrable due diligence that the EAA requirements are met on all sides.
1.3 The Cost of Reactive Solution
When accessibility issues are identified only after launch (during or after an audit), the cost of remediation is exponentially higher.
This “Shift Right” approach is costly, disrupts product roadmaps, and slows down the time-to-market of new features.
Chapter 2: The Framework (ISO 30071-1: The Blueprint for Governance)
The solution to the governance risk lies in the implementation of a robust Accessibility Governance Framework.
Allxs uses the ISO 30071-1 standard as a blueprint to structurally integrate accessibility.
2.1 Embedding in governance and policy
We help organizations prepare formal documentation that gives top management accountability:
- Accessibility Policy: The formal, public document that defines the organization’s commitment and principles.
- Commitment SOP: Procedures that establish and enforce accessibility responsibilities for all critical functions in the organization.
2.2 Integration into the Operational Processes (SOPs)
To nip non-compliance in the bud, the strategy must be translated into concrete actions for the teams.
We do this by creating Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for:
- System Life Cycle SOP: Integration of accessibility in every phase of product development (from concept, design, development to QA).
- Activities SOP: Standardization of accessibility tasks, including internal audit procedures and improvement cycles.
- Accessible Procurement: Standard clauses and requirements that ensure that all purchased software, tools, and services meet EAA requirements.
2.3 Culture Transformation as a Sustainability Engine
Although the focus is Governance, sustainability depends on the people.
Our Accessibility Champions Program creates an internal network of trained leaders.
This reduces external dependency, promotes shift-left (prevention) and secures knowledge within the company.
Chapter 3: Measurable and sustainable success
Strategic success can only be demonstrated with measurable, administratively relevant data.
3.1 Transparent reporting and monitoring
We help set up management tools to monitor the risks and progress:
- Register of Cumulative Risks: Continuous recording and prioritization of all identified risks, directly linked to the EAA legal requirements.
- Conformance Milestones & Dashboard: Measuring strategic performance (e.g., percentage of SOPs adhered to; percentage of teams completing training) rather than just the number of bugs.
3.2 Result: Manageable certainty
Through this strategic approach, your organization transforms accessibility from a reactive cost center to a sustainable, manageable program.
You are demonstrably prepared for EAA enforcement while strengthening your brand reputation as an inclusive and compliant organization.
Call to Action
Stop guessing about your compliance status.
Are you ready to regain control of your EAA risks?
Allxs offers the Governance Gap Analysis: a concise, strategic review of your current policy, governance structure, and procurement documents.
This analysis will map:
- Which EAA risks are currently insufficiently managed.
- Which ISO 30071-1 SOPs you need to implement immediately for managerial control.
Request the Governance Gap Analysis to take the step towards robust and sustainable EAA compliance today.
Contact me through my LinkedIn page, or e-mail.