According to the Panorama of Digital Accessibility study carried out by Hand Talk, a pioneering startup in the use of artificial intelligence for digital accessibility, in partnership with the Web for All Movement, one of the main obstacles to digital inclusion in companies is the lack of knowledge about the topic: 54% of companies still do not know the essential practices to make their platforms accessible.
The implementation of digital accessibility practices goes beyond compliance with legal obligations, such as the guidelines of the Brazilian Inclusion Law (LBI). According to Ronaldo Tenório, CEO and co-founder of Hand Talk, digital accessibility is not just a matter of social responsibility, but a competitive advantage. “Companies that care about being accessible expand their audience and strengthen their brand. Ensuring access for everyone is essential in today’s digital world. Strategy is when we put on paper the positive impact for society and for the business, and many organizations are still moving towards adopting this proactive stance,” adds the CEO.
According to Tenório, it is essential for companies to follow the best accessibility practices. “It is crucial for organizations to stay updated on the best accessibility practices, such as screen readers, keyboard navigation, video captions, and proper contrasts. These are just a few examples of how accessibility can be effectively applied,” he explains. The Hand Talk Plugin, for example, is a solution developed by the startup that offers dozens of assistive resources for deaf people, hearing-impaired, dyslexic, visually impaired, neurocognitive disorders, and reading difficulties, which can be incorporated into both public websites and company websites, creating a more inclusive environment for potential consumers.
On the contrary, companies from different sectors, such as Claro, Sodexo, and Gupy, have invested in Hand Talk’s inclusive technologies, showing that digital accessibility is not only a social responsibility but also an effective strategy for growth and market expansion. Check out the following success stories:
Gupy: more than 31 thousand active users use the navigation feature
Gupy, platform number 1 of human capital management, aims to boost human potential by making people and businesses thrive together through agile and fair technologies for recruitment, digital onboarding, training, climate surveys, and performance evaluations. In 2021, with the start of the partnership between Hand Talk and Gupy, translation records were broken. Just 17 days after the installation of the Hand Talk Plugin on the recruiter’s website, the milestone of 1.4 million words translated into Libras was surpassed. Shortly after, the number grew to over 16.7 million words translated, impacting more than 20,000 people per month. In 2023, Gupy reached the top spot in the ranking of the most translated websites by Hand Talk.
On the homepage of the site, over 31,000 active users use the Hand Talk Plugin for navigation. In the application page, there are nearly 17,000 active users. The tool also stands out on the job search page in different areas, especially in the health sector. Since the partnership began, Gupy has already translated more than 37.1 million words into Brazilian Sign Language (Libras), establishing itself as a digital accessibility example in the recruitment sector.
Claro: inclusive service and over 260 million words translated on the site
Claro, one of the largest telecommunications operators in Brazil and a leader in the sector in Latin America, is present in all regions of the country, reaching over 96% of the population in 4,200 municipalities. To expand digital inclusion, the company has adopted the Hand Talk Plugin for automatic translation of texts and images with alternative descriptions for Brazilian Sign Language (Libras). With this initiative, Claro achieved the 1st place in the Anatel Accessibility Award in 2020, 2022, and 2023, an evaluation promoted by the National Telecommunications Agency (Anatel).
Since the beginning of the partnership, Claro has remained in the ranking of the most translated sites by Hand Talk, with over 260 million words translated by May 2023. In addition to implementing the plugin on the site, the company continues to develop inclusive actions and support the cause of digital accessibility, standing out as an example of innovation and social responsibility in the telecommunications sector.
Sodexo: communication with 2 thousand employees with disabilities
The French group Sodexo has also successfully implemented the Hand Talk Plugin, making its intranet and site more accessible to employees and customers. With Maya (Hand Talk’s virtual translator) translating texts and images to Libras, the company facilitated communication with approximately 2 thousand employees with disabilities, of which almost 500 have hearing impairments.
After the first year of partnership, Sodexo expanded its commitment to inclusion through the ‘Maya Project,’ which has become a strategic accessibility initiative. The project was widely promoted across all company communication channels and reinforced with the installation of Maya totems in Sodexo’s offices in Brazil, promoting awareness and engagement throughout the team. With the use of the plugin, Sodexo expanded its efforts in accessibility processes and connections, becoming a reference in digital inclusion. As a result, the company earned the Municipal Human Rights Seal and received excellent ratings in diversity, equity, and inclusion, strengthening its corporate accessibility image.
Digital accessibility as a competitive differentiator
According to the latest survey from The World Bank, 1 billion people, or 15% of the world’s population, are being underserved by commerce, including electronic, due to lack of accessibility, highlighting the importance for companies to adopt inclusive practices to expand their businesses and strengthen their brands. By investing in digital accessibility, companies not only expand their reach but also contribute to a fairer and more inclusive society.
