Background
“We wanted to quickly achieve compliance with international accessibility standards”
Bank of Ireland UK is dedicated to delivering inclusive financial services that meet the needs of every customer, regardless of ability.
Challenges
Recognising the limitations of automated tools, they sought a comprehensive, expert-led accessibility consulting that would uncover real-world barriers and provide actionable remediation.
Over 2023 and 2024, Bank of Ireland UK partnered with REO to carry out accessibility audits and provide consultancy services across key digital platforms.
Our aim was to ensure both an outstanding user experience and to help The Bank of Ireland UK meet global accessibility standards.
Our approach
“Combine expert manual accessibility audits with remediation consulting”
REO’s approach combined expert manual accessibility audits with remediation consulting, ensuring identified issues could be resolved quickly and effectively.
We utilised real-world scenarios and assistive technologies to uncover all barriers across core product and services user journeys on the Bank of Ireland UK and Northridge Finance websites, helping improve banking accessibility for all customers.
Deliverables
Our accessibility specialists manually tested each site against WCAG 2.2 (AA) success criteria using:
Desktop and mobile screen readers
Mouse alternatives and keyboard only navigation
Colour, typography, and image checks
Form fields testing
Browser zoom & text resizing checks
Content reading level
Information structure
Remediation roadmap
We provided a detailed remediation roadmap to address identified barriers.
Targeting consulting
Offered targeted remediation consulting to fit seamlessly into the existing development workflow.
Consultancy work
In addition to our expert manual audits, we delivered on smaller consultancy engagements focused on:
Accessibility overlays
Educating teams through accessibility training on the limitations and negative effects of accessibility overlays, emphasising the importance of investing in long-term cost-effective codebase changes as a compliance solution for inclusive financial services.
Accessibility statements
Guidance on writing a clear and transparent accessibility statement that aligns with organisational values, legal requirements, and user expectations.
The outcome
REO’s expert audits and remediation consulting have been instrumental in ensuring our digital platforms meet compliance standards while delivering inclusive experiences for all our customers.
David Hammond
Bank of Ireland UK
Demonstrating commitment to accessibility
“Bank of Ireland UK set an example for how organisations can empower their people and prioritise digital inclusion”
By partnering with REO, Bank of Ireland UK has demonstrated a strong commitment to creating user friendly accessible digital experiences that meet compliance standards.
Their focus on manual audits, real-scenario testing, and actionable remediation consulting highlights their dedication to inclusivity and continuous improvement.
This collaboration showcases Bank of Ireland UK as a leader in accessible digital transformation, ensuring their platforms deliver the best experiences for all their customers.
Learn more about our accessibility consulting work and how we can help your organisation achieve compliance and deliver inclusive banking solutions.
