Accessibility at imec
At imec, we believe it’s important that everyone can easily use our websites – including people with disabilities. That’s why we focus on accessible, clear, and user-friendly communication. We consider a wide range of technologies, abilities, and contexts.
Our websites are developed in line with the principles of digital accessibility. We follow the European Web Accessibility Directive (Directive (EU) 2016/2102) and are actively preparing for the European Accessibility Act, which takes effect in June 2025.
What are we already doing?
We’ve already taken several steps toward a more accessible user experience:
- We use an external tool (Siteimprove) that continuously monitors the accessibility of our websites. This tool also considers the EAA guidelines and provides targeted suggestions for improvement.
- We review these recommendations and work step by step to improve our accessibility score.
- The content on our websites is clearly structured and designed to be as screen reader friendly as possible.
- Navigation and forms are largely accessible via keyboard.
- We avoid unnecessary animations or flashing elements that may cause discomfort.
- Accessibility is a standard part of new projects – both in design and development.
What are we still working on?
Our websites largely comply with WCAG 2.1 standards (level AA), but there are still areas we are systematically improving:
- Further optimizing alternative text for images
- Improving colour contrast in certain new components
- Reviewing and updating older PDF documents
- Subtitles and transcripts are already available for video content, but need to be uploaded differently to enhance accessibility
We continue to address these points in phases, in line with our quality standards.
Ongoing initiatives
To keep making progress, we are focusing on:
- Regular accessibility testing with both internal and external tools
- Training and support for content editors and developers
- Integrating accessibility checks into content and website management
- Continuous follow-up and adjustments based on feedback
Questions or feedback?
Having trouble accessing our websites? Or did you notice something we can improve? Let us know. We carefully review every report and act where needed.