WCAG 2.2 Is Now an ISO Standard: What This Means for Your Website’s Accessibility Strategy

On October 21, 2025 the WCAG 2.2 was adopted as an international ISO/IEC 40500:2025 standard, marking a global recognition of digital accessibility. This article explains how this shift will influence contracts, procurement, and audits by embedding accessibility as an operational requirement. It highlights WCAG 2.2’s focus on usability, mobile responsiveness, and cognitive accessibility, encouraging businesses to view accessibility as an ongoing process. It also mentions a suite of tools that businesses can use to prepare for WCAG 2.2 or to make their websites more accessible, such as Clym’s all in one solution, which includes an Accessibility Widget, an Accessibility Statement, Accessibility Issue Reporting, Accessibility Scanner, and Governance Portal, all of which support organizations in testing, tracking, and improving website accessibility efforts.

Introduction

As of October 21, 2025, the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG 2.2) are now officially recognized as an ISO/IEC international standard (ISO/IEC 40500:2025), giving digital accessibility a globally recognized benchmark. If your website or app reaches the public, customers, students, patients, or citizens, this update directly affects you. This change affects not only developers but also business leaders, marketing teams, and procurement officers who must demonstrate that their websites address accessibility expectations.

Clym supports organizations in adapting to these evolving standards through features that promote inclusive design, collect user feedback, and perform accessibility audits, all in one place.

What WCAG 2.2 as an ISO standard means for businesses

With WCAG 2.2 now recognized as ISO/IEC 40500:2025, accessibility takes on a new level of authority. ISO standards are used globally to guide quality, safety, and technical best practices, and this update confirms WCAG 2.2 as the international reference for digital accessibility.

This transformation means that WCAG 2.2 is no longer just a web design guideline but an internationally endorsed framework that organizations can reference when defining accessibility standards. As a result, accessibility requirements may begin to appear in contracts, procurement processes, and audits. For organizations with global reach, this harmonization can simplify accessibility efforts across regions.

Accessibility solutions, such as Clym’s Accessibility Statement can help organizations document their accessibility initiatives and provide transparency to visitors through multilingual reporting and user feedback channels.

The business impact of WCAG 2.2 becoming an ISO standard

When accessibility becomes part of an ISO standard, it shifts from being a best practice to an operational requirement. Businesses that take early steps toward addressing accessibility gain advantages in credibility, brand reputation, and procurement readiness.

In practice, this means:

Procurement and policy relevance: Many government and enterprise contracts now reference ISO standards. With WCAG 2.2 as ISO/IEC 40500:2025, accessibility will increasingly appear in vendor selection and audit processes.
Competitive differentiation: Demonstrating accessibility progress can strengthen contract bids and public perception.
User trust: Accessibility fosters usability and inclusion, values that strengthen customer relationships and loyalty.

By having an accessibility widget on their website which allows users to customize their experience and offering them a way to report accessibility issues, organizations can document feedback, track improvements, and demonstrate their ongoing accessibility efforts.

WCAG 2.2 in plain language

WCAG 2.2 builds on previous versions (2.0 and 2.1) and focuses on practical usability improvements. It requires websites to support users with visual, motor, and cognitive disabilities while improving usability for everyone.

Businesses must prioritize accessible navigation, larger touch targets, clear instructions, and simplified authentication processes.

In short, WCAG 2.2 calls for inclusive digital experiences, websites that are operable and understandable across all devices and interaction methods. These updates also extend to cognitive accessibility and mobile responsiveness, reinforcing the importance of universal design.

For businesses, this means reviewing design elements like color contrast, focus indicators, and form labeling to ensure consistent usability. It’s not just about meeting standards; it’s about delivering smoother experiences for all users.

These principles benefit all users, improving readability, usability, and performance across devices.

A tool such as Clym’s Accessibility Tools helps teams apply these principles by identifying potential barriers, collecting user feedback, and documenting remediation progress.

How businesses can prepare for WCAG 2.2

Rather than seeing the ISO designation as a challenge, businesses can view it as an opportunity to strengthen their accessibility strategy. Here are practical steps to get started:

Audit your website using automated and manual testing tools aligned with WCAG 2.2.
Prioritize high-impact fixes like color contrast, keyboard navigation, and form labels.
Educate teams on accessible design and development principles.
Document progress to maintain transparency and demonstrate accountability.

A platform like Clym’s Governance Portal can help centralize testing, feedback collection, and accessibility reporting in one environment.

How Clym can help businesses

Creating and maintaining an accessible website involves ongoing testing, updates, and communication with users. Clym provides tools that can assist organizations in managing these processes efficiently while promoting inclusion and usability.

Accessibility Widget: Allows website visitors to personalize their experience with options like text resizing, contrast adjustment, and keyboard navigation.
Accessibility Statement: Publishes information about accessibility goals, feedback channels, and progress in multiple languages.
Accessibility Issue Reporting: Provides users with a structured form to report accessibility concerns directly from your website.
Accessibility Tools: Supports developers with automated and manual testing features for identifying and addressing accessibility barriers.
Accessibility Scanner: Enables quick evaluations of a website’s accessibility status against WCAG 2.2 benchmarks.
Governance Portal: Centralizes oversight of accessibility testing, issue tracking, and reporting.

Together, these features can support organizations in improving website usability and transparency. Clym’s solutions complement internal programs for accessibility testing, reporting, and documentation as WCAG 2.2 and ISO/IEC 40500:2025 continue to shape global expectations.

FAQs

WCAG 2.2 is the latest version of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines, developed by the W3C to help make web content usable by individuals with disabilities. Its approval as ISO/IEC 40500:2025 gives it international recognition, meaning many governments and organizations will reference it when assessing accessibility. Following WCAG 2.2 can improve usability, support broader audience reach, and enhance search visibility.

WCAG 2.2 expands on WCAG 2.1 with criteria that strengthen mobile and cognitive accessibility. It improves navigation, visibility, and interaction by enlarging clickable elements, clarifying focus indicators, and simplifying authentication steps. These refinements make digital content easier to use across devices and for a wider range of users.

Yes. Accessibility applies to all digital products, regardless of size or industry. Small and medium-sized organizations benefit from inclusive design through improved user experience, mobile usability, and retention. Starting with Clym’s Accessibility Scanner can help identify high-priority issues before expanding to more advanced testing.

Non-adherence may expose organizations to legal risk, reduced customer satisfaction, and lost opportunities in markets where accessibility is referenced in procurement or legislation. It can also affect reputation and search performance.

Accessibility is an ongoing process. Regular testing, content updates, and feedback collection are essential. Using Clym’s Governance Portal can help track accessibility performance, manage reports, and document continuous improvement.

Alex Margau

Content Manager

Alex is a Content Developer at Clym, where he researches and writes about everything related to data privacy and web accessibility compliance for businesses, helping them stay informed on their compliance needs and spreading awareness about making the web safer and more inclusive. When he’s not writing about compliance, Alex has his nose in a book or is hiking in the great outdoors.

Find out more about Alex

WCAG 2.2 Is Now an ISO Standard: What This Means for Your Website’s Accessibility Strategy