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The 2026 Global Digital Accessibility Awards

Announced on Global Accessibility Awareness Day

Every day, technology shapes how billions of people access information, services, and opportunities. These awards celebrate our customers’ teams that champion accessibility as a core part of their digital strategy, proving that the most inclusive digital experiences are also the most visible in an AI-driven world.

An elegant, clear glass award trophy being presented between two people.
Plum colored icon of a trophy with a person inside it representing accessibility.

About the awards

a measurable, strategic, and lasting priority. These are the teams embedding accessibility into their workflows, their culture, and their vision for the future, and leading the way on Siteimprove.ai in the age of AI.

Award criteria

Winners were selected by Siteimprove's in-house accessibility experts and executive leadership team, and evaluated on the following criteria:

  • Positive and measurable impact on the business and its users
  • Stories that inspire, influence, and help advance the wider accessibility community
  • Innovative strategies and use of AI to improve the accessible experience for all
  • A demonstrated commitment to sharing knowledge publicly with peers and the industry

Meet the 2026 winners 🏆

Best of Healthcare

AdventHealth logo
Kristen Shock

Kristen Shock

Senior Web Manager

Sally Moncreif

Sally Moncreif

Senior Quality Assurance Analyst

Corey Thomas

Corey Thomas

Senior Web Marketing Specialist

"We have made accessibility a consistent, measurable part of our workflow, driving meaningful improvements for our consumers. In an era where agentic AI is reshaping how patients discover and navigate healthcare digitally, we are ensuring every touchpoint is equitable, inclusive, and performing. Accessible experiences are not just good practice; they are an expression of who we are."

Kristen Shock, Senior Web Manager

Best of Manufacturing

Bang & Olufsen logo
Giulia Miotti

Giulia Miotti

Senior Manager Content and Experience

Nicolai Falkenberg

Nicolai Falkenberg

Digital Project Advisor and Scrum Master

Felip Felbar

Felip Felbar

Senior Digital Designer

"Accessibility is essential to creating meaningful digital experiences. With Siteimprove.ai, we’ve been able to embed it into our daily workflows and continuously improve how users engage with our content. With Siteimprove's agentic content intelligence platform, what once took hours of manual analysis now surfaces as clear, prioritized actions in minutes: ensuring our digital presence stays inclusive and performs in today's AI-driven search landscape. This recognition reflects an ongoing commitment to making our digital presence more inclusive for everyone."

Giulia Miotti, Senior Manager, Content and Experience

Best of Banking

Barclays logo
Paul Smyth MBE

Paul Smyth

Director of Digital Accessibility

Abi James

Abi James

Digital Accessibility Delivery Lead

Curt Holst

Curt Holst

Senior Digital Accessibility Consultant

"At Barclays, digital accessibility is all about how we ensure our digital services and content are easy to see, hear, understand, and use for all customers, clients, and colleagues. We set clear standards aligned to WCAG 2.2 AA, with clear accountability and evidence so teams can prevent barriers at scale. We back this with role-based training and central expertise with local ownership, helping more customers and colleagues use our services with confidence."

Paul Smyth, Director of Digital Accessibility

Best of Capital Markets

BlackRock logo
Irfan Ali

Irfan Ali

Global Head of Digital Innovation, Transformation & Accessibility

"In any investment or fintech organization, digital inclusion and operational excellence reinforce each other. The challenge is execution – sustaining accessibility through large-scale legacy migrations, meeting legal and client-driven timelines, and scaling across secure, complex platform environments. By moving from reactive remediation to an accessibility‑by‑default model, supported by strong governance, cross functional expertise, and sustained investment in tooling, organizations can achieve measurable accessibility improvements, reduce recurring defects, and build a mature, scalable program that delivers consistent, defensible outcomes."

Irfan Ali, Global Head of Digital Innovation, Transformation & Accessibility

Listen to Irfan on the Siteimprove webinar: “Beyond Compliance: Building Sustainable Accessibility at Scale in Financial Services”

Best of APJ

CQUniversity logo
Gabby Rothery

Gabby Rothery

Senior Digital Officer - Web & UX

Jill Gorman

Jill Gorman

Digital Officer - Web and UX

Joel Smith

Joel Smith

Analyst and Developer

Jonathon Hoff

Jonathon Hoff

Project and Team Leader

"At CQUniversity, we've always believed accessibility should be built in from the start, not treated as an afterthought. Our goal is to be Australia's most accessible university, and that shapes every decision we make. Reaching WCAG 2.2 Level AA compliance and being named Education Website of the Year by the Centre for Accessibility, Australia were real milestones, recognition that the work we're doing is making a genuine difference. Siteimprove has changed the way we work. Combined with AI-powered tools and the dedication of the people behind this work, we're able to reach more students and keep raising the bar on what inclusive digital access looks like."

Jonathan Powles, Vice President, Student Success

Best of Pharmaceuticals

GSK logo
Darryl Clews

Darryl Clews

Strategy Lead Omnichannel Marketing

Jason Correia

Jason Correia

Marketing Automation Manager, Omnichannel

Alex Carrara

Alex Carrara

Tech Business Partner

"At GSK Canada, digital accessibility is a business imperative. By embedding digital accessibility into our Omnichannel operations, governance, and agency standards – and tracking WCAG conformance through Siteimprove.ai – we have raised Level AA compliance across our sites to over 90%. Accessible design strengthens trust, reduces risk, which improves outcomes for patients and healthcare professionals."

Darryl Clews, Strategy Lead, Omnichannel Marketing

Best of Higher Education

Harvard University logo
Kyle Shachmut

Kyle Shachmut

Sr. Director, Digital Accessibility Services

Janell Sims

Janell Sims

Manager, Digital Accessibility Services

"Digital accessibility is foundational to the future of education, and inclusive technology is essential to learning. At Harvard, our goal is to ensure the teaching and research mission of the university is available to everyone. This work is only possible because of our immensely talented Digital Accessibility Services team, many colleagues across the university's schools, and the strong support from university leadership. When we embed accessibility into our digital environments, we build a culture where everyone can fully participate. Thank you to Siteimprove for this meaningful recognition."

Kyle Shachmut, Sr. Director, Digital Accessibility Services

Listen to Harvard on the Accessible Brand Podcast by Siteimprove

Best of Public Sector

Posten Bring logo
Omar Vidskjold Khan

Omar Vidskjold Khan

Product Owner 

Knut Arve Pevik

Knut Arve Pevik

Head of Search and SEO

"At Posten Bring, our vision is to make everyday life easier and the world smaller – and this promise must also apply digitally. With more than 12,500 employees serving millions of people across the Nordic region, accessibility cannot be an afterthought; it is built into the core of our design system. Siteimprove gives us better insight and consistency in our work on continuous improvement, and the results speak for themselves: our Digital Certainty Index has increased by 17 percent since 2019, and the accessibility score is now close to 91 out of 100. As artificial intelligence changes how people find and use digital services, we know that inclusive digital experiences are not only the right thing to do – they are how we reach everyone we exist to serve."

Omar Vidskjold Khan, Product Owner

Best of Oil and Gas

Shell logo
Tomasz Abramowicz

Tomasz Abramowicz

Head of Digital Solutions

Samiksha More

Samiksha More

Digital Excellence Lead

Jurish Aguinaldo

Jurish Aguinaldo

Digital and Social Excellence Advisor

"Digital accessibility is not a standalone compliance activity for Shell; it is a strategic enabler of trust, inclusion, and performance. Operating across a large and diverse portfolio of digital properties, we require solutions that can be scaled effectively. Our collaboration with Siteimprove, alongside platform modernization and accessible-by-design practices, has helped us strengthen our approach to accessibility, streamline processes, and enhance the quality of our digital experiences for both users and the business. In today’s AI-accelerated world, where content is created and consumed faster than ever, embedding accessibility into our digital foundation from the outset is an important part of how we continue to evolve and work towards more inclusive digital experiences."

Tomasz Abramowicz, Head of Digital Solutions

Best of Higher Education (Canada)

University of Ottawa logo
Nathalie Blanchard

Nathalie Blanchard

Digital Marketing Manager

Karin Brault

Karin Brault

Digital Strategist

Alin Ticlea

Alin Ticlea

Senior Web Developer

Maida Bashir

Maida Bashir

COOP Student

Isabelle D'Amours

Isabelle D'Amours

Digital Strategist

Adriana Granieri

Adriana Granieri

User Interface and Experience Designer

Stephanie Jackson Mackenzie

Stephanie Jackson Mackenzie

Digital Strategist

"At the University of Ottawa, we see digital accessibility as a continuous responsibility to remove barriers and ensure equitable access to information and services for all. It is fundamental to enabling full participation in our community and beyond. With Siteimprove's agentic content intelligence platform and as part of its AI (beta) program, we have transformed hours of analysis into actionable insights in minutes, helping us optimize our websites and ensuring that content is accessible, inclusive, and performs for SEO and AEO in today’s search landscape."

Nathalie Blanchard, Digital Marketing Manager

Listen to University of Ottawa on the Accessible Brand Podcast by Siteimprove

Runners up

This year's submissions set a new bar for what digital accessibility leadership looks like. Recognizing a winner from among them was no small task, and these organizations made it harder! An honorable mention from the Global Digital Accessibility Awards is a distinction earned by the very few who came closest to the top:

  • Georgia Technology Authority
  • Danske Bank
  • The PHOENIX Group eCommerce Europe
  • Maricopa Community Colleges
  • eMoney
  • Department of Customer Service
  • University of Texas Arlington
  • Mass General Brigham
  • City of Austin

"With over 1.3 billion people worldwide living with permanent disabilities, digital accessibility can no longer be treated as an afterthought. It must be a core requirement from product ideation through its launch. AI is shifting search as every brand's new home page, so it's essential that AI answer engines and web content start with an accessible digital experience to build and maintain trust," said Joe Devon and Jennison Asuncion, the Co-founders of Global Accessibility Awareness Day. "The Siteimprove.ai client award winners have exemplified what it means to place accessibility as a core requirement and drive meaningful impact in inclusive digital experiences."