Digital Accessibility Guidelines

Why Do We Work with Accessibility?

Of course, we do it to comply with the law, but there are other reasons as well.

Digital accessibility aligns with our values

We enable many people to create a better future
We include everyone and make the difficult simple
We are open, straightforward, and caring

It also creates more business opportunities

We can retain our customers even as they age or experience other changes in abilities
We can offer our services to many new customers by not excluding large groups

Digital accessibility is about creating products, services, and content that can be used by as many people as possible, regardless of their functional abilities.

Who Is Responsible?

Our external sites are subject to the law and are therefore of the highest priority.

IT Department: Responsible for the technology. With the move to the Cloud, templates and components become more accessible
Editors: Responsible for creating accessible content in AEM
Each Bank: Responsible for its own content, including content where inheritance has been broken and modified

What Happens If the Site Does Not Meet Accessibility Requirements?

Preliminary process starting from June 2025:

Swedbank or a savings bank discovers an accessibility issue and reports it to PTS* (if it cannot be immediately corrected)
PTS discovers an issue and reports it to Swedbank or the savings bank, urging them to fix the issue within a specified time frame
Each site must provide a statement about any known accessibility deficiencies and when they will be addressed

*PTS: Post- och Telestyrelsen

Text Content and Structure

How to Write Clearly

Use clear and simple language
Write the most important things first
Explain complex words and concepts where needed
Divide long texts into paragraphs
Use headings to create structure
Use lists to organize information

Write in a clear and simple language

Use Headings to Structure the Page

Always start the page with a Heading 1. There should only be one Heading 1.
Use headings in longer texts—they help readers understand the content and find information quickly.
Keyboard and screen reader users can jump to different parts of the content without having to go through it all.
Headings help search engines find relevant information.
Formulate headings around keywords in the text and write the most important words first.
Keep headings as short as possible.
In AEM, create proper headings by using "Paragraph formats" or the Headline component.
Do not rely on layout alone, such as using bold text, for headings.
Select heading levels in the correct order to create a proper heading structure.

Creating Clear Links

Write link texts that clearly describe what will happen when the link is clicked, even when taken out of context.
Avoid generic link texts like "Click here," "here," or "Read more."
Ensure that the link text accurately reflects the title of the target page.
Include information about the file type in the link text when linking to documents, such as PDF or DOC.
When creating email links, indicate it in the link text, for example, "Send an email to..." and include the email address in the link text.
Use short and clear URLs, especially for widely visited pages (Vanity URLs).

Creating Links for SEO and Accessibility

Organize Information with Lists

Use lists to organize information effectively on a page.
Lists are a useful way of structuring content for better readability.
Create properly formatted bullet lists to ensure accessibility for screen readers and other assistive devices.
Always utilize the List function or Bullet list component in AEM to create lists.
Avoid creating manual lists by simply using layout elements like paragraphs, bullet symbols, or numbers.
Ensure that lists pasted from other programs into AEM are correctly converted into bullet lists.

Using Tables for Data Organization

Use tables to structure and organize data effectively.
Avoid using tables to create layout on a page.
Ensure that all tables have column and/or row headers set.
Use concise column and row headers whenever possible.
Create logical tables where columns and rows are closely related.
Include a caption for each table to provide a unique and descriptive name.

Images and Videos

Proper Use of Images

Write alt texts for images to ensure users who cannot see them can still understand their content.
Avoid creating images containing text.
If using images with text, include the same text either in the alt text or next to the image on the page.
For images without meaningful content, label them as "decorative" instead of adding an alt text.
Use the "decorative" property sparingly, as images often provide inclusive content for all users.

Writing Alt Text for Images

Always include alt texts for images to ensure users who cannot see them understand their content.
Write alt texts in both Swedish and English for images you upload yourself.
Describe the image as specifically as possible while keeping the description relatively short.
Avoid including phrases like "image of" or "picture of" in the alt text, as these are already read out by screen readers.

Videos Add Value

Use colors with careful consideration, ensuring good contrast.
Use text that is easy to read.
Include captions in videos to enhance accessibility for people who are hard of hearing.
Avoid flashing, as it can trigger seizures.

More about Accessibility

Discover how to ensure your communication is inclusive for everyone. Learn more about our guidelines on accessibility, including considerations for permanent and temporary disabilities, our tonality standards, and design principles in Brand Manager. Find out more about our commitment to accessibility.

Communicate in an accessible way Kommunicera tillgängligt

Accessibility Guidelines for Components

You can read more about the accessibility guidelines applicable to the different components in the Best Practices section on the component pages.

Components

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