ISO/IEC 40500 is the standard for digital accessibility under the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC). It’s identical to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) version 2.0.
At the time of publication, the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) has submitted WCAG 2.2 to the ISO/IEC for consideration as a new standard. The ISO/IEC is widely expected to finalize its approval of WCAG 2.2 sometime in October 2025.
If you followed all of that, you might wonder: If WCAG is exactly the same as ISO/IEC 40500, why have separate standards?
That’s a somewhat complicated question, and the answer involves a decent amount of bureaucratic jargon. The bottom line is that WCAG is the standard for digital accessibility, period. In this article, we’ll explain why ISO certification is so important and how it impacts accessibility compliance.
Why is ISO certification important for accessibility?
The ISO and IEC are international authorities for standardization, and many countries have policies in place that allow them to easily incorporate ISO standards into their laws.
Governments — along with trade groups and large businesses — use ISO standards regularly. ISO standards cover everything from quality management to information security, and they’re presented in a somewhat standardized way (no pun intended; the ISO has been referred to as a “standard of standards”).
Because large organizations are well-accustomed to using ISO for compliance, there are enormous benefits to establishing WCAG as an ISO/IEC standard.
The most significant benefit is bureaucratic simplicity. Some laws may already reference ISO/IEC — rather than writing every single requirement into law, lawmakers can simply say, “follow the ISO’s latest recommendations for compliance.”
ISO adoption makes compliance easier — and makes WCAG stronger
There’s another reason that the W3C is working with the ISO: The ISO is widely recognized, while WCAG isn’t nearly as well known outside of the tech community.
ISO designation draws more attention to digital accessibility and helps to establish the importance of an accessible internet. Worldwide, over a billion people live with disabilities; those people deserve the same access to information as people without disabilities.
For digital accessibility advocates, the ISO is shorthand for compliance. Put simply, it’s easier to tell lawmakers “the ISO recommends this standard" than to explain WCAG in detail.
Related: Is WCAG Required by the ADA?
While ISO designation supports WCAG, you shouldn't wait for new ISO standards to invest in inclusive design
The W3C will establish WCAG 2.2 as an ISO standard within the next few months. That’s a lot of acronyms — but if you’re a business owner or digital accessibility champion, you can safely ignore all of that.
Here’s why: WCAG 2.2 is already a well-established standard. Earlier versions of WCAG are the de facto standards for compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA), and dozens of other international non-discrimination laws.
If you follow the W3C’s latest standards — currently, that’s WCAG 2.2 — you’re in excellent shape for compliance. More importantly, you’re in a great position to embrace the business benefits of accessible design:
- You’ll reach a larger audience. About 1 in 4 U.S. adults have disabilities; when your website works for those users, you gain an immediate competitive advantage.
- You improve your brand’s reputation. Customers appreciate brands that represent them, and accessibility helps you showcase your brand’s commitment to strong social values.
- Accessible design can improve search engine optimization (SEO). That means more organic users.
- Many accessibility improvements can enhance experiences for every user. Learn why accessible design is simply good web design.
By following the latest WCAG standards, you’re going above and beyond basic compliance. You’re setting yourself up for the future — and providing real users with a much better experience when they use your website, mobile apps, digital kiosks, and other digital resources.
