Business Value of Accessibility: Orange's Perspective

the business value of accessibility:
Orange’s perspective

François René Germain –
Group Vice President
Director of the Group Accessibility department
March 27, 2009 – Frankfurt am Main, European Accessibility Forum

context
France : a new concept of accessibility introduced by the
law for “the equality of rights and opportunities, participation
and citizenship of disabled people” (2005)
a specific focus on public communication services and web
accessibility (art.47)
Europe : directives regarding access to the NTIC and the
information society (« the e-europe 2005 action plan »)
e-
“e-inclusion” : a public consultation on web accessibility and
e inclusion
other e-accessibility issues
International : the accessibility of Group websites follows
international standards proposed by the WAI consortium
consortium.
They are a set of recommendations which are designed to
respect the principle of “accessibility for all”
United Nations Convention on the rights of persons with
disabilities (2008).

Accessibility Department Group/ François René Germain European Accessibility Forum, Frankfurt, March 27, 2009
2

Orange’s organisation to face the handicap:
3 key actors

MIH (human resources department) promotes the recruitment,
1 integration and permanent employment of disabled employees

the Group’s accessibility department leads all the actions for
Group’
2 improving the access to the products and services of our Group
and to the distribution network. This department runs the « Design
for all » strategy, the institutionnal relationships as well as the
public affairs, corporate social responsibility and regulation on the
accessibility issues.
the Orange foundation is in charge of our commitment to solidarity
3 and patronage

3

the business value of the accessibility

1. ethics & accessibility :
brand

2. business
accessibility :

3. technology
a win-win strategy

for all our stakeholders
4. customer relationship
& partners

5. e-accessibility

4

1. ethics & accessibility
ethics
a way to face possible governance
issues
a fundamental stake in a crisis
period
an adapted response to our
stakeholders (customers, investors,
staff, suppliers, society and local
communities, environment)

accessibility
an adapted solution to express our
ethical commitment of the Group and
of all its staff to make more
accessible its offers and channels of
distribution to the elderly and to the
disabled people
5

1. ethics and accessibility : a link between
two spheres

corporate social responsibility,
ethics

accessibility

marketing and commercial
performance

6

1. ethics and accessibility : impact on the brand value

It contributes to :

bottom line
immaterial assets
current and future value

2008 results
a turnover of 53.5 billion euros in 2008 (+1%)
an organic cash flow target of 8 billion euros
Orange stabilised its operating profit margin at 36.3%
and reached a investment rate of 12.8% (of the turnover)

7

2. accessibility : a way to meet the consumers needs,
and the rocketing market of the elderly people
10% of the European population is disabled and 10% other
elderly have difficulties
18 % of the European people is over 60 ( 33% in 2040)
more than 48% of the European population over 50 declare
that their needs are not met by manufacturers and services
providers
60% of the working people could take benefit from the use
of accessible technologies

8

2. business : organisation & results (2008)
adapted channels of distribution, merchandising and delivery
160 labelled “Independence offers ” shops and 4 fully dedicated
ones called “Arc-en-ciel” (rainbow concept)
2 dedicated catalogues per year with specific pictograms for any
type of deficiency
a dedicated free toll number 0800 11 22 33 with 4 sales
representatives : advice, after sale help for a part of the products
(usage), sales
a dedicated website : www.orange.fr “autonomie” section ie
independence offers section
4800 salesmen and 352 webmasters trained to the handicap and
to our dedicated offers
an internal web competency center and a dedicated network for
the Group
9

3. Business : a « Design for all » strategy
the Design for all” strategy is applied to the different processes of our
Group and the accessibility requirements are included in our projects
Management System

it means the following actions:

screening all the current and new offers

conceiving dedicated solutions, to be extended to all
customers, in terms of ergonomic, simplicity and technology

run audit of accessibility before launching any products or
services and improve on a daily basis the accessibility on all its
components
Accessibility strategy : a benefit for all our stakeholders (employees,
customers, shareholders, civil society…

10

4. customer relationship and partnerships
benefits : main benefits

better ergonomics

increased satisfaction and efficiency
better adapted to
requirements of new devices
easier to use and faster to read
better indexing by search
engines
prevention of kinds of discrimination
based on disabilities or new
technologies
reduction in web download
time and lighter pages

11

4. our commitment to web accessibility
matters to the customers
3 values embody the way we wish
to be perceived
friendly
straightforward
responsible

what kind of challenge for Orange?
to address key expectations from our clients : fight the digital divide,
develop the accessibility to the communication
to offer an adapted solution for all types of deficiency to improve their daily
life with the communication
to strengthen customers’ loyalty, identification mark, trust, integration, and
autonomy
ARPU

12

a success story : an orange partner’s testimonial
We are grateful for the enormous
contribution of Orange experts in rebuilding
our website www.retina.fr. For several
years we have wanted to make our website
Jean-Jacques Frayssinet,
more accessible to the visually impaired, in
Honorary President of
Retina France line with today’s standards. For over a
year, Orange has been developing our
association’s website with the active
involvement of staff at Retina France’s
head office. This is an unqualified success
The Retina main objective is
for those of us who are visually impaired,
to overcome all kind of
and I am very pleased with it. Thanks again
eye diseases (21000 members)
to all the players.”
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4. our dedicated web site

14

how to adapt and make our work stations
more accessible for the disabled employees
or customers ?

a specific solution for blind people : the use of a speech synthesis to read a
website

15

5. Orange’s strategy for web accessibility
Orange’s commitment since 2005
to make all external websites accessible to 75% of “AA” level by the end of 2008
to check all types of technological evolutions and to make them accessible
to respect the legal obligations of the countries and all the international standards (W3C,WAI)
website and mobile web accessibility processes
to make recommendations and inform our staff with specific trainings and awareness
campaigns (explanation, training, application in live, review and debates)
all technical documents are available on : http://isi.francetelecom.fr/clara/spip.php?article218
developers have been involved to generate ideas for the website upgrading process
http://isi.francetelecom.fr/clara/spip.php?article213
352 webmasters have been trained
to follow our international commitment (UK, Poland, Spain, France) accesibilidad.orange.es
set up of our methods (Ocawa)
to audit our websites and our partners’ websites (Retina) by indicating the percentage, the
level of accessibility and the weaknesses to be improved. (support by the technical
management teams)
developing accessible interfaces
recommendations are ongoing (contact : josefina.zembrano@orange-ftgroup.com DAG)

16

5. e-accessibility offers a competitive advantage
for Orange and improves global quality of
technological development
a key competence in the web
creation profession and for all staff
better ergonomics
members involved in creating
better adapted to websites (programmers,
requirements of new devices technicians, authors, quality
managers)
better indexing by search
engines
higher number of visits (which
lower maintenance costs enhances institutional image)
non-
than non-accessible sites
higher number of sales
standardization
higher independence towards our
providers
reduction in web download
simplification of the application
time and lighter pages
programs

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5. Orange & web accessibility
the main aim of this initiative

to make the web applications and all its services accessible to all
people, whatever their hardware, software, network infrastructure,
browser, terminal, native language, culture, geographical location,
physical or mental ability, or assistance technologies (speech
synthesis, braille...)

what kind of priority?

to make access to information and technologies for people who have
a temporary or permanent impairment easier
to help these people become more independent in the daily use of
their communication tools
18

Business Value of Accessibility: Orange's Perspective

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