Accessibility in Focus at the IPG’s 2025 Spring Conference
Inclusive and fully accessible content should be a top priority for all publishers, the Independent Publishers Guild’s 2025 Spring Conference heard—for both ethical and commercial reasons.
Several Conference sessions were dedicated to the importance of accessibility and the practical support that is available to help publishers achieve it. They included expert tips from consultant Simon Mellins, in a special preview of the IPG’s forthcoming accessibility training course in April. He explained that action has been made more urgent by the European Accessibility Act (EAA), which comes into effect from June.
Most publishers sell into markets that will be affected by the directive, and many organisations have already incorporated accessibility guidelines into their procurement rules. It is likely that UK legislation could follow the European model, and other markets are developing similar legislation—so it’s best to prepare content now, Mellins said. Doing so won’t just improve access to content—it will probably increase sales too.
It’s not just about compliance… I encourage you to think of it as an opportunity… to modernise processes and create more durable and adaptable content.
Mellins also explained the formats that publishers need to follow—especially EPUB, which fits the EAA requirements very well. As he put it: “Accessible files are just better… they’re easier to repurpose and transform.” He advised publishers to prioritise frontlist titles for accessibility, as backlist remediation can be more challenging—especially at companies that have large catalogues. But the good news is that this is a one-time job, and content that is made accessible now will be future-proofed. “Change is hard, so make it count,” he said. “Thinking of your accessibility plan as a business case can help unlock resources for it.”
Publishers should also be aware that lots of help is available, Mellins said—especially via Inclusive Publishing. Mellins also recommended the Publishing Accessibility Action Group and Web Content Accessibility Guidelines. Partners are available to help, and there’s an opportunity to leverage the assistance of Artificial Intelligence.
Other IPG Spring Conference sessions included a deep dive into accessibility-related metadata with Chris Saynor of EDItEUR. He stressed that
Metadata really matters in accessibility
and that information about accessibility features needs to be provided through metadata, suggesting that publishers audit their backlist titles to add any accessibility-related information where necessary. Again, there is plenty of guidance available on the types of metadata and their implementation so that publishers and content providers can help with the discovery of accessible content.
The Conference also focused on the importance of making publishing accessible and inclusive to staff as well as readers. A breakout session on neuroinclusive workplaces provided tips from Josie Dobrin of Creative Access and Victoria Mattison, a clinical psychologist and trainer in the subject. They explained the different types of neurodiversity and their prevalence, with one in seven people now reported to be neurodivergent. Research shows that neurodivergent teams are 30% more productive than neurotypical teams. They can be more creative and innovative, better at processing fine details, and have more energy and passion for their work. But to make the most of their skills, employers need to help them meet challenges in areas like time management and social interactions. There are lots of easy adjustments that can be made to working practices and environments to help neurodivergent people, and support is available from Creative Access.
Our thanks to Tom Holman at IPG for writing this report of the IPG Spring Conference.
