Old documents may be forgotten, but they’re still online and if they’re not accessible, they still exclude. Here’s why remediation matters for compliance, inclusion, and your organisation’s reputation.
Most organisations have a backlog of old reports, policies, forms, or training materials. These files often sit on a website for years without much thought. But here’s the issue: if they’re still online, they’re still being accessed and if they aren’t accessible, they’re still excluding people.
Leaving legacy content untouched can create real problems:
Exclusion risk: People with disability, low vision, or diverse learning needs can’t access critical information.
Compliance risk: WCAG compliance applies to all digital content, not just new uploads. If old files are online, they fall under accessibility requirements.
Reputation risk: Inaccessible documents send the wrong message: that inclusion is optional.
In order for a website to be WCAG 2.2 compliant, everything on that website needs to be accessible. Standards like proper tagging, alternative text, and logical reading order apply equally to old and new documents. This means that your organisation’s archive of PDFs or training materials may no longer be compliant.
By working through backlogs steadily, organisations can:
Improve compliance without urgent deadlines
Make old information accessible to all audiences
Reduce the risk of exclusion or complaints
Show commitment to accessibility in practice, not just policy
At Meet Aandi, we know resourcing is often the barrier. That’s why we created the Legacy Package, a cost-effective, structured way to remediate old documents and videos. Packages are designed to clear backlogs without premium “rush” rates, making accessibility achievable for every organisation.
Better late than never really does apply to accessibility. Start today, and ensure your legacy documents work for everyone.