Accessibility statement
Emerald’s commitment to accessibility
We want Emerald Insight to be accessible to everyone. Our goal is to make access the default, not an added feature. This means making sure the platform is usable, perceivable, operable, and robust for all users.
We regularly test our site and make improvements based on feedback, research, and accessibility audits. Accessibility is built into our design process so we can support the needs of different users from the start.
You can find information about planned improvements below in our accessibility roadmap.
On this page
- Emerald's commitment to accessibility
- Accessibility status of emerald.com
- Using this website
- How accessible this website is
- Accessibility Roadmap
- Guidance for users
- What we’re doing to improve accessibility
- Accessibility partnerships
- Conformance documentation
- Feedback and contact information
- Preparation of this statement
Accessibility status of emerald.com
We are working towards WCAG 2.2 Level AA, set by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). These standards guide most global accessibility regulations.
We also align with Section 508 of the U.S. Rehabilitation Act, which requires accessible digital services for government use.
We update our VPAT® (Voluntary Product Accessibility Template) after each major feature release and test new features using NVDA and VoiceOver, alongside manual and automatic testing.
You can download our latest accessibility reports:
Using this website
You should be able to:
- Change colours, contrast, and fonts using your browser or device settings.
(Guidance is available from AbilityNet.) - Zoom in up to 400% without text spilling off the screen.
- Navigate most of the website using a keyboard or speech recognition software.
- Use the website with screen readers, including JAWS, NVDA, and VoiceOver.
How accessible this website is
Emerald Insight is partially WCAG 2.2 Level AA compliant. This means some areas still need improvement. Please see our accessibility roadmap below for instances and planned remediation.
Accessibility Roadmap
We migrated to a new version of our Emerald Insight platform in July 2025. By the end of 2025 we will have migrated content from this site to Emerald Insight. Our accessibility statements will be updated to reflect the accessibility position of our combined platform as they launch. To accompany our commitment to remain open and honest about where our accessibility can be improved, this roadmap details our plans to address issues that arise and to make necessary improvements.
| WCAG Guideline | Description | Resolution timeframe |
|---|---|---|
| 1.1.1 Non-text Content (Level A) | Most non-text content has a text alternative that serves the equivalent purpose; however, we are aware of the following issues:
| Q3 2026 |
| 1.3.1 Info and Relationships (Level A) | Information, structure, and relationships conveyed through presentation can mostly be programmatically determined or are available in text, however some pages were flagged for the following issues:
| Q3 2026 |
| 2.4.1 Bypass Blocks (Level A) | A mechanism is available to bypass blocks of content that are repeated on multiple pages, however, please see 1.3.1 for known exceptions. | Q3 2026 |
| 2.4.4 Link Purpose (In Context) (Level A) | The purpose of each link can be determined for the most part, however some pages were flagged for the following issues:
Links will be reviewed, and purpose of links will be resolved where possible. (Some of these cannot be remedied i.e. references within articles; latest/most read/most cited articles; links to figures within articles etc.) | Q3 2026 |
| 3.3.2 Labels or Instructions (Level A) | Labels or instructions are provided when content requires user input, with some exceptions. These include:
| Q3 2026 |
| 4.1.2 Name, Role, Value (Level A) | The name and role of user interface components can be programmatically determined; however, some pages were flagged for the following issues:
| Q3 2026 |
| 1.4.3 Contrast (Minimum) (Level AA) | The visual presentation of most text and images of text has a contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1, however some pages were flagged for the following issues:
| Q3 2026 |
| 2.4.5 Multiple Ways (Level AA) | Most pages can be located in more than one way, however the Figure: View Large pages can only be located in one way. We are looking at ways to present this differently, however as each figure has specific placement within each article it may not be possible to resolve. | Q3 2026 |
| 2.4.6 Headings and Labels (Level AA) | Most headings and labels appropriately describe the topic or purpose of their related content. Please see 1.3.1 for more detail. | Q3 2026 |
Older content
- Some content published before 2000 may not work well with screen readers, we are actively working to remediate older content.
- All books published after 2008 are available in EPUB.
- Journal articles published since July 2025 have accessible HTML and optimised PDFs.
- Journal content published from January 2026 includes alternative text as standard.
Guidance for users
Recommended browser
We recommend using Google Chrome.
Evaluation methods used for accessibility testing
- The website was tested with assistive technologies (including screen reader, screen magnification, contrast switching, keyboard)
- Testing with automated accessibility tools, such as:
- Powermapper’s Sortsite software
- Axe
- WAVE
- NVDA
- Lighthouse
- Apple (Mac) Voice Reader
Keyboard navigation
- Use TAB to move through links.
- Press ENTER to activate a link.
Page layout and logical tab order
Pages are structured so you can move through them easily using the keyboard.
A “Skip to main content” link appears at the top of each page.
Changing text size
Most browsers allow you to increase text size. AbilityNet’s My Computer My Way gives helpful instructions.
Alternative text
All content published after January 2026 includes meaningful alternative text. Older content is being reviewed. If you need an accessible version sooner, please complete our accessibility form below.
Headings
Pages use structured headings to support navigation and screen reader use.
Tables
We use tables for the display of tabular data. For users of screen readers and speech browsers, we associate headers with their respective rows and columns to aid legibility.
Magnification
Text (except captions or images of text) can be magnified up to 300% without loss of content or layout.
Copy and Printing
Emerald does not apply DRM tools on content hosted on Emerald Insight. However, we do not have any control over third party DRM application. For details on permitted uses of the content please see our Terms and Conditions of use page or contact our Permissions Team.
What we're doing to improve accessibility
1. Accessibility checks for all new release
We review all new designs, content, and code for accessibility before they go live.
2. Regular QA testing with an accessibility focus
We run manual and automated audits to prevent new accessibility issues.
3. Inclusive research
We will include people with access needs and long-term health conditions in every round of user research—throughout design, development, and after release.
We also:
- Maintain a prioritised remediation queue focusing on high-use and high impact content.
- Work with third-party providers to encourage accessible solutions (although full WCAG 2.2 AA compliance cannot always be guaranteed).
Alternative book content
Emerald Insight currently offers most books content in EPUB, HTML and PDF formats. Emerald Publishing is committed to ensuring that our content reaches as wide an audience as possible. Wherever possible we will endeavour to provide alternative electronic copies of content to those unable to access and enjoy the print or eBook versions due to their visual, hearing, cognitive, or motor impairments. If you are a student with accessibility needs and your institutional library owns or is renting the print or eBook version of a title, we will provide a free copy of the book in PDF or EPUB format. Please use our alternative book format request form to request this.
Accessibility partnerships
Emerald provides accessible files to the following organisations to support the dissemination of our content to all readers.
RNIB Bookshare scheme
In the UK, all Emerald books are available in accessible formats via The Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) Bookshare. This service provides students with accessibility needs within UK institutions with the same educational opportunities as their peers. Please contact the Bookshare programme with any accessibility requests if you are based in the UK.
For requests from outside the UK and North America, please contact us via alternative book format request form where you will find full terms and conditions setting out who can request alternative book content and how it may be used. We will endeavour to reply to all enquiries within two working days.
For detailed information on how we meet WCAG 2.2 and Section 508, please see our Accessibility Conformance Report (2026) and VPAT (2026) above.
European Accessibility Act
All books published after May 2025 with Emerald are available in accessible formats. This means that our publications meet the requirements of the European Accessibility Act (EAA) and the standards for accessible documents (ISO 14289-1 / PDF/UA). More historical titles may not offer this functionality; we are continually digitising and upgrading our backlist content.
ADA Title II
We are also working towards compliance with ADA Title II. Please see our statement on the updates to Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Feedback and contact information
We welcome feedback about accessibility on Emerald Insight and aim to respond within 5 business days.
If you encounter any accessibility barriers or want to request platform-specific documentation, please complete the accessibility contact form below.
- Email us at [email protected]
- Call us on + 44 (0) 113 3231381
- More contact details can be found here: https://emeraldpublishinggroup.freshdesk.com/support/home
Prepared: January 2026
Last reviewed: March 2026
Testing period: February 2026 – March 2026
Got an accessibility question?
We are always developing solutions to further improve the accessibility of our content and platforms. In the meantime, should you experience any difficulty in accessing Emerald content or platforms, please don’t hesitate to contact us.
One of our team will get back to you within five working days.
Thank you.
If you have any questions about accessibility on Emerald Insight, you can find information and contact details on the platform accessibility page.
For general enquiries, please visit our contact page.
