Accessibility Enhancements Energise New Powergen Website

22nd January 2007 – Powergen, one of the UK’s leading energy suppliers, is putting accessibility at the heart of its online strategy. The energy giant has appointed web specialists Webcredible to ensure that its new website - powergen.co.uk - is accessible to all internet users, with the aim of achieving compliance with Level AA of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) and the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA).

Webcredible has tested the Powergen website against the WCAG, as set out by the internet governing body W3C. The company also evaluated the site against advice and recommendations from key organisations such as the Royal National Institute for the Blind (RNIB), European Union and Disability Rights Commission.

Powergen, which is part of E.ON UK, has already implemented several changes, while other recommendations will be carried out on the website in a phased approach over the next two months.

Paul Turner, website analyst at Powergen, commented: “The electricity and gas market is extremely competitive and any website that ignores accessibility could be shutting the door to over eight million potential customers in the UK. We want to go beyond industry guidelines and significantly raise the bar in online accessibility in the energy sector. By working with Webcredible we can fulfil our responsibilities under the DDA and be absolutely confident that we have an accessible website that really works.”

Trenton Moss, Webcredible Director, commented: “Providing an accessible website is not simply about ticking boxes against the WCAG or meeting legal requirements. To ensure that a website is truly accessible to all, companies must venture further than these recommendations and directives. Drawing on our experience of working with hundreds of UK websites, we can help companies make practical changes that guarantee compliance and a website that works effectively in the real world.”

ENDS


NOTES TO EDITORS

For further press information please contact:
Kathryn Cotsworth or Louise Andrews
Wildfire PR
Tel: 0208 339 4420
Email: kathrync@wildfirepr.co.uk / louisea@wildfirepr.co.uk

About Webcredible: http://www.webcredible.co.uk
Webcredible is a UK-based web usability and accessibility consultancy, dedicated to making websites easy to use, accessible to all and ultimately more effective. Launched in 2003, Webcredible has enjoyed year-on-year growth of over 300 per cent and is now one of the most respected consultancies in the usability and accessibility industry.

Webcredible works with a long list of private and public sector clients based in the UK, Europe and North America including T-Mobile, Norwich Union, Yamaha, the BBC and the World Health Organization.