From quality to inclusion: Making accessibility a daily habit
As we celebrate IDPWD 2025, let’s go beyond a single day of recognition and make accessibility and inclusion part of our everyday actions. This year’s IDPWD is a powerful reminder that true inclusion means integrating accessibility into every aspect of our work and extending this commitment into our personal lives so that together, we can help build truly inclusive societies.
When I first entered the world of accessibility at Atos, I was still the AQuA (Atos Quality & Audit) person. My days were centered around processes, new and old, stable as well as forever-changing ones, reviews and reports, meetings and webinars, and so much more!
Of course, something started to change when I began working with the Accessibility team a few years ago, and even further with ADAPT, the disability inclusion community at Atos. We collaborated on several projects, initiatives and achieved some great stuff together. I was one of the early birds in Atos who self-identified and spoke openly about their disability with managers, teammates, even the general employee population whenever I had a chance.
Disability inclusion and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) became some of the topics that I got involved with on a regular basis. This was something I loved to do, something that gave my work and life more meaning, more value! A few years passed and what do you know? What was once just a small part of my daily activities eventually blossomed into a full-time calling, and today, I’m proud to say I belong to the Accessibility team in spirit and soul.
Accessibility in our daily work
Now that I look at Accessibility like an insider, I know it isn’t just about alt texts for images, screen readers or color contrast. It’s about inclusive thinking, and this includes inserting empathy, usability, and simplicity into every step of our operational workflows.
My daily work revolves around similar goals. We work towards integrating accessibility into everyday life for everyone in the organization, with a special focus on quality tasks because they naturally go hand in hand. What do we try to achieve with this? Well, a lot.
- Catching issues early: We identify barriers before they reach users.
- Boosting efficiency in operations: We implement more intuitive processes to benefit everyone.
- Improving team culture: We feel empowered when we know our work supports all users, not just the majority.
In conversations with my team, I emphasize the importance of making accessibility and digital inclusion a daily habit, not a tick mark in a checklist or two:
“Accessibility isn’t for a few – it’s for everyone. When we design with simplicity, make things more intuitive, create with empathy and a universal approach, we improve experiences for everyone! And that really means something, right?”
How we’re doing it at Atos
At Atos, we are taking intentional steps to ensure accessibility is at the core of our day-to-day operations. To do this, we leverage the existing quality management processes wherever we can. Here are a few examples that make me smile:
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- Health checks for projects to include accessibility prompts
- Training sessions for quality leaders and teams not just theoretical but with real-life scenarios, practical tips, and deep dive options for those who want to learn more
- Cross-team champions like our quality leaders, who are completing champions curricula, complete with trainings and real tasks, making them accessibility advocates, bringing inclusion into their retrospectives, reviews, and planning meetings
One of my favorite moments was the reaction of my former colleague from the Quality & Audit team, Ramona Lunca. After getting a mention on the Accessibility Champions wall of fame, she exclaimed: “Sarika, I never realized accessibility could be so practical. It’s not just about compliance, it’s about caring. And it is for everyone. Isn’t that amazing!”
Ramona has been a true champion of this mindset — her enthusiasm and openness have inspired others not only in the customer satisfaction field, but also beyond.
From collaboration to contribution
My journey from Quality & Audit to the Accessibility team has been one of the most fulfilling transitions of my career. We’re not just integrating accessibility. We’re living it.
This year’s IDPWD reminds us that true inclusion means embedding accessibility into every aspect of our work, every single day.
Whether it’s organizing an elaborate or short event for the IDPWD, supporting my colleagues in creating robust documentation that will be first steps leading to a full-fledged Accessibility Management System, spreading awareness about the Atos Accessibility Policy using our Viva Engage communities, newsletters, mailers and SharePoint pages, or helping GEOs track Accessibility internal audit findings to closure, every task is an opportunity to make a difference.
Because accessibility isn’t just technical, it’s emotional, relational, and deeply human.
Next steps
We’re continuing to build bridges between accessibility and operations, making inclusion essential and no longer just good to have. My hope is that one day, we won’t need to “integrate” accessibility — it will simply be how we work. At Atos, this is already starting to happen as we speak! Yay!!!
So, here’s my invitation to all IT organizations, and beyond IT too:
Let accessibility be your compass, to show you the direction, not your checklist, or a piece of evidence for auditors. This might not be a short simple journey, but it’s an amazing journey, which will open your eyes to something great. The milestones, what you will achieve on the way, are tangible and substantial, and the people… well, they will thank you.
Start today, and watch inclusion transform your work.
If you would like to share your experience or know more about how to make your workplace a more accessible environment for everyone, connect with us today.
Sarika Saxena
Business Manager Quality & Audit, and, Co-Chair of Disability Inclusion Community - India, Atos
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