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Autor: Kateryna Klynovska

Image with text 'PDF Accessibility for EAA: How to Start, Where You Stand, and Why It Matters'. On the right side are icons representing WCAG 2, ISO 14289 (PDF/UA), a PDF document with a checkmark, and a universal accessibility symbol, emphasizing compliance and accessibility standards for digital documents under the European Accessibility Act.

PDF Accessibility for EAA: How to Start, Where You Stand, and Why It Matters

Napisane przez Kateryna Klynovska w dniu . Opublikowano w EEA.

We rarely stop to think about how seamless our digital lives are. We scroll, shop, book, and bank without ever questioning whether the platforms we use are built for us. For the roughly 80 million Europeans living with a disability, though, the digital experience often looks very different, marked by limitations or outright exclusion.

That’s where the European Accessibility Act (EAA) comes in. From 28 June 2025, businesses offering digital services or selling certain products in the EU will need to meet strict accessibility standards. It’s a major step toward creating a more inclusive digital economy, and it’s going to impact everything — e-commerce platforms, e-books, insurance documents, ticket machines, shopping platforms, banking statements and apps. You can read more on our previous blog about how enterprises are preparing to EAA in different European countries.

The directive has been in motion for years, but many organizations still haven’t taken real steps to prepare. Meanwhile, industry leaders are quietly doing the work and positioning themselves to gain compliance and a competitive edge.

If you’re not there yet, you’re not alone. However, you are now at a decision point – move forward or fall further behind?

All Starts from Growth Mindset

There’s a tendency to frame accessibility in regulatory terms, as a box to tick, a deadline to meet, or a risk to avoid. Yet, for businesses that want to squeeze more from opportunity and lead, not just comply, the EAA offers something far more valuable. Namely, a clear reason to improve the user experience for everyone. 

Early adopters are already seeing the benefits. Some retailers, for instance, report up to a 35% increase in conversions after making their digital platforms more accessible. That’s because accessibility improvements often go hand-in-hand with better usability – not just for people with disabilities, but for everyone. We’re talking about cleaner interfaces, clearer navigation, consistent content structures, features that make digital experiences more intuitive. They reduce friction, spark innovation, build trust, and keep customers coming back. 

Essentially, being EAA-ready doesn’t only protect you from fines and sanctions, it also positions you as a business that understands where the market is going – and is prepared to lead in the right direction. 

First Steps to Get Accessibility

So what does it look like to get serious about accessibility when you may be starting a little later than others? 

The first step is very simple: figure out where you stand. That means inspecting your website, apps, service platforms, and internal tools, not merely for obvious issues like missing alt texts or contrast failures, but for structural barriers that affect real user journeys. 

  • Can a customer complete a purchase without using a mouse? 
  • Is your chatbot accessible by screen reader? 
  • Do your mobile experiences meet the same standards as desktop?

Of course, these aren’t questions for a single compliance officer to answer. Accessibility touches product, design, development, customer service, and legal operations, which means it has become a shared priority, not a siloed task.

Don’t know where to start EAA preparations? For the first touchpoint, you can download our WCAG 2.1 and PDF Accessibility guides for free (no email address is required). Those guides are created for: 

  • Better understanding of your PDF/UA and WCAG compliance situation
  • What makes PDF documents and site accessible
  • Understanding on how to fix first accessibility red flags.
Download a WCAG 2.1 Guideline
Download a PDF Accessibility Guideline

These guides could be your roadmap to EAA preparations and how to be compliant with PDF/UA (ISO 14289), EN 301 549, and WCAG 2.1. By the way, both of those PDFs are accessible and PDF/UA compliant 🙂

Closing the Gap Without Falling Behind

When time is short and pressure is high, it’s tempting to search for shortcuts. But accessibility isn’t something you can just add on at the end of the process. Real progress means building a roadmap that accounts for both short-term fixes and long-term change.

Yes, some updates are straightforward: adjusting colours, labelling buttons, adding keyboard support. These can and should be addressed quickly. However, other work, such as redesigning navigation flows, integrating with assistive tech, or rethinking your content strategy, takes more time, more collaboration, and more care. 

This doesn’t have to mean halting business as usual – accessibility can be integrated into agile workflows and existing development cycles. In fact, some of the most effective efforts happen incrementally. The key is to start, and to treat accessibility not as a project with an end date, but as a part of how you build and maintain digital services going forward.

Don’t Stop on Alt Text Only

It’s easy to fall into the trap of performative accessibility, making a few quick, visible changes like adding alt text or tweaking colors, and assuming the job is done. However, real accessibility is more than mere appearances, it is also about outcomes: can users with diverse needs actually complete tasks, access information, and engage with your service without barriers?

While alternative text is an essential part of accessibility, it’s only one piece of the puzzle. A truly accessible PDF requires correct tagging structure, proper reading order, logical headings, usable tables, form field labeling, color contrast checks, and more.

Passing an audit once doesn’t guarantee long-term compliance — especially under the European Accessibility Act, where consistency and future updates matter. That’s why accessibility must be systemic, not superficial.

The truth is, accessibility is only meaningful when it works for real people navigating real challenges. That means going beyond checklists to understand how users actually experience your site or service – and whether they’re truly able to use it. 

Even a website that passes today’s audit may fail tomorrow if updates are made without accessibility in mind. Regular testing, feedback from users with disabilities, and iterative improvements are what separate superficial fixes from sustainable progress.

Additionally, there’s value in openness. Letting your customers know you’re working on accessibility,  even if you’re not there yet, can earn you credibility. It signals that you care, that you’re listening, and that you’re committed to building a better digital experience. 

Why PDF Accessibility Demands More Than Automation

Making your PDFs truly accessible isn’t as simple as running an auto-check or pressing a “Make Accessible” button in Adobe. While tools can help flag issues, they rarely deliver fully compliant, user-friendly results on their own — especially when it comes to complex layouts, interactive forms, or branded documents that rely heavily on custom styling.

The challenge? Maintaining visual consistency and brand integrity while ensuring that every element — from tables and infographics to reading order and form fields — works seamlessly with assistive technologies. Automated fixes often flatten design, strip meaning, or miss key accessibility gaps altogether. Worse, they can create a false sense of security while leaving you exposed to compliance risks.

This is not something most internal teams are equipped to handle alone — especially under time pressure. That’s why many organizations partner with accessibility experts who not only understand the technical requirements (PDF/UA, EN 301 549, WCAG 2.1), but also know how to preserve design and user experience throughout the process.

It’s Not Too Late, But It Is Time

This is your chance to step back and ask: How do users move through our services? Where do they get stuck, frustrated, or excluded? What would it look like to make every touchpoint intuitive, inclusive, and seamless?

Accessibility doesn’t sit in a vacuum. It intersects with your ESG goals, your DEI commitments, and your customer experience ambitions. Leading companies are already drawing these lines, and using them to futureproof their strategies. 

So yes, the clock is ticking, but getting serious about accessibility now puts you in a position to lead, not scramble to catch up later. 

Summary

With the European Accessibility Act deadline approaching on 28 June 2025, industry leaders are already working toward compliance and gaining a competitive edge in the process. However, even if you’re behind now, it’s not too late to start. Accessibility isn’t only about ticking boxes. Done well, it improves the experience for everyone, and early adopters are already seeing the benefits. The first step is understanding where you stand and recognizing that accessibility touches every part of your organization. It’s not a one-off project, but an ongoing commitment. Avoid the trap of quick fixes that don’t serve real users. Instead, use this moment to rethink how your digital experiences can be more inclusive and take the first step now. 

AI generated image: ancient block screen with legacy interface, situated in the office. It represents the outdated system

How Legacy Systems Are Slowing Down Modern Business Managers

Napisane przez Kateryna Klynovska w dniu . Opublikowano w Data Migration.

The role of a business manager today has transformed into a hybrid of strategist, analyst, and operator, all rolled into one. They’re not only keeping operations running, they’re expected to drive strategic projects, bridge gaps between teams, and turn data into actionable insights. Business managers are constantly jumping between finance, sales, supply chain matters, and people operations, trying to make sense of what’s happening across the business.

But if they’re still stuck working with legacy systems? That job becomes 10x harder than it needs to be and workload is quick as never before with facilitated day-to-day processes.

Old Tools, New Problems

It’s been seen time and again: a system once labelled as “future-proof” has become the biggest blocker in the workday. Perhaps it’s a slow ERP accessible only to the finance team, or a reporting tool that hasn’t been updated in years. In many cases, five different platforms are being juggled within the same company, none of which communicate properly with each other.

As a result, more time is spent chasing data than using it. Reports are delayed, workflows are made manual and prone to error. When insights are requested by leadership for Monday, spreadsheets are often pieced together over the weekend.

It isn’t just frustrating, it’s become unsustainable to maintain.

Understanding an Upcoming Strategic Risk: Outdated Systems are Not Just IT’s Problem

Too frequently, legacy systems are treated as back-office concerns, left for IT to “eventually” sort out. Yet their limitations are felt daily by business leaders across functions. Decision-making is routinely slowed when performance data can’t be accessed in real time – sales finalised forecasts are based on outdated figures, and inventory levels are guessed rather than known. Processes are rigidly shaped by what the system allows, but not what the team needs. For example, a simple pricing adjustment across multiple regions may require multiple manual approvals and Excel workarounds just to accommodate system constraints. As companies scale, these inefficiencies multiply. What once worked for a single market becomes an operational burden across five.

Meanwhile, missed opportunities stack up. While one team is manually consolidating quarterly reports, a competitor is already pivoting strategy based on live market data. While you’re waiting for procurement data to be pulled from three systems, unnecessary purchases might already be happening. These aren’t isolated cases, they’re the day-to-day frustrations felt by business managers trying to lead with impact. Without visibility and flexibility, they’re left reacting to problems instead of steering the business forward. When systems dictate the pace of change, agility – one of the most valuable traits in today’s environment – is quietly lost.

Modernization with Coffee To Go

Imagine this instead: You open one dashboard and see your key metrics, live, clean, and easy to get into. You don’t have to wait for a report or chase someone in another team for an export. Your workflows are automated where they can be, and flexible where they need to be. Your systems are connected, and so is your team.

While this sounds like the ideal scenario, we at Quertum get it – legacy systems can’t just be switched off overnight. That’s why our approach is built around making change as seamless as possible. Whether you’re dealing with heavily customised platforms, fragmented infrastructure, or operations across multiple countries, the complexity is handled behind the scenes so your teams can stay focused on their day-to-day. Core systems can keep running while modern tools are gradually introduced, with minimal disruption. 

Quertum brings your data together, streamlines manual processes, and enables old and new platforms to operate side by side. No lengthy implementations, no unnecessary downtime, only smarter systems that start making everyday work easier and faster than you’d expect.

What a Better Workday Looks Like

Running a business today means balancing priorities across teams, systems, and time zones, often with limited visibility and even less time. Business managers need more than reports and tools; they need clarity, speed, and systems that support smarter decisions without adding more work.

But old systems make that mission harder than it should be.

Here’s what a modern workday should feel like:

  • One clear view of the business: See revenue, stock levels, and supply chain status in real time without chasing updates from different teams.
  • Approvals that keep things moving: Purchase orders, expense reports, and hiring requests go forward as soon as they meet the right criteria. No more bottlenecks.
  • Issues flagged before they grow: Whether it’s a delayed shipment or a spike in returns, you get notified right away so you can act early.
  • Everyone working from the same numbers: With one shared dataset across teams, there’s no confusion, no mismatched reports, and no digging through version after version.

It’s not about having more tools. It’s about having the right ones, which make it easier to lead across functions, stay ahead of problems, and respond with confidence.

Ready to Work Smarter, Not Harder?

You don’t need to rip everything out to move forward. Legacy systems might still be part of the picture, and that’s okay. However, they shouldn’t define how your teams work today and how many challenges they need to tackle before having work done. 

At Quertum, we help businesses transition from rigid, outdated systems to setups that actually support the way teams operate now. Customized, optimized or created from scratch, the system you choose should work for the company. This might mean untangling siloed tools, streamlining manual processes, or connecting systems that never used to talk to each other.

Our migration services are designed to minimise disruption and make change feel manageable, whether you’re dealing with a custom ERP, local infrastructure, or global complexity. We work alongside your teams to build bridges between old and new, so your business can keep running faster, and with far fewer headaches.

Let’s talk about where your legacy systems are holding you back, and how we can help you move forward with confidence.

Summary

Today’s business managers juggle strategy, data, and cross-functional coordination, but legacy systems make that already demanding role even harder. Outdated tools have become the biggest blocker in the workday, leading to delays, manual fixes, and unsustainable maintenance. This isn’t just an IT inconvenience, but a strategic risk that leaves teams stuck and businesses reactive. However, it doesn’t have to stay that way. Gradual system modernization, done in a way that doesn’t disrupt daily work, can offer a more flexible and connected way of operating. Imagine an ideal workday with real-time insights, smoother workflows, and connected teams that stay in sync and ahead of problems. Because, when systems work with you, the business moves forward – not sideways.

Accessibility logo on left-hand side. PAC app accessibility checker on right-hand side.

The Clock is Ticking: Is Your Business Truly Ready for the 2025 European Accessibility Act?

Napisane przez Kateryna Klynovska w dniu . Opublikowano w EEA.

The European Accessibility Act (EAA) is reshaping the digital landscape in the EU. At its core, the EAA aims to break down barriers and ensure that a wide array of products and services are accessible to everyone, including the millions of people with disabilities across the European Union (EU). This extends beyond simply using an accessibility checker; it necessitates embedding accessibility into your design thinking, from websites to all customer communications. A key challenge is that the EAA’s requirements, while comprehensive, can sometimes be perceived as broadly defined. As a result, many organizations do not realize that the EAA also applies to documents, including PDFs, which are a critical component of their communication workflows. 

While EU member states were required to transpose the EAA into national law by June 2022, the critical date is June 28, 2025, when full enforcement begins. This day, now (April 30, 2025) only a few months away, marks the point when the requirements of the EAA will become legally binding for a vast number of businesses operating within the EU. The window for delaying serious action has effectively closed. Procrastination now carries significant risks, not just from a legal standpoint, but also in terms of market reach and brand perception.

Across Europe, the EAA is no longer a set of “nice-to-have” guidelines, it now carries a price tag on every website, mobile app, and PDF your company sends. Spain’s Ley 11/2023 tops the list with fines that scale up to €1 million per infringement and it explicitly names electronic documents, obliging all outgoing PDFs to meet the PDF/UA tagging standard. Germany’s Barrierefreiheitsstsärkungsgesetz lets market-surveillance authorities impose penalties of €100 000 and even ban a product or service until it is accessible. Sweden will start handing out sanctions of up to 10 million SEK (~€870 000) for inaccessible e-commerce or banking interfaces when its new law takes effect on June 28th 2025. Similarly, in Finland, Traficom can now hand out fines up to €150 000 – and escalate them daily – until defects are fixed. Taken together, these moves make one thing clear: ignoring accessibility is no longer a technical oversight, but a severe financial risk for all companies operating within the EU. 

Overlooking Digital Accessibility? You’re Ignoring 15% of the Global Market

Even if your organization believes it falls outside the direct scope of the EAA, overlooking accessibility in your communication processes is a significant strategic oversight. In today’s interconnected world, inclusivity isn’t simply a moral imperative, it’s a powerful business driver. Consider the sheer potential of reaching the approximately 15% of the global population with disabilities – a substantial market segment often unintentionally excluded by inaccessible communication.

By proactively making your websites, PDF materials, social media content, and customer service channels accessible, you unlock a wealth of opportunities. 

  • Imagine what could happen if every prospective customer could actually use your website, app, or documents without a struggle. Accessible design unlocks an entire segment of the market that might otherwise give up and look elsewhere. Simple steps like applying real heading tags or marking up lists properly can be the bridge that invites them in.
  • Accessibility also earns loyalty. When people see that you’ve taken the time to add descriptive alt-text to images and graphs, they recognise a brand that genuinely cares. That kind of respect sticks – it turns first-time buyers into long-term advocates.
  • And let’s be honest, in a crowded marketplace, “we’re easy for everyone to use” is a big differentiator. Companies that advertise their commitment to inclusive design attract customers who want to spend with businesses that share their values. Regular checks with an accessibility scanner or PDF-testing tool show you’re not only compliant today, but ready for whatever tomorrow’s standards require.
  • Finally, what helps some helps all. Clear language, logical structure, keyboard-friendly navigation – these aren’t just accessibility wins, they’re SEO boosters and usability upgrades for every visitor. Streamline the reading order, make that checkout flow effortless, and watch both your search ranking and your customer satisfaction rise together.

The Accessibility Gap Is Closing – But Not Evenly

In just two years, the share of companies actively planning for accessible PDFs and digital communications has more than tripled. According to industry data, 66% of surveyed companies now have a roadmap for PDF/UA compliance, signalling a clear shift toward inclusive design. At the same time, many public-facing websites, especially in the Nordics, are already scoring exceptionally well for Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) compliance, showing what’s possible when accessibility is treated as a strategic priority.

Yet the distance between early movers and the rest of the market is growing. An early 2025 AbilityNet survey found that just 11% of organizations feel confident they’ll meet the EAA deadline. For many, the challenge isn’t a lack of intent, it’s about knowing where to start and how to scale accessibility across documents, channels and teams. That’s where experienced partners like Quertum can help – bridging the gap between legal requirements and real-world implementation with clear audits, hands-on remediation, and long-term support. As compliance becomes a baseline expectation, the companies that act now won’t just meet the standard, they’ll help set it.

The Urgency is Real: Take the Next Step Now

The June 2025 deadline is closer than it seems. Organizations that postpone action on the EAA risk legal penalties and, just as critically, the loss of a sizeable customer segment. Whether you’re just beginning or scaling your efforts, now is the time to move beyond acknowledgement and embed accessibility – at minimum PDF/UA compliance and WCAG AA standards – into everyday processes and communications. Now is the moment to move beyond acknowledgement and weave accessibility – at minimum PDF/UA compliance and WCAG AA standards – into everyday processes and communications. Don’t just catch up – lead the way into a more inclusive digital future.

Barcelona landscape with colorful rooftops

Barcelona 2025: Our First Global Meetup. A Journey of Connection, Growth and Development

Napisane przez Kateryna Klynovska w dniu . Opublikowano w Quertum News.

Happy Anniversary Q-team! A 5 years Journey of Connection, Growth and Development

We’re making it happen! For the first time ever, we’re bringing the whole team together in one place. No more video calls, no more chat messages – just real, face-to-face connections. Barcelona 2025 will be our moment, a turning point that transforms us from a group of colleagues into a truly united global team.

2025 marks the 5th anniversary of Quertum, a journey of incredible growth, innovation and success. We’ve come a long way and the momentum is only accelerating!

From the local event to vision for the future

It all started small back in September 2024, when we had our first-ever in-person meetup, but only locally. It was an incredible experience, but we knew it was just the beginning. 

This time, we’re going way bigger. From the very first session, the energy will be electric. Strategy deep dives, innovation workshops, security insights — every discussion will push us forward. Let’s be honest, it will feel amazing to brainstorm together in the same room instead of through a screen.

The power of real connections

The real magic will happen in between — on coffee breaks, rooftop gatherings and those spontaneous, late-night conversations where ideas flow as freely as the drinks. We’ll laugh, share stories and get to know each other beyond online meetings. It will be a reminder that at the heart of everything we do, it’s people who matter most.

A well-deserved celebration

Of course, no milestone should go uncelebrated. We’ve worked hard to get here and Barcelona will be the perfect place to hit pause, raise a glass and appreciate just how far we’ve come. Because this won’t just be a checkpoint—it’ll be the start of something even bigger.

Join us on this journey

As we count down the days to Barcelona 2025, we invite you to be part of this exciting moment with us. Follow us on LinkedIn for live updates and insights from our first global meetup!

Here’s to Barcelona 2025. Here’s to the future. And here’s to all the amazing moments still ahead!

DORA word surrounded by EU flag stars, all on planned background

Uncover the DORA Support from Quertum Service

Napisane przez Kateryna Klynovska w dniu . Opublikowano w GDPR.

Understanding DORA 

The Digital Operational Resilience Act (DORA) is a European Union regulation designed to strengthen the digital resilience of the financial sector. It applies to banks, insurance companies, investment firms, and other financial organizations, requiring them to manage ICT risks, secure their digital operations, and ensure business continuity in the face of cyber threats and IT failures.

DORA is primarily focused on the Information Communication Technology (ICT) tools, systems, and third-party services used by the financial sector. Organizations must assess and mitigate ICT risks across their entire operations, including external technology providers.

With DORA becoming fully applicable on January 17, 2025, financial institutions must ensure they comply with a range of risk management, incident reporting, and resilience testing requirements.

Quertum Service in DORA Context

While Quertum is not directly subject to DORA. In the same time, we recognize the importance of this regulation for our customers, including those who are directly impacted and those serving DORA-regulated clients.

As a provider of secure document management and customer communication management, we actively support our customers in aligning with DORA requirements. Our solutions help organizations strengthen their digital resilience, improve data security, and ensure compliance with regulatory standards.

Should your Financial Institution Trust Quertum in DORA Landscape?

At Quertum, we understand that financial institutions must ensure compliance with DORA while maintaining operational efficiency and security.

We provide peace of mind and confidence for our customers by ensuring that we take a range of actions associated with the 5 pillars of DORA regulations:


✅IT Risk Management. Institutions must establish a comprehensive IT risk management frameworks. As part of our certification to ISO 27001:2022, we carefully review our risks and take all necessary actions to mitigate or remove them.

✅IT Incident Reporting. Companies must promptly report any significant ICT-related incidents to their respective regulators. We’ve got this covered too via the development of a range of Incident Management documents. Our approach to these requirements supports a coordinated response mechanism for incidents.

✅ Digital Operational Resilience Testing. Quertum systems are regularly tested (business continuity, disaster recovery testing supported by regular penetration and vulnerability tests)to future-proof our digital operational resilience abilities against IT disruptions.

✅ IT Third-Party Risk Management and Oversight. This is a real differentiating factor for us. We do not outsource any development activities or engage any third party IT providers.

✅ Information and intelligence sharing. Sharing information about cyber threats with different financial entities helps improve overall robustness within the industry. We are committed to sharing security awareness threads & trends with all interested parties. We also keep our team up to date with regular awareness training and source best practice advice from a range of trustworthy sources.

Get Ready for DORA Compliance with Quertum

While Quertum is not directly subject to DORA, we recognize its significance for our customers and their extended networks. That’s why we’ve created a DORA-readiness overview—outlining our key commitments and actions to support financial institutions in achieving compliance.

Industries such as finance, banking, insurance ace significant challenges in an increasingly dynamic security landscape. We’re always here to answer any questions that may arise as you search for the right solution to meet your needs.