How does Kadaster make and keep 100 services accessible - Netherlands

The Dutch land registry organization ‘Kadaster’ refers to itself as a kind of “university of applied sciences” for digital accessibility. Kadaster manages more than 100 online public-facing systems with a wide range of accessibility challenges. Accessibility is a serious challenge. The organization deals with so many varied issues that it becomes a learning environment in itself.

To tackle these challenges, Kadaster started by developing policies and structures around accessibility. They identified gaps such as inaccessible software and responded by embedding accessibility into procurement policies and decision-making processes. They also introduced escalation procedures for situations where accessibility conflicts with other priorities.

A central element of their approach is the creation of an internal accessibility desk. This serves as a hub for coordinating efforts, monitoring all public outputs, and organizing accessibility research. It also helps ensure that teams remain responsible for their own content while still providing oversight and support. The system allows employees to be notified when their products need accessibility checks, bringing structure and visibility to the process.

Finally, the article emphasizes the importance of awareness and knowledge-sharing across the organization. Accessibility is not limited to specialists; every employee must understand their role in making digital services inclusive. By combining governance, centralized support, and organization-wide learning, Kadaster steadily improves its digital accessibility despite its complexity.

Why the Land Registry is the 'University of Digital Accessibility'.

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