International technical standards for web accessibility (A, AA, AAA compliance levels) covering color contrast, keyboard navigation, and screen readers.
WCAG stands for Web Content Accessibility Guidelines, a set of W3C standards for making web content more accessible. A meaningful reference specifies the version and conformance level, rather than saying only that a website is “WCAG compliant.” Different versions and levels define different requirements.
The guidelines provide a framework for evaluation, not a guarantee that every user’s needs are fully addressed. Conformance involves the applicable requirements and scope, not simply achieving a high automated score. A site can have issues that require manual inspection even when a scanner finds no obvious failures.
For a small business, the practical starting point is to identify the standard being used and the important tasks customers must complete. Translate findings into specific changes and retest them. Accessibility obligations can also depend on applicable law and circumstances, so a general glossary definition should not be treated as a legal determination for a particular organization.
Takeaway: Specify the WCAG version, level and review scope when commissioning accessibility work. Ask for evidence of testing and remediation rather than accepting an unexplained compliance badge.
Example
A website project agrees to evaluate key journeys against WCAG 2.2 Level AA. The review includes keyboard use, form errors and content alternatives as well as automated checks. The team records unresolved issues instead of claiming that installing a tool completes conformance.
What to check
Check the current W3C standard and distinguish published recommendations from drafts. Keep conformance claims tied to an actual assessment, and obtain appropriate advice where legal obligations are part of the decision.
For more detail, see W3C WCAG overview.