With the entry into force of the Act of 26 April 2024 on ensuring accessibility requirements for certain products and services by economic operators (and in relation to the EAA Directive), many entrepreneurs - including banks - must adapt their documentation to the new standards. Polish entrepreneurs have until 28 June 2025 to modify their products and services in line with the EU requirements.
"SIMPLIFYING DOCUMENTS" - what is it about?
Simplification of documents is to adapt their content to modern accessibility requirements so that they are understandable (B2 level, among others), friendly to people with special needs and fully compliant. An example of this is one leading bank that commissioned a comprehensive analysis and 'simplification' of consumer-facing documents.
Diagnosis and preparation
The first stage is analysis of all documents, which the bank has to adapt to the new requirements of the Accessibility Act. Therefore, it should have been verified in the first instance:
- Purpose and scope of each document (e.g. whether it relates only to individual customers or also to businesses).
- Complexity language (e.g. the presence of banking jargon, the number of definitions or complex legal constructs).
- Form of publication (electronic or printed document - which affects graphic design principles).
At this stage we have also collected all EU and national guidelines and good practice (EAA directive, ISO plain language, internal bank standards). On the basis of this information, it was then necessary to create some universal principles of "simplification" documents to ensure that they are legible and legally correct.
Developing 'simplification' guidelines. What is this 'simplification' about?
The Act of 26 April 2024 and related regulations require financial institutions to make documents available in a user-friendly form - including for people with special needs. This primarily means:
- Use of plain language (e.g. short sentences, indicative mode, restriction of branch phrases).
- Reducing the level of complexity of the content so that it corresponds to at least B2 level on the language proficiency scale.
- Taking into account the guidance from ISO plain language standards and materials from organisations that promote plain language (e.g. Plain Language Association International).
- Paying attention to visual aspects documents (highlighting, appropriate font size and contrast, logical layout of content).
The result of this phase is an integrated document containing editorial and accessibility criteria, which guides the entire team working on the content.
With the principles worked out in this way in one document, we were able to easily pass it on to all members of our team in order to make the work on the already concrete documents more consistent. It was time to edit the texts.
Stages document simplification in practice
Editing and 'simplification' of documents.
We started the actual work on the dossier with linguistic editing and compliance verification. We simplified some sentences, removed unnecessary jargon and difficult words that do not fit into the B2 language range, introduced an additional glossary of terms supported by examples and definitions. We have checked each text to ensure that it meets readability requirements (e.g. FOG or LIX tests, use of tools such as Jasnopis).
It is worth noting that the typographical changes made could not, in doing so, violate the applicable legislation, the nature of the agreements or the regulations. Therefore, in this aspect, it was necessary to work closely with the bank's lawyers to ensure that the simplification of the content did not lead to a change in the meaning of a document.
Revision and final approval
Once the content changes had been made, each document went to a substantive re-review - usually from the bank's accessibility project team, the legal department or marketing.
Adaptation of the graphic form
Some of the documents also required system optimisation i layout. Clear headings, paragraphs, bullet lists, attention to contrast or font size are extremely important in such simplified documents.
If the document is intended for online publication (PDF, website), the following must also be taken into account digital accessibility standards (e.g. tagging the document, describing graphics so they can be read by assistive software).
Key documents (e.g. contracts, regulations) can be made more user-friendly through pictograms or additional guidance. All these aspects need to be taken into account when undertaking the daunting task of simplification 😊.
Quality control and confirmation of compliance
Once the editing of each document was completed, we carried out a final quality check, including:
- Language audit and check whether any difficult wording remains in the document,
- Assessment of legal complianceto ensure that the content does not conflict with the provisions of the Act on Ensuring Accessibility Requirements and other legislation (e.g. Consumer Credit Act, RODO),
- Confirmation of compliance in the form of a protocol or report that allows VeloBank to identify what changes have been made and which guidelines have been used.
The implementation of document accessibility has many benefits. First and foremost, it guarantees compliance with the law and the guidelines of the EAA directive, protecting against the risk of penalties. Simplified to B2 level, the content becomes clear to customers, which undoubtedly improves customer satisfaction and reduces the number of questions about the content in these documents. Simple content helps to win over customers, as it saves them time and allows customers to be confident that they have understood our intentions, which in turn instils confidence in us as a business.
Accessibility measures also strengthen the company's image as a socially responsible institution, and the burden on call centres and customer service departments is reduced thanks to simple and transparent documents. And this, in turn, is another money saved.
Who is simplification for?
Simplification of documents concerns all institutions and companies that target content to a wide audience - including in particular retail customers (consumers) and people with special needs. In the context of the Act of 26 April 2024 and the EAA Directive, it is mainly about entities offering products and services to the market, such as:
- Banks and other financial institutions- these are required to adapt contracts, regulations, forms or information brochures so that they are legible and understandable at B2 level,
- Companies in the service sector (telecommunications, insurance, energy, etc.)- documents addressed to customers - including general terms and conditions or price lists - should be simplified in language and graphics.
- Public administration (in the context of other regulations)- although the main addressees of the Act are economic operators, the simplification of documents is also part of the trend towards accessibility in government offices and institutions,
- Any company or organisation directing information to individuals - even if there is no explicit statutory obligation to do so, simplifying documents is a good practice that increases the transparency of communication, reduces misunderstandings and complaints and strengthens the entity's image as a customer-friendly institution.
Why is it worth it?
The implementation of plain language and compliance with the EAA directive protect against possible penalties. Customers understand the offer better and are more satisfied, which translates into increased trust in the bank or other institution. In addition, clear communication reduces the number of questions to the service department, which leads to savings.
If you want to adapt your materials to the new regulations or find out more, please contact us - together we will bring your documents into the new era accessibility and transparency for your customers, which will have a positive impact on the image and efficiency of your organisation.
Contact us:
- Tel: 606608089
- Email: sekretariat@bktkancelaria.pl
- www.bktkancelaria.pl
