Farm Biodiversity Scotland mobile application - Accessibility Statement

https://www.nature.scot/doc/farm-biodiversity-scotland-mobile-application-accessibility-statement

How accessible this mobile app is

We know some parts of this app are not fully accessible. For example:

  • A limited number of images currently lack alternative text
  • It is not possible to view the app in landscape mode on a phone; content is restricted to portrait presentation.
  • In some very limited cases, the red, amber, green colour palette does not fully meet WCAG contrast accessibility standards. 

Feedback and contact information

If you find any problems not listed on this page or think we’re not meeting accessibility requirements, or if you need information on this app in a different format like an accessible PDF, contact: [email protected]. 

Enforcement procedure

The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) is responsible for enforcing the Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) (No. 2) Accessibility Regulations 2018 (the ‘accessibility regulations’). If you contact us with a complaint and you’re not happy with our response, contact the Equality Advisory and Support Service (EASS). 

Technical information about this website’s accessibility

NatureScot is committed to making this app accessible, in accordance with the Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) (No. 2) Accessibility Regulations 2018.

Compliance status

This app is partially compliant with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines version 2.2 AA standard, due to the non-compliances, listed below.

Non-accessible content

The content that is not accessible is outlined below with details of:

  • where it fails the success criteria
  • planned dates for when issues will be fixed.

Non-compliance with the accessibility WCAG 2.2 regulations

A limited number of images do not have a text alternative, so people using a screen reader cannot access the information. 

This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 1.1.1 (Non-text content).

We plan to add text alternatives for all images by 31 December 2025. When we publish new content in the meantime, we will make sure our use of images meets accessibility standards.

In some very limited cases, the amber colour in the red, amber, green colour palette contrast between text and its background is not sufficient. 

This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 1.4.3 (Contrast Minimum). 

At this stage, we have chosen not to make changes to the visual design due to the limited scope and use case of this specific graphic. The use of this colour palette is used in a controlled context and always includes both colour and clear text. The data shown is small in volume and straightforward to interpret. We will continue to review this and may incorporate more inclusive design principles in future iterations. However, based on current resource constraints and user feedback, we are prioritising improvements with higher overall impact.

Content is restricted to portrait presentation on a phone, and it is not possible to view the app in landscape mode.

This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 1.3.4 (Orientation). 

For phone users, the content is presented in portrait orientation as this format is essential to ensure proper understanding of the information on a small screen. Converting the habitat condition assessments to landscape orientation could impede users' ability to view and distinguish between multiple-choice options effectively, which would reduce the quality of the data collection. Therefore, we plan to continue to present the app in portrait mode only on phones. Portrait and landscape modes are available when the app is used on a tablet. 

Disproportionate burden

We are not claiming that any of our accessibility issues are disproportionate to fix.

Content that’s not within the scope of the accessibility regulations

All of the accessibility issues are within the scope of the accessibility regulations. 

Preparation of this accessibility statement

This app was last tested on 01 March 2025 against the WCAG 2.2 AA standard. The test was carried out by the NatureScot Accessibility Officer. All public-facing pages were tested using manual methods and automated testing tools to the WCAG 2.2 AA standard. This statement was prepared on 23 July 2025 and will be reviewed annually. It was last reviewed on 28 July 2025.