NEWS

SM Cares champions digital accessibility with Eye-Able® on its website

TDT

SM Cares is breaking new ground in digital accessibility by introducing Eye-Able® on the SM Supermalls website. Beginning 21 October, the platform will offer enhanced browsing features tailored for individuals with visual impairments or those needing digital assistance. This initiative reflects SM's ongoing dedication to making its digital spaces more inclusive and accessible to all.

SM Supermalls is proud to continue its efforts to make every platform, whether physical or digital, inclusive and accessible. The launch of Eye-Able® is part of the mall's ongoing initiative to support communities through SM Cares.

Eye-Able® provides essential features like text resizing, contrast adjustments, and screen readers, making it easier for users with special needs to navigate the site. By incorporating these tools, SM Supermalls adheres to global standards, including the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), ensuring their digital platform promotes inclusivity.

Eye-Able® is built upon the idea that digital accessibility is a fundamental right, ensuring that "individuals with disabilities can perceive, understand, navigate, and interact with the internet.” Through this innovative digital solution, Eye-Able® envisions "An Internet for All."

This move not only improves user interaction on the SM Supermalls website but also contributes to the larger effort of making digital experiences accessible for everyone. SM is reinforcing its commitment to inclusivity, aiming to create a more seamless and engaging online experience for every customer, regardless of ability.

Super Grannies (Senior Citizens) using Eye-Able® feature of the website to help them see the locations using a bigger font.

Eye-Able® is not only a tool for persons with disabilities (PWDs) but also benefits senior citizens and anyone who may find navigating the internet challenging. For example, “Super Grannies” (elderly users) can now easily adjust font sizes for better readability. Younger users and people with different accessibility needs will also find Eye-Able® helpful in creating a smoother and more enjoyable browsing experience.

SM Employees using Eye-Able® Color correction feature – proving that accessibility is for ALL .

“When we say SM Supermalls is a mall for all, we mean it in every sense—both physical and digital. We are proud to be at the forefront of this movement, breaking down barriers and making the online world accessible to everyone” said Engr. Bien Mateo, SM Cares Program Director for Disability Affairs and Senior Citizens. “We're proud advocates of digital accessibility as a fundamental right, ensuring that everyone can navigate and enjoy our online spaces with ease."

A customer viewing the SM website and using the Eye-Able® Read Aloud feature.

SM Cares is the corporate social responsibility arm of SM Supermalls, championing programs that focus on communities and the environment. These include initiatives for Persons with Disabilities, Senior Citizens, the Environment, Women & Breastfeeding Mothers, Children & Youth, and the SM Bike-Friendly initiative.


Experience the newly accessible SM Supermalls website beginning 21 October. Visit www.smsupermalls.com to explore our commitment to creating an inclusive digital experience for everyone.