Accessibility Statement
Oeko-Institut is committed to ensuring digital accessibility for people with disabilities. The Institute continuously improves the user experience for everyone and applies the relevant accessibility standards. This accessibility statement applies to the website www.oeko.de, including all associated subpages and embedded content.
General description of the service
The website www.oeko.de is the central online information and communication service of Oeko-Institut. It provides public access to scientific analyses, research projects, publications, news, blog articles and information on events. Users can read and research content related to research and policy areas, access and download publications (such as studies, policy briefs and factsheets), locate topics, projects and individuals via navigation and search functions, and contact the Institute via contact pages and online forms. Use of the website does not require registration and is possible via standard web browsers on desktop and mobile devices.
In this context, accessibility particularly concerns the perceivability, operability, understandability and robustness of content, navigation and contact functionalities.
Description of the applicable legal requirements
Insofar as the website www.oeko.de falls within the scope of application of the German Accessibility Strengthening Act (Barrierefreiheitsstärkungsgesetz – BFSG), the accessibility requirements laid down in the BFSG in its currently applicable version apply. The BFSG implements the European Accessibility Act (Directive (EU) 2019/882) into national law and requires providers of certain digital services for consumers to ensure accessibility as of 28 June 2025.
The specific accessibility requirements are defined in the statutory ordinance issued pursuant to Section 3(2) BFSG. From a technical perspective, these requirements are based on the European standard EN 301 549 and the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2, conformance level AA.
Assessment method / basis for the accessibility statement
The assessment of accessibility is based on a self-assessment in accordance with the German Barrier-Free Information Technology Ordinance (BITV). The assessment was carried out between 11 November and 26 November 2025 and followed the test criteria of BITV 2.0 and WCAG 2.2 (Level AA).
The results of this self-assessment form the basis for the following evaluation of the accessibility status and for prioritising remediation measures.
Compliance status
The website www.oeko.de is partially compliant with the requirements of EN 301 549 and WCAG 2.2 (Level AA).
The following accessibility barriers were identified during the self-assessment:
- On the contact page, an image-based CAPTCHA is used without a sufficient text alternative. This may restrict use by screen reader users. In addition, alternative text for images is partly missing or not consistently implemented in an accessible manner.
- Correct identification of languages / understandability: Some English-language publications or content are not consistently marked with the correct language attributes or are presented within a German language context. This may negatively affect the use of assistive technologies such as screen readers and translation tools.
Planned measures to improve accessibility
Öko-Institut e.V. is working continuously to eliminate the identified barriers. Planned measures include, in particular, the provision of meaningful alternative texts, the transition to more accessible CAPTCHA solutions, and the systematic identification of content languages within editorial workflows and publications.
New content is intended to be published in an accessible manner wherever possible. Existing documents will be improved progressively, prioritised according to relevance and frequency of use.
Feedback and contact details
If you encounter any accessibility barriers on www.oeko.de, please contact us:
Oeko-Institut e.V.
Markus Werz
Merzhauserstr. 173
79100 Freiburg
Germany
Email: barrierefreiheit@oeko.de
Please indicate as precisely as possible on which page (URL) the issue occurs and which function is affected. We will review your feedback and respond as soon as possible.
Consumer information pursuant to Article 246 EGBGB
Consumer information pursuant to Article 246 of the Introductory Act to the German Civil Code (EGBGB) is available in the currently applicable legal version: https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/bgbeg/BJNR006049896.html#BJNR006049896BJNG053203360
Market surveillance authority
The competent authority for market surveillance with regard to accessibility requirements under the BFSG is the Joint Market Surveillance Authority of the Federal States for the Accessibility of Products and Services (MLBF AöR), Magdeburg, Germany.
Preparation and updating of this statement
This accessibility statement was prepared on 22 January 2026. It is reviewed regularly and updated in the event of significant changes to the website. The results of future self-assessments or external audits will be taken into account when updating this statement.