Introduction

DataCite is committed to making our websites and services available and accessible to everyone. This page describes what we are currently doing or planning to do to achieve and maintain accessibility standards across our websites and services. 

Scope

This accessibility statement applies to the following content and services hosted at https://datacite.org, including:

• DataCite main website
• DataCite Metadata Schema site
• DataCite Commons
• DataCite Fabrica
• DataCite Data Files Service

Standards and Compliance Status

Ensuring accessibility is a priority for DataCite, which follows the principles outlined in the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2. 

In early 2025, we enlisted the company Northosts AB to conduct a thorough audit of the DataCite website and address technical and content-related issues across key pages. Using Google Lighthouse/PageSpeed benchmarks, Northosts adjusted templates, headers, footers, and page-specific content. These improvements align with WCAG 2.2 principles and establish a sustainable foundation for accessibility. Ongoing editorial compliance with accessibility best practices will ensure continued inclusivity and adherence to international standards.

Known Limitations and Planned Improvements

Our most recent accessibility audit and improvement cycle conducted by Northosts focused on DataCite’s main website. An additional round of assessment and improvements is in process for the DataCite Commons, DataCite Fabrica, and the DataCite Metadata Schema websites.

For the main website, the audit revealed minor HTML errors in the blog archive, styling issues caused by a third-party authorship plugin on individual blog pages, and inaccessible UTC date formatting on some event pages. Additionally, older blog posts published before 2023 may lack proper alternative (ALT) text for embedded images. DataCite is currently exploring options to bulk-add missing ALT texts to ensure a consistent and inclusive experience across the entire site. Addressing these remaining issues is part of our ongoing commitment to continuous accessibility improvements.

Feedback

To report an accessibility issue, submit feedback, or obtain additional information about our accessibility practices, please contact support@datacite.org.

Timeline and History

DataCite’s latest accessibility audit was conducted in May and June of 2025. 

This page was last updated in July 2025.