Accessibility Statement

1. Our commitment

The Vanilla Index (“the company”, “we”, “us”) is committed to providing all users, including those with disabilities, with full and equal access to our website. We are committed to international compliance with web accessibility laws and policies, including but not limited to the Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”), the UK Equality Act 2010 and the European Accessibility Act, and to improving everyone’s experience on our website, thevanillaindex.com (“website”), by implementing the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (“WCAG”). These standards were developed in collaboration with individuals and organisations worldwide through the World Wide Web Consortium (“W3C”) process, with the goal of providing a single shared standard for web content accessibility that meets the needs of individuals, organisations and governments worldwide.

2. Conformance status

We have made a genuine effort and commitment to follow best practice for accessibility compliance, including auditing and testing our directory for accessible use. We aim to conform substantially with WCAG 2.1 at Level AA. Please be aware that our efforts to meet current WCAG guidelines are ongoing as we continue to review and improve the platform.

3. Measures we take

• Semantic HTML structure with logical heading order and landmark regions on every directory and dossier page.
• Descriptive labels and accessible names for search fields, filters, registration forms and document uploads.
• Full keyboard operability, including visible focus indicators on links, buttons and modal dialogues.
• Colour contrast in our vanilla, gold and forest-green palette tested against WCAG AA contrast ratios.
• Text that resizes and reflows responsively for desktop, tablet and mobile procurement users.
• Accessibility considered at review stage whenever new directory features are released.

4. Compatibility with browsers and assistive technology

This website is designed to be compatible with assistive technologies, including current screen readers, as well as with the two most recent major versions of mainstream browsers. Some aspects of the website may not display optimally in Internet Explorer 10 or 11 or in other legacy browsers, and the website is not intended for use with Internet Explorer 9 or earlier versions.

5. Third-party content and plugins

The Vanilla Index does not currently deploy a third-party accessibility overlay or widget; accessibility is addressed directly within the platform’s own interface. Where the website displays or links to third-party content — including supplier-uploaded documents, sponsored placements and external professional networks — we have no control over the structure or accessibility of that content, cannot always modify it, and are not responsible for elements outside our control. Any third-party add-on you choose to use alongside our website is used entirely at your own risk.

6. Known limitations

Documents supplied by exporters, such as scanned phytosanitary certificates and export licences, are produced by third parties and may not meet accessibility standards. If you require the content of a listing or document in an alternative format, please contact us and we will provide the information in a reasonable accessible form.

7. Feedback and contact

We have made reasonable efforts to make our website accessible in line with standard business practice. If you believe that any content, feature or process could be improved, or if you encounter a barrier to access, we welcome your feedback. Please contact our legal desk at legal@thevanillaindex.com or use the form below. We aim to respond to accessibility enquiries within five working days.