Samsung Electronics Hosts Accessibility Festival Week in Europe To Promote and Advance Accessibility for All

on May 15, 2025
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The event highlights inclusive design and features remarks from the President and CEO of Samsung Electronics Europe and the Head of Accessibility Committee at Samsung Electronics Corporation

Now in its third year, the 2025 Accessibility Festival Week (AFW) is taking place at Samsung Electronics UK (SEUK) from May 13 to 15. The event showcases accessible products and services designed to deliver inclusive experiences for all — including people with disabilities, older adults and those with temporary physical limitations.

 

Organized in celebration of Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD), this year’s AFW is the result of close collaboration between the CDO at Samsung Electronics Corporation (SEC), Samsung Electronics Europe Office (EO), Samsung Design Europe (SDE), Samsung R&D Institute UK (SRUK) and SEUK — all of which make up the AFW task force.

 

First held at Samsung Seoul R&D Campus in 2023, AFW serves as a platform to reinforce and expand the company’s commitment to accessibility among employees. Samsung Newsroom visited this year’s edition in Europe to witness how that vision is being brought to life.

 

 

Day 1: Learning From Europe’s Accessibility Practices

AFW opened on May 13 with an Inspiration Tour, bringing together accessibility leaders from SEC and members of the AFW task force to explore exemplary accessibility practices across Europe and inspire future initiatives.

 

Participants visited Samsung KX in King’s Cross, London — recognized as a model for inclusive retail — where they examined products through the lens of accessibility and observed how inclusive design shapes the in-store customer experience.

 

▲ Inspiration Tour at Samsung KX in King’s Cross, London

 

▲ Visiting Google’s Accessibility Discovery Center, London

 

In the afternoon, the group visited the Accessibility Discovery Center at Google King’s Cross to engage with real-world solutions designed to better support people with a wide range of disabilities.

 

“The Inspiration Tour broadened my perspective on accessibility,” said Youngkyung Jung from the User Experience (UX) Strategy Group, CDO. “So many breakthroughs in accessibility come from collaboration between companies, and today’s program showed how powerful inclusive partnerships can be.”

 

 

Day 2: Driving Innovation Through a Cross-Functional Accessibility Symposium

Samsung held an accessibility symposium at the SEUK office on the morning of May 14, welcoming employees from CDO, EO, SDE, SRUK and SEUK. Colleagues from various departments including People, Workplace Solutions and Employee Resource Groups — along with planning, design, development and marketing teams — shared their experiences and strategies for embedding accessibility into their work.

 

Discussions covered current accessibility trends, accessibility in UX strategy including UX evaluation framework, practical R&D insights and more. Team members openly exchanged lived-in experience and ideas with one another, finding common ground to build stronger connections across regions and functions.

 

▲ Employees networking and engaging in discussions at the Symposium

 

“Accessibility features originally designed for users with disabilities often become essential tools that benefit everyone,” said Ray Jessel from EO Marketing. “It was especially helpful for my work to hear the unique experiences of different departments.”

 

 

Day 3: Building a Shared Accessibility Vision for Inclusive Innovation

To mark GAAD on May 15, Samsung is hosting a special session at the SEUK office to share its accessibility strategy and future vision for inclusive innovation with employees across Europe.

 

The event will begin with an opening speech from Simon Sung, President and CEO of Samsung Electronics Europe, who will emphasize accessibility as a core value in advancing Samsung’s global vision and encourage teams across the region to champion accessibility innovation with a unified voice.

 

EVP Jinsoo Kim, Head of CDO Design Strategy Team and Accessibility Committee at SEC, will join the session in person to meet with employees, highlight the company’s accessibility principles and speak on the significance of AFW as the company looks toward a more inclusive future.

 

Accessibility leaders from various business divisions at SEC will then introduce product-specific strategies and key features prioritized for the year. Through these presentations, employees are expected to gain a clearer understanding of Samsung’s accessibility roadmap and align on a shared vision for customer-first, inclusive innovation. The keynote will be livestreamed to teams across Europe.

 

▲ Day 3 Keynote Speech Schedule

 

 

In the afternoon, a hands-on workshop will be held with experts from the external community group Studio Exception1 — a design and innovation consultancy focused on inclusive design. Registered employees will have the opportunity to explore inclusive design thinking and reflect on how to apply it to their day-to-day work.

 

“AFW has been an inspiring and meaningful experience for us in Europe. Accessibility is no longer optional — it’s a strategic imperative that defines future competitiveness,” said Alice Jackson from the SEUK People Team. “It was especially impactful to have people from SEC visit Europe and deliver such a clear, unified message. This event has created a powerful sense of shared purpose, understanding and empathy — values we are passionate about in our efforts to support our colleagues and future talent at Samsung.”

 

▲ Employees exploring the AFW exhibition displayed in the Atrium

 

As the three-day AFW draws to a close, momentum and optimism continue to grow among employees. Samsung hopes AFW will help foster a lasting culture of inclusive innovation — one that goes beyond convenience to deliver better experiences for all.

 

 

1Studio Exception is an inclusive design and research agency that aims to create better products and services by focusing on the experiences of diverse individuals, especially those who are often excluded from mainstream design

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