WSG Compliance Audit
Check your website against the W3C Web Sustainability Guidelines — the first global standard for green web design. Know where you stand. Know what to fix. Get a plan to get there.
What Are the W3C Web Sustainability Guidelines?
The Web Sustainability Guidelines (WSG) are the first W3C standard aimed at cutting the environmental cost of websites. Published in 2024, they cover four areas: user experience, web development, hosting, and business strategy.
Think of them as WCAG (the web access rules) but for green web. Just as WCAG became the legal benchmark for web access, the WSG are set to become the go-to standard for digital green goals. This matters most for firms reporting under CSRD, SECR, or public sector green rules.
The rules are built around clear, testable checks. That makes them easy to audit — and that is exactly what our WSG Compliance Audit does.
Why Compliance Matters
Regulatory Readiness
The EU's CSRD asks large firms to report green impacts across their whole chain, including digital. The WSG give you the method for that report. Get compliant now and you are ahead when the rules get stricter.
Commercial Advantage
Green goals now shape buying choices. Public tenders, B Corp, and big supply chains all ask about digital impact. A WSG report gives you hard proof of your commitment.
Performance Benefits
WSG compliance is not just about green goals. It also makes your site faster. The rules call for lean code, smaller media, and fewer wasted resources. Compliant sites rank better and win more customers.
Reputation Protection
If you claim to be green but your website emits 5g of CO2 per page view, that is a risk. People notice the gap. WSG compliance closes it.
What Our WSG Audit Covers
We check your website against all four areas of the W3C Web Sustainability Guidelines.
User Experience & Design
- Content strategy (are you publishing with purpose?)
- Navigation (can users find what they need fast?)
- Inclusive design (access for all is part of green design)
- Dark pattern avoidance
- Animation and motion reduction options
- Print and offline considerations
Web Development
- HTML efficiency and semantic markup
- CSS clean-up and removal of unused styles
- JavaScript shrinking and delayed loading
- Image and media optimisation
- Font loading strategy
- Third-party resource management
Hosting & Infrastructure
- Hosting provider energy sources
- Server response times and efficiency
- Caching implementation
- CDN use (serving files from closer locations)
- SSL/TLS configuration
- Compression strategy (Brotli/gzip)
Business Strategy & Product
- Sustainability policy publication
- Ability to report on digital green impact
- Measurement and monitoring processes
- Supply chain digital assessment
- Staff awareness and training provisions
- A process for ongoing improvement
How It Works
Initial Assessment
We run scans with our P.E.E.R. tools to set a baseline. Then we review your site by hand against each WSG rule. This covers all four areas: UX, code, hosting, and business.
Gap Analysis
Each rule gets a score: pass, partial, or fail. We link every gap to a clear fix — from quick CSS tweaks to bigger hosting changes.
Compliance Report
You get a full PDF report with your status for every WSG category. It shows a score for each area and an overall grade. Every finding comes with proof.
Remediation Plan
A ranked list of fixes sorted by impact and effort. Quick wins come first, then phased upgrades. Each item shows how long it takes and how much it lifts your score.
Walkthrough Call
A 60-minute call to go through the findings and answer your questions. We help you see which fixes give the most value for your setup.
How WSG Relates to P.E.E.R.
Our P.E.E.R. framework and the WSG are complementary, not competing. Here's how they work together:
| Aspect | P.E.E.R. Audit | WSG Compliance Audit |
|---|---|---|
| Focus | Quantitative measurement | Standards compliance |
| Output | Scores and grades (A+ to F) | Compliance percentage |
| Scope | Performance, Experience, Emissions, Ranking | UX, Development, Hosting, Business |
| Best for | Benchmarking and tracking improvement | Regulatory compliance and reporting |
| Frequency | Continuous (EcoPigs monitoring) | Annual or when significant changes are made |
Many clients start with a P.E.E.R. audit to measure their current scores. They add a WSG audit when they need formal proof — for CSRD reporting, public sector bids, or B Corp work.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the W3C Web Sustainability Guidelines?
The WSG are the first W3C standard for cutting the green impact of websites. Published in 2024, they cover four areas: user experience, web code, hosting, and business strategy.
Are the WSG legally required?
Not yet, but the trend is clear. Firms under CSRD (EU green reporting rules), SECR (UK carbon reporting), or public sector green targets face growing pressure to address digital emissions. The WSG are the best framework for this. Getting compliant now puts you ahead.
How does a WSG audit differ from a P.E.E.R. audit?
A P.E.E.R. audit measures your site's speed, user experience, carbon, and search ranking. It gives you scores and grades. A WSG audit checks you against the W3C rules and gives you a pass rate and formal report. They work together: P.E.E.R. sizes up the problem, WSG proves you meet the standard.
How long does a WSG compliance audit take?
A typical WSG audit takes 5 to 10 working days. This depends on the size of your site. It covers scans, manual checks, your report, and a 60-minute walkthrough call.
Be the First to Comply
OYNK is one of the first UK agencies to offer formal WSG audits. Get ahead now, before compliance becomes a must.