Why ADA Compliance Matters for Private Equity Firms and Their Portfolio Companies

In today’s digital-first world, your website and digital content are often the first impression investors, customers, and talent have of your firm or portfolio company. Ensuring these experiences are accessible isn’t just good UX—it’s a business imperative. At MVP Marketing + Design, we believe in inclusive design that respects all users and reduces risk. That’s where ADA compliance comes in.

What Is ADA Compliance?

ADA stands for the Americans with Disabilities Act, a civil rights law that prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities. Although initially focused on physical spaces, the ADA’s scope now includes digital environments such as websites, PDFs, and HTML email communications.

To meet ADA requirements, organizations are expected to follow the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG)—a set of international standards that define how to make digital content accessible for users with visual, auditory, cognitive, or motor impairments.

Why ADA Compliance Matters in Private Equity

1. Protects Against Legal Risk
   ADA-based lawsuits continue to rise, with over 4,000 filed in federal court in 2023 alone. Non-compliance can expose PE firms and their PortCos to reputational damage, regulatory scrutiny, and costly legal settlements—especially when a firm is preparing for exit or public offering.
2. Adds Value to Your Portfolio Companies
   Accessible websites and marketing materials can support top-line growth by expanding reach and bottom-line efficiency through improved SEO and usability. For middle-market PortCos with limited marketing staff, building ADA compliance into the digital foundation helps eliminate downstream remediation costs. See our recent website for private equity portfolio company We Pack It All for an example of flawless ADA compliance.
3. Aligns With ESG Commitments
   As more limited partners evaluate Environmental, Social & Governance (ESG) performance, ADA compliance becomes a meaningful marker of the “S.” Demonstrating a commitment to inclusivity supports a more complete value creation narrative.
4. Reflects Well on the PE Brand
   ADA compliance shows your firm “walks the talk” when it comes to accessibility, equality, and good governance—especially important if your firm advises consumer-facing companies, regulated industries, or is positioning itself for a capital raise.

What Needs to Be Compliant?

Websites

• Keyboard-friendly navigation
• Alt text for all images
• Sufficient color contrast and scalable fonts
• Accessible forms, tables, and media
• Mobile responsiveness

PDFs and Reports

Private equity firms often distribute pitchbooks, annual reports, or case studies as PDFs. If these aren’t tagged correctly or contain image-based text, they are invisible to screen readers. Key elements of accessible PDFs:

• Alt text for images
• Proper heading hierarchy
• Tagged structure to indicate reading order
• Searchable and selectable text

HTML Emails

Investor updates, portfolio newsletters, and transactional email campaigns must also be ADA-friendly. This includes using semantic structure, sufficient contrast, and alt descriptions in email design templates.

MVP’s Compliance Experience: Fortune 500–Level Rigor

MVP is proud to have produced a significant number of ADA-compliant PDFs and HTML emails for 3M’s Consumer and Industrial Groups as well as Solventum (formerly 3M Health Care)—two Fortune 500 enterprises with stringent accessibility standards.

We bring that same attention to detail and compliance rigor to our work for private equity firms and their portfolio companies. Whether you’re building from the ground up or remediating existing materials, MVP helps you avoid risk while enhancing your digital presence.

Let’s Build Accessibly—From the Start

Since 2000, MVP has created more than 100 websites and dozens of brand-to-web transformations for private capital clients. Our work spans highly regulated, consumer-facing, and industrial sectors—making us an ideal partner for compliance-conscious firms seeking value creation at every digital touchpoint.

Let’s make accessibility part of your growth strategy.

How MVP Marketing + Design Can Help

We help organizations build ADA-compliant websites and accessible PDFs from the ground up—or audit and update existing content to meet WCAG standards. From color palettes and typography to technical implementation, our team ensures your communications are as inclusive as they are impactful.

About MVP Marketing + Design, Inc.

MVP Marketing + Design, Inc. is an award-winning branding, website design, and digital marketing agency with offices in Minneapolis and Boston. As we prepare to celebrate our 40th anniversary in August 2025, MVP continues to deliver brand-to-web solutions that drive measurable results.

Since 2000, we’ve created more than 100 websites for private equity firms, their portfolio companies, and related M&A advisors. We’ve also developed dozens more sites for lower middle market (LMM) B2B and B2C businesses and professional services organizations—making us a trusted partner for clients across the private capital ecosystem and beyond.

Our integrated services include branding, UX/UI design, website development—ranging from fully bespoke custom builds to creatively adapted, cost-effective alternatives—digital marketing (SEO, PPC, social media), and videography. We’ve proudly supported industry leaders such as 3M’s Consumer, Industrial, and Solventum (formerly Healthcare) groups, alongside clients across North America and globally.

Recognized by clients as one of the “Best of the Midwest” digital agencies for Lower Middle Market (LMM) private capital marketing, design, and technology support, MVP delivers strategic insight, creative excellence, and technical precision across every engagement. With deep sector expertise spanning private capital, professional and tech-enabled services, healthcare, manufacturing (both food and non-food), and the nonprofit sector, our team consistently helps clients drive measurable gains in brand awareness, market share, and revenue.

Our commitment to quality and trend-setting design has earned us accolades from leading industry competitions including the Communicator, Davey, Hermes, and MARCOM Awards. We’re also proud to provide managed and virtual private server (VPS) website hosting with dedicated resources to more than 70 clients—among them over 50 private equity and M&A firms, their portfolio companies, and a range of lower middle market manufacturers, service providers, and professional services organizations.

Let’s connect. Reach out to info@mvpdesign.com to learn how MVP can help your brand stand out and grow stronger.