This document provides a quick reference to the Web Sustainability Guidelines (WSG) specification. The content is laid out in a table, with Success Criteria, Impact, Effort, and GRI ratings noted for each guideline. Checkboxes are provided for those individuals or groups wishing to work through the list (note your progress will not be saved), and a print-friendly (PDF) version is also available to audit your work as part of an exercise.
Help improve this page by sharing your ideas, suggestions, or comments via GitHub issues.
2.1 | Display any variables that have a negative impact on your project | ||||
Success Criterion | |||||
Impact & Effort | Medium | Medium | |||
GRI | Medium | Medium | Medium | Medium | |
2.2 | Understand visitor requirements or constraints, resolving barriers to access | ||||
Success Criterion | |||||
Impact & Effort | Medium | High | |||
GRI | Medium | Medium | Medium | Medium | |
2.3 | Understand the impact of non-visitors | ||||
Success Criterion | |||||
Impact & Effort | Medium | Medium | |||
GRI | Medium | Medium | Medium | Medium | |
2.4 | Consider sustainability throughout the ideation process | ||||
Success Criterion | |||||
Impact & Effort | Low | Low | |||
GRI | Low | Low | Low | Low | |
2.5 | Brainstorm ways to resolve any stakeholder issues | ||||
Success Criterion | |||||
Impact & Effort | Medium | Medium | |||
GRI | Medium | Medium | Medium | Medium | |
2.6 | Minimize non-essential content, interactivity, or journeys | ||||
Success Criterion | |||||
Impact & Effort | Medium | Medium | |||
GRI | Medium | Medium | Medium | Medium | |
2.7 | Use decorative design with care | ||||
Success Criterion | |||||
Impact & Effort | High | Medium | |||
GRI | High | High | High | High | |
2.8 | Ensure that navigation and way-finding are well-structured | ||||
Success Criterion | |||||
Impact & Effort | Low | Low | |||
GRI | Medium | Low | Medium | Low | |
2.9 | Be attentive rather than distracting | ||||
Success Criterion | |||||
Impact & Effort | Medium | Low | |||
GRI | Medium | Medium | Medium | Medium | |
2.10 | Use established design patterns and appropriate components | ||||
Success Criterion | |||||
Impact & Effort | Medium | Low | |||
GRI | Medium | Low | Medium | Low | |
2.11 | Avoid being manipulative or deceptive | ||||
Success Criterion | |||||
Impact & Effort | High | Medium | |||
GRI | Low | Low | Low | Low | |
2.12 | Enable others to understand and reuse your deliverables | ||||
Success Criterion | |||||
Impact & Effort | Medium | High | |||
GRI | Medium | Medium | Medium | Medium | |
2.13 | Use a design system to prioritize interface consistency | ||||
Success Criterion | |||||
Impact & Effort | Low | Medium | |||
GRI | Medium | Low | Medium | Low | |
2.14 | Write with purpose, in an accessible, easy-to-understand format | ||||
Success Criterion | |||||
Impact & Effort | Low | Low | |||
GRI | Medium | Low | Medium | Low | |
2.15 | All images must be optimized for sustainability | ||||
Success Criterion | |||||
Impact & Effort | High | Low | |||
GRI | High | High | High | High | |
2.16 | All audio or video must be optimized for sustainability | ||||
Success Criterion | |||||
Impact & Effort | High | Medium | |||
GRI | High | High | High | High | |
2.17 | Animation must be proportionate and easy to control | ||||
Success Criterion | |||||
Impact & Effort | Medium | Low | |||
GRI | High | High | High | High | |
2.18 | Web typography must be highly optimized and appropriate | ||||
Success Criterion | |||||
Impact & Effort | Medium | Low | |||
GRI | Medium | Medium | Medium | Medium | |
2.19 | Suitable alternatives to any provided format must be offered | ||||
Success Criterion | |||||
. | |||||
Impact & Effort | Medium | Medium | |||
GRI | Medium | Medium | Medium | Medium | |
2.20 | Provide accessible, usable, minimal web forms | ||||
Success Criterion | |||||
Impact & Effort | Low | Low | |||
GRI | Medium | Low | Medium | Low | |
2.21 | Consider the impact of visitors using non-visual browsers | ||||
Success Criterion | |||||
Impact & Effort | Low | Medium | |||
GRI | Medium | Low | Medium | Low | |
2.22 | Provide useful notifications to improve the visitor's journey | ||||
Success Criterion | |||||
Impact & Effort | Low | Low | |||
GRI | Medium | Low | Medium | Low | |
2.23 | Reduce the impact of downloadable or physical documents | ||||
Success Criterion | |||||
Impact & Effort | Medium | Low | |||
GRI | Medium | Low | Medium | Low | |
2.24 | Policies and processes must exist to get stakeholders invested | ||||
Success Criterion | |||||
Impact & Effort | High | Medium | |||
GRI | High | High | High | High | |
2.25 | Audit and test for bugs or issues that require resolving | ||||
Success Criterion | |||||
Impact & Effort | Medium | Medium | |||
GRI | Medium | Medium | Medium | Medium | |
2.26 | Measure and test for performance | ||||
Success Criterion | |||||
Impact & Effort | Medium | Low | |||
GRI | Medium | Medium | Medium | Medium | |
2.27 | Ensure features provide maximum value for their impact | ||||
Success Criterion | |||||
Impact & Effort | Medium | Low | |||
GRI | Medium | Medium | Medium | Medium | |
2.28 | Verify that real-world users can successfully use your work | ||||
Success Criterion | |||||
Impact & Effort | Medium | Medium | |||
GRI | Medium | Medium | Medium | Medium | |
2.29 | Check for compatibility or platform-specific issues | ||||
Success Criterion | |||||
Impact & Effort | High | Medium | |||
GRI | High | High | High | High |
3.1 | Set goals based on potential impact considerations | ||||
Success Criterion | |||||
Impact & Effort | Medium | Medium | |||
GRI | Medium | Medium | Medium | Medium | |
3.2 | Remove unnecessary or redundant information | ||||
Success Criterion | |||||
Impact & Effort | Low | Low | |||
GRI | Low | Low | Low | Low | |
3.3 | Modularize bandwidth-heavy components within projects | ||||
Success Criterion | |||||
Impact & Effort | Medium | Low | |||
GRI | Medium | Medium | Medium | Medium | |
3.4 | Tree shaking should be used to remove unnecessary code | ||||
Success Criterion | |||||
Impact & Effort | Medium | Medium | |||
GRI | Medium | Medium | Medium | Medium | |
3.5 | Sustainable solutions must be accessible | ||||
Success Criterion | |||||
Impact & Effort | High | Medium | |||
GRI | Medium | Medium | Medium | Medium | |
3.6 | Redundancy and duplication in code should be avoided | ||||
Success Criterion | |||||
Impact & Effort | Medium | Medium | |||
GRI | Medium | Medium | Medium | Medium | |
3.7 | Third-party services should be assessed as first parties | ||||
Success Criterion | |||||
Impact & Effort | High | Medium | |||
GRI | High | High | High | High | |
3.8 | Code must follow good semantic practices | ||||
Success Criterion | |||||
Impact & Effort | Medium | Medium | |||
GRI | Medium | Medium | Medium | Medium | |
3.9 | Render blocking should be resolved | ||||
Success Criterion | |||||
Impact & Effort | Medium | Low | |||
GRI | Medium | Medium | Medium | Medium | |
3.10 | Information to help understand the usefulness of a page should exist | ||||
Success Criterion | |||||
Impact & Effort | Low | Low | |||
GRI | Low | Low | Low | Low | |
3.11 | Forms must validate for errors, accounting for tooling requirements | ||||
Success Criterion | |||||
Impact & Effort | Medium | Low | |||
GRI | Medium | Medium | Medium | Medium | |
3.12 | Metadata is structured for machine readability | ||||
Success Criterion | |||||
Impact & Effort | Medium | Low | |||
GRI | Medium | Medium | Medium | Medium | |
3.13 | Sustainable CSS user preference media queries are used | ||||
Success Criterion | |||||
Impact & Effort | Medium | Low | |||
GRI | Medium | Medium | Medium | Medium | |
3.14 | Layouts work across devices and requirements | ||||
Success Criterion | |||||
Impact & Effort | Medium | Low | |||
GRI | Medium | Low | Medium | Low | |
3.15 | Use beneficial JavaScript and its APIs | ||||
Success Criterion | |||||
Impact & Effort | High | Medium | |||
GRI | High | High | High | High | |
3.16 | Ensure that your scripts are secure | ||||
Success Criterion | |||||
Impact & Effort | Medium | Medium | |||
GRI | Medium | Medium | Medium | Medium | |
3.17 | Dependencies are appropriately used and maintained | ||||
Success Criterion | |||||
Impact & Effort | Medium | Low | |||
GRI | Low | Low | Low | Low | |
3.18 | Include expected and beneficial files | ||||
Success Criterion | |||||
Impact & Effort | Low | Low | |||
GRI | Low | Low | Low | Low | |
3.19 | Avoid using deprecated, proprietary, or outdated code | ||||
Success Criterion | |||||
Impact & Effort | Low | Medium | |||
GRI | Low | Low | Low | Low | |
3.20 | Use the most efficient solution to implement your service | ||||
Success Criterion | |||||
Impact & Effort | Medium | Medium | |||
GRI | Medium | Medium | Medium | Medium | |
3.21 | Use the latest stable language version | ||||
Success Criterion | |||||
Impact & Effort | Medium | Medium | |||
GRI | Medium | Medium | Medium | Medium | |
3.22 | Take advantage of native features and functionality | ||||
Success Criterion | |||||
Impact & Effort | Medium | Low | |||
GRI | Medium | Medium | Medium | Medium | |
3.23 | Run fewer, simpler queries as possible | ||||
Success Criterion | |||||
Impact & Effort | Medium | Low | |||
GRI | Low | Low | Low | Low |
4.1 | Choose a sustainable hosting provider | ||||
Success Criterion | |||||
Impact & Effort | High | Medium | |||
GRI | Low | Low | Low | Low | |
4.2 | Optimize caching with offline access supported | ||||
Success Criterion | |||||
Impact & Effort | High | High | |||
GRI | Medium | High | Medium | High | |
4.3 | Compress files where it is beneficial | ||||
Success Criterion | |||||
Impact & Effort | High | Low | |||
GRI | Low | Low | Low | Low | |
4.4 | Setup necessary error pages and redirection links | ||||
Success Criterion | |||||
Impact & Effort | Low | Low | |||
GRI | Low | Low | Low | Low | |
4.5 | Unless required, avoid utilizing unnecessary environments | ||||
Success Criterion | |||||
Impact & Effort | Medium | Low | |||
GRI | Low | Low | Low | Low | |
4.6 | Allow automation but ensure it is tightly regulated | ||||
Success Criterion | |||||
Impact & Effort | High | Medium | |||
GRI | Low | Low | Low | Low | |
4.7 | Define the frequency of data refreshes | ||||
Success Criterion | |||||
Impact & Effort | Medium | Low | |||
GRI | Medium | Medium | Medium | Medium | |
4.8 | Backup critical data at routine intervals | ||||
Success Criterion | |||||
Impact & Effort | Low | Low | |||
GRI | Low | Low | Low | Low | |
4.9 | Consider the impact and requirements of processing information | ||||
Success Criterion | |||||
Impact & Effort | Medium | Medium | |||
GRI | Low | Low | Low | Low | |
4.10 | CDN use must be proportionate and sustainable | ||||
Success Criterion | |||||
Impact & Effort | Medium | Low | |||
GRI | Low | Medium | Low | Medium | |
4.11 | Infrastructure decisions must meet business requirements | ||||
Success Criterion | |||||
Impact & Effort | Medium | Medium | |||
GRI | Low | Low | Low | Low | |
4.12 | Store data according to the needs of your users | ||||
Success Criterion | |||||
Impact & Effort | Low | Low | |||
GRI | Low | Low | Low | Low |
5.1 | Have an ethical and sustainable product strategy | ||||
Success Criterion | |||||
Impact & Effort | High | High | |||
GRI | High | High | High | High | |
5.2 | Assign a sustainability representative | ||||
Success Criterion | |||||
Impact & Effort | Medium | Low | |||
GRI | Medium | Medium | Medium | Medium | |
5.3 | Inform, raise awareness, and train for sustainability | ||||
Success Criterion | |||||
Impact & Effort | Medium | Medium | |||
GRI | Medium | Medium | Medium | Medium | |
5.4 | Communicate the ecological impact of user choices | ||||
Success Criterion | |||||
Impact & Effort | Medium | Medium | |||
GRI | Medium | Medium | Medium | Medium | |
5.5 | Estimate a product or service's environmental impact | ||||
Success Criterion | |||||
Impact & Effort | Medium | Medium | |||
GRI | Medium | Medium | Medium | Medium | |
5.6 | Define clear organizational sustainability goals and metrics | ||||
Success Criterion | |||||
Impact & Effort | Low | Medium | |||
GRI | Low | Low | Low | Low | |
5.7 | Verify your efforts using established third-party business certifications | ||||
Success Criterion | |||||
Impact & Effort | Medium | Medium | |||
GRI | Medium | Medium | Medium | Medium | |
5.8 | Implement sustainability onboarding guidelines | ||||
Success Criterion | |||||
Impact & Effort | High | High | |||
GRI | High | High | High | High | |
5.9 | Support mandatory disclosures and reporting | ||||
Success Criterion | |||||
Impact & Effort | Medium | Medium | |||
GRI | Medium | Medium | Medium | Medium | |
5.10 | Create one or more impact business models | ||||
Success Criterion | |||||
Impact & Effort | High | Medium | |||
GRI | High | High | High | High | |
5.11 | Follow a product management and maintenance strategy | ||||
Success Criterion | |||||
Impact & Effort | High | Low | |||
GRI | High | High | High | High | |
5.12 | Implement continuous improvement procedures | ||||
Success Criterion | |||||
Impact & Effort | High | High | |||
GRI | High | High | High | High | |
5.13 | Document future updates and evolutions | ||||
Success Criterion | |||||
Impact & Effort | Low | Low | |||
GRI | Low | Low | Low | Low | |
5.14 | Establish if a digital product or service is necessary | ||||
Success Criterion | |||||
Impact & Effort | High | Low | |||
GRI | High | High | High | High | |
5.15 | Conduct a full life-cycle assessment | ||||
Success Criterion | |||||
Impact & Effort | Medium | Medium | |||
GRI | Medium | Medium | Medium | Medium | |
5.16 | Provide a supplier standards of practice | ||||
Success Criterion | |||||
Impact & Effort | High | High | |||
GRI | High | High | High | High | |
5.17 | Share any economic benefits | ||||
Success Criterion | |||||
Impact & Effort | High | High | |||
GRI | High | High | High | High | |
5.18 | Share decision-making power with appropriate stakeholders | ||||
Success Criterion | |||||
Impact & Effort | Low | High | |||
GRI | Low | Low | Low | Low | |
5.19 | Use Justice, Equity, Diversity, Inclusion (JEDI) Practices | ||||
Success Criterion | |||||
Impact & Effort | High | High | |||
GRI | High | High | High | High | |
5.20 | Promote responsible data practices | ||||
Success Criterion | |||||
Impact & Effort | High | Medium | |||
GRI | High | High | High | High | |
5.21 | Implement appropriate data management procedures | ||||
Success Criterion | |||||
Impact & Effort | Low | High | |||
GRI | Low | Low | Low | Low | |
5.22 | Promote and implement responsible emerging technology practices | ||||
Success Criterion | |||||
Impact & Effort | High | Medium | |||
GRI | High | High | High | High | |
5.23 | Include responsible financial policies | ||||
Success Criterion | |||||
Impact & Effort | High | High | |||
GRI | High | High | High | High | |
5.24 | Include organizational philanthropy policies | ||||
Success Criterion | |||||
Impact & Effort | High | Medium | |||
GRI | High | High | High | High | |
5.25 | Plan for a digital product or service's care and end-of-life | ||||
Success Criterion | |||||
Impact & Effort | Medium | Medium | |||
GRI | Medium | Medium | Medium | Medium | |
5.26 | Include e-waste, right-to-repair, and recycling policies | ||||
Success Criterion | |||||
Impact & Effort | High | Medium | |||
GRI | High | High | High | High | |
5.27 | Define performance and environmental budgets | ||||
Success Criterion | |||||
Impact & Effort | Medium | Medium | |||
GRI | Medium | Medium | Medium | Medium | |
5.28 | Use open source where possible | ||||
Success Criterion | |||||
Impact & Effort | High | High | |||
GRI | Medium | Medium | Medium | Medium | |
5.29 | Create a business continuity and disaster recovery plan | ||||
Success Criterion | |||||
Impact & Effort | Low | Medium | |||
GRI | Low | Low | Low | Low |
Additional information about participation in the Sustainable Web Interest Group can be found within the GitHub repository of the Interest Group.
Alexander Dawson, Simon Perdrisat, Tim Frick