The Champion Best Organisation leads the way for clear communication | Photo by Joshua Golde on Unsplash

We asked Lynda Harris, Awards founder and CE of our principal sponsor Write, why she’s so excited about the Champion categories in the Plain English Awards.

First of all, what do we mean when we talk about an organisation being a plain language champion?

The Plain English Champion category is my absolute favourite! The title implies two strong, equally important concepts connected with the word ‘champion’. Most obviously it means being ‘the winner’ — the best, the highest achiever, the standard-setter, the model for others to follow. And we applaud that!

But also embodied in the title of this category is the concept of being an advocate — being a champion for a cause.  Plain language champions believe in the power of clarity and are proud to share their ideals with the world.

What are some of the characteristics that set a champion organisation apart?

An organisation that wins the Plain English Champion category has some stand-out features that truly do set it apart. A champion organisation has shown evidence of a deliberate, focused, consistent choice across the whole organisation to use plain language. This means they make their expectations clear from the top.

The chief executive and senior leaders of a champion organisation talk about the ‘why’ of plain language. They and their management teams encourage and support others to adopt a clear style of communicating throughout the organisation. They promote the connection between clarity and their organisation’s values. (How often have you seen a company say they’re customer-focused, and then tried to work your way through a difficult form or a jumbled website?)

Champion organisations celebrate the benefits of clear communication — things like greater job satisfaction and improved workplace culture, or better customer retention and a stronger reputation for their business.

What do you think the judges will be looking for in the winning portfolio?

Evidence is key to a winning portfolio! The judges will be looking for evidence of a wholehearted commitment to making plain language the norm across the whole organisation. That sounds easy but means a lot.

In a plain language organisation, you’ll find evidence that the CEO and senior team have drawn a line in the sand and set a strong expectation that:

• the reader rules! Everyone considers their reader in every communication, both internal and external
• staff learn what good looks like — everyone writes to an agreed plain language standard
• senior people show the way — the CEO and all managers set an example and model plain language
• staff have help — they can easily find helpful resources and champions who can help
• new documents are clear and reader-friendly
• feedback and measurable results support the change to plain language.

What this evidence all adds up to is that plain language is woven into the fabric of the organisation.

Why does Write sponsor this category?

You can see that everything about this category is dear to Write’s heart. Our mission is to help organisations and individuals get more value from their daily investment in business communication. When we fulfil our mission, we help build a fairer, more respectful society.

We see the Plain English Awards as another way we can promote the benefits of clear communication. And the Champion category is the one that allows us to celebrate other organisations that are on a similar path to us.

Read about the purpose of the Plain English Awards

Preparing your Champion entry

Read about the criteria and prizes for the Champion categories

Read about other clues that your organisation is a champion of clear communication