Plain Language Awards

Celebrate the stories of our clearest business communicators

Judge: Best Plain Language Document — Private sector

Image, Susan Kleimann


Co-founder and senior partner, Kingsley–Kleimann Group, Denver, USA

For Susan, language has power: the power to help people live better lives. This core belief is the foundation of her work. Since 1997, she has developed and tested high-impact plain language documents that touch millions of people. She has always focused on transforming mundane, often confusing documents, like mortgage agreements, privacy notices, insurance letters, benefits applications. These are the documents that can help people make better decisions and have better lives.

Susan has served as chair of the Center for Plain Language. Inspired by our own Plain English Awards, she began the Center’s highly successful ClearMark Awards. She has often judged for the Plain English Awards, and she’s a frequent national and international speaker.

Susan is on the committee to develop the near-complete ISO Standard for Plain Language. She is now serving on the International Plain Language Federation sub-committee to explore certification in plain language for organisations. Susan also served as chair of the first virtual plain language conference in October 2020 — Access for All: Plain Language is a Civil Right.


Meet the judges for the Plain Language Awards

How the judging process works