About Plain English Campaign
Plain English Campaign has been in existence since 1979, campaigning against jargon gobbledygook. The Campaign officially began after founder, Chrissie Maher OBE, publicly shredded hundreds of official documents in Parliament Square, London. Entirely independent, the organisation funds its work through its commercial services, which include editing and training.
In 1990, the Campaign launched the Crystal Mark, the first mark of its type, which is now used by over 1600 organisations worldwide who want to provide the clearest possible information.
The Campaign has helped government departments, other public authorities and official organisations, international banks and a variety of institutions and corporations with their documents, reports and publications. They have edited, rewritten, clarified and ‘Crystal-Mark’ approved documents worldwide, in the belief that everyone should have access to clear and concise information.
It was a lengthy and arduous process to have our product literature assessed, approved and kite marked by the Campaign – reflecting their attention to detail and absolute commitment to members using simple language, avoiding jargon and providing clear explanations that investors can understand. It may sound simple, but actually it was a significant project and an important commitment – and we think it’s a very positive and important step forward.
We were very impressed by the Campaign, learnt a lot and would wholeheartedly recommend engaging with it to professional advisers, who can do so in a number of ways. As well as offering proof-reading and editing services, the Campaign runs a range of training programs to help marketing departments understand and apply plain English principles. There are different membership options, ranging from lifetime membership to single department membership. Corporate members receive a number of benefits, including access to high quality training and discounted rates for editing.
Plain English Campaign has very kindly agreed to allow professional advisers to benefit from our corporate discounts.