An ISO standard on plain language is introduced
A major step toward forms, letters, contracts, and policies that everyone can easily read and understand!
Clear and simple language can't be improvised
An ISO standard on food safety—that goes without saying. But an ISO standard on plain language? Think of the countless contracts, forms, letters, and other communications produced by public and private organizations that are difficult to read, understand, and use—despite all the best intentions to be as clear and simple as possible!
The fact is, clarity cannot be improvised or taken for granted. It must be built methodically and evaluated from the reader’s perspective. That is the true value of the ISO 24495-1:2023 standard on plain language, published in June 2023.
A standard that places the reader at the center of the design process
The result of an international consensus based on empirical data and the expertise of dozens of international experts, the ISO 24495-1 standard is currently the most credible source for producing documents in clear and simple language.
The standard fills a gap by providing guiding principles and guidelines for designing documents—whether on paper or in digital format—that are truly clear, simple, and functional.
Since the clarity and simplicity of a document are subjective, the standard not only describes best practices for writing clearly and simply, but also provides tools for adapting to the needs of the target audience and for assessing the document’s level of comprehensibility and usability. The characteristics and needs of the reader therefore play a central and decisive role.
A Significant Impact on Organizations Subject to Legal Plain Language Requirements
Although its application is voluntary, this standard on clear and simple language could have a significant impact on any public or private organization subject to a legal obligation to ensure clarity. In particular, organizations that publish:
Consumer or standard-form contracts (Art. 1436 of the Civil Code of Québec, Art. 25 of the Consumer Protection Act).
Privacy policies and consents regarding the use of personal information (the new Bill 25, the Act to Modernize Legislative Provisions Regarding the Protection of Personal Information in the Private Sector, requires organizations to draft policies and consents in clear and simple language effective September 22, 2023).
Other documents published by financial institutions, insurance companies, and telecommunications companies, which are subject to various requirements to communicate in plain language.
This ISO standard could:
To be used by organizations as a reference to ensure that the content they produce is written in clear and simple language for the people it is intended for.
To be incorporated into regulations by authorities that already require organizations to be transparent.
To be used as evidence when the clarity of a contract or policy is in dispute.
To serve as a credible and rigorous reference tool when evaluating the clarity and simplicity of a document.
To date, no body is authorized to certify an organization, product, or service as compliant with the ISO standard on plain language, but discussions are underway within the international community of experts with a view to future certification.
An initiative by international organizations dedicated to promoting plain language
The draft ISO standard on plain language was initiated in 2019 by the International Federation for Plain Language, formed in 2009 by the three leading international associations dedicated to promoting plain language:
Clarity which works to promote plain language in the legal field.
PLAIN which works to promote plain language in all fields.
Center for Plain Language which works to promote plain language in North America.
What's next? Work has just begun on developing an ISO standard for clear and simple legal language (ISO 24495-2).
The Benefits of Plain Language for Organizations and Legal Professionals
For Organizations
Increase Your Organization's Internal Efficiency
Build trust with your customers and business partners
Provide an engaging and inclusive employee experience
Support Your Image as a Responsible Brand
Increase Your Sales
For attorneys, notaries, and other legal professionals
Applying the principles of the ISO 24495-1 standard on plain language helps enhance the value, impact, and credibility of the legal professions by ensuring:
Improved compliance, particularly when the use of plain language is required by law.
More effective decision-making by external and internal customers.
More informed consent, thereby strengthening its validity.
Compliance with a lawyer’s ethical obligation to communicate in a way that is understandable to the client.
For members of professional associations
Users of professional services who are more competent and confident in the services they receive.
Members who are better informed and better equipped to fulfill their ethical obligations.
The involvement ofEn Clair
Since 2016, we have been dedicated to simplifying and humanizing a wide range of legal and other complex documents. Plain language and legal information design are at the heart of the expertise of our multidisciplinary team of lawyers, communication experts, UX designers, and graphic designers.
We are privileged to have a front-row seat to the work being done on the ISO standard for plain and simple language:
Clément Camion, afounding partner at En Clair, is one of the Canadian representatives on ISO Technical Committee 37 and serves as an expert from the plain language industry. He is currently participating in the development of another ISO standard—this time on plain legal language (24495-2)—within Working Group WG11.
Stéphanie Roy, Esq., who is also a founding partner at En Clair, is vice president of the international association CLARITY, which serves as the liaison organization within the ISO working committee.
It should be noted thatISO (International Organization for Standardization) is an international nongovernmental organization that brings together experts from all countries to develop voluntary international standards. Active for 75 years now, ISO is a recognized mark of trust used in many industries to ensure the consistency and quality of products and processes. In fact, according to their estimates, ISO standards influence 80% of global trade in goods.
Learn More
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Sign up for our training course The new ISO standard on plain and simple language.
