Reflecting B Corp values in our writing
Deepti Sur | March 2, 2026
Image by B Corp
March is B Corp month. This gave us a reason to pause and reflect on how the B Corp values — justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion — show up in our work.
We looked at the writing people encounter in everyday life. The instructions they skim. The documents that quietly influence their decisions. The guidance they come back to because they weren’t quite sure the first time.
Our reflections reinforced just how much everyday writing can help — or hinder — the social good we aim to do.
What unclear writing does
When writing is hard to follow, most readers may assume it’s their fault. They reread, guess, and worry about getting it wrong.
The organisation stays comfortable, and the reader must do the extra work.
Once you notice that imbalance, it’s hard to ignore. It changes how you think about clarity.
So for us, plain language isn’t limited to words, style, or tone. It’s also about effort — who carries it, and who doesn’t.
Writing for how readers actually read
Most writing is created for an ideal reader — someone who is calm, focused, and familiar with the topic.
But this reader doesn’t show up very often.
Real people read in fragments. They read between meetings and chores. They read when they are tired or under pressure. Perhaps they may be reading in a second language and wondering whether they can trust what they are reading.
These are the readers we write for.
In our work with clients and trainees, we accept interruption. We expect skimming. We recognise that readers don’t want to work hard to understand what is being asked of them.
These considerations influence every decision we make about writing and help us make the content more accessible.
Inclusive writing is more than just words
A lot of conversations about inclusive writing focus on words. That matters. But it’s rarely the main issue.
The parts that usually cause problems are unclear structure or long sentences that demand too much attention. Then it’s headings that don’t explain the text that follows, or instructions that expect readers to fill in gaps.
These issues slow readers, making it hard for them to understand the content and use the information.
But when the writing does its job well, no one notices, and readers move through the content seamlessly without interruption.
Letting go of writing habits that don’t help
We understand that some writing habits may be difficult to change.
Legal phrasing feels safer. Academic tone feels serious. Corporate language feels familiar.
But as plain language practitioners, we ask whether such writing is fulfilling its purpose. Often it isn’t.
The goal is not to strip out complexity for the sake of it, but to make the content more usable for readers. And for this, we may have to question long-standing habits and make different choices.
What our work with B Lab clarified
We’ve worked directly with B Lab, the organisation behind B Corp, to improve the clarity of its standards and guidance.
That work was practical and, at times, challenging. It meant deciding what really needed to be said and what did not. It meant prioritising readers over traditional writing styles.
Our experience reinforced something we already knew: our writing choices shape who participates and who quietly drops out — with real consequences for justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion.
Read about our work with B Lab in the case study on our website
What this looks like if you work with us
If you’re a client, you’ll notice we ask a lot of questions. Who is this for? Where might readers hesitate? What happens if they misunderstand this part?
If you’re a trainee, you’ll start by thinking critically about the purpose, audience, and impact of your writing. You’ll begin to see writing more as a responsibility than a mere expression.
In both cases, our approach turns everyday writing into a way to practise justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion — B Corp values we aim to uphold in everything we do.
If writing is part of your work, the free tools on our website can help. They are the same tools we use ourselves, and we encourage you to use them to polish your writing.