WriteMark

Plain Language Standard

WriteMark Terms of Use

WriteMark

Purpose of these Terms of Use

This page sets out the terms governing your use of the WriteMark. By continuing to display the WriteMark logos on an approved document (or any related text you make available to the public), you agree to these terms.

If, in the future, you no longer agree with these terms, or you cannot meet them, you must stop using the WriteMark logos.

Read this page alongside the logo guidelines, which we’ll provide to you when we approve a document to display the WriteMark logos.

Who ‘we’ and ‘you’ refer to in these Terms of Use

In these Terms of Use:

  • ‘we’, ‘us’, and ‘our’ refers to WriteMark Limited NZBN 9429035422013, PO Box 5938, Wellington 6140, New Zealand, administered by Write Limited
  • ‘you’ and ‘your’ refers to the owner of any approved document.

What we mean by the ‘WriteMark logos’

On this page, the ‘WriteMark logos’ refers to the following, including colour, reverse, and monochrome versions:

  • the WriteMark® logo
  • the WriteMark® Plus logo
  • the WriteMark® Alert logo.

Your rights to use the WriteMark on approved documents

In relation to any approved document you own, you can:

  • publicly state that your approved document has met the WriteMark Plain Language Standard or the WriteMark Plus Plain Language Standard (if awarded)
  • display the WriteMark logo or the WriteMark Plus logo (under the terms below)
  • display the WriteMark Alert logo online and in related printed material.

When you can display the WriteMark logos

When we approve a document to display the WriteMark or WriteMark Plus, it becomes an approved document.

When you achieve the WriteMark

You can claim that an approved document has met the WriteMark Standard and display the WriteMark logo on it only after:

  • we’ve assessed it against the WriteMark Plain Language Standard
  • we’ve determined that it meets the criteria in the WriteMark Plain Language Standard, and given our approval in writing for it to display the WriteMark logo.

When you achieve the WriteMark Plus

You can claim that an approved document has met the WriteMark Plus Standard and display the WriteMark Plus logo on it only after it has:

  • achieved the WriteMark Plain Language Standard
  • been user-tested using a method we approve
  • been updated to address user feedback.

Your responsibilities

You must meet the responsibilities in this section to continue using the WriteMark logos in relation to your approved document.

If you don’t, we may withdraw approval under the section below (‘What happens if you breach these terms’).

Allow us to assess and approve changes and updates

When you update an approved document, we need to check that it still meets the WriteMark Plain Language Standard.

You must resubmit any approved document to us for reassessment and approval when you make changes to the text or layout.

Follow our guidelines for displaying the logos

You must display the logos as set out in the logo guidelines.

The logo guidelines are in a separate document we’ll provide to you, which we may update from time to time.

Allow us to name your company as a WriteMark holder

By displaying the WriteMark or WriteMark Plus logo, you give us permission to list your company or organisation’s name on our website as a WriteMark holder.

Provide us with a final copy of any approved document

You must send us a copy of the final approved document to keep on file.

When you make updates to an approved document, after we approve the changes, you must send us a copy of the the final updated version.

Protect the reputation of the WriteMark

You must maintain and protect our good reputation and the reputation of the logos.

What happens if you breach these terms

If you breach any of these terms, we may withdraw approval for the document connected with the breach.

If you breach any of these terms, we may require you to:

  • remove the WriteMark logos from all documents
  • stop using the WriteMark logos in any context, or exercising any other rights you have under these terms.

Previous WriteMark agreements

Nothing in these terms shall contradict any previous agreement we have made with you to use the WriteMark logos on your approved documents.

Jurisdiction

These terms are governed by the laws of New Zealand.

The courts of New Zealand have exclusive jurisdiction over any disputes about these terms.

Download these terms as a PDF

Download the WriteMark Terms of Use (PDF, 95KB)