WriteMark
Plain Language Standard
Clarity counts when you’re accountable
Clarity counts for business growth. Image by Micheile Henderson / Unsplash licence
Clarity, honesty, and respect all add up for a long-time WriteMark holder, Kendons Chartered Accountants.
Financial agreements can be taxing, but Kendons has found a way to communicate complex topics with clarity. They recognise that having the WriteMark on several of their key business documents supports their business need for clear communication.
Kendons’ business terms and key client letters all carry the WriteMark seal of approval for clarity. And they have done since 2012.
‘We are straight up. We believe in clarity, honesty, and respect. Making a difference for our clients is our thing.’
An ongoing commitment to keeping things clear
Kendons has recently updated their business terms to include changes in legislation. They wanted to make sure that the updated documents would still meet the WriteMark Standard. The new content covers complex topics, such as anti-money laundering and non-compliance with laws and regulations.
For the Kendons team, getting to the heart of how the changes might affect their clients is important — but so is explaining the changes as clearly and concisely as possible. Kendons also decided to use the update as an opportunity to check existing text.
The result? Kendons is proud to say that their 2021 terms and key client documents continue to carry the WriteMark — the quality mark of clear communication that shows you care.
Kendons has also championed plain language over the years as a valued sponsor of New Zealand’s Plain English Awards — they’re a company that’s walking the talk and doing good!
View the register of WriteMark holders
Anne-Marie Chisnall April 19th, 2021
Posted In: The WriteMark, WriteMark Holders
Tags: accountants, accounting, clients, financial documents
Clearly, it’s still Summer
Summer KiwiSaver helps you on your financial literacy journey. Image by John Dame / Unsplash licence
Forsyth Barr continues its plain language journey with the latest update to the product disclosure statement for Summer KiwiSaver. For the sixth year in a row, Summer KiwiSaver has kept its WriteMark status by continuing to commit to clear communication.
The WriteMark Plain Language Standard shows readers that a document is easy to read and act on.
Trish Oakley, Head of Summer, explains why they’ve consistently sought the WriteMark as a hallmark of clarity for their document.
‘We want to show our commitment to plain language so that our investors can easily understand KiwiSaver, and make well-informed decisions about their investments.’
Financial documents change, but they needn’t lose clarity
When a document changes, it needs a quick check-up to make sure it still reaches the high standard demanded by the WriteMark. This time around, the updates were needed to reflect changes to legislation, tax wording, and processes.
‘Summer’s product disclosure statement is a living document’, says Trish, ‘and as it changes, we’ll continue to seek the WriteMark tick. That way, we’re supporting our investors in their financial literacy — helping them to understand the language of money.’
Clarity inspires trust
Here at WriteMark we commend providers like Forsyth Barr.
Write and WriteMark CE Lynda Harris says,
‘Information about investment affects decisions that have a far-reaching impact. Forsyth Barr has committed to clarity in a field that is known for its complexity. Their members can be confident that Forsyth Barr really does ‘walk the talk’ when it comes to putting customers’ needs first.’
Read Summer’s product disclosure statement
Read our earlier story about Summer KiwiSaver
Read Summer’s article about their commitment to clarity on their website
Find out more about getting a WriteMark assessment
Anne-Marie Chisnall April 16th, 2021
Posted In: The WriteMark, WriteMark Holders
It’s always clear when it’s Summer
It’s always clear when it’s Summer KiwiSaver. Image by David T / Unsplash licence
Forsyth Barr is celebrating Summer this week. Their Summer KiwiSaver scheme’s product disclosure statement (PDS) is shining bright because it has again met the WriteMark Plain Language Standard. The Summer KiwiSaver PDS is now in its fifth year of reaching this sought-after confirmation of clarity.
The PDS has new content to reflect both legislative changes and changes to risk indicators for some of the scheme’s funds. Investors can still easily learn about how the Summer KiwiSaver scheme works, its risks, and what rights they have when investing.
Trish Oakley, Head of Summer, is determined to keep the standard of clarity high.
The WriteMark shows our continued commitment to plain English and to making KiwiSaver easy for our members to understand. That way they can make informed decisions.
Each time the document changes, we’ll make sure it continues to hold the WriteMark. That shows our commitment to transparency and accessibility.
Investing can be straightforward,
not complex
Like the team at Summer, we think clear writing in financial documents is important to help consumers make good investment decisions. You shouldn’t have to be a financial expert to be able to understand the financial information that affects you.
In a field that’s known for complexity, issuing a really clear statement about your product has far-reaching effects. A financial institution can build trust and goodwill by communicating clearly with its customers. And that’s a bright outlook for all of us.
Lock in clarity by getting the WriteMark on your documents. Image by Daniel Park / Unsplash licence
Discover resources to help you write clear financial documents
How can you get started on creating a clear financial document? Our evergreen advice is to consider your reader’s needs and put yourself in their shoes.
Think about the purpose of your document. Explore ways you can convey complex information simply, so that people who are not financial experts can understand your writing. You’ll find lots of helpful tips in our easy-to-use checklist — the Write Plain Language Standard.
Download Write’s free Plain Language Standard
Download Write’s free ebook Unravelling Financial Jargon
Check out the Financial Markets Authority’s glossary of financial terms on the FMA website
Find out more about getting a WriteMark assessment
Anne-Marie Chisnall August 20th, 2020
Posted In: WriteMark Holders
Tags: clear language, financial documents, industry standards, KiwiSaver, Legal documents