Plain English Foundation

What Plain English Foundation does

Plain English Foundation Pty Ltd is an Australian professional services and training firm headquartered in Sydney that specializes in plain language communication services. Founded over 20 years ago by Drs Neil James and Peta Spear, the company delivers three integrated revenue streams: (1) training — over 20 different workshops including the trademarked "Getting to the Point" flagship, specialist courses for legal writing, policy and procedure drafting, and reviewing, plus the 2025 "Plain Language Meets AI" offering and the 2024 self-paced "Business Writing Boost" course; (2) editing and consulting — in-depth plain English editing, document templates, custom writing and style guides, and the proprietary Verbumetric evaluation system; and (3) certification — Gold Plain Language Certification for documents, websites and organizations, with all services aligned to ISO 24495-1.

The company serves three primary verticals: government (federal, state and local — with pre-approved panel supplier status at Services Australia, Digital Transformation Agency, NSW Government, Local Government Procurement and Local Buy), corporate (law firms, banks, superannuation funds), and not-for-profit organizations. Its go-to-market is dual: public workshops sold direct-to-consumer online (A$548-A$1,542 per participant) and corporate training delivered under service agreements with dedicated account management. Editing and evaluation work is delivered through consulting engagements.

The business is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Lumify Group, a diversified Australian training provider with offices across six capital cities. Headcount is small (9 stated team members, 11-50 range), consistent with a high-margin advisory model. Reported cumulative outcomes include 52,000+ professionals trained, 500+ organizations served, and 5,000,000+ words edited. The company holds registered trademarks for "Getting to the Point" and "Verbumetric," and operates the free Australian Style Guide as a top-of-funnel content asset.

Name

Plain English Foundation

Legal name

Plain English Foundation Pty Ltd

Website

https://plainenglishfoundation.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Plain English Foundation is a Sydney-based training and editing firm that delivers plain language workshops, document editing, and ISO-aligned certification to Australian government agencies, corporates, and not-for-profits, operating as a subsidiary of Lumify Group.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Workplace Communication Training and Editing Services

NAICS

Professional and Management Development Training (611430), Business Schools and Computer and Management Training (6114)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Live Online Language Tutoring & Small-Group Classes (EDAMAFAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

In-Person Language Tutoring & Small-Group Classes (EDAMAFAE)

Keywords

• Workplace writing training
• Plain language editing
• Corporate communication skills
• Legal writing training
• Business writing workshops

Headquarters

HQ city

Sydney

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Corporate Training Services: Custom training programmes for organisations delivered under service agreements. Includes over 20 different workshops covering various document types and communication tasks. Available as 1-day Essentials or 2-day Baseline courses, delivered online or face-to-face.
2. Public Workshop Enrolments: Individual workshops open to everyone, delivered online via Microsoft Teams. Participants pay per workshop with prices ranging from approximately $548 to $1,542 per person depending on workshop type and duration.
3. Self-Paced Refreshers: Business Writing Boost self-paced course running approximately 4 weeks. Participants access materials for 3 months. Offered at $935 including GST, or at 50% discount as part of training bundles.
4. Editing Services: Professional editing services including in-depth editing (substantive plain English editing that transforms wording, structure and design), document templates, writing and style guides, and evaluation services.
5. Evaluation and Certification Services: Evidence-based tools to evaluate writing including Snapshot assessments, Editorial reviews, and Verbumetric analyses. Also offers plain language certification for documents, websites, or entire organisations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Plain English Foundation delivers plain language training workshops (over 20 different programs, including flagship Plain Language Essentials, Briefing and Correspondence Writing, Masterclass in Reviewing, Plain Language for Lawyers, and Plain Language Meets AI) and professional editing services (in-depth editing, document templates, writing/style guides, and Verbumetric evaluation and certification). Offerings are ISO 24495-1-aligned, delivered via online workshops, face-to-face corporate sessions, and self-paced refresher courses for individual learners, government departments, law firms, banks, insurers, and not-for-profits across Australia.

Product overview

Plain English Foundation is Australia's leading provider of plain language training and editing services, operating as a training and professional services company. The portfolio consists of three interconnected pillars: (1) Training Services including flagship workshops like Plain Language Essentials (Getting to the Point®), Briefing and Correspondence Writing Essentials, Masterclass in Reviewing, and specialist offerings such as Plain Language Meets AI and Plain Language for Lawyers, plus self-paced refreshers like Business Writing Boost; (2) Editing Services encompassing in-depth editing, document templates, writing and style guides, evaluation services (including the proprietary Verbumetric® analysis), and plain language certification; and (3) Free Resources including the Australian Style Guide and digital tools. The company delivers over 20 different workshops to corporate, government and not-for-profit clients, with options for public online workshops, corporate team training, and training bundles combining initial workshops with discounted refreshers. The company is ISO-aligned and part of Lumify Group.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Plain Language Essentials (Getting to Point) The flagship plain language workshop introducing seven core concepts (process, core message, structure, design, tone, clarity, readability) applicable to all workplace communications, delivered as a 1-day workshop online or face-to-face.
• Briefing and Correspondence Writing Essentials Public workshop for individuals and teams on writing effective letters, emails and briefs using plain language principles and writing models for clarity and precision.
• Masterclass in Reviewing Specialist workshop for managers and senior staff who review workplace documents, teaching efficient reviewing methods and constructive, objective feedback techniques.
• Plain Language Meets AI: Clarity at Speed Workshop combining generative AI tools (ChatGPT, Copilot) with plain language principles to help participants write quickly, clearly and confidently across workplace communications.
• Plain Language for Lawyers Specialist half-day workshop for legal practitioners providing tools to write clear, client-focused contracts, legal advices, deeds and court documents.
• Masterclass in Policy and Procedure Writing Workshop for establishing clear policies and digital frameworks for governance, regulatory alignment, and risk control in compliance, operations, and corporate procedures contexts.
• Business Writing Boost Self-paced refresher course helping participants improve persuasive writing and become self-editors over 4 weeks, with reference materials, hands-on activities, quizzes and weekly trainer check-ins.
• Corporate Training Workshops Over 20 different training workshops for corporate, government and not-for-profit organisations covering audit reports, emails, board papers, fact sheets, briefing papers, media releases and more, delivered as 1-day Essentials or 2-day Baseline courses online or face-to-face.
• Training Bundles Corporate bundle combining an initial Baseline or Essentials workshop with half-price self-paced refresher courses that team members can use to refresh skills up to 12 months after initial training.
• In-depth Editing Substantive plain English editing service that transforms wording, structure and design of documents by restructuring content, enhancing layout and rewriting expression for maximum clarity.
• Document Templates Standardised MS Word template files for letters, reports and briefs ensuring format consistency, with built-in styles, layout guidance and instructional text for effective document creation.
• Writing and Style Guides Customised writing guides establishing organisational writing and style standards, tailored to document types such as customer correspondence, ministerial briefs or audit reports.
• Evaluation Services (Snapshot, Editorial Review, Verbumetric) Suite of evidence-based writing evaluation tools including Snapshot assessment, Editorial review and Verbumetric quantitative analysis for assessing and improving organisational writing standards.
• Plain Language Certification Certification service for documents, websites or entire organisations using Verbumetric evaluation against ISO-aligned criteria for content, structure, design, expression and style.
• Digital Badges Digital credential system allowing participants to share and verify their plain language qualifications easily across professional networks.

Quantifiable outcome

• 66% to 10% reduction in error rates - New Zealand citizenship form rewrite
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers15 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability4 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Lumify Groupparent companyOthersThe Plain English Foundation is part of Lumify Group, a premium provider of digital, soft and future skills training. The group is committed to developing lifelong learners for the roles of the future. Plain English Foundation operates as a subsidiary within the Lumify Group portfolio.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Dale Carnegie Training: Global provider of business communication, presentation, and interpersonal-skills training with licensed trainers across markets. Comparable as a soft-skills training brand targeting enterprise clients with communication-related outcomes.
• Australian Institute of Management: Australia's largest provider of management and business training, operating short courses and corporate programs. Comparable to Plain English Foundation as a domestic Australian professional training provider, though much broader in scope and curriculum.
• Lumify Group: Parent group of Plain English Foundation and broader provider of digital, soft, and future-skills training across Australia. Directly comparable as the umbrella entity and as a sibling training brand competing for similar Australian enterprise and government training spend.

Direct peers

• Center for Plain Language: US non-profit advocating plain language use and hosting the annual ClearMark awards. Directly comparable as a plain language advocacy and standard-setter, though focused on awareness and awards rather than paid training/editing services.
• Australian Writers' Centre: Australia-based training provider offering courses in writing for business, fiction, and digital media. Directly comparable as a domestic Australia-based provider of professional writing training sold to individuals and corporate clients.

Others

• Enago: International editing and publication-support services firm serving academic, corporate, and individual clients. Compares as an editing services peer, though with a different customer mix than Plain English Foundation's government and legal focus.
• Editage: Global scientific and professional editing services provider with enterprise, academic, and individual customers. Comparable as a competitor in the broader editing services market, though focused on academic and scientific content.

Regional players

• Lighthouse Communications Consulting: UK-based consultancy offering plain language training, editing, and writing services to public and private sector clients. Comparable in service mix (training plus editing) but operating primarily in UK/EU markets.
• WriteMark (New Zealand): New Zealand-based plain language consultancy providing training, editing, and evaluation services to government and corporate clients. Closely comparable in service mix and customer profile (government, legal, corporate) but focused on the NZ market rather than Australia.
• Clarity (International Plain Language Association): UK-headquartered international membership association promoting plain language across European and Commonwealth markets. Comparable as a peer organisation operating in the same plain language standards and advocacy space but primarily outside Australia.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/PlainEnglishAus
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UChqM8byy4OU8ih1vdoR8gSA
• Facebookfacebook.com/plainenglishfoundation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/plain-english-foundation

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Plain English Foundation