Plain Language Awards

What Plain Language Awards does

The Plain Language Awards is an annual recognition program operated by the WriteMark Plain English Awards Trust, a New Zealand-registered not-for-profit organization. Founded approximately 19 years ago by Lynda Harris (Chief Executive of Write Group), the program celebrates excellence in clear communication across New Zealand and Australia. It features 13 award categories spanning documents, websites, digital tools, sentence transformations, technical communication, and individual or team champions, plus public-nominated People's Choice and Brainstrain awards for best and worst communications respectively. The 2025 ceremony was held at Parliament, Wellington, underscoring its public-sector legitimacy.

The program accepts entries and conducts judging through the Submittable online platform and supports educational outreach via Trophy Tips seminars, a video gallery of plain language stories, and a multi-channel digital presence (website, newsletter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter/X). It has no proprietary technology of its own; the core offering is the annual awards cycle, judging panels, and an associated blog/newsletter ecosystem.

The business model is not-for-profit and is funded through entry fees and a tiered sponsorship structure. Platinum sponsors include Write Limited (the founder-affiliated consultancy that also administers the program), WriteMark Limited, and the Wright Family Foundation. Gold and bronze sponsors span media (Newsroom), industry bodies (PRINZ, TechCommNZ), and service providers (Touchprint, Editor Software, Bring on Monday). For 2026, the program has been paused, with the Trust publicly seeking volunteer support to relaunch in 2027, and the recent deaths of key benefactors Chloe and Wayne Wright have removed long-standing institutional backing.

Name

Plain Language Awards

Legal name

WriteMark Plain English Awards Trust

Website

https://plainlanguageawards.org.nz

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Plain Language Awards is a New Zealand-based not-for-profit annual recognition program operated by the WriteMark Plain English Awards Trust, celebrating excellence in clear communication across 13 categories for organizations and individuals in New Zealand and Australia.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Communication Awards and Recognition Programs

NAICS

All Other Miscellaneous Schools and Instruction (611699), Business Associations (813910)

SIC

Services-Services, Nec (8900), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Assessment, Certification & Qualifications Frameworks (BPADAKAL)

akta.pro secondary industry

Speech & Debate Judging, Tabulation & Tournament Services (EDAMAOAO)

Keywords

• Plain language awards
• Clear communication recognition
• Writing awards program
• Communication excellence awards
• Plain English recognition

Headquarters

HQ city

Wellington

HQ country

New Zealand

HQ region

Oceania

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels11 records

Core offering

The Plain Language Awards is an annual recognition program operated by the WriteMark Plain English Awards Trust that celebrates excellence in plain language communication across New Zealand and Australia. The program features 13 categories covering documents, websites, digital tools, individual champions, and teams in both public and private sectors, with entries submitted through the Submittable online platform and winners announced at an annual ceremony.

Product overview

The Plain Language Awards is an annual awards program operated by the WriteMark Plain English Awards Trust that celebrates clear communication across New Zealand and Australia. The program features 13 award categories recognizing plain language champions, best documents and websites in public and private sectors, sentence transformations, annual reports, technical communicators, digital tools, and people's choice awards. The core offering consists of the awards program itself, annual ceremonies, and the Submittable-powered online entry and judging platform. No formal API, AI capabilities, or certifications are associated with the awards program itself.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Plain Language Awards Program Annual awards program operated by the WriteMark Plain English Awards Trust that recognizes excellence in plain language communication across New Zealand and Australia through 13 categories for documents, websites, digital tools, individuals, teams, and organizations in both public and private sectors.
• Annual Awards Ceremony Annual in-person event where winners in each of the 13 categories are announced and celebrated, hosted at venues such as Parliament, Wellington. Includes networking and professional development opportunities for entrants, judges, and sponsors.
• People's Choice and Brainstrain Public Nominations

Quantifiable outcome

• Awards have been running for 19 years, recognizing clear communicators in New Zealand and Australia

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• WriteMark LimitedflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerPlatinum sponsor and founding partner of the Awards. WriteMark developed the internationally recognized WriteMark quality mark for clear documents. Offers complimentary WriteMark mini-assessments to ceremony attendees.
• Write LimitedflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerPlatinum sponsor and founding partner. New Zealand's premier plain language consultancy founded by Lynda Harris (Awards founder). Provides Awards administration as part of sponsorship. Lynda Harris founded the Awards 19 years ago.
• Wright Family FoundationcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPlatinum sponsor for over 20 years. Founded by humanitarians Chloe and Wayne Wright, focusing on mothers and children. Contributed to project management, sponsored Best Plain Language Sentence category and Submittable subscription.
• Graphic SolutionscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPlatinum sponsor, a boutique Wellington design studio. Provides design flair for Awards branding and publications.
• TouchprintminorGTM or Marketing PartnerGold sponsor and valued printing sponsor for the Plain Language Awards.
• TechCommNZminorGTM or Marketing PartnerGold sponsor. The industry body for technical communication in New Zealand, supporting and educating technical communicators around the country.
• Colleen TroloveminorGTM or Marketing PartnerGold sponsor. Plain language training provider working across Aotearoa New Zealand, helping people write clear, quick communications.
• NewsroomminorGTM or Marketing PartnerGold sponsor and media partner. Independent New Zealand-based news and current affairs site delivering in-depth storytelling.
• ConsumerminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSilver sponsor since the Awards began. Consumer organization investigating issues, mystery shopping, giving advice, and campaigning for consumer rights.
• Public Relations Institute of New Zealand (PRINZ)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerBronze sponsor. Industry body for public relations and communication management professionals with over 1,000 members.
• Community Comms CollectiveminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBronze sponsor. Registered charity offering voluntary communications expertise to community organisations.
• Editor SoftwareminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBronze sponsor. Provides StyleWriter plain English editing software as prizes for winners.
• Bring on MondayminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBronze sponsor. Accounting, business coaching, and bookkeeping services for Kiwi entrepreneurs.
• SubmittablecoreTechnology or IntegrationOnline platform used for accepting entries and conducting the judging process. Sponsorships contributed to subscription costs.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Others

• International Plain Language Federation: Global body promoting plain-language standards and adoption. Thematically aligned and a natural potential partner or umbrella organization for the Awards if it seeks to expand beyond NZ/AU.
• Document Design Alliance: US-based organization promoting effective document design and clear communication. Adjacent thematically — comparable mission of advancing accessible communication but focused on design rather than running recognition programs.
• WriteMark Limited: Founder/flagship sponsor of the Awards and operator of the internationally recognized WriteMark plain-language quality mark. Highly related — not a direct peer — because it is a certification mark rather than an awards program, but operates in the same plain-language ecosystem with overlapping judging expertise.
• Plain Writing Act of 2010 (US federal program): US federal plainlanguage.gov program promoting clear government communication. Comparable as a regulatory-adjacent plain-language recognition/advocacy body, though government-operated rather than an independent non-profit awards program.

Direct peers

• Center for Plain Language: US-based non-profit that runs the ClearMark Awards, the leading North American plain-language recognition program. Operates a near-identical model (annual awards, judging panels, public/private sector categories) and competes for the same plain-language advocacy audience.
• Clarity (international association for plain language): International professional association for plain language with members across legal, technical, and government communication. Comparable mission and global scope; runs conferences and recognition activities that overlap with the Awards' professional-development positioning.
• Plain Language Association of Australia (PLAIN): Australian member-based association promoting plain language. Highly comparable because the Plain Language Awards already accepts Australian entries — making PLAIN a logical local partner or potential competitor for entrants in the same trans-Tasman market.
• Plain English Campaign: UK-based organization that runs the Plain English Awards (and its annual "Foot in Mouth" award for worst public-sector jargon). Directly comparable as the most prominent plain-language awards program in another English-speaking jurisdiction, with a similar recognition, awards, and advocacy model.
• Plain Language Network (PLAIN, Canada): Canadian plain-language community that organizes an annual conference and related recognition activities. Directly comparable as a peer plain-language community organization serving a single English-speaking market with advocacy and recognition programs.

Emerging players

• STC (Society for Technical Communication): International professional association for technical communicators with awards programs touching plain-language categories (e.g., Technical Communication awards). Overlaps with PLA's "Best Plain Language Technical Communicator" category and serves a similar professional audience in NZ via TechCommNZ (a PLA gold sponsor).

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/PlainLangAwards
• Facebookfacebook.com/plainlanguageawards
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/plain-language-awards

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 Language Awards