I’m a big fan of plain English on websites for a wide variety of reasons, most of which boil down to reaching the widest audience possible. While there are of course instances where more flowery language is appropriate, communicating important information is not usually one of them.
So if there’s an easier way to say something, use it. And this is what went through my mind as I was browsing the Climate Action website today, when I saw its strapline:
Assisting business towards carbon neutrality
As the platform is produced in partnership with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), I think it’s fair to assume the target audience is at least Europe-wide. The majority of those people will speak English as a second language.
Even though English is my native language, I still need a split second to unravel the meaning, which isn’t ideal. In addition, the wording has a distinct whiff of ‘corporate speak’. I think the following is clearer while still saying exactly the same thing:
Helping business become carbon neutral
What’s your opinion?
