Skip to content
Brand Guide
Brand Guide
More
Share
Explore
Tone & Voice

Inclusive

⁠
⁠
⁠
We treat everyone with respect and without prejudice. Our diversity and inclusivity is our strength: it allows us to have ideas and solve problems from different perspectives and it increases competitiveness, creativity, and collaboration.

Use cross-cultural expressions

⁠
⁠
⁠
Write to be understood no matter what the reader’s cultural background is. Your content might be read by people who might be reading English as a second (or third or fourth …) language and it might be translated.

Minimize your use of idioms

Idioms are often based on a particular culture and tend not be hard for people from other cultures to understand. Write using more universal language.
The possibilities for your travels are endless.
To get to the point, it’s your decision now.
It might look like a good deal, but that’s only because it’s stolen.
The sky’s the limit for your travels.
To cut to the chase, the ball’s in your court now.
It might look like a real bargain, but that’s only because it fell off the back of a lorry.

Avoid slang

Slang can be harder for people with English as a second language to understand.
We’ll answer you very soon.
You only get one life, so get out of your neighborhood and explore the world.
We’re gonna answer you real soon.
YOLO, so get outta your bitz and explore the world.

Be inclusive

⁠
⁠
⁠
We write so everyone feels a part of what we are saying. Make sure your writing includes everyone in its defaults.

Use gender-neutral language

Using language that sets the default to male can make people feel excluded. Use terms that include everyone, such as genderless terms. Feel free to use “they” in the singular for people of unknown gender.
After users log in, they’ll see a welcome screen.
Everyone, come and join the fun!
flight attendant
After the user logs in, he’ll see a welcome screen
Guys, come and join the fun!
steward/stewardess

Focus on people, not characteristics

When describing people, put the people first. Make exceptions for groups who prefer identity-first descriptions.
People with disabilities
People without disabilities
A Deaf person
The disabled
Normal people
A person with deafness

Write accessibly

⁠
⁠
⁠
Make sure everything you write is
accessible
⁠
to everyone. Remember that not everyone will see your visual content, so communicate the message in various ways.
Include various fallbacks for your content.
Use emojis/images/and so on to make your textual content more interesting, but don’t replace words.
Want to print your doc?
This is not the way.
Try clicking the ⋯ next to your doc name or using a keyboard shortcut (
CtrlP
) instead.