The Inclusive Innovation Playbook

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Inclusive Language

One of the most common challenges when it comes to diversity and inclusion is the fear of saying the wrong thing. Often this leads to people saying nothing at all, as they are worried about using incorrect or insensitive terms. This inaction can be damaging as it does not challenge the status quo, nor drive the change that is needed.

Not using inclusive language in a personal context has social consequences. But not using it in a product innovation context has economic costs and can hurt your success.

So, what is inclusive language?

And why is it so important?

The definition of inclusive language

There is no official definition of inclusive language. Organisations assume different definitions, often without making it transparent what they actually mean. Many companies talk of inclusive language when they only mean gender-inclusive language, while others only mean language that avoids slurs. Confusion can inhibit progress.

The goal of inclusive language is to make everyone feel that they belong - which is the ultimate goal of all diversity, equity and inclusion efforts by a company, be it towards their own employees or towards their customers. We use the following definition of inclusive language:

“Inclusive language avoids wordings that express bias and any form of open or hidden discrimination or stereotypes with regard to any diversity dimension. Special care is taken to address and include everyone, regardless of their background. By using inclusive language, we have the goal to make everyone feel that they belong.”

Examples of inclusive language

Let’s bring our definition to life with some examples:

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You can find

more examples here⁠

Why is inclusive language important in product innovation?

Because it is a lever for success!

When writing - let’s say for your product or on a landing page announcing your product - have you ever asked yourself if you are really addressing the full diversity of your target audience?

Are you making sure not to use vocabulary that could consciously or even unconsciously deter your customers from diverse backgrounds?

And even more so: Have you discovered how you can tap into economic potential if you do pay particular attention to it?

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Inclusive innovation business growth strategy

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Social movements like BlackLivesMatter, #meToo and LGBTQIA+ have greatly changed our perception of society. There is greater awareness of the complex mix and the realisation in marketing and communication that people with diverse backgrounds are often not addressed by product communication. But this has commercial consequences.

70% of Generation Z consumers are more trusting of brands that represent diversity in ads according to

Microsoft Research⁠

“85% of women say that if they like a brand, they will stick with it, according to Nielsen Scarborough data” says Mariko Carpenter, Nielsen’s Vice President of Strategic Community Alliances.

Effective product communication uses language that addresses and involves everyone. Thus, when you announce a new product or create a new landing page, it is crucial to use language that is inclusive across these different dimensions of diversity. Choosing the wrong language can hurt your business because some people won’t feel addressed by your message.

Getting started

To learn and implement inclusive language is easier said than done. Traditional language is often ingrained very deeply in our culture and muscle memory. We were socialised over years with certain expressions and sayings in product innovation. It’s hard to change such habits. Language also evovles over time. What was once common parlance can become unacceptable.

Take the following steps to get started to implement inclusive language across your organisation.

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Inclusive language checklist that summarises the key points in the list below.

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Plan

Get your management onboard. Define together with them what Inclusive Language means in your company and how it shall be implemented in product innovation. Ask your management to make a public announcement that the company is determined to implement Inclusive Language.

Define your priorities: Recognise that adopting inclusive language is not a single switch. Consider where you’ll focus first. This could be specific words or phrases to stop using, specific groups to ensure your language is inclusive towards or specific artefacts you’d like to review and update such as your job adverts or marketing materials.

Develop inclusive language guidelines. For more advanced teams you can create clear inclusive language guidelines. This includes being clear on your ‘why’, your definitions and the aspects of diversity you will cover as well as ‘where’ you expect inclusive language to be used. It also involves creating a grading system so you can distinguish between language that is not acceptable vs desirable. Here is a

guide⁠

on exactly how to do this with a ready made template. Use the

resources⁠

below for more inspiration.

Leverage technology. Use a digital tool with which all employees working in product innovation can implement Inclusive Language easily and simply. Just to give a definition and the will to do so, is not enough. You must give employees a means to implement it. Productivity is key here.

Use for example

Witty⁠

is a browser plugin that helps any employee to detect non-inclusive wording in real time and provides them with alternative suggestions. It also provides learning bites about the bias behind the word, educating users about historical and neurological reasons of the bias and making them bias aware.

Learn

Educate yourself: Learn about the different identities and experiences of the people you are trying to include, so that you can use appropriate and respectful language. Be aware that there is not always one correct answer. Different people identify with or are triggered by different language.

Consult with relevant communities: Ensure that you address and involve all target groups by seeking input and feedback from the communities that you are trying to include in your language.

Ask people how they want to be addressed: Being mindful of people means that you should ask them how they want to be addressed, be it with regards to their pronouns or when it comes to the method of “person first” or “identity first” (for example: person with disability or disabled person). Check with members of communities you refer to, to ensure you are not using outdated or inappropriate terms.

Avoid language that causes harm: Pay attention to the words you use and how they may be perceived by different people. Make an intentional effort to use language that makes people from minority groups feel included. Be mindful of language that may be exclusive or biased towards certain groups. Avoid reinforcing negative stereotypes and using generalisations about certain groups of people. Avoid cultural appropriation and harmful terms that are rooted in racist and anti-Black metaphors.

Use gender-neutral language: Avoid assuming gender by using gender-neutral pronouns such as “they”. Avoid male defaults such as “he”, “policeman”, “taxman”, “postman” or “manpower”. Other examples might include using partner, parent and child, instead of father/mother, husband/wife or son/daughter.

Improve

Create safety for feedback: It's important to create safe spaces to overcome the fear of saying the wrong thing. To address non-inclusive language, it's necessary to unlearn traditional habits and invite feedback from supportive individuals. However, it's crucial to ensure a safe space before pointing out non-inclusive wording, as unsolicited corrections can have negative consequences.

Continually review and update: Regularly review your language to make sure it is still appropriate and respectful, as language and culture are constantly evolving.

Measure your success. When applying inclusive language, we should also measure the effects of it throughout the company. Some tools enable this to be done automatically, or you can take a more manual approach.

Resources

Inclusive Language Guide from Oxfam

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An Incomplete Guide to Inclusive Language for Startups and Tech from Buffer

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Guide: Inclusive Language and Vocabulary for Startups and Tech Understanding the vocabulary of diversity & inclusion can feel like learning a new (but very worthwhile!) language. Here's our incomplete but growing guide. buffer.com⁠

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Better UX writing for intersectional inclusion from Better Standards Club

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Accessible and inclusive content design from Intuit

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Guide to Inclusive and Equitable Workplace Communications from Pyn

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