Inclusive language: another step towards accessible justice

I’m pleased to share a new report reviewing how we use inclusive language at the Social Security Tribunal.

We asked an external expert to look at some of our documents – like decisions, letters, and forms – for inclusive language. We wanted to know how we’re doing and where we can improve.

The report found that the use of inclusive language has improved since members adopted our new style guide in August 2021. However, there’s still more we can do!

We got some recommendations to help us make sure the language we use is more accessible and inclusive going forward. Here are some examples:

• Use language alternatives as provided in the report
• Create guiding principles for gender-neutral language in French
• Continue member training and regularly review our progress

We’re committed to acting on these recommendations. Some of the steps we plan to take include:

• adopting alternative terminology
• updating our style guides and templates
• promoting inclusive writing internally
• improving guidance on the use of gender in French writing

To see our complete plan, check out our Management Response and Action Plan.

As always, we’re committed to following through on our access to justice initiatives. Continuous improvement is the key to building a justice system that works for the people who use our services.