Inclusive language
Fortiv is used by people across roles, regions, and abilities, often during a crisis. Inclusive language isn't decoration — it's part of being clear and respectful under pressure. Write so every reader feels addressed and no reader has to decode.
Principles
Four habits that cover most cases. When in doubt, choose the wording that is plainest and assumes the least about the reader.
Address the reader directly
“You” and the imperative work for everyone. Avoid assumptions about gender, seniority, or background.
Describe the situation, not the person
Talk about what's happening — a disrupted service, a missing owner — rather than labeling people.
Plain words travel
Idioms, sports metaphors, and culture-specific references don't translate. The plainer the word, the more people it reaches.
Retire harmful metaphors
Some long-standing tech terms carry exclusionary baggage. Neutral replacements are clearer anyway.
Gender-neutral by default
Almost nothing in BCMS depends on a person's gender. Use “they”, role names, or a direct address instead of gendered defaults.
Terms to retire
Replace exclusionary or violent technical metaphors with neutral equivalents. The replacements are usually more precise, not just kinder.
| Use | Avoid | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Allowlist / blocklist | Whitelist / blacklist | Avoids tying good/bad to color; also clearer. |
| Primary / replica | Master / slave | Describes the relationship accurately, without the slavery reference. |
| Placeholder / example | Dummy | Neutral and unambiguous. |
| Quick guide / cheat sheet | Sanity check | Avoids ableist framing. |
| Disabled (UI state only) | Using “disabled” for people | Reserve the word for controls, never describe people. |
Ability & accessibility
Don't assume how someone perceives or operates the product. This overlaps with the accessibility foundation — the words matter as much as the markup.
A global audience
BCMS is read worldwide, often translated. Plain, literal language is easier to translate and harder to misread.
Use literal verbs and nouns that survive translation.
Don't use idioms or sports metaphors (“hit it out of the park”, “ballpark”).
Write dates unambiguously (12 Mar 2026) and spell out units in prose.
Don't assume a region, currency, or holiday calendar in examples.