CUSHMAN & WAKEFIELD

STYLE GUIDE
FOR WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS

Updated 10.2018
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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Welcome to the Style Guide ................................................................................ 2

Use of Cushman & Wakefield .............................................................................. 3

Brand Identity ....................................................................................................... 3

Grammar and Usage ........................................................................................... 4

Abbreviations ............................................................................................ 4

Acronyms and Abbreviations in RFPs ....................................................... 6

Calendar .................................................................................................... 7

Capitalization ............................................................................................. 8

Currencies ................................................................................................. 9

Frequently Confused Words .................................................................... 10

Numbers .................................................................................................. 19

Punctuation ............................................................................................. 20

Style and Tone ................................................................................................... 28

Biographies ............................................................................................. 32

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WELCOME
TO THE STYLE GUIDE

This style guide has been developed as a tool for all Cushman & Wakefield
professionals preparing written documentation in English, including marketing
materials, proposals, letters, emails, press releases, research reports, etc. Our
company employs tens of thousands of people in offices and countries around the
world. It is essential that when speaking on behalf of Cushman & Wakefield, we
sound consistent as a company while retaining our individual voices.

Communications and marketing teams should pay particular attention to the Style
Guide to ensure a consistent, professional and standardized approach, which is key
for a successful brand. When writing, do so with the end-user in mind.

If you have a question that you don’t see answered, please contact Liz Radford in
Americas Corporate Communications.

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Use of Cushman & Wakefield, CW and C&W

Our Name
“Cushman & Wakefield” should be written in full whenever we go to market externally. We strongly
suggest the same is done internally. This distinguishes our brand from the competition and their use
of acronyms, and from other firms across various industries which use the initials “CW” or “C&W.”
The use of “Cushman & Wakefield” leverages brand name awareness and the prestige of our formal
name.

In legal contracts and proposals, after the first use of “Cushman & Wakefield” you are permitted to
use “C&W” thereafter.

Abbreviation to “C&W” is occasionally permitted in social media or digital marketing where space
restrictions exist.

Our Tense
“Cushman & Wakefield” is always written in the singular tense. This means you must write:

• Cushman & Wakefield is

• Cushman & Wakefield has

• Cushman & Wakefield was

Never use “Cushman and Wakefield.”

Brand Identity
The Cushman & Wakefield logo is a valuable brand and business asset. As such, it is our
responsibility to protect it and grow its value. Our logo should serve as the primary identifying unit for
all our offices and Cushman & Wakefield businesses. It should appear at least once in every
communication. When the Cushman & Wakefield name appears outside of text, it is to appear in the
logo format. It must never be re-drawn, distorted or dismantled. The logo should never be separated
or used as two pieces. The icon should never be used by itself without the Cushman & Wakefield
lettermark attached to it. It must remain as one.

View our full brand guidelines on the Brand Center.

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Grammar and Usage

Abbreviations
Addresses

When referring to a numbered address, use the abbreviations “Ave.,” “Blvd.” and “St.”

Example: The tenant moved into a new Class-A building at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.

When part of a formal street name without a number, spell them out.

Example: The new Class-A, build-to-suit building is located off of Pennsylvania Avenue.

When used alone or with more than one street name, use lowercase and spell out.

Example: I walked down the avenue.

Example: The tenant will move to the new building, located between Massachusetts and
Pennsylvania avenues, next fall.

United Kingdom
Abbreviate to UK.

United States
Abbreviate to U.S., except when denoting currency (US).

Vs. versus V. versus Versus

• In the U.S.: Abbreviate “vs.” with a period/full stop instead of using “versus.”

• In the UK: Abbreviate “vs” without the period/full stop instead of using “versus.”

• In legal documents, use “v.” (U.S.) or “v” (UK).

• When pairing two other abbreviations, use “versus” (e.g., i.e. versus e.g.).

Square Feet
Spell out “square foot”/“square feet” in the first reference in the document, followed by the
abbreviation “sf” in parentheses; thereafter, use “sf.”

Example: The client currently leases approximately 170,000 square feet (sf) of space at 515
West Greens Road in Houston, Texas.

Do not use “SF,” “S.F.,” “sq. ft.” or “s.f.”

You may use SF in a headline.

Use “square foot” for any amount smaller than one foot (e.g., 0.7 square foot).

Use “square feet” for any amount greater than one foot (e.g., 1.2 square feet).

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When using “sf” as an adjective, such as “a 100,000-square-foot (sf) building” or “a 100,000-sf

building," use hyphens.

5 million square feet (msf) becomes 5 msf. In headlines, separate “M” or “K” from SF (e.g., Team
Completes 5M SF Deal).

When using “per square foot” (psf), indicate in text and in charts and graphs whether rental rates are
quoted monthly or annually.

“Price per square foot per month” should be abbreviated psf/mo.

“Price per square foot per year” should be abbreviated psf/yr.

Assorted Other Rules for Abbreviations

Spell out “triple net rents.” On industrial properties, rental rates are quoted on a triple-net basis. Do
not use “NNN.”

It is important to use “i.e.” and “e.g.” literally and to punctuate them correctly. Many writers confuse
“e.g.” and “i.e.,” and many type “et al.” improperly or do not properly recognize what words it
represents.

e.g.
The abbreviation “e.g.” is from the Latin exempli gratia and means, literally, “for example.” Periods/full
stops come after each letter and a comma normally follows unless the example is a single word and
no pause is natural:

Example: Any facial response (e.g., a surprised blink of both eyes) was recorded.

i.e.
The abbreviation “i.e.” is from the Latin id est, meaning “that is.” Loosely, “i.e.” is used to mean
“therefore” or “in other words.” Periods/full stops come after each letter and a comma normally
follows, depending on whether the wording following the abbreviation dictates a natural pause:

Example: In every case Angle 1 was greater than Angle 2—i.e., every viewer perceived
a circle.

et al
The phrase “et al.”—from the Latin et alii, which literally means “and others”—must always be typed
with a space between the two words and with a period/full stop after the “l” (since the “al.” is an
abbreviation). A comma does not follow the abbreviation unless the sentence’s grammar requires it.
Some journals italicize the phrase because it comes from the Latin, but most do not.

Example: Schweiger et al. applied the neural network method.

Never begin a sentence with any of these three abbreviations; if you want to begin a sentence with
“for example” or “therefore,” always write the words out.

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Commonly Used Acronyms and Abbreviations in RFPs

Please make sure that there is a first reference spelling out the term before using the abbreviation. If
you use more than three abbreviations in one paragraph, you should probably spell it out.

Acronyms
BOMA Building Owners and Managers Association

CCIM Certified Commercial Investment Member

CPA Certified Public Accountant

CPM Certified Property Manager

EPA Environmental Protection Agency

IREM Institute of Real Estate Management

IFM Integrated Facilities Management

ISO International Organization for Standardization

KPI Key Performance Indicator

LEED Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design developed by the U.S. Green
Building Council (USGBC)

MBE/WBE Minority and Women Business Enterprise

MRO Maintenance, Repair and Operating Expenses

NAIOP National Association of Industrial and Office Properties

OSHA Occupational Safety and Health Administration

PCAOB Public Company Accounting Oversight Board

PMO Program Management Office (in the context of Project Management)

PMP Performance Management Program

PSC Portfolio Service Center

QARS Quality Assurance Review

RCM Reliability Centered Maintenance

REITs Real Estate Investment Trusts

SIOR Society of Industrial and Office Realtors

SLAs Service Level Agreements

SPOC Single Point of Contact

TOBY The Office Building of the Year

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Calendar
Formatting for time and dates varies by region. Offices may stick to accepted formats for originating
correspondence.

U.S. International

MONTH DAY, YEAR DD MM YYYY

14 September 2015 – Correct

September 14, 2015 – Correct
14th September 2015 – Incorrect
September 14th, 2015 – Incorrect
September 14th 2015 – Incorrect

Months may be abbreviated to three letters Months may be abbreviated to three letters
followed by a single space without punctuation. followed by a single space without punctuation.

Example: Jul 15 Example: Jul 15

9/14/2015 09 14 2015

Days should be capitalized: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, etc.

Months should be capitalized: January, February, March, etc.

Holidays should be capitalized: Christmas, Easter, Thanksgiving, etc.

Seasons are not capitalized: winter, spring, summer and autumn/fall.

Decades
In text, write out phrases like “1998 to 1999;” do not use dashes in such phrases (e.g., 1999-2001).

Do not use apostrophes when referring to decades (e.g., 1990s, not 1990’s).

Do not abbreviate decades (e.g., 1980s and 1990s, not 1980s and 90s, or Eighties and Nineties).

In tables and graphics, dashes are acceptable in decade ranges, but decades should still not be
abbreviated (e.g., 1998-1999 instead of 1998-99).

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Capitalization
For all headers and graphics titles, use title case (e.g., Leading the Way with Transaction
Management Services, not Leading the way with transaction management services).

Capitalize the first and last word of the title, as well as all words except articles, prepositions and
conjunctions. The elements of hyphenated words that aren’t conjunctions, prepositions or articles
should be capitalized (e.g., Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince).

Note: Some legacy Cushman & Wakefield documents may still have all caps in their titles. Please
ensure these are converted to title case as you come across them. Also, any legacy documents with
sentence case titles should be modified to title case.

Services and Sectors

Capitalize the names of our established services and sectors, because these are proper nouns (e.g.,
Asset Services, Tenant Representation group).

Web and Website

The Associated Press (AP) Stylebook officially changed “Web site” to “website” (as of 2010). You
may still capitalize Web when it refers to the World Wide Web, as it is a proper noun. Style guides
disagree on this; Cushman & Wakefield prefers capitalization of “Web” when it’s the Web.

Internet
Capitalize “Internet” when using the proper noun referring to the Internet.

Example: The Internet makes global communication easy.

“Intranet” and “extranet” are not capitalized, nor is “internet” when used generically.

U.S. Regions
Capitalize the names of recognized U.S. regions (e.g., South, East, Northeast, Southwest, Midwest,
East Texas, Mountain States, New England). Use a comma after “Washington” and do not use
periods/full stops in “DC.”

Example: After his flight to Washington, DC, the pilot flew to San Francisco.

States
Capitalize the word “state” when referring to the name of a specific political or corporate entity;
lowercase when generally talking about a state, or about states in general.

Example: The State of New York issued an RFP. Its headquarters is in New York state.

Use a comma after the city or town when specifying city and state.

Example: His clients are in Anaheim, California and Orlando, Florida.

World-class cities do not require specification of state. Examples include: Chicago, New York, Los
Angeles, Minneapolis, London, Paris, Dubai, Miami, Seattle, Sacramento, San Diego, Dallas,
Houston, San Francisco and Denver.

Spell out the names of states, or use the postal code if you must abbreviate.

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Job Titles
Capitalize a job title when the reference to it is specific. Also capitalize when the job title comes
before the person’s name.

Example: John Doe has been appointed to the position of Chief Financial Officer.

Example: Chief Financial Officer John Doe attended the meeting.

Note: Account Director is the Cushman & Wakefield standard title for the role also sometimes known
as Account Executive, Account Manager and Account Lead in proposal responses.

No caps are needed when the job title is generic.

Example: The Board of Directors decided to appoint a new chief financial officer.

Using Colons
Do not capitalize the first word following a colon unless (a) that word is a proper noun or (b) the text
following the colon is a complete sentence. The following sentences demonstrate proper usage.

Example: The question is: How are we to do this?

Example: In 2003, the proposed team completed three headquarters assignments: a build-to-
suit for the American Marketing Association, a 200,000 sf deal for Jones Smith Will LLC, and
a 50,000 sf lease for Willy Nilly Executive Search, Inc.

Currencies
Use currency symbols with numbers expressed in figures. For amounts in the millions or larger, use a
combination of numerals and words.

Example: $3 million (not $3,000,000), $2,000; €240; £3.

Use a comma for thousands and a period/full stop before decimals: $1,292.65

Write the name of a currency in lower case: euros, dollars, yen, pounds.

The dollar is the currency unit of several countries. To avoid confusion in documents that may be
seen in different countries, use the standard abbreviations:

• USD for U.S. dollars

• AUD for Australian dollars

• CAD for Canadian dollars

• GBP for British pounds

• EUR for euros

• JPY for Japanese yen

• CHF for Swiss francs.

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A comprehensive list of dollar currencies and their abbreviations is here:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dollar.

A full list of circulating currencies and their abbreviations is here:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_circulating_currencies.

Cents should be expressed as $.30 (preferred over 30 cents or 30¢).

Millions / Billions
In sentences, spell out millions and billions.

Example: 5 million square feet

Use proper abbreviations after currency symbols for larger monetary values (M for million, B for
billion) with no space between number and abbreviation.

Example: $200M, €240B, and Cushman & Wakefield won the estimated $10M contract.

Do not use “K” or “k” to denote thousands, except in headlines.

Times
Cushman & Wakefield in the U.S. uses the 12-hour clock.

Example: 8 a.m., 8 p.m., 8:30 a.m., 8:30 p.m.

Always lowercase a.m. and p.m., with periods/full stops.

International times use the 24-hour clock (07:05, 14:10).

Frequently Confused or Misused Words

Advice / Advise / Adviser / Advisory
The noun “advice” means an opinion about what someone should do.

Example: The CEO would like your advice.

The verb “to advise” means to counsel.

Example: We advise you to move on.

The verb “to advise” can also mean to inform, typically in a formal or official way.

Example: You will be advised of the company policies and requirements.

The noun “adviser” means one who advises. “Advisor” is also an accepted spelling.

The adjective “advisory” means having the power or ability to advise.

Example: Cushman & Wakefield’s adviser provided advisory services to the client.

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Affect / Effect
The verb “to affect” means to influence, change or to make a difference.

Example: The rate of inflation affects our revenue.

The verb “to effect” means to cause or bring about.

Example: The negotiators effected an agreement despite the difficulties. She will effect many
changes in the department.

The noun “affect” is a term in psychology and will likely not be relevant to Cushman & Wakefield
writing.

The noun “effect” means result.

Example: The deal will have positive effects on our business.

Allows for
Avoid; instead use “enables.”

Example: This technology enables Cushman & Wakefield to…

Assure / Ensure / Insure

While “ensure” and “insure” aren't quite so clear-cut, “assure” is very different from both. One can
assure a person that things will go right. Never use “assure” in the sense of "Assure that the wording
is correct.” You can only assure somebody that it's correct. As explained below, the proper phrasing
would be “Ensure that the wording is correct.”

“Ensure” and “insure” are sometimes used interchangeably, but it is best to keep them separate.
“Insuring” is the business of an insurance company—in other words, setting aside resources in case
of a loss. “To ensure” means to make sure.

Example: Ensure that this is finished by Monday.

Averse / Adverse
Adverse denotes harmful or dangerous.

Example: Adverse weather conditions resulted in a canceled trip.

Averse is to dislike.

Example: I am averse to change.

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Award / Reward
Award, as a noun, is a prize, usually as the result of a contest or competition. The verb means to
bestow this prize upon someone.

Example: Quincy Jones won the Grammy Award. The trophy is awarded to the best
architectural firm in the city.

Reward is a verb meaning to give something to praise an effort or achievement.

Example: The bounty hunter claimed the sizable reward. Nancy was rewarded for her
contributions to the company.

Better
Do not use “better” and similar words unless using as a comparative adjective or adverb. Instead, use
“optimal” or a similar adjective.

Example: The second offer was better than the first.

Example: The second offer was optimal.

Between / Among
Use “between” to introduce two items, and “among” to introduce more than two.
Example: The selection committee will choose between Cushman & Wakefield and JLL. The
funds were divided among Ford, Carter and McCarthy.

However, “between” is the correct word when expressing the relationships of three or more items
considered one pair at a time.
Example: Tomorrow there will be open debate between the administration and the Budget,
Technology and Transportation committees.

As with all prepositions, any pronouns that follow these words must be in the objective case: “among
us,” “between him and her,” “between you and me.”

Biannual / Semiannual, Bimonthly / Semimonthly

“Biannual” can be confusing, as it inexplicably means “occurring twice a year” and “every two years.”
“Semiannual” only means “occurring twice a year.” There is no clear choice; this debate has been
going on for more than a century. The best bet, especially when noting important clauses like lease
terms, is to add context.

Example: The biannual event will be held in 2016 and 2018.

Example: The semiannual event appeals to summer and winter shoppers.

For general usage, use biannual for every two years and semiannual for twice a year.

“Bimonthly” means “every other month.”

“Semimonthly” means “twice a month.”

Black / Profit
“In the black” means “in profit” in many countries but it also means “making losses” in some places.

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Use “profitable” or “in profit” instead.

Buildout / Build Out

“Buildout” is an industry-specific noun that is not written with a space or a hyphen.

Example: The buildout of digital technology has been very rapid.

The verb “to build out” has a space between “build” and “out.”

Example: We will begin to build out Phase 1 at the end of the year.

Buyout / Buy Out

“Buyout” is a noun that is not written with a space or a hyphen.

Example: You may have the opportunity to negotiate a buyout with your landlord.

The verb “to buy out” has a space between “buy” and “out.”

Example: When the landlord wants to buy out the tenants, the tenants are at an advantage in
the negotiations.

Class A, B, C
“Class” is capitalized in this context. As an adjective, the term is hyphenated when it precedes a
noun, but otherwise, it is not hyphenated.

Example: The building is Class A.

Example: That’s a Class-A building.

Comprise / Compose / Constitute

Parts compose the whole, and the whole comprises the parts. That’s because “to comprise” means
“to include, contain, embrace,” while “to compose” and “to constitute” mean “to make up.”

Example: Cushman & Wakefield’s service lines compose (form, produce) the firm as a whole.
Three divisions compose the parent corporation. The parent company is composed of three
divisions.

Example: Cushman & Wakefield’s service lines comprise (include, contain, embrace, bring
together) not only brokerage, but also asset services and corporate services.

Example: The corporate campus comprises retail, hospitality facilities and office buildings.

Compared to / Compared with

“Compared to” is correct when you want to point out similarities.

Example: He boldly compared his book to the novels of Charles Dickens.

“Compared with” is used to point out both differences and similarities.

Example: He finished the race in 2:11:10 minutes, compared with his closest competitor’s
time of 2:14.

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Complement / Compliment
As a noun, “complement” denotes something that completes something else or mutually supplies
what the other lacks.

Example: Internet service providers and laptop computer manufacturers are complements to
businesses.

A “compliment” is an expression of admiration or commendation.

Example: Our client’s enthusiasm was the best compliment we could receive.

The adjective “complementary” describes two things that complete one another.

Example: Different marketing strategies are not mutually exclusive, but complementary.

The adjective “complimentary” describes admiring or commending; it can also describe something
given free of charge.

Example: The feedback from the conference participants was mostly positive and even
complimentary. Parking was complimentary.

The verb “to complement means to complete or to provide something that the other lacks.

Example: The new software update will complement the existing system.

The verb “to compliment” means to express admiration or commendation.

Example: I complimented her on her outstanding soccer skills.

Construction Completions / Construction Deliveries

Use “construction completions” as standard.

Continuously / Continually
Continuous means never ending.

Example: The solar clock runs continuously thanks to a back-up power cell.

Continual denotes continued activity with stops and starts.

Example: Continual monthly meetings will occur until the end of construction.

Criteria / Criterion
Criterion is a single standard, principle or benchmark, and all of these words are suitable synonyms.
If you have more than one criterion, use criteria.

Data
Cushman & Wakefield uses data as singular.

Example: The data shows growth.

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Discrete / Discreet
Discrete means separate or individual.

Example: There are six discrete product categories.

Discreet means to be careful or show good judgment.

Example: We discreetly recruited the executive.

Elicit / Illicit
Elicit is to coax or extract.

Example: We needed to elicit a commitment from the client.

Illicit is illegal.

Example: Illicit pictures were found on the computer.

Every Day / Everyday

Every day denotes daily frequency. Everyday means commonplace or ordinary.

Evoke / Invoke
Evoke means to call to mind or trigger a memory.

Example: Chocolate evokes memories from childhood.

Invoke is to ask for help or assistance from someone or something.

Example: The senator invoked a majority vote to block the bill.

Farther / Further
Farther works best to express a distance.

Example: He can run farther than any other member of the team.

Further works best to express time or quantity.

Example: Please contact the instructor if you wish to pursue the subject further. Before we
add any further assignments, let’s establish some ground rules.

Fewer / Less
Rule of thumb: less means not as much. Fewer means not as many.

“Fewer” is correct when talking about specific individual items or people.

Example: Fewer than 10 applicants responded to the job posting. We recommend purchasing
100 units or fewer.

Less is correct when expressing ambiguous quantity or bulk.

Example: I have less money in my pocket than yesterday. We used less butter, but added
more olive oil.

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Follow up / Follow-up
The verb “to follow up” takes no hyphen.

Example: She asked the designer to follow up with the client.

The adjective or noun “follow-up” takes a hyphen.

Example: The patient scheduled a follow-up appointment with the doctor. They made plans
for a follow-up after the completion of the project.

Gantt Chart
This term has one “n” and two “ts”.

Greater Than / Less Than

Do not use > or < to indicate “greater than” or “less than” in text. In the context of ranges within a
table, the use of greater or less than signs is acceptable.

Headquarters
“To headquarter” is a verb meaning “to place in headquarters.”

Example: Pfizer decided to headquarter in Pennsylvania.

The noun “headquarters” denotes the administrative center of an enterprise. Thus, the space
Cushman & Wakefield works with is always headquarters, even if there is only one office.

If / Whether
If is traditionally used to denote a condition.

Example: The landlord didn’t know if the tenant would move in on Friday or Saturday.

Whether is used when there is no condition.

Example: The landlord didn’t know whether the tenant would move in on Friday or not.

Lose / Loose
“Lose” means to misplace something or fail at a contest.

“Loose” is the opposite of tight.

Markup / Mark Up
The noun “markup” is one word without a space or a hyphen.

The verb “to mark up” has a space between “mark” and “up.”

Over / More Than

Use “more than” when discussing quantity.

Example: More than $820 million, more than 1.2 million sf

“Over” generally refers to spatial relationships.

Example: She hung the painting over the fireplace.

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“More than” refers to quantities and numerals.

Example: Cushman & Wakefield manages more than 900,000 sf for that client.

Net Absorption
This should always be referred to as “net absorption,” not “absorption.”

Premier / Premiere
The adjective “premier” means top or foremost.

Example: Cushman & Wakefield is the premier source of thought-led research on real estate
markets worldwide.

The noun “premiere” means “debut”.

Example: The highlight of the trip to California was the chance to attend a Hollywood
premiere.

Principal / Principle
The noun or adjective “principal” denotes a thing or person first in rank, authority, importance or
degree.

Examples: Kobe Bryant is the principal player on the Lakers basketball team. She is the
principal of her own architecture firm. Cushman & Wakefield clients have managing principals
in their organizational structure.

The noun “principle” means a fundamental truth, law, doctrine or motivating force.

Example: The American revolutionaries fought for the principle of self-government. Groucho
Marx said, “Those are my principles. If you don't like them, I have others.”

The adverb “principally” means mainly, chiefly, for the most part.

Example: The law firm is principally involved in commercial real estate litigation. The
advertising campaign principally targets youthful consumers.

Proceed / Precede
Proceed means to begin.

Example: Now that the contract is signed, please proceed.

Precede means to come before.

Example: The preceding announcement warned you this could happen.

Quarter
Use “1Q15” when referring to first quarter 2015 in graphs and charts. In text, “quarter” should be
spelled out. Do NOT use “Q1,” “Qtr” or “1st Qtr” in graphs, charts or text.

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Roll Over / Rollover

The noun “rollover” does not have a hyphen or a space (e.g., lease rollover).

The verb “roll over” has a space (e.g., leases roll over annually).

The adjective “roll-over,” when preceding the noun it modifies, takes a hyphen (e.g., lease roll-over
program).

Leases roll over; tenants and space do not roll over.

Setback / Set back

The noun “setback” does not have a hyphen or a space.

The verb “set back” has a space between “set” and “back.”

Stacking Plan
Use “stacking plan” instead of “stack plan.”

Stationary / Stationery
Stationary denotes not moving.

Stationery denotes company letterhead or any materials used for correspondence.

Systematic / Systemic
Systematic means being carried out according to plan.

Systemic means indicative of the whole.

Example: Systematic employee morale changes were implemented to reduce systemic levels
of dissatisfaction within the company.

That / Which
Use “that” in a restrictive clause—a clause necessary to the meaning of the sentence.

Example: We offer a level of expertise that cannot be matched.

When in doubt, use simple and active words: Our expertise is unparalleled.

Use “which” in a nonrestrictive clause—one providing added information that is not essential to
understanding the sentence.

Example: The Project Management Group, which is staffed by experienced professionals,

offers a full range of services.

Note that clauses using “which” are contained within commas because the sentence is valid without
it.

Toward
This should be spelled “toward,” not “towards.”

Well / Good

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Good is an adjective that relates to something or someone.

Example: He is a good kid. He does good work.

Well is an adverb that relates to how something was done.

Example: He works well with others.

Who’s / Whose
Who’s is a contraction of “who is.”

Example: Who’s the boss?

Whose denotes possession.

Example: Whose line is it anyway?

Workers’ Compensation
When discussing the benefit, use the plural possessive, as demonstrated above.

When discussing a general salary, use lower case: “The worker’s compensation was fair.” But it’s
best to avoid confusion by saying: “The employee’s compensation was fair.”

Numbers
Spell out one through nine except with a % sign or in tables. Use numerals for 10 and higher.

A numeral is a figure, symbol or group of these denoting a number. A number is spelled out:
number—nine, numeral—9.

However, at the beginning of a sentence, numbers should be written in full. When writing out
compound numbers at the beginning of a sentence, always use hyphens. However, always use
figures for a year.

Example: Seventy-five people attended the technology workshop. 2013 was a profitable year.

Use Arabic numerals (1, 2, 3…) unless Roman numerals (i ii, iii…) are specifically required.

Always use numerals for percentages and square feet.

Example: 9 square feet, 3% annual growth

Important: If there is a series of numbers, the highest value will determine if the series is written out or
numbers are used.

Example: We toured floors 3, 5, 15 and 22. We toured floors two, three, five and nine.

Spell out first through ninth when they indicate sequence in time or location.

Example: This is the fifth consecutive year for the event. The property was her eighth sale.

Numerical ranges in text should be separated by the word “to,” not a hyphen.

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Example: $25 to $30 per square foot

When ranking one item in comparison to others, use “No.” followed by a numeral.

Example: The San Francisco office is ranked No. 1 in the local market.

If citing a ranking in a headline, it is OK to use the hash tag symbol and a numeral.

Example: Ranked the #1 Commercial Real Estate Brokerage by the Indianapolis Business
Journal

Percent
Use the symbol (%) instead of the word “percent.”

Numbers
For non-currency numbers, use a combination of numerals and words (e.g., 3 million sf, instead of
three million sf or 3.0 million sf). With the exception of years, numbers with four or more numerals
require a comma (e.g., 1,500).

Negative / Positive Symbols

Do not use a minus sign to represent negative numbers or a plus sign for positive numbers. In text,
use the words “negative” and “positive.” Place negative numbers within parentheses in charts; for
example, “(123,456) sf” represents “negative 123,456 sf.”

Numbered Lists in Sentences

Use parentheses in lists written into sentences.

Example: The core services are (1) Transaction Management Services, (2) Portfolio
Administration Services and (3) Global Occupier Services.

Vertical Lists
Do not use parentheses for vertical numbered lists; use period/full stop following a numeral.

Example:

1. Strategic Consulting
2. Portfolio Administration
3. Transaction Management

Punctuation
Accents
On words now commonly accepted as English, use accents only if these automatically appear when
typing the word into Microsoft Word or your typical word processor or when they make a crucial
difference to pronunciation: cliché, soupçon, façade, café, communiqué, exposé, etc.

Ampersand
Instead of an ampersand (&), use the word “and” except in the use of names and titles.

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Example: Cushman & Wakefield, Laverne & Shirley

In proposals, ampersands should only be used in the context of service lines, sectors or regions (e.g.,
the Cushman & Wakefield region referred to as UK & Ireland) or when a client has an ampersand in
its name (Procter & Gamble, Grubb & Ellis). In presentations and tables, the use of an ampersand in
lieu of “and” is acceptable when there are space constraints.

Apostrophes
Apostrophes denote possession.

Example: Cushman & Wakefield’s success, the company’s performance, a buyer’s market

The same applies to singular nouns ending in “s.”

Example: James’s suggestions for the new project were used.

To indicate possession when the word is plural and ends in “s,” place the apostrophe after the final
“s.”

Example: We discussed the properties’ locations.

Do not use apostrophes to make a word plural.

Apostrophes are also used to denote a missing letter or letters in contractions (e.g., “can't” instead of
“cannot,” “don't” instead of “do not”).

Do not use apostrophes in “SLAs” and “KPIs.”

Its / It’s
“Its” is a possessive pronoun and does not have an apostrophe.

“It’s” is a contraction of “it is” or “it has” and does have an apostrophe.

Bullet Points / Numbered Lists

Bullet points may be used to highlight important points, to create format lists or to break up a dense
paragraph containing several points to make it easier to read.

Introduce a list of bullet points with a colon if the bullet points are a continuation of the preceding
sentence.

Each bullet point starts with a capital letter.

Use a period/full stop at the end of a bulleted complete sentence.

Example: The teams agreed on certain principles:

• All stakeholders commit to a timely schedule and a firm budget.

• Transparency and open-book accounting will be standard.

• Innovation and high performance will be rewarded.

It is preferable to keep bullet points fairly brief, e.g., two lines of text or a single sentence per bullet.

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Do not use end punctuation.

Incorrect example:

1. Strategic Consulting;
2. Portfolio Administration; and
3. Transaction Management.

Do not mix sentences and phrases in lists.

Make each item/sentence grammatically consistent (e.g., use only verb phrases or noun phrases). In
other words, if the first item in the list above read “Offers Strategic Consulting,” that would constitute a
grammatical error.

For more information about punctuating bullets, visit Lynn Gaertner-Johnson’s Business Writing Blog.

Vertical Lists
Do not use parentheses for vertical numbered lists; use a period/full stop following a numeral.

Example:

Cushman & Wakefield offers:

1. Strategic Consulting
2. Portfolio Administration
3. Transaction Management

Do not turn a bulleted list into a sentence.

Incorrect Example:

Cushman & Wakefield offers:

1. Strategic Consulting;
2. Portfolio Administration; and
3. Transaction Management.

Do not mix sentences and phrases in lists.

Incorrect Example:
Her goals included:

• Time management

• Learning how to fly

• She wants to be the first woman to land on the moon.

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Make each item/sentence grammatically consistent; use only verb phrases or noun phrases in the
same tense (present, past or future; simple, perfect).

In vertical lists, use a period/full stop after an item only if what follows the bullet is a full sentence.

Commas
Commas and periods/full stops always go inside quotation marks.

If a question mark or exclamation point is part of your quotation, it stays inside; but if the question
mark or exclamation point are not part of the quotation, they go outside the closing quotation mark.

Example: Reynold asked, “Can we have ice cream for dinner?”

Example: Do you actually like that TV show “Saved by the Bell”?

Use serial commas (or Oxford commas) in complex sentences that would be confusing without them.

Example: Case study presentations, interactive learning sessions, industry tours of the host
city (at EMEA and Asia Pacific summits), smaller interest group activities, executive and
development training, and continuing education are available all in one place over two to
three days.

Example: Rebecca was proud of her new muffin recipes: blueberry, peanut butter and
chocolate chip, and coconut.

Do not use serial commas in simple lists.

Example: The investors looked at office, multifamily, retail and industrial properties.

Example: Do you want to go to the park, the restaurant or a movie?

Use a comma before “as well as” if you would put a comma before “and.”

Colons
When a list or series completes a verb, do not use a colon.

Example: Cushman & Wakefield has Asset Services, Project & Development Services,
Global Occupier Services and Investment & Asset Management.

However, when a list or series illustrates the sentence, a colon should be used.

Example: The following are two phases of the Tenant Representation process: market
analysis and the selection of qualified facilities.

Semicolons
The semicolon has three main purposes, one of them mechanical and two of them more for clarity
and sense.

The mechanical purpose is to set off items in a series that already contains commas.

Example: He had eggs the way he liked them, over easy; bacon, locally raised, of course;
toast; and coffee, which he always stirred exactly 10 times to blend in the milk for breakfast.

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Put the final semi-colon before the last “and.”

A second use for the semicolon is to connect two ideas more closely than they would be connected in
separate sentences.

Example: Call me tomorrow; you can give me an answer then.

The third usage of semicolons is in separating long, complex phrases within the same sentence. In
this usage, it acts the way it does for the complex series—clearly separating the ideas in those
phrases—as well as the way it does by combining two (or more) thoughts into one sentence.

However, you want to be sure that the thoughts you’re separating with those semicolons are related.
It may be grammatically defensible to write a sentence like, “I went to the gym to lose weight; a guy
was really cute,” but why would you want to? The reader has no idea what the connection is between
going to the gym and a cute guy.

Avoid the common mistake of using a semicolon to replace a colon. The following sentence is
incorrect. I have the names of the people who want to join the team; John, Sue and Walter.

When you use the word “however” in the middle of a sentence to separate two clauses, it is usually
separated with a semicolon and a comma (... ; however,…). Many modern writers use a comma
instead of the semicolon, but the semicolon is still regarded as more correct.

Example: The 2010–2011 Federal Budget was no fiscal revolution; however, it did mark the
first ‘real’ step towards tax reform following the Henry Review.

You can avoid the semicolon if you replace however with “but” or “yet.”

Hyphens and Dashes

Do not mistake the em dash (—) for the slightly narrower en dash (–) or the even narrower hyphen
(-). Those marks serve different purposes and are further explained in the following sections.

Em Dash
Depending on the context, the em dash can take the place of commas, parentheses or colons—in
each case to a slightly different effect. The em dash is best limited to two appearances per sentence.
Otherwise, confusion rather than clarity is likely to result. Spaces should not be used directly before
or after em dashes.

Em Dashes in Place of Commas

A pair of em dashes can be used in place of commas to enhance readability. Note, however, that
dashes are always more emphatic than commas.

Example: And yet, when the car was finally delivered—nearly three months after it was
ordered—she decided she no longer wanted it, leaving the dealer with an oddly equipped car
that would be difficult to sell.

Em Dashes in Place of Parentheses

A pair of em dashes can replace a pair of parentheses. Dashes are considered less formal than
parentheses; they are also more intrusive. If you want to draw attention to the parenthetical content,

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use dashes. If you want to include the parenthetical content more subtly, use parentheses. Note that
punctuation should not be used directly before or after the dashes.

Example: Upon discovering the errors—all 124 of them—the publisher immediately recalled
the books.

When used in place of parentheses at the end of a sentence, only a single dash is used.

Example: After three weeks on set, the cast was fed up with his direction—or, rather, lack of
direction.

The Em Dash in Place of a Colon

The em dash can be used in place of a colon when you want to emphasize the conclusion of your
sentence. The dash is less formal than the colon.

Example: After months of deliberation, the jurors reached a unanimous verdict—guilty.

Example: The white sand, the warm water, the sparkling sun—this is what brought them
to Hawaii.

An En Dash Instead of an Em Dash

An en-dash is used to connect values in a range or that are related. A good rule is to use it when
you're expressing a "to" relationship. Examples where an en-dash should be used:

• in years 1939–1945

• pages 31–32 may be relevant

• New York beat Los Angeles 98–95

Exclamation Points
Use exclamation points thoughtfully and sparingly, especially in communications! Do not use
exclamation points for emphasis or to make an ordinary sentence seem more exciting. Instead,
choose words that better convey your thrilling message.

Hyphenation
Use a hyphen when two or more words are combined to form a compound adjective. Here are some
examples:

bottom-line full-service long-term

build-to-suit high-tech short-term

cost-effective in-house knowledge-based

cost-efficient mid-year results-based

five-year off-site start-up

fixed-asset re-entry third-party

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value-added client-specific site-specific

programs response plans
year-end
client-facing tools behavior-based
three-year period safety

Do not use a hyphen between words that can better be written as one word. Refer to a dictionary to
be sure. Here are some examples:

cleanup multifaceted retrofit

crossover multimillion setup

email nationwide submarket

eCommerce ongoing telecommute

healthcare (if not online voicemail

client-dictated as
health care) onsite website

infrared outsource worldwide

multidisciplinary reconfiguration workplace

restack

Assorted Other Rules for Hyphenation

Do not hyphenate adjectives ending in “ly” (privately held, highly regarded).

“Single point of contact” should not be hyphenated.

The verb “roll out” is two words; the noun “rollout” is spelled as one word.

Example: We plan to roll out the new benefits structure in March. The sales force mobilized
for action following the successful rollout of the marketing campaign.

In general, the prefix “multi” does not require a hyphen: multisite, multisector, multifamily,
multidisciplinary, multinational, multipurpose. If a spelling without a hyphen seems awkward to read,
it’s okay to add a hyphen: multi-country, multi-year.

The following are some examples of words that should be two words:

cash flow lease up

high end (except when used as an time frame

adjective before noun)

home page

Hyphenate most words that begin with anti, co, non, and neo: non-confirming, co-operation, anti-
glare.


Hyphenate figures followed by the word “worth.”

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Example: $25M-worth of investments 


Hyphenate adjectives formed from two or more words.

Example: small-appliance industry 


Parentheses (Brackets)
Do not overuse parentheses. Items within parentheses should add information, but the sentence
should be fine without it.

Example: The landlord approached dozens of potential new tenants (Gap, Apple, Banana
Republic, etc.) before signing Diesel.

Try to avoid putting entire sentences within parentheses. In many cases, commas or colons are better
used.

Example: Her message was simple: “Let them eat cake.”

Quotation Marks
Limit your use of quotation marks to quote a speaker word for word. If you are paraphrasing, do not
use quotes.

Example: Bob said, “Let them eat cake.”

Example: Bob encouraged everyone to have dessert.

If you use jargon, simply use it; do not draw attention to it by enclosing it in quotation marks.

Most other uses of quotation marks within a sentence imply you might be stretching the truth.

Example: Bob appears to have used some “creative accounting.”

Only use single quotes when you are quoting within a quote.

Example: “I was walking down the street,” said Harriet. “It was then I saw Bob and he said
‘Hello, where do you think you are going?’”

Slash
In headers, leave spaces around a slash (e.g., Team / Resources).

In text, don’t leave spaces around a slash (e.g., tenant/occupant relations program).

Spacing
Use one space after a period/full stop.

Use one space after a colon.

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Style and Tone

Please see the preceding section regarding Brand Identity for important tips about graphic style.
Following are guidelines about written style.

• Be brief.
• Be concise.
• Avoid repetition.
• Put statements in positive form. (e.g., “We recycle” instead of “we don’t waste paper.”)
• Make definitive assertions. (e.g., “We solve problems” instead of “we could solve
problems.”)
• Avoid tame, colorless, hesitant, noncommittal language. (e.g., “We will proceed upon
your approval” instead of “If it’s OK with you, we will proceed.”)
• Whenever possible, reduce long blocks of text to graphic(s) or bullets.

Now let’s dive in a bit deeper:

An Alphabetical Guide to Cushman & Wakefield Style

Aggressive Terminology
Just as writing in ALL CAPS can denote shouting, some word choices can be taken the wrong way by
your reader. Business writing should be educational and solutions-focused. Aggressive word choices
can make a bad situation worse or make you look insecure instead of confident.

Instead of “relentless,” use “determined” or “committed.”

Example: We are committed to helping you succeed your goals.

Change “rigorous” to “meticulous.”

Example: Our Project Managements develop meticulous controls to manage each project.

Swap potentially negative terms like “aggressive” and “small” for diplomatic terms like “compressed”
and “limited.”

Example: We help maintain limited budgets on compressed schedules.

Ambiguous Words
Avoid ambiguous words whenever possible, opting for concrete and visual words instead. “Fine” is
one of the most common and most overused ambiguous words.

Example: How are you?

Fine.

Now imagine the word “fine” in this exchange muttered by a disgruntled spouse, a distracted teenager
or a shopper talking to a cashier. With different inflection, “fine” could mean a wide range of truths
along the spectrum between very good and very bad. When written, “fine” is very grey and non-
committal. Fine implies a lack of enthusiasm, interest or investment in the question or the answer.

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Any other adjective on the spectrum (better to worse) is a preferred word choice, be honest and
solutions-oriented.

But
“But” often triggers stress in the reader, causing him or her to immediately forget everything that
came before it. In many cases, use of the word “and,” or the elimination of the word “but,” can allow
the reader to absorb two conflicting concepts.

• Alarming: You posted amazing numbers this year, but my budget got cut so I’m not going
to renew your contract.
• Better: While you posted amazing numbers this year, I’m unable to renew your contract
due to budget constraints.

If you begin a sentence with “I don’t mean to sound (any adjective), but…” stop typing and re-
approach the subject from a rational and solutions-focused perspective.

Client Name
Spell out the full client name in documents unless the proposal or presentation is to this client. If the
project is for the client, spell out the client name on first reference in the document, with the
abbreviation in parentheses.

Example: Lucent Technologies (Lucent)

Ensure that references to the client in RFI/RFP language are consistent with the client’s preferences.

Client Communication
Use “clients”— the word implies a service-oriented, consultative approach. Do not use “customers,”
which suggests shoppers or purchasers of goods.

Use “partner” only to describe a formal partnership agreement between Cushman & Wakefield and a
client, supplier or third party.

You must obtain permission to use a client contact’s name or quote a client in any verbal or written
communication. All quotes must be clearly attributed to the speaker or author.

When you say “we” in a written business communication, you reflect your team, your department and
the global company in your sentiment. Be sure such statements adhere to the company’s
vision/mission/values.

Defensive Words
Avoid words that put the recipient on the defensive. Usage of the word “you” can often put the reader
(the target) on the defensive. The use of “I” can shift the sentiment to your perspective without making
the recipient feel accused. This approach also gives the other party room to explain their side of the
story.

• Accusatory: Why did you do this? You upset the tenant.

• Engaging: Please explain your decision. Why does the tenant feel this way?

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Employees / Professionals
Use “professionals” or “team members” when referring to those who work for Cushman & Wakefield
externally.

Example: Our professionals are the best in the industry.

Use “colleagues” or “employees” when referring to those who work for Cushman & Wakefield
internally.

Example: Our success is attributed to the hard work and dedication of our exceptional
employees.

Excited
“Excited” is overused in communications. Use words such as “thrilled,” “delighted” or “pleased”
instead. While it is most often used to mean happy, eager or delighted, it can also mean agitated,
hysterical, nervous or inflamed. Rarely will executives be running around the office in an aroused or
agitated state because they are announcing a new project.

Delighted and pleased are good synonyms, but it’s best to replace a throwaway line like “we are
excited about the possibilities of this project” with something concrete, visual and factual.

Gender Guidelines
Try to keep writing gender neutral while avoiding offensive terminology. Terms that make masculinity
a synonym for strength and femininity a synonym for weakness are forbidden

Never use: Man up, girly, manly, like a man, like a girl

Guarantees
Do not guarantee anything. We can offer average cost savings, but guaranteeing a certain
percentage of savings might result in us being contractually tied to that claim with a Service Level
Agreement (SLA) or Key Performance Indicator (KPI).

Offer averages, not guarantees.

Example: The success of our program generated a 42% reduction in lost time injuries and a
60% reduction in injury severity over a three-year period.

Incorrect Example: We can guarantee a 42% in lost time injuries and a 60% reduction in
injury severity to <<ClientName>> over three years.

Humor and Sarcasm

Humor and sarcasm do not belong in written business communication. What you find funny might
offend someone else. In many cases, written humor can be perceived as truth, opening the author
and the company to legal and financial repercussions.

Written communication lacks verbal tone and intonation. You might write something you think is witty,
but the words taken as truth might confuse or offend the recipient.

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Never direct a humorous sentiment toward a person or group of people based on religion, race, sex,
gender or nationality. Even a playful dig at fans of a rival sports team in a different city can easily
offend someone who does not share the author’s point of view.

Please keep this in mind for verbal communication as well. Even things you think you are saying in
confidence could offend parties in the room or beyond earshot with the help of recording devices.

Hyperbole, Exaggeration and Absolutes

Even if you firmly believe it to be so, do not write “Cushman & Wakefield is the greatest company on
Earth” or “This project will change urban planning forever” or “The property boasts the very best views
of the city and water possibly available.”

Use facts to illustrate your point. Footnote your sources when appropriate.

Jargon
Jargon that’s widely accepted within the industry might not translate to a general or international
audience. Trade lingo is fine for verbal communication in the field, but not acceptable for most written
communication.

Language
As a U.S.-headquartered firm, global communications should be written in American English.
Regional and local communications may use local language.

Legalese
Avoid legalese and overly stilted language. Also avoid consultant-speak. Business proposals will be
read by a variety of constituents but do not need to impress academia. Stuffy words such as
“whereas” belong in contracts, not business communication.

Outdated Terms
Edit the language when you come across "apples to apples," "Chinese wall" and other dated
colloquial terms.

Rephrase “24X365” to “24/7 access” or “around-the-clock portal access.”

Redundant and Filler Words

Filler phrases add nothing to a sentence. Get to the point; your reader will appreciate it.

Example: “It’s redundant” instead of “it’s completely redundant.”

Avoid the phrase “including, but not limited to.” “Including” is an inclusive term, so “but not limited to”
is redundant.

Change “has the ability to” to “can.”

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Biographies
Formatted biographies (bios) are most often used in proposals and presentations. The following
section refers to developing bios for these purposes. However, these rules should be considered for
all uses of biographical information. For example, the rule about using the first name following first
mention of first and last name may be useful when developing communications about new hires, or in
CONNECT stories.

Templates and Consistent Format

For proposals and presentations, be sure you are using the correct bio template, which should be
embedded in the Word or PPT proposal or presentation template you are using from the Brand
Center.

All template bios should be written using a consistent format, with information appearing in a certain
order, and all bios should contain a headshot.

Use the following order when creating a bio.

The bio starts with:

Name, Designation Title

Address | City, ST Zip
Direct +1 000 000 0000 Mobile +1 000 000 0000
Fax +1 000 000 0000
[email protected] | cushmanwakefield.com
Lic #0000000

Phone
Use the standard +1 000 000 0000.

Email
Use the standard [email protected].

Cushman & Wakefield Website

Use the standard cushmanwakefield.com (no “www” and not cushwake)

The bio continues with the following categories:

Professional Expertise: This section should be written in narrative form, explaining expertise.

Clients Served: These should be bulleted.

Major Transactions: These should be bulleted, with each bullet starting with the name of the client,
followed by short explanation of success.

Example: • Client name/property name, and address - XX,XXX SF

Professional Affiliations: These should be bulleted.

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Example: • Affiliation name, name of chapter

Professional Recognitions: Relevant industry awards and recognitions should be bulleted.

Example: • Award, year received

Community Leadership: These should be bulleted.

Example: • Position held, organization

Education: List degree(s), major(s) and institution(s) in order of rank or importance, highest to lowest,
or chronologically; these should be bulleted.

Example: • Highest degree received, educational institution, honors received

• Second-highest degree received, educational institution, honors received

Titles
Spell out titles (Vice President versus VP); use initial caps.

Capitalize titles like Facilities Manager or Building Manager.

Names / Formality
Use the full name in the first mention; following that, use only the first name. (e.g., John Smith is
Director of Marketing. John has 20 years of experience…)

If a person goes by an informal name, use it after the initial reference. (e.g., Stephen Smith is Director
of Marketing. Steve has 20 years of experience…)

Try to avoid nicknames unless referring to a public figure. (e.g., John “Lazy Bones” Murphy is the life
of most office parties…)

Degrees
When referring to a degree generally, use lower case, spell out and use the possessive.

Example: Jane expects to graduate with a bachelor’s degree this year.

The exception to this rule is associate degree. It should always be listed as associate degree, not
associate’s degree.

When writing about someone’s educational background, capitalize Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of
Science, Master of Science, Master of Business Administration, etc., but do not use the possessive.

Example: She earned a Master of Arts degree from UCLA.

Bachelor’s degree: Abbreviate to BA, BS, etc. (no periods/full stops)

Master’s degree: Abbreviate to MA, MS, MBA (no periods/full stops)

For plurals on all of the above, use an “s” but no apostrophe: MAs, PhDs.

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When a name is followed by a degree abbreviation, set the abbreviation off with comma: John Smith,
PhD.

Degrees appear in order of rank or importance, highest to lowest, or chronologically in biographies.

Initials
Initials in a person’s name should be followed by a period/full stop with no space in between. Include
a space after the last initial and before the last name. W.E.B. DuBois, P.D. James.

Other
These are professional bios, so we do not include information about kids, spouses, hobbies or
obscure awards.

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