Code of Conduct

Professional copywriters demonstrate competence through measurable experience, continued learning and ethical practice. We define competence as having completed substantial paid work for multiple clients over at least two years, or equivalent experience gained through formal training programmes, internships or mentored practice.

We commit to ongoing professional development through structured learning, peer review and staying current with legal, ethical and technological developments affecting our work. This includes understanding advertising standards, data protection laws, accessibility requirements and emerging AI applications.

We maintain professional boundaries by working within our areas of genuine expertise and referring clients to specialists when projects exceed our competence. We acknowledge when we don’t know something and seek appropriate guidance rather than improvising solutions that could harm client outcomes.

We establish clear, fair pricing that reflects the strategic value of our work, not just the time spent writing. We educate clients about the research, planning and revision stages that create effective copy and we price accordingly.

We define project scope precisely before commencing work, including what constitutes reasonable revision requests versus scope expansion. We charge appropriately for additional work beyond the agreed brief and maintain clear boundaries around unlimited revision requests.

We honour agreed timelines whilst maintaining quality standards and promptly communicate when circumstances affect delivery schedules. We don’t accept unrealistic deadlines that compromise work quality or our professional wellbeing.

We use AI tools transparently and responsibly as part of our professional toolkit, maintaining human oversight and strategic thinking throughout the creative process. We remain accountable for all work delivered under our name, regardless of which tools assisted in its creation.

We credit collaborative contributions appropriately, whether from AI, other creatives, subject matter experts or client input. We don’t claim sole authorship of genuinely collaborative work, nor do we minimise our strategic contribution when tools assist with execution.

We stay informed about AI capabilities and limitations, using these tools to enhance rather than replace professional judgement, audience understanding and strategic thinking.

We communicate honestly about what’s achievable within given budgets and timelines. We don’t promise miraculous results or guarantee specific business outcomes beyond our control, but we do commit to delivering strategically sound work based on agreed objectives.

We maintain confidentiality regarding client information, strategies and proprietary data. We don’t use confidential client information for our benefit or share it inappropriately with other clients or third parties.

We challenge client requests that could be harmful, misleading or legally problematic, offering alternative approaches that ethically achieve their objectives. We don’t simply execute poor strategies without raising concerns about potential consequences.

We actively work to elevate professional standards by supporting emerging practitioners through mentoring, honest feedback and knowledge sharing. We don’t deliberately undermine other professionals through unfair pricing or unprofessional conduct.

We consider the broader impact of our work on society, declining projects that promote harmful stereotypes, misleading claims or discriminatory practices. When asked to create genuinely harmful content, we don’t hide behind “just following client instructions”.

We contribute to a more sustainable industry by advocating for fair practices, supporting diversity and inclusion initiatives, and considering environmental impact in our recommendations and working practices.