Craft
Code of Practice
The Code of Practice defines how professional copywriters deliver excellent work. It provides practical guidance on processes, methods, and standards — with additional requirements for self-employed copywriters.
About this code
Practice or Conduct? While our Code of Conduct covers the values and ethics that guide our professional character, this document addresses the practical 'how': the processes, methods, and standards that ensure quality.
Different working contexts: Copywriters work in many contexts: as external suppliers delivering projects, as embedded team members in multidisciplinary environments, or as part of in-house creative teams. This code applies across all these contexts. Where specific provisions assume a client/supplier relationship, employed copywriters should interpret them appropriately — for example, reading 'client' as 'stakeholder' or 'project lead' where relevant.
Following the code: This code establishes standards and expectations for professional practice. It should be interpreted according to its spirit and purpose. The Standards Committee will consider the overall pattern of conduct and the context in which decisions were made, not just isolated incidents or technical compliance.
Part 1: Core standards
All copywritersThese standards apply to all Pro+ members, whether employed or independent.
Professional competence
Demonstrate competence through experience, learning and ethical practice.
Copywriters must demonstrate competence through measurable experience, ongoing learning and ethical practice.
Pro+ membership is open to copywriters with at least two years of professional copywriting experience, or equivalent experience gained through formal training programmes, internships or mentored practice.
Copywriters must recognise the limits of their professional expertise and understand when to draw on support. They should refer clients to specialists or seek guidance when projects require knowledge or skills beyond their expertise.
Continuing professional development: Copywriters must commit to ongoing professional development through structured learning, peer review and keeping up to date with legal, ethical and technological developments affecting our work.
| Membership type | Annual CPD requirement | Structured learning minimum |
|---|---|---|
| Pro+ | 20 hours | 5 hours |
| Accredited | 35 hours | 10 hours |
Project management
Maintain high standards of professional conduct throughout projects.
Copywriters must maintain high standards of professional conduct throughout the duration of a project.
Copywriters must manage client expectations and communicate openly and proactively about project progress. They must highlight unrealistic deadlines before work begins, work to the agreed brief, and ensure that any changes to original agreements are documented and agreed by the appropriate stakeholders.
Copywriters must deliver copy, content and concepts in agreed formats, adhere to agreed approval processes, and report immediately any issues preventing the expected delivery of material.
Evidence-based practice
Base content decisions on evidence rather than assumption.
Copywriters should base content decisions on evidence rather than assumption. This means understanding user needs, testing content where possible, and iterating based on what works.
The depth of research and testing will vary by project. A homepage redesign warrants more rigorous evidence-gathering than a single social post. But the principle applies throughout: effective content serves real user needs, not just business wishes or personal preference.
Copywriters working in multidisciplinary teams should engage actively with user research, collaborate with designers and developers, and contribute their expertise to shared decision-making. Content decisions should be defensible — based on evidence, aligned with strategy, and made transparently.
Copywriters should measure and learn from content performance where practical, using this evidence to improve future work.
Using AI tools
Take full responsibility for all work, regardless of tools used.
Copywriters must take full professional responsibility for all work delivered under their name, regardless of which tools were used to create it.
Copywriters must not deliver AI-generated content without substantive human review, refinement and validation. They must verify the accuracy, originality and appropriateness of any AI-generated content before delivery.
Copywriters must be honest with clients about their use of AI tools when asked, and should proactively inform clients if AI has played a substantial role in creating deliverables. They must respect client preferences regarding AI use.
Copywriters must not input confidential client information into AI tools without appropriate safeguards and client consent. They must not charge professional rates for work that required minimal professional input.
What counts as substantive review
A copywriter uses ChatGPT to generate a first draft, then substantially rewrites it — restructuring arguments, adding client-specific insights, verifying claims, and adjusting tone to match the brand voice. The final piece reflects their professional judgement and expertise.
A copywriter generates copy using AI, makes minor edits to fix obvious errors, and delivers it as finished work. The structure, arguments, and phrasing remain essentially unchanged from the AI output.
When disclosure isn't typically required
A copywriter uses AI to help brainstorm headlines and research background information. They don't mention this to the client because their professional input shaped the final deliverables. When a different client asks directly about AI use, they answer honestly.
When proactive disclosure is appropriate
A copywriter's contract specifies that AI tools may be used as part of their process. They proactively tell a new client that AI assisted with first drafts for a large-volume project, explaining their review and refinement process.
A copywriter generates an entire blog post series using AI with only light editing. When the client asks if they use AI tools, they say no, or deflect the question.
A copywriter knows their client has concerns about AI-generated content. They use AI extensively anyway without mentioning it, reasoning that what the client doesn't know won't hurt them.
Protecting client data
A copywriter needs to write about a client's unreleased product. They draft the copy themselves rather than inputting confidential specifications into an AI tool, or they use an enterprise AI tool with appropriate data protection and client consent.
A copywriter pastes a client's confidential business strategy, customer data, or proprietary research into a free AI tool to help generate content, without considering data security or obtaining client consent.
Fair pricing when using AI
A copywriter uses AI to speed up their research phase, passing some of the time savings on to the client through competitive pricing while still charging fairly for their strategic input and expertise.
A copywriter charges a project fee based on the value and complexity of the work, regardless of which tools helped them complete it efficiently. Their pricing reflects the strategic thinking and quality assurance they provide.
A copywriter charges their full day rate for work that took 20 minutes because AI did most of the heavy lifting. The client receives a bill that implies hours of professional input when the copywriter's contribution was minimal.
Data protection, confidentiality and privacy
Comply with data protection laws and protect confidential information.
Copywriters must comply with all relevant data protection laws and regulations (including the UK GDPR, PECR and Data Protection Act 2018).
Copywriters must protect clients' confidential information and trade secrets. They must not disclose proprietary information without written permission, use confidential information for personal gain, or break the terms of non-disclosure agreements.
Copywriters must respect individual and corporate privacy, obtaining informed consent before including personally identifiable information in published content.
Regulatory and legal compliance
Ensure work is legally sound and compliant with regulations.
Copywriters must ensure that their work is legally sound and compliant with relevant regulations. This includes making sure that copy is legal, decent, honest, truthful and free from plagiarism.
Copywriters must ensure that all content delivered is original, accurate and free of plagiarised and/or copyright-protected material. They must ensure that concepts and content adhere to all relevant advertising, marketing and data protection regulations.
Copywriters working in regulated industries (including alcohol, children's products, financial services, food and drink, fundraising, gambling, healthcare, legal services, and political campaigns) must understand the specific requirements before commencing work.
Copywriters working with environmental or sustainability claims must understand the specific requirements for substantiation and presentation. The ASA and CMA have published detailed guidance on green claims, and this area is subject to increased regulatory scrutiny.
Copywriters working on public-facing services, particularly in the public sector, should be aware of applicable service standards and design principles that may govern content decisions.
See also
Regulatory requirements guidanceAccessibility
Ensure work is accessible to people with disabilities.
Copywriters must ensure their work is accessible to people with disabilities. This is both a legal requirement and a professional responsibility.
In the UK, the Equality Act 2010 requires service providers to make reasonable adjustments for disabled people. Public sector organisations have additional duties under the Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) Accessibility Regulations 2018. Many other contexts — including financial services, healthcare, and organisations serving the public — have enhanced accessibility expectations beyond the legal minimum.
The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) provide the international standard for accessible digital content. Copywriters should be familiar with the principles relevant to written content and understand the level of compliance required for their context.
Copywriters must apply accessible writing practices: using plain language appropriate to the audience, structuring content logically with proper heading hierarchies, writing meaningful link text, describing images with appropriate alt text, avoiding reliance on colour alone, keeping sentences and paragraphs manageable, and defining acronyms and technical terms.
See also
Accessibility guidanceWriting for vulnerable users
Take additional care in sensitive contexts to protect vulnerable users.
Copywriters working in health, social care, financial difficulty, crisis services, or other sensitive contexts must take additional care to protect users who may be vulnerable, distressed, or facing critical decisions.
This includes applying trauma-informed principles: ensuring content doesn't re-traumatise or trigger distress, using plain language, making actions obvious, avoiding language that implies blame, and signposting support.
Content that supports critical decisions (medical choices, legal rights, financial commitments, safety planning) requires particular care: presenting options clearly, explaining consequences in concrete terms, allowing time for reflection, and making it easy to get human help when needed.
Part 2: Independent practice
Freelancers & agenciesAdditional requirements for freelancers, contractors, agencies and other self-employed copywriters.
Scoping and pricing work
Define project scope and pricing in writing before work begins.
Independent copywriters must define and agree the project scope in writing before commencing work. This includes objectives, deliverables, approval requirements, feedback and revision limits, and timelines.
Independent copywriters must establish clear pricing before work begins. They should define what constitutes reasonable revision requests versus scope expansion, and charge appropriately for additional work beyond the agreed brief.
What falls within revisions
A copywriter delivers website copy. The client asks for tweaks to tone and some restructured sentences — this falls within reasonable revisions. The copywriter makes the changes as part of the agreed project.
What constitutes scope expansion
A client approves copy, then later requests a complete rewrite targeting a different audience. This is scope expansion, not a revision.
The copywriter explains that the new request is outside the original scope and provides a quote for the additional work, as specified in their contract.
Clear scoping
Before starting, a copywriter confirms in writing: 'This project includes five web pages, two rounds of revisions per page, and a two-week timeline. Additional pages or revision rounds will be quoted separately.'
A copywriter begins work with a vague brief and no written agreement, then is surprised when the client expects unlimited revisions or additional deliverables at no extra cost.
Contracts
Agree terms in writing with clients before work begins.
Independent copywriters must agree terms in writing with clients before commencing work.
Written agreements should cover: parties to the contract, description of services and deliverables, fees and payment terms, timelines, sign-off process, confidentiality requirements, liability, intellectual property, termination clause, and dispute resolution.
Independent copywriters typically operate on a work-for-hire basis. Copywriters must highlight alternative arrangements (such as licensing content or retaining certain rights) to clients and specify them in contracts before work begins.
Insurance
Hold professional indemnity and public liability insurance.
Independent professionals subscribing to this code must hold professional indemnity insurance and public liability insurance.
Cyber insurance is also recommended (some professional indemnity policies include cyber cover) if you:
- store client data, customer information or sensitive documents on your own devices or systems
- handle work in regulated sectors such as healthcare, financial services or legal
- regularly input confidential client information into AI tools or other third-party platforms
- manage client websites, email systems or other digital assets
- work with large organisations that require proof of cyber cover
Self-promotion
Represent your services and skills honestly and fairly.
Copywriters must be honest about their experience and expertise, displaying credentials and evidence wherever possible. Copywriters must represent their services and skills honestly and fairly.
Client and employer testimonials must be genuine and approved for use by the author.
Managing disputes
Prevent problems and handle difficulties professionally.
Projects can fail for many reasons. Independent copywriters should prevent problems by ensuring briefs are clear and agreed in writing, documenting significant decisions, raising concerns early, and building review points into longer projects.
When difficulties arise, copywriters should understand the cause, review the original brief and agreement, propose specific solutions, and document communications. Contracts should specify revision limits.
Payment disputes should be handled systematically: invoice correctly, follow up promptly, escalate gradually, and understand your legal rights.
See also
Dispute resolution guidanceSubcontracting and white-labelling
Apply professional standards when working with other copywriters.
When working as a subcontractor, copywriters must treat all project information as confidential, apply the same professional standards regardless of who is paying, and raise concerns with the contractor rather than the end client.
When subcontracting work to others, copywriters remain accountable to their client for quality and delivery. They must vet subcontractors appropriately, provide clear briefs, review work before passing it to clients, and pay subcontractors fairly and on time.