The Standards Committee

Its purpose in full: to hold signatories to the standard they've signed, and to keep the Code itself fit for purpose. Six to eight people, unpaid, deciding real cases and reviewing real wording.

What the committee does

Adjudication

When a concern is raised, assigned reviewers decide it on the documents. The process is confidential to the people involved, evidence-based, and deliberately narrow — it asks only whether the Code was breached, not whether the work was any good.

Code maintenance

The committee keeps the Code itself current. That work is open and minuted: amendments are proposed, discussed at a policy meeting, and — for anything substantive — put to signatories before they're adopted.

What it doesn't do

— Settle fee or payment disputes

— Decide membership of ProCopywriters

— Judge the quality or taste of anyone's work

— Verify qualifications or experience

— Comment publicly on a live or closed case

How a complaint or a Code change reaches them

Adjudication runs on this five-stage path. Code maintenance runs separately and in the open: any member, signatory or the Director can propose an amendment; it's discussed at a quarterly policy meeting, drafted if agreed, and — for anything substantive — put to signatories for 28 days before adoption. The whole Code is reviewed in full every two years regardless.

1 TriageWithin five working days a concern is checked against seven pass/fail tests — is it about a signatory, about the Code, in time, and made in good faith? Concerns that fail are closed with a reason.

2 Panel assignedThree committee members are assigned and checked for conflicts. Anyone with a connection to either party steps aside.

3 ResponseThe signatory is told what's been raised and given 21 days to respond in writing. The case is decided on documents, not a hearing.

4 DecisionThe panel decides on the balance of probabilities, by majority, within 28 days — and chooses an outcome proportionate to what it finds.

5 AppealOnly suspensions and removals can be appealed, on two narrow grounds, to one independent reviewer who took no part in the original decision.

Outcomes at suspension or removal need agreement from three members with no declared conflict, decided by majority — never one person acting alone. See the complaint form →

Meet the committee

A running register of members' significant professional interests is published on this page alongside their profiles.

Profiles coming soon. No members have been appointed yet. Profiles will appear here once the first open call closes.

Joining the committee

Requirements

— You must be a signatory to the Copywriter Code, and remain one for the term — including its verification fee, on the same terms as everyone else.

— Most seats are for practising copywriters; at least one is reserved for someone who isn't, from the client side or an adjacent profession.

— A three-year term, renewable once. The first cohort serves staggered two- and three-year terms so the committee never turns over all at once.

— A confidentiality undertaking on appointment, covering case material indefinitely, including after your term ends.

How appointment works

An open call to members and signatories, a written expression of interest, and a conversation. The board appoints on the committee's recommendation — except the first cohort, appointed directly by the board.

What you get

— A profile on this page and a Standards Committee badge

— Complimentary top-tier ProCopywriters membership for your term

— A ticket to CopyCon each year you serve

— Reasonable expenses for committee business

The role is otherwise unpaid.

Expressions of interest open with the first call for appointments. In the meantime, questions go to the Director.

Transparency

Once a year the committee publishes: how many reports were received, how many were closed at triage and why, how many went to a full panel, anonymised outcomes, and any changes recommended for the Code. Nothing about an individual case is published beyond what the Sanctions Framework sets out.