There are concrete criteria that can make a product ethical – for example, the materials it’s made from or certifications that prove it’s produced under fair labour policies. But as a service provider, it can be harder to prove your ethical credentials.
Potential clients might be thinking: “What is an ethical copywriter? And why do I need one?” If this is you right now, my friend, then I’m here with the answers.
Every business has some kind of impact on the world and can take steps to make sure it’s a positive one. That’s what I aim to do. And here’s how I do it…
Wind-powered web services
Both my website (thanks for visiting, by the way!) and my emails are run on wind power. I use the wonderful Green Hosting as my provider. Servers are pretty energy intensive, as they need obviously need electricity to run, and also need cooling 24-hour systems to protect the equipment. Green Hosting’s are 100% wind powered, meaning that my website runs on wind power instead of carbon.
Green energy in my home
Like an increasing number of us, my home is my office. I’m on Octopus Energy’s Supergreen plan, so the energy powering my laptop, heating and all-important kettle is all renewable.
A fossil-free business bank account
Finance can be a very unethical business, with most high street banks investing our money in fossil fuels. I deliberately chose Starling for my business bank account, as they’ve explicitly stated they don’t invest in fossil fuels.
Well-informed on ethical issues
I started my business because I’m passionate about social and environmental issues and believe that there’s a better way of doing business. If you share similar values in your company, then hiring an ethical copywriter means you don’t have to worry about educating them. I live and breathe these issues and am always reading up on them. I subscribe to Ethical Consumer Magazine and you can often find me in seminars about greenwashing and ethical business. I’m also active within the ethical business communities on LinkedIn, Instagram & Twitter.
Honest copywriting techniques
Copywriting is usually about persuading people – to buy a product, to sign up to a mailing list, etc. But some traditional copywriting techniques use fear or shame or play on insecurities in order to get them to do something. That’s not the way I do things. I use the power of words to make clear the amazing benefits of your product or service, but without any need for deception or unethical tactics. It’s all about toeing the line between understanding people’s needs and wants without exploiting them. If that’s what you’re after, I’ve got you.
Using my sphere of influence
I’ve never been afraid to speak out on issues I feel passionately about. I’m also of the opinion that shaming people isn’t an effective way to bring about change. So I always try to lead by example with positive practices, while understanding that privilege and circumstance play a big role in the extent people are willing or able to live sustainably and ethically. For example, I started publishing a weekly “Ethical Brand Spotlight” over on Instagram to publicise businesses that are doing great things and encourage people to shop mindfully. But I’m never going to shame people for their personal choices. Positivity and understanding all the way.
Of course, ethics are subjective – everyone has their own idea of what “ethical” means. I aim to be as transparent as possible people can decide for themselves whether our ethics align and I’m someone they’d like to work with. On my Impact page you can read more about some things I’m not doing yet but am planning to do in future.
