Background
The creation of Design Matters was driven by members who wanted to see the specific inclusion of a design related element to the ESSA Code of Conduct, specifically in relation to the field of ‘copying in design’; and further to this, the development of a relationship with an external body to support this area of our Code of Conduct together with a campaign to promote. In response the association drafted a proposed amendment to it's Code of Conduct (ratified at the ESSA Ltd AGM held on 15 July 2020) became a partner of ACID (Anti Copying In Design) and ran a launch campaign for this initiative in April 2020.
Recommended Text for Members
We recommend members to include the following text in their future communications to clients:
‘Design Matters’
Thank you for the opportunity to quote on the above project.
As a member of Event Supplier and Services Association (ESSA) we are bound by its industry approved Code of Conduct and Quality Charter.
A key element of the ESSA industry Code of Conduct relates to business ethics. In the creative world we operate in, ESSA members via the ‘Design Matters’ campaign commit to upholding the value and integrity of original design via Copyright law and Intellectual Property Law.
We commit to performing our own due diligence within this area, however it is not always possible to detect the original source of a design. Therefore, if you as a potential client provide artwork for the purposes of contracted work with us, you also have a responsibility to either being the originator of the artwork you provided or have attained explicit permission or purchased the release of the Copyright from the company or individual who created the original artwork.
