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The Code of Ethics adhered to by On Time Typing, Editing and Proofreading (OTTEP) – also trading as On Time Typing, Books and Life Stories – is based on the codes of ethics of two of the professional organisations of which we are full members: Life Stories Australia, and Institute of Professional Editors.

Our code of ethics

Owner/operator Sally-Anne Watson Kane guarantees that our business team will always observe and comply with the below principles and practices.

We will comply with the codes of ethics of Life Stories Australia, and Institute of Professional Editors (IPEd), and our rates and charges for editing will continue to comply with IPEd’s recommended rates of pay.

We will demonstrate fairness and integrity in all our dealings with clients and suppliers. We will show respect towards other members, and uphold the integrity, of the relevant industries: writing, editing, typing, transcription and self-publishing.

We will represent ourselves honestly through all communications, whether they be online/email, telephone, online/videoconference, or face to face communications, in terms of who we are, where we live, our qualifications and experience, our professional affiliations, and our standards and quality of work.

We will ensure we provide value for money to our clients. We will provide clients with the highest quality of service possible, and guarantee reliability in terms of providing a high standard of work. We will always do our best to meet the requested deadline.

In our roles as typist, writer, editor or self-publishing services provider, we will act in the best interests of the client (or author or narrator). We will not violate the intellectual property rights (including copyright ownership) of the client and will always abide by the agreement and terms set out in our Terms and Conditions or any contract we sign.

We will respect our clients’ privacy and will maintain confidentiality in respect to all our dealings with the client and all material provided by the client, except where the client gives us permission to disclose information (for example, to share information online about their new self-published book, or upcoming or previous publication).

We will continue to offer a signed confidentiality agreement to all clients that is binding in terms of guaranteeing the confidentiality of Sally-Anne Watson Kane and any team members (OTTEP contractors) to whom she has shared information as necessary to provide the service requested by the client.

We guarantee that any team member to whom we delegate tasks is a  contractor with an ABN and living in Australia who has signed a confidentiality agreement with OTTEP, guaranteeing they have a secure and private office space and guaranteeing their confidentiality in relation to all material or information they may access through their work with OTTEP.

We are committed to being accessible and helpful to all clients, regardless of their ability, ethnicity, background, educational levels or level of literacy in English. We will respect and be equitable in our treatment of all our clients, contractors and suppliers in terms of their diversity, including differences based on age, race, ethnicity, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, neurodivergence, language, educational levels, or  socioeconomic status.

We are committed to having a diverse team by engaging and maintaining relationships with people of different abilities, backgrounds and ethnicities, and being flexible in our practices and outlook so as to ensure real diversity within our team of contractors (typists, scribes, writers, editors and designers).

We are committed to having a low environmental footprint and have taken steps towards t his, including using solar electricity for our main office, using only recycled paper for our printers, using locally produced products and  services wherever possible, using digital methods of documentation wherever possible, and engaging in online advocacy in respect to protecting the  environment and opposing further environmental damage, including supporting Indigenous-led environmental management in Australia.

Image: Copyright SW Kane.