The Designer’s Code of Ethics: Good for You, Good for Your Clients, Good for Everyone
I was invited to speak at the kick-off of the magnificent Luxembourg Design Festival on November 12, 2025, to discuss the genesis of the professional designer’s code of ethics created by the Alliance France Design. A meaningful symbol! During the event, I essentially said that “ethics is good for business.” After three inspiring days of festival and a festive Awards ceremony, I’d like to expand on that idea here.
Ethics cannot be theorized. It must be lived. We are designers. We feel it deep inside.
That’s how we should all feel when we talk about ethics. It’s not some dusty topic we learn about at school and forget the next day. No. Ethics is what grips your gut when you’ve spent sleepless nights on a project, poured in your energy, talent, and money, only to realize that the rules were rigged from the start. Maybe it’s a competition where your project gets trashed without compensation. Maybe it’s a contract forcing you to give up all your copyrights, even if your design makes millions for the client. Maybe it’s a project where you uncover a hidden conflict of interest. In any case, you feel cheated. That’s what ethics is about — what you live through every day, deep down.
Why talk about it?
Unlike architects, lawyers, or doctors, we designers have no mandatory code of ethics. It’s a choice — personal and collective. And precisely because it’s voluntary, it’s even more important to talk about it. The Alliance France Design published its code of ethics to give us guidance — a compass. Not a constraint, but a protection.
From the designer’s perspective: Don’t destroy your own market
Imagine this. You’re a designer, working hard, producing great work. Then you face some questionable situations.
A free ideas competition: “Send us your proposals, and the winner might be selected!” Might. No guarantee. No payment. Nothing. They sell you a dream — “You might be the chosen one!” It’s a mirage. They’re playing on your ego and your desire for recognition to make you work for free.
A contract requiring you to give up all your copyrights for a pittance — even if your design brings in millions. You get your €2,000 and that’s it. Gone. Intellectual property should reward the success of your design — but no, they tell you, “That’s how it works.”
A client asks for three versions “just to see,” before signing any contract. “Just so we can choose.” Translation: you work for free, they take what they like, and maybe they’ll pay you later.
You might think, “Well, if I don’t do it, someone else will.” Exactly. And that’s how we kill our market.
If everyone accepts to work for free, underprices their services, gives up their copyrights, or signs exploitative contracts, we destroy our profession. We set harmful precedents.
Ethics is a collective safeguard. It means saying: “No, I won’t take part in that competition because it’s unfair.” “No, I won’t sign that contract because it violates my rights.” “No, I don’t work for free when my work has value.” It’s about collective thinking to protect individuals. Fair competition that lifts everyone up, instead of dragging us all down.
The situations that make you angry
You’ve been there, haven’t you?
The bogus competition. You spend time, talent, energy — maybe even money — and give it your all. And then… nothing. Your project isn’t selected. Fair enough. But then you discover that:
The competition rules weren’t clear from the start.
The jury wasn’t impartial.
Non-selected projects were still used without compensation.
There was never any real intent to choose a winner.
The million-euro project. You design something brilliant. The client’s product becomes a huge success, selling millions. You? You got your one-time fee. Because you signed away your rights. The client cashes in — you don’t. Intellectual property should have ensured you shared in that success, but it didn’t.
The vanishing client. You did the work, delivered it, and wait for payment. Then the client ghosts you — or says, “We decided not to use your proposal.” But you worked. You invested time. And the contract didn’t protect you.
Of course it makes you angry. It’s not ethical. It destroys the market. And you swear you’ll never let it happen again.
That’s ethics: standing by your gut and rejecting rotten practices.
From the client’s perspective: Would you trust a doctor without ethics?
Now put yourself in a client’s shoes. You’re looking for a designer for your project. You meet a few candidates, and you ask:
“Do you follow a code of ethics?”
The first designer says: “No, I don’t.”
The second says: “Yes, I’m a member of Alliance France Design and I follow our code of ethics.”
Which one would you choose?
It’s like going to a doctor. You’re sick, you need care. The doctor says: “Ethics? I don’t have any.” Would you feel reassured? I wouldn’t. You’d want one who follows the Hippocratic Oath — someone with a clear professional ethic.
It’s the same for designers. A client working with an ethical designer knows that:
Their project will be handled with integrity and transparency.
There won’t be hidden conflicts of interest.
Confidentiality will be respected.
The designer will act professionally.
Copyrights will be clear and respected.
Ethics builds trust. It tells the client, “You can rely on me — I follow clear rules and I uphold them.”
Ethics is good for your business
Let’s stop thinking ethics is a feel-good ideal that prevents us from making money. It’s quite the opposite.
Ethics helps you choose the right clients. When you clearly state your rules, you naturally filter out the wrong ones. Those who refuse to respect your rights? They move on. Those who want free work? Gone. Those who plan to exploit you? They disappear. You stop wasting time on toxic clients and work with people who value your work, respect your conditions, and play fair.
Because let’s be honest: a designer can’t work with everyone. If you accept every project, every client, every condition, you lose yourself. You burn out. You compromise your values. You devalue your talent. Ethics helps you be selective. It gives you the legitimacy to say no. It lets you choose meaningful projects, respectful clients, and enriching collaborations. It’s a quality filter for your business — one that strengthens your finances, morale, and portfolio.
Ethics also protects the market. When all designers follow ethical rules, the market becomes healthier. Clients trust designers. Competitions are fair. Prices are fair. Everyone benefits.
Ethics sets you apart. In a crowded market, saying “I follow a code of ethics” gives you an edge. It’s a strong signal: “I’m a professional, not a cowboy.”
And ethics protects you personally. You know what to accept and what to refuse. You waste less time on bad projects. You have clear boundaries.
A responsibility toward people and the collective
The Alliance France Design code of ethics goes beyond the designer-client relationship. It addresses our responsibility toward users, society, and the environment.
You design a product? It should improve people’s lives — not harm them. It should protect health and the environment — not degrade them. That’s written in the code. And it matters deeply.
Because our work as designers has impact. On users, on society, on the planet. Having ethics means acknowledging that impact. It means saying: “My work has meaning — it must serve people and the collective good.”
In conclusion: Ethics benefits everyone
Ethics isn’t a luxury or a constraint. It’s a necessity.
It benefits:
Designers, by protecting their market, giving them clear guidance, and distinguishing them.
Clients, by guaranteeing integrity, transparency, and professionalism.
Users, by ensuring design outcomes respect their health, well-being, and environment.
Society, by elevating the profession, fostering fair competition, and valuing quality work.
Ethics cannot be theorized. It must be lived. We are designers. We feel it deep inside.
So next time you’re offered a free ideas competition, a contract forcing you to surrender your rights, a project with an obvious conflict of interest, or a client asking to “see three versions before signing” — listen to your gut. Say no.
Respect ethics.
For yourself. For your peers. For your clients. For everyone.
Article written for the Luxembourg Design Festival, November 15, 2025. Based on the Code of Ethics for Professional Designer of the Alliance France Design.
