Ink Defense Code of Ethics and Standards of Professional Conduct

The Ink Defense representatives, including Artist Ambassadors, Pro-Team artists, and Sponsored Shops, have a unique opportunity to engage with others in the tattoo community and the public and participate in public events. The Code of Ethics and Standards of Professional Conduct aims to provide a common ground to interact with other Ink Defense representatives, customers, and the Ink Defense team.  Providing consistent standards helps promote collaboration and mutual respect. 

Ink Defense company values are Customer Focus, Integrity, Trust, Respect, Excellence, Innovation, Diversity, Collaboration, Positivity, and Fun.

The Code of Ethics and Standards of Professional Conduct reflect the Ink Defense company values and specific professional conduct expectations.

• Be patient and courteous.

• Be inclusive. We welcome and support people of all backgrounds and identities, including, but not limited to, members of any sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, race, ethnicity, culture, national origin, social and economic class, educational level, color, immigration status, sex, age, size, family status, political belief, religion, and mental and physical ability.

• Be considerate. We all depend on each other to work as a team. Your decisions might affect clients and/or others, and you should consider those consequences when making decisions.

• Be respectful. We won't all agree all the time, but disagreement is no excuse for disrespectful behavior, whether toward clients, other team members, or the team in general. We all experience frustration from time to time, but we cannot allow that frustration to become personal attacks. An environment where people feel uncomfortable or threatened is not a productive or creative one.

• Choose your words carefully. Always conduct yourself professionally. Harassment and exclusionary behavior aren't acceptable or tolerated. This includes, but is not limited to:
  • Discriminatory language, including religious beliefs or political views.
  • Sharing sexually explicit or violent material via electronic devices or other means.
  • Personal insults, especially those using racist or sexist terms. - Unwelcome sexual attention.
  • Threats of violence.
  • Advocating for or encouraging any of the above behavior.

  • Repeated harassment of others. In general, if someone asks you to stop something, then stop.  When we disagree, try to understand why. Differences of opinion and disagreements are mostly unavoidable. What is important is that we resolve disagreements and differing views constructively.

• Repeated harassment of others. In general, if someone asks you to stop something, then stop.  When we disagree, try to understand why. Differences of opinion and disagreements are mostly unavoidable. What is important is that we resolve disagreements and differing views constructively.

• Our differences can become our strengths. We can find strength in diversity. Different people have different perspectives on issues, which can be valuable for solving problems or generating new ideas. Being unable to understand why someone holds a viewpoint doesn’t mean that they’re wrong. Don’t forget that we all make mistakes, and blaming each other doesn’t get us anywhere.  Instead, focus on resolving issues and learning from mistakes.