What I Stand For

As a person, I stand for a world where no person is disadvantaged, harmed, excluded or shamed for any part of their identity. A world where all people have equal rights, equal access and equal opportunities. And where all people are not only safe, respected and included—but welcomed and celebrated.

As an Australian, I stand for Aboriginal people as the first people of our nation, and I honour their history, culture, experiences and perspectives. I live and work on Taungurung land. I acknowledge that sovereignty was never ceded and that this land always was, and always will be, Aboriginal land.

As a business owner and marketing professional, I stand for a better way to do business. The marketing industry has a long history of manipulating, exploiting, victimising, deceiving and harming consumers for the purposes of financial gain. I stand for an economic culture that is based on mutual benefit, respect, cooperation, transparency, and kindness. A culture that creates profit, value and success without creating victims.

I don’t just stand for a better world and a better way. I take responsibility for my part and my privilege in the world that exists now. And I commit to taking action to create the world I stand for.

On this page, you will find a non-exhaustive list of the actions I have committed to. These actions apply to my own work and to the work I do on behalf of my clients.

If you would like to have a discussion with me about this content, please email anna@annarogan.com.

This page was reviewed and updated in June 2023.

Safety, inclusion and respect

All people deserve to not only be safe, respected and included in our communities—but welcomed and celebrated for who they are.

The actions I take:

Sharing my commitments and what I stand for with new clients and connections
Acknowledging the Aboriginal land I work and live on both online and in person
Openly discussing discrimination within my community and challenging it when I see it
Seeking out, listening to and learning from a diverse mix of people and perspectives both online and in person
Never knowingly engaging, working with, or financially supporting businesses, communities or individuals that are discriminatory or not inclusive, safe, respectful or welcoming
Seeking information to understand what people need to feel included, safe, celebrated and welcome so that I can meet those needs and advocate for them in the communities and spaces I occupy
Advocating for a diversity of perspectives at the events and communities I participate in. For example, I will ask about the diversity of presenters at events both now and in the past, I will ask about current and future plans to improve diversity, and I will advocate for all presenters to be paid for their skills, knowledge and labour.

Accessibility

Providing all people with access to information, content and services means we welcome and celebrate all voices and perspectives—and improve equality for all.

The actions I take:

Offering payment plans, lower-priced services and fees on a sliding scale for assisted access to my services where appropriate
Using and advocating for content accessibility best practices. This includes closed captions for videos, publishing meaningful image descriptions and alternative text, using accessibility tools to improve the readability of text online and writing at an accessible reading grade level.

Language

The language we use has the power to shape our history, our beliefs and our culture.

The actions I take:

Never knowingly use slurs or offensive, exclusionary or culturally appropriated language
Never knowingly use words or marketing tactics that manipulate, exaggerate, deceive or harm
Advocating for thoughtful, respectful, ethical and inclusive language with my clients and community
Using relationship-based marketing approaches that empower audiences to make well-informed, beneficial and autonomous decisions
Avoiding using gendered language unless it is appropriate and necessary (for example, I will use ‘chairperson’ not ‘chairman’ or ‘pregnant person’ not ‘pregnant woman’).

Use of AI

AI should enhance, empower and assist the work of people, not replace it. We must use AI in responsible and safe ways—ways that put the responsibility and accountability for what AI creates firmly in the hands of people. Credit to the Marketing AI Institute’s Responsible AI Manifesto for Marketing and Business for informing these commitments.

The actions I take:

Publicly sharing how I use AI in my work (see below)
Never knowingly using generative AI technology to deceive; to produce content for the sole benefit of financial gain; or to spread falsehoods, misinformation, disinformation or propaganda
Always adhering to privacy and confidentiality laws as well as specific privacy and confidentiality clauses within my own terms and conditions or any other contracts I agree to and work under.

How I use AI today:

I continue to experiment with the use of AI and currently use a variety of products and platforms to:

Brainstorm ideas
Transcribe speech and audio to text
Check content for errors and make suggestions for edits and improvements
Analyse information and content to generate themes, summaries or outlines.

Financial support

I financially support efforts to create a better world.

The actions I take:

Preferential procurement of services from Aboriginal and First Nation-owned businesses
Donating 1% of my profits each year to the Australian Literacy and Numeracy Foundation (ALNF).

Education

I won’t always get it right, but I will always work to learn more and do better.

The actions I take:

Asking for feedback and listening openly and without defensiveness
Learning about ethical, responsible, inclusive and safe marketing and business practices, copywriting and use of technology including AI
Improving my cultural awareness, seeking out new perspectives, and learning about the experiences of people and groups who are marginalised and my own contributions and influence in their experiences.