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Ethical Systems & Research

Good intentions are not enough. VellumWorks researches, designs and publishes practical standards for ethical digital systems, responsible content and accessible public-interest technology.

These frameworks help charities, content creators and organisations communicate responsibly - especially when writing about sensitive topics like mental health, homelessness, suicide and crisis.

Projects

Ethical Content Standard

A comprehensive framework for writing responsibly about mental health, homelessness, suicide, crisis and lived experience. Covering safe language, crisis signposting, trauma-aware writing, accessibility, evidence-based sourcing and consent.

Ethical AI for Charities

Guidelines for how charities can use AI tools responsibly - including safety checklists, privacy-first approaches, human review processes and clear boundaries on what AI should and should not do in sensitive contexts.

  • Should AI give mental health advice?
  • How to build safe AI signposting tools
  • What AI should never say in a crisis
  • Safeguarding checklist for AI tools
  • AI policy template for charities

Public Interest SEO Research

Research into whether people can find the support they need online. VellumWorks audits search results and charity websites to identify gaps in visibility, accessibility and safety.

Planned reports include:

  • Are mental health search results safe enough?
  • Can people find local homelessness support online?
  • Do small charities appear in search results?
  • How accessible are charity crisis pages?
  • The digital visibility gap for small charities

Interested in our research?

If you'd like to collaborate on ethical standards or public interest research, get in touch.

Contact Us