2.1.3: The Constraints on Document Content

• There are two types of constraints on document content; voluntary and legal.
• Voluntary constraints are constraints that businesses chose to implement. These include:

  • Organisational constraints which are used for consistency and maintaining presentation of documents.
  • Ethical constraints which prevent documents causing offense, such as the use of stereotypes.
  • Codes of practice; ways in which the business should procede and carry out day to day business operation.
• Legal constraints are constraints that the business has to implement by law, such as:

  • Copyright: Businesses must avoid plagiarism and quote sources.
  • Data Protection: Only include relevant personal data
  • Consumer Protection: Consumer Rights Act 2015 means that goods or services must be accurately described in business documents.
  • Equal Oppurtunities: The Equality Act 2010 means that business documents such as job adverts cannot discriminate against people.