Terms of service
Scope of services
Services may include research, analysis, consultancy, evaluation, translation, editing, proofreading, content development, and related advisory or linguistic work. Project scope, timelines, deliverables, and fees are agreed with the client prior to commencement of work.
Professional standards
All work is carried out with due care, skill, and diligence and in line with recognised professional and research standards. Services are conducted in accordance with:
• UK Research Integrity Office (UKRIO) Principles
• Chartered Institute of Linguists (CIOL) Code of Professional Conduct
• OECD DAC Evaluation Criteria
These standards emphasise accuracy, integrity, transparency, confidentiality, and responsible communication of knowledge.
Client responsibilities
Clients are responsible for providing accurate and complete information, source materials, context, and deadlines necessary for delivery of the agreed work. Where required, the client confirms that they hold rights or permissions to the materials supplied.
Confidentiality
All client materials and communications are treated as confidential. Sensitive data, unpublished research, personal information, or proprietary content will not be shared with third parties without explicit consent, except where legally required. If requested, NDAs or data handling agreements can be implemented.
Research integrity
Work is conducted in alignment with recognised standards of research integrity, evidence use, and professional conduct, including the UK Research Integrity Office (UKRIO) Principles, the Chartered Institute of Linguists (CIOL) Code of Professional Conduct, and, where relevant to research, learning, advisory, or evaluation commissions, the OECD DAC Evaluation Criteria. These standards emphasise accuracy, transparency, responsible communication, and the usefulness of findings and outputs for learning, decision-making, and organisational improvement.
Where work involves data collection with human participants, such as interviews, focus groups, surveys, case studies, or workshops, activities are carried out in line with established principles of informed consent, voluntary participation, confidentiality, respect for persons, minimisation of harm, and contextual sensitivity. Appropriate care is taken when working with sensitive topics or vulnerable populations, and participant data is handled responsibly and in accordance with applicable data protection law.
Evidence-focused and advisory work is approached with attention to relevance, methodological rigour, ethical engagement with participants and stakeholders, and the accessibility and clarity of outputs. Clients remain responsible for securing any formal ethics clearances, safeguarding approvals, or institutional permissions where required.
Translation, editing, and authorship
For translation and editing services, the client retains authorship and intellectual responsibility for the substantive content. Editing and translation do not imply endorsement of claims or research findings. Where appropriate (e.g. academic publications), acknowledgement of language support is recommended in line with sector conventions.
Intellectual property
Unless otherwise agreed in writing, IP rights to final deliverables transfer to the client upon full payment. Draft materials, analytical models, proprietary tools, and working notes remain the property of the service provider unless explicitly assigned or licensed.
Fees, invoicing, and payment
Fees are quoted in advance and may be based on time, word count, project scope, or complexity. Invoices are issued electronically and payable within 30 days unless otherwise agreed. Late payment may incur interest or suspension of services.
Revisions and quality assurance
A reasonable revision period may be provided to ensure client satisfaction, limited to corrections or clarifications within the agreed scope. Substantial changes in brief, content, or direction may incur additional fees.
Cancellation and termination
Either party may terminate a commission with reasonable notice. Work completed up to the point of termination is chargeable. Where the client cancels a project after commissioning, cancellation fees may apply depending on time committed and opportunity cost.
Use of work and disclaimers
Outputs are intended for the purposes stated in the brief. The service provider is not liable for decisions taken by the client on the basis of completed work, nor for subsequent modifications, interpretations, or uses beyond the original scope.
Data protection
Personal data is processed in accordance with applicable data protection law, including the UK GDPR. Information is stored securely and retained only as long as necessary for contractual or legal purposes. A separate Privacy Notice may apply to website visitors or mailing lists.