Pledge terms
1. Who we are
The Pledge is run by Sentient OS Ltd, a company registered in England and Wales, company no. 17264941, registered office [Registered office TBC] ("Sentient", "we"). Contact: [contact email TBC].
2. Who can sign
2.1 Any employer or organisation in the UK may sign, subject to 2.2 and 2.3.
2.2 We do not accept signatories where taking part could create a conflict with legal or public-interest work Sentient or its founder is involved in. This includes certain justice-sector bodies, police bodies and any party or interested party in proceedings we are aware of. We keep the list internally and do not publish it.
2.3 We run a conflict check on every signatory, normally within 5 working days of sign-up and again at each review. If a conflict is found, the organisation is not listed, and we will tell it that we cannot accept its pledge. We do not have to give reasons.
2.4 The person signing confirms they have permission from their organisation to do so.
3. It is free
3.1 Signing the Pledge, sharing evidence and having it reviewed are free.
3.2 If we ever introduce a paid service, it will be separate and optional, and we will say so clearly before anyone signs up. Nothing in these terms commits a signatory to buy anything.
4. What a signatory commits to
4.1 Track outcomes across the protected characteristics in the Equality Act 2010, including both sexes; make reasonable adjustments for disabled staff (ss20–22); take all reasonable steps on harassment; publish measurable objectives; review every year.
4.2 Share only aggregate data that follows the data rules in the published review criteria (no figure based on fewer than 10 people).
4.3 Make no claim about the Pledge or the mark other than those allowed in section 5.
5. Use of the mark
5.1 Status "Pledged": the organisation may say "We have signed the Sentient Equality Pledge". It may not display the mark. Wherever Sentient shows "Pledged" status, it carries this wording:
   "The Sentient Equality Pledge is a public commitment made by this organisation. Sentient OS Ltd has not yet reviewed its evidence. The Pledge is not legal advice and does not confirm that the organisation meets the Equality Act 2010 or any other law."
5.2 Status "Pledge member, evidence reviewed": once Sentient has reviewed the organisation's evidence against the published criteria, the organisation may display the mark straight away. Anyone may ask Sentient to confirm an organisation's status, and we reply within 5 working days (see the register page). Displaying the mark means the organisation agrees that Sentient may confirm its status to anyone who asks.
5.3 Every display of the mark must show the date of the last review (the [date] below, which is per entry) and this wording, exactly:
   "This shows the organisation has signed the Sentient Equality Pledge and supplied evidence that Sentient reviewed against its published criteria on [date]. It is a membership, not an award or quality mark, and it does not confirm that the organisation meets any law."
5.4 The mark may not be altered, resized out of proportion, combined with other logos so as to suggest a joint scheme, or used on products or in a way that suggests Sentient approves a product, service or person.
5.5 The organisation may not describe the mark or the Pledge as an award, a standard it has passed, an endorsement, or a statement that it meets any law.
6. How long it lasts
6.1 The mark is valid for 12 months from the review date.
6.2 There is a 30-day grace period after the anniversary. During it, the mark stays valid only if renewal evidence has been submitted and the renewal review is in progress.
6.3 If no renewal evidence arrives by the end of the grace period, the mark lapses and the register shows "lapsed".
6.4 After a lapse, suspension, removal or withdrawal, the organisation must remove the mark from all materials, including websites, email signatures and documents, within 14 days.
7. Withdrawal and removal
7.1 A signatory may withdraw at any time by email. We remove it from the register within 5 working days.
7.2 We may suspend or remove a signatory, with notice by email, if: it misuses the mark or makes misleading claims; a conflict is found under section 2; it breaches the data rules; it fails to remove the mark when required; or we reasonably believe continued listing would damage trust in the Pledge.
7.3 Where possible, we will first give 14 days to put things right.
7.4 On removal, the register shows only "no longer listed" or the entry is taken down. We do not publish reasons.
7.5 We may close the Pledge with 60 days' notice to signatories.
8. No endorsement, and no statement that any law is met
8.1 Sentient reviews the evidence supplied, on the date shown, against its published criteria. We do not check whether the evidence is accurate beyond what the documents show, and we do not vouch for how the organisation acts in practice.
8.2 The Pledge and the mark are not an endorsement of the organisation, its products or services, and they do not confirm that the organisation meets the Equality Act 2010 or any other law.
8.3 Nothing we provide under the Pledge is legal advice.
8.4 The signatory is responsible for the accuracy of everything it submits and for any claim it makes about the Pledge or the mark. The signatory will reimburse Sentient OS Ltd for reasonable losses and costs (including reasonable legal costs) arising from any third-party claim caused by its misuse of the mark, its misleading claims or its inaccurate submissions.
8.5 The Pledge, the review and the mark are provided free of charge. To the extent permitted by law, Sentient OS Ltd's total liability to a signatory arising from or in connection with the Pledge, whether in contract, tort (including negligence) or otherwise, is limited to £100, and Sentient OS Ltd is not liable for any loss of profit, revenue, business, goodwill or data, or any indirect or consequential loss.
8.6 Nothing in these terms limits or excludes liability for death or personal injury caused by negligence, for fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation, or for any other liability that cannot lawfully be limited or excluded.
9. Data
9.1 Sign-up details (organisation name, contact name, work email, sector, size) are used to run the Pledge, as set out in our privacy notice: [Privacy notice link TBC].
9.2 Evidence is aggregate only. Before any evidence is shared, the signatory and Sentient sign a processor agreement (UK GDPR Art 28). The signatory remains controller of its data.
9.3 We return and do not keep any submission that breaks the data rules.
9.4 Marketing emails are sent only if the contact ticks the separate, optional box at sign-up, and they can opt out at any time.
9.5 Register listing needs the signatory's separate consent (see the register page).
10. Changes to these terms
We date every version and give signatories at least 30 days' notice of material changes by email. A signatory that does not agree may withdraw under 7.1.
11. General
11.1 No one other than Sentient and the signatory has rights under these terms (Contracts (Rights of Third Parties) Act 1999 excluded).
11.2 These terms are governed by the law of England and Wales, and the courts of England and Wales have exclusive jurisdiction.
11.3 Sentient OS Ltd, company no. 17264941, registered office [Registered office TBC].