Settlement and ESG Star — package v1.0

1. Roles. The operator is [name, legal form, address, register, tax number, representation, contact — TO BE COMPLETED]. A participant is an entity that has concluded an accession agreement or R-02 incorporating R-01. The operator is responsible for its own coordination obligations; the transaction parties for their own performance.
2. Accession. Accession requires verification of registration and representation, of the scope of resources offered, and acceptance of an identified version of the documents. The participant provides current data and reports material changes before the next transaction.
3. Offer and transaction. Every offer and transaction is subject to individual acceptance. Silence or an entry in the demonstration panel does not constitute acceptance in this pilot. The card defines how the transaction is concluded and the required signatures, taking into account any form required by law.
4. Documentation and register. Documentation comprises R-03, proof of performance, the accounting document, the R-04 agreement where applicable, and the remaining balance. The register organised by the operator mirrors the source documents; it does not replace the participant's books. Keeping the register starts only once L-01 is met.
5. Risk and limits. Exposure limits are set by the parties concerned in writing or in another agreed permissible form. Exceeding them requires prior consent. Arrears or a justified dispute block new pilot transactions with that participant until clarified; the operator states the reason and how to present a position.
6. Reports and corrections. Error reports are received at [address — TO BE COMPLETED]. Acknowledgement within 3 business days; response within 14 calendar days. Where further fact-finding is needed, the response states its scope and a proposed date. The procedure does not limit statutory claims or time limits. Corrections preserve the original content, reason, date and approvals.
7. Fees. The price list [version/date — TO BE COMPLETED] or an order defines the amount, taxes, basis of charge, due date and refund rules. Without an accepted fee there is no basis to charge it under this template. A fee does not guarantee a partner or a business result.
8. Exit. The participant terminates participation with a notice period of [TO BE COMPLETED]. From the effective end of accepting new orders, the parties settle existing obligations. End of participation does not extinguish debts or transfer them to the operator.
9. Confidentiality and data. Confidential transaction data is shared with authorised persons to the extent necessary. Data protection roles, security measures and retention periods are defined in separate agreed documentation before launch; processor status requires assessment of the actual role.
10. Amendments and disputes. Amendments must state version and date and be communicated [period — TO BE COMPLETED]. New terms apply to future transactions after acceptance. Existing agreements are amended as they themselves provide. Governing law and dispute resolution: R-02, subject to mandatory law.

Adoption: operator [signature/date]; participant [signature/date]; annexes and versions [list].

§1. Parties. This agreement is concluded between A [full details and representation] and B [full details and representation], the Parties. The operator [details] is a party only if it signs the agreement with a described scope of its own obligations.

§2. Subject and orders. The Parties cooperate in [description]. Each supply requires an R-03 card naming the supplier and the recipient. Accepting the framework agreement does not oblige a minimum number of orders unless the Parties add such an obligation: [text or "none"].

§3. Prices and taxes. The card sets the price, taxes, delivery cost and payment date. Each Party issues the proper documents for its own supply. Cash settlement is made to the designated account; contractual settlement on the basis of a separate agreement. The Parties check the applicable tax obligations before agreeing the settlement method.

§4. Performance and acceptance. The supplier performs in line with the specification and deadline. The recipient documents acceptance and any defects found. Defect remedy procedure, re-acceptance date and cost rules: [TO BE COMPLETED]. The protocol records findings while preserving rights under the agreement and the law.

§5. Liability. Each Party is liable for its own non-performance or improper performance under the applicable law. Additional security, penalties and liability caps require a separate lawful agreement [text or "none"]. The agreement does not exclude liability that cannot be excluded.

§6. Confidentiality. Information marked confidential or confidential by its nature is used to perform the agreement for [period]. Exceptions cover public information, information lawfully obtained independently and disclosures required by law. Disclosure is limited to what is necessary.

§7. Intellectual property. Rights to pre-existing materials remain with their holders. A licence or transfer of rights to a deliverable requires identifying the work, scope, fields of use, duration, territory, remuneration and required form in annex [number]. Acceptance of a deliverable alone does not replace these terms.

§8. Personal data. The Parties define their personal data roles [description] and legal bases. If processing is entrusted, they sign the proper agreement before any access to data. They minimise data and apply the agreed security measures [annex].

§9. Term and termination. The agreement is effective from [date] for [period]. Termination: [notice and method]. A material breach is subject to a notice to remedy within [period], with the option to terminate in line with the law and agreed terms. Termination does not affect settlement of performed supplies, confidentiality or archiving duties.

§10. Law and disputes. Governing law: [TO BE COMPLETED]. The Parties attempt to resolve a dispute amicably for [period], without limiting urgent remedies or statutory rights. Court or separately agreed mediation: [TO BE COMPLETED]. Amendments require [form appropriate to the act].

Signatures, dates, list of annexes: [TO BE COMPLETED].

Acceptance protocol: performed [scope] on [ ]; accepted [scope]; reservations [ ]; evidence [ ]; remedial actions, owner and deadline [ ]; re-acceptance [ ]; accounting document [identifier]; signatures [ ].

Correction: original version [ ]; reason [ ]; changed fields [ ]; effect on price and taxes [ ]; approvals [ ].

1. The parties are A [details], B [details], C [details] and any further entities [details], represented by [persons and basis of authority].
2. The parties confirm only the receivables itemised below together with source documents. For each, they disclose any dispute, attachment, assignment, security or other restriction. Disputed receivables or those subject to an unresolved restriction are excluded pending separate clarification.

1. Each creditor listed in the table consents to the extinguishment of its identified receivable in the amount shown under "amount extinguished", and the relevant debtor accepts this consent. The arrangements form one interdependent whole. The parties confirm the economic balance of performance in annex [ ]. Any imbalance is described and settled expressly; it is not left to automatic calculation by a platform.
2. The effect occurs when the complete document bearing the last required signature has been delivered to all parties, provided any additional conditions are met [list or "none"]. The coordinator [person] records that moment and the delivery. Until then, existing obligations remain in force.
3. The agreement does not transfer receivables. Assignment, assumption of debt or security require separate arrangements and the proper consents. The operator does not become a debtor by keeping the statement.
4. Remaining balances, interest and costs are set out separately: [table/annex]. Omitting interest from the table is not a presumed waiver. The parties confirm the final statement after the agreement takes effect.
5. Each party handles its own tax effects and keeps its documents. Amendments require the consent of all parties whose rights they change, taking into account the interdependence of the arrangements.
6. Governing law, disputes, number of counterparts, form of signature and addresses for service: [TO BE COMPLETED]. Signature and date of each party: [ ].

Illustrative example (not real companies): A owes B PLN 1,230, B owes C PLN 1,230 and C owes A PLN 1,230. Only a valid agreement of all three parties extinguishes these receivables. Without an agreement, existing obligations remain. Where amounts differ, the table shows the difference still payable.

Each metric is interpreted in the context of sector, size, operational boundaries and base year. An increase or decrease in ethics reports is not on its own evidence of improvement or deterioration. The standard does not require publishing sensitive personal data; S data is presented in aggregated form.

Evidence assessment (for each criterion separately): 0 — no data; 1 — declaration with a responsible person; 2 — documented measurement with method and period; 3 — independently verified evidence within a defined scope. "Not applicable" requires justification and the verifier's approval. Missing data remains missing data, not zero impact.

Conditions for a complete pilot report: all 12 criteria have a status and a card; every criterion material to the scope reaches at least level 2; any claim presented publicly as independently verified reaches level 3 in the relevant scope. Materiality is justified before the assessment and recorded in the report. Failing a condition leads to a gap report, not a positive confirmation of completeness. Critical breaches and an unresolved suspicion of fabrication block a positive decision.

Interpretation: the evidence level is not an ethical judgement of the company. The protocol does not add results up into stars or a rating. A favourable environmental result does not offset violations of human rights or governance principles. A report does not entitle anyone to a designation without E-03 and fulfilment of L-01.

References: VSME serves to organise information; ISO 26000 provides guidance; ISO/IEC 17029 concerns the principles of verification bodies. Linking to these sources does not prove conformity or accreditation. The SDGs are a map of goals, not proof of effect. Statutory reporting obligations (including ESRS) are determined separately according to the specific organisation's obligations.

1. Application and scope. The application states the unit, scope of activity, period and expected report scope. The coordinator sets the document list and schedule.
2. Impartiality. The verifier documents competence and declares relationships. A person who advised on preparing the assessed data does not verify their own work. The decision-maker and the appeal reviewer meet the impartiality requirement.
3. Terms and fees. The parties agree scope, costs, access to evidence and level of work. The fee covers the work regardless of the outcome. Any fee for admission to the ecosystem is a separate item. Sales and advisory are separated from assessment.
4. Evidence verification. The verifier checks sources, calculations, periods, representativeness and limitations. Sampling and its rationale are described in the report. A site visit takes place where the nature of the evidence requires on-site observation.
5. Findings and right of reply. Draft findings are sent to the organisation with 10 business days to respond. The verifier considers comments while keeping the original findings and an audit trail. An authorised person issues the decision on the protocol scope.
6. Validity and monitoring. The report states validity until a given date, at most 12 months. A material change in operations or data, or disclosure of a breach, triggers an earlier review. The organisation reports a material change within 5 business days of becoming aware of it. The report is not a guarantee of future conduct.
7. Breaches, suspension, withdrawal. Suspected falsification of evidence leads to the decision being put on hold, a fact-finding procedure and remedial action. Suspension of any right to the designation states scope, reason, response deadline and conditions for reinstatement. Withdrawal requires a statement of reasons. Public communication status is updated in line with the agreement.
8. Appeal. An appeal is lodged within 14 calendar days of service of the decision at [address — TO BE COMPLETED]. A different, impartial person decides within 30 calendar days. The decision states its reasons. The procedure does not limit legal remedies.
9. Nature of time limits. All time limits above are proposals of a proprietary pilot procedure. Responsible persons are appointed and the procedure is adopted before any assessment starts. The package does not currently name an appointed verifier.

§1. Parties. Client [details], assessment provider [details and competence], designation rights holder [details and basis of rights]. Where these are different entities, their roles and signatures are shown separately.

§2. Subject. The subject is an assessment under E-01 version [ ] for unit [ ], location [ ], period [ ] and scope [ ]. The deliverable is a report with findings and limitations. The fee [amount/taxes/due date] is payable for the agreed scope of work, regardless of its outcome.

§3. Obligations. The client provides lawful access to data and people, truthful information and disclosure of known limitations. The provider is responsible for professional performance of the agreed work, confidentiality and conflict management. Personal data rules are set in an annex reflecting the actual roles.

§4. Licence conditions. This template does not by itself grant a licence. Its effectiveness requires, jointly: proof of rights to the designation, adopted rules of use, fulfilment of the applicable legal requirements for the scheme, completion of an independent assessment and a written activation document signed by the rights holder and the licensee.

§5. Licence scope. The activation document states the designation, scope of use, assessed unit, permitted claims, channels, territory, period, fee or no fee, and decision identifier. The licence is non-exclusive and without the right to sublicense unless otherwise agreed separately. Any claim refers only to the assessed scope and period; it must not be broadened.

§6. Prohibited claims. The licensee does not present the designation as approval by the EU, UN or ISO, or as a guarantee of all aspects of its business. It makes the scope and limitations of the assessment and the current decision status available to the audience at the agreed location [ ].

§7. Suspension and withdrawal. Where there is a justified risk of misleading the audience, the rights holder suspends use of the designation with reasons. The licensee stops new publication upon service of the notice and updates existing materials within the period set in the activation document [period]. Remedying the breach allows a review. Withdrawal of the licence and appeals follow E-02.

§8. Final provisions. Liability, termination, effects of expiry, governing law, court and form of amendments: [agreed provisions]. Absence of licence activation does not waive payment for an assessment actually ordered and performed. Signatures and dates: [ ].

Evidence card: ID [ ]; criterion [ ]; unit/site [ ]; boundaries [ ]; period [ ]; metric and unit [ ]; result [ ]; base year and baseline result [ ]; change and calculation method [ ]; method and version [ ]; sources and dates [ ]; data owner [ ]; limitations/uncertainty [ ]; evidence level 0–3 [ ]; N/A justification [ ]; verifier and competence [ ]; date and scope of check [ ]; correction history [ ].

Type of information: planned benefit [ ] / observed result [ ] / verified result [ ] — tick one.

For social impact: group [ ]; number of unique people [ ]; activity [ ]; outcome [ ]; how change is measured [ ]; partner contributions [ ]; attribution limitations [ ]; data protection and form of aggregation [ ].

Assessment report: ID [ ]; standard version [ ]; engagement scope [ ]; method and sample [ ]; set of cards [ ]; gaps [ ]; critical findings [ ]; organisation's position [ ]; resolution of comments [ ]; decision and its scope [ ]; decision-maker [ ]; date [ ]; review by [ ]; conditions for earlier update [ ]; permitted claim [ ]; licence status "not granted" or number of a separate activation [ ]; appeal and outcome [ ].

Launch decision: scope [ ]; closed conditions [ ]; open conditions and impact [ ]; owner [ ]; date [ ]; signature [ ]. Only the scope for which the required conditions are met is launched.

Illustrative example — it does not describe any actual organisation or assessment.