Confidentiality and Intellectual Property Commitment

Confidentiality

We treat non-public information shared during conversations, workshops, retail safaris, observations and strategic discussions as confidential. We use it only to deliver and administer the agreed engagement, and we protect it using reasonable safeguards.
Information may be shared only with Billboard personnel, associates, subcontractors or professional advisers who need it for the engagement and are bound by appropriate confidentiality duties. We may also disclose information where the law requires it. Standard exceptions apply to information that is already lawfully public, already lawfully known, independently developed or lawfully received from another source.
Where appropriate, Billboard is willing to review and enter into a client’s Non-Disclosure Agreement. An NDA is effective only once its terms have been agreed and accepted by authorised representatives.

Personal information and technology

We handle personal information in accordance with applicable data-protection law, including POPIA. We use appropriate security measures and notify the relevant client if we become aware of reasonable grounds to believe that project information has been accessed or acquired without authorisation.
We may use suitable technology, including AI-assisted tools, to support research, analysis and content development. We do not place identifiable confidential information, sensitive personal information or client datasets into third-party AI tools unless this is authorised, reasonably necessary and supported by appropriate safeguards. All outputs remain subject to professional review.

Intellectual property

Client-specific final deliverables identified in the agreed scope become the client’s after full payment, subject to any third-party licences. Billboard’s pre-existing and independently developed methods, frameworks, tools, templates, processes and know-how remain Billboard’s intellectual property. The client may use embedded Billboard material as needed for its own internal use of the paid deliverable.

Independent perspective

Our recommendations are evidence-based, commercially grounded and tailored to the organisation’s context. The client remains responsible for its decisions and implementation.

This Commitment is a plain-language summary of Billboard’s working principles. It is not a standalone NDA and does not replace the applicable Proposal, Statement of Work, Letter of Engagement, Terms and Conditions, Privacy Notice or signed NDA. If documents conflict, the signed or accepted engagement documents prevail.

We value long-term partnerships built on trust, curiosity and measurable impact.