Annex H — Trademarks, Marks & Brand Usage Policy

Owner: General Counsel (GC) and Communications (Comms)
Review cadence: Annual and upon material law or brand change

Purpose. Protect the integrity of Nexus brands and certification marks while enabling fair, accurate use by licensed operators and partners. This Annex sets global, equal‑treatment rules for all regions and programs. It integrates with Annex A (Competition), Annex B (Regulatory Perimeter), Annex C (Privacy), Annex D (SDZ/Transfers), and Annex G (Open‑Source & IP Governance).

1) Scope & Equal‑Treatment Baseline

Applies equally to all regional operators (APAC, Middle East, East Africa, Southern Africa, EU/France, USA, Canada, Brazil/LatAm, Senegal/West Africa, Switzerland/GRF seat), NatCos, Program SPVs, contractors, and ecosystem partners. Where host‑country trademark/advertising law is stricter (e.g., France, US, Brazil), the most restrictive rule prevails. Nothing herein grants authority to perform regulated financial activity (see Annex B).

2) Ownership & Stewardship

• Marks Owner/Steward (interim): GRF (Zug) — owns/stewards the Nexus family of marks, conformance badges, and certification marks.
• Protocol Authority (future): NSF — on novation, assumes stewardship of protocol marks/badges; corporate control is not conferred.
• For‑profit entities (NE Inc., SNC, NatCos): hold no ownership in GRF/NSF marks; use is license‑based only.
• Registration: GC maintains a multi‑jurisdictional portfolio (word/device marks, certification marks) and renewals, plus a watch service for conflicts.

3) Mark Classes (non‑exhaustive)

1. Core Word/Device Marks: “Nexus”, “Global Risks Forum (GRF)”, “Nexus Standards Foundation (NSF)”, “Global Risk Architecture (GRA)”, “Global Cooperation Research Institute (GCRI)”, graphical logos.
2. Certification & Conformance Badges: CL1–CL4 (system conformance), EQL1–EQL5 (evidence/artifact quality), registry seals, validator badges.
3. Program/Event Marks: Academy, Marketplace, regional forum/event names, campaign tags.
4. Product/Module Names: NEXCORE, NEXQ, GRIx, OP, EWS, AAP, DSS (as applicable).

4) Licenses & Who May Use

• Marks & Conformance License (MCL): Required for any third‑party use of core marks or badges. Issued by GRF (interim) / NSF (later).
• Operator Brand License (OBL): Granted to SNC and NatCos for co‑branding in delivery; non‑transferable; limited to defined territory and term; revocable.
• OSS Use: Open‑source participation does not grant mark rights; code licenses are separate from trademark rights (see Annex G).
• Media/Academia: Fair‑use references (news/academic) allowed if accurate, non‑misleading, and not implying endorsement.

5) Conformance & Certification Marks (Badges)

• Prerequisite: Passing audits for the relevant class (CL/EQL) and being listed in the GRF Council Register with a valid registry URL.
• Display rules:
  – Badge must hyperlink to the registry entry.
  – Show scope, version, validity dates, and geography.
  – Use current artwork only; no resizing beyond proportions; maintain minimum clear space.
• Expiry & suspension: On expiration, suspension, or revocation, remove the badge and related claims within 10 business days.
• No transfer: Certification is granted to a specific legal entity and scope; it is not transferable to affiliates/parents/subs without audit.

6) Co‑Branding & Endorsement Controls

• Co‑branding allowed only under a current OBL/MCL and within the permitted territory, program, and medium.
• Non‑endorsement: Unless expressly agreed in writing, all uses must include a non‑endorsement disclaimer (see §10).
• Placement: Nexus/GRF/NSF marks may appear alongside partner marks with parity; do not feature competitor marks in a way that implies exclusivity or endorsement.
• Prohibited: Suggesting sponsorship/partnership/certification where none exists; use in political campaigns; use on financial products, tokens, or securities offerings without explicit written consent.

7) Visual & Digital Standards (summary)

• Do: Use approved SVG/PNG assets from the Brand Asset Kit; maintain clear space equal to the height of the “N” in Nexus; use brand colors and accessibility contrast ratios (WCAG AA+).
• Don’t: Alter colors/shapes; add shadows/gradients; place on busy backgrounds; rotate/skew; animate without approval; create domain names, app names, or social handles that incorporate the marks.
• Alt text: Provide accurate alt text for accessibility (e.g., “Nexus conformance badge CL3”).
• Search/ads: No bidding on the “Nexus”, “GRF”, “NSF”, “GRA”, or “GCRI” marks as keywords without prior written permission.

8) Approval Workflow & Registers

• Pre‑use approval: Submit mockups and copy via the Brand Use Request form at least 10 business days before publication.
• Approvers: Comms (creative/copy) + GC (legal/scope).
• Registers: Maintain a Brand Use Register and Certification Claims Register (entity, scope, dates, links, assets used).
• Change control: Material changes re‑open approval; approvals expire with the underlying license/audit.

9) Misuse, Monitoring & Enforcement

• Monitoring: Watch service + community reporting channel; quarterly sweep of digital platforms.
• Notices: Progressive enforcement — (1) advisory notice; (2) formal cease & desist; (3) license suspension/revocation; (4) takedown and legal action.
• Revocation triggers: Misrepresentation, out‑of‑scope use, expired certification, quality/system failure, safety/privacy breach, competition law breach.
• Post‑revocation: Remove marks within 10 business days; destroy or replace physical materials within 30 days; certify removal in writing.
• Remedies: Injunctive relief, damages, account of profits, and recovery of enforcement costs where applicable.

10) Required Disclaimers (short forms)

• Non‑endorsement (default):
  “Nexus/GRF/NSF names and marks are used under license. Use does not imply endorsement or certification.”
• Certification scope (for badges):
  “Certified [CLx/EQLx] for [system/artifact] as listed in the GRF Council Register ([link]). Certification applies only to the scope and period stated.”
• Regulatory status (with Annex B linkages):
  “Technology and operational support only. Regulated components, if any, are delivered by licensed partners‑of‑record.”
• Open‑source (OSS) clarity:
  “Open‑source participation does not grant any trademark rights. Please see the Marks & Conformance License for permitted uses.”

Include the disclaimer in footers or immediately proximate to first use on a page, slide, or asset.

11) Special Situations

• Events & Panels: Display of marks on agenda slides/backdrops requires OBL/MCL; add non‑endorsement disclaimer on event pages/programs.
• Press Releases: Quotes require Comms approval; do not imply GRF/NSF endorsement; include certification scope where relevant.
• Joint Reports/White‑papers: Use co‑branding only if both entities approve the final draft; attach registry links for any badge claims.
• Merchandise/Swag: Prohibited unless specifically authorised; quality standards and vendor approval apply.

12) Legal Linkages & Governing Terms

• Contracts: Every SOW/License referencing marks must attach this Annex.
• Governing terms: Mark licenses are governed by Swiss law (owner seat) unless otherwise agreed; disputes escalated under the GRF Register/NSF protocol with venue guidance in the license.
• No assignment: Licensees may not transfer or sub‑license marks without written consent.

13) Records & Evidence

Maintain: executed licenses (MCL/OBL), approvals, mockups, publication screenshots, registry links, audit outcomes (CL/EQL), notices sent/received, and revocation records for 7 years. Link to the program’s Assurance & Evidence Pack (AEP).

14) Training & Communications

• Training: Annual brand & claims training for marketing, sales, partnerships, and legal; onboarding for all user‑facing staff.
• Brand Asset Kit: Comms maintains a single source‑of‑truth (logos, badges, color specs, templates) with version control and checksums.
• Office hours: Monthly clinics for partners/licensees.

15) Exceptions & Waivers

Unusual uses (e.g., educational reprints, archival footage, humanitarian exceptions) require GC + Comms approval with a written waiver that sets scope, term, geography, and disclaimer language.

16) Enforcement & Sanctions

Non‑compliance may lead to removal of materials, license suspension/revocation, contractual penalties, and legal action. Repeat or willful breaches may result in blacklisting from future programs.

17) Effective Date & Governance

Adopted by the Board(s) of all regional operators on [●] and incorporated by reference into Charters/Bylaws, Licenses (MCL/OBL), and SOWs. Class B to amend/strengthen; Class A to weaken or reduce protections.