(Swiss Verein; Zug register; principal base Geneva. This Bylaw governs official/public communications, branding, and the mandatory use of an Independence Notice across all media. It preserves the stance in Art. 3 (Independence & Non-Affiliation), integrates CB (Privy Council) Pre-Clearance, and binds records to the Council System of Record (CSR) and Council Gazette. Cross-refs: Arts. 1–5 (Purpose; Defs/Precedence; EN controls; FR/DE companions), 6 (Organs), 7 (Representation), 8 (Elections & Conduct), 9 (Authorities/DoA; CB), 10 (Programs), 11 (ECT), 13 (Records/Gazette), 14–16 (Finance; Data/Privacy/Security; Ethics), 17 (Accreditation/Protocol), 18–21; Bylaws 1, 4–10. Annexes: X (Gazette & Disclosure), W (Records), N (Conflicts & RPT), AB (Open-Contracting), L (Identity/InfoSec), T (Data/Model Governance). EN controls; FR/DE companions may be issued.)
11.0 Principles, Scope & Roles
11.0.1 Principles
(a) Independence by design—no implied affiliation, endorsement, or capture.
(b) Truthful, evidence-based, and reproducible—facts trace to CSR entries (CRE links).
(c) Single source of truth—only designated spokespeople articulate institutional positions.
(d) Least-risk publishing—CB clearance for sensitive items; privacy/ethics first.
(e) Accessibility & inclusion—plain language; FR/DE companions when feasible.
(f) Auditability—every material communication is fileable, discoverable, and corrigible.
11.0.2 Scope
Covers all media and formats: press statements, reports, dashboards, research papers, policy briefs, event materials, presentations, websites, newsletters, social media, podcasts, webinars, paid media/advertising, third-party co-announcements, vendor/donor quotes, and any use of GRF names/marks.
11.0.3 Roles (RACI)
- Responsible (R): EM Communications lead; Program Owners/Chairs for content accuracy.
- Accountable (A): ED/CEO for message integrity; CGS/CB for independence, legal and clearance.
- Consulted (C): GC/ECC (ethics & conflicts), TDC/CDS (data/model claims), DPO/CISO (privacy/security), Protocol (venue/diplomatic styling).
- Informed (I): Board/Committees; GA via Gazette.
11.1 Public Statements & Branding (Pre-Clearance)
11.1.1 Institutional Voice & Spokespeople
(a) Official spokespeople: Board Chair, ED/CEO, Communications Lead, or a named delegate for a specific matter; list maintained in CSR.
(b) Personal capacity: Trustees/Chairs/Staff may speak only in personal capacity unless explicitly designated; must use the Personal Capacity Disclaimer (§11.2.4).
11.1.2 Triggers Requiring CB Pre-Clearance (Clearance ID on file)
- Use of GRF names/marks or visual identity in any public artifact.
- Press releases, policy positions, op-eds, reports/dashboards, scorecards (Bylaw 6), model/data publications (Annex T).
- Any co-announcement, co-hosting or sponsorship attribution text (logos or word-marks).
- Third-party quotes that reference GRF decisions, performance, or endorsement.
- Election periods (Bylaw 8.6) and procurement windows (Bylaw 7.5): all external comms on related topics.
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Crisis/issues communications (incidents, recalls, corrections).
Fast-Track clearance may be used for low-risk routine notices; RAP-Clearance during emergencies (Art. 19).
11.1.3 Content Standards (Evidence & Privacy)
(a) Citations: empirical claims must carry a CRE/URI to the underlying CSR record or public dataset; modeled claims disclose uncertainty and limitations.
(b) No donor/vendor conditioning of wording or placement (Art. 3); no exclusive editorial rights to third parties.
(c) Privacy/Security: redact personal/sensitive data; comply with Art. 15 (FADP/GDPR); obtain data subject permissions when required.
(d) Conflicts: include declaration where an author/speaker has a material tie (Annex N); recuse if necessary.
(e) Use of AI tools: drafts assisted by AI must be human-reviewed; sources verified; hallucination-prone content barred.
11.1.4 Branding & Visual Identity (Marks)
(a) Ownership: GRF names/marks are protected; style guide lodged in CSR.
(b) Lock-ups: no logo lock-ups with third parties unless Board-approved; word-only attributions preferred (“Hosted by GRF; supported by [Name]”) with strict Independence Notice (§11.2).
(c) Prohibitions: no use of GRF marks in paid advertising or product promotion by vendors/donors; no implied endorsement.
(d) Clear space & legibility: per style guide; minimum sizes; contrast rules; accessibility compliant.
11.1.5 Channels, Timing & Blackouts
(a) Embargoes: honor embargoes with written terms; embargo lifts recorded in CSR.
(b) Election blackout: 48 hours before balloting (Bylaw 8.6) GRF will not publish advocacy on the ballot subject; factual voter info may be posted by CB.
(c) Procurement standstill: during standstill windows, no promotional comms by bidders referencing GRF; violations may disqualify or trigger debarment (Bylaw 7.5/7.9).
(d) Quiet period before Board-reserved decisions (Art. 9.1): only neutral notices.
11.1.6 Third-Party & Vendor/Donor Communications
(a) Advance review by CB/Comms is mandatory for any third-party release naming GRF; no language implying endorsement.
(b) Permitted factual phrasing (examples):
- “Company X participated as a speaker at the GRF [Geneva Dialogue/Assembly] on [date].”
- “Organization Y contributed data under license to a GRF publication titled [title] (link).”
(c) Prohibited: “partnered with GRF” (unless Board-approved), “endorsed by GRF”, “GRF certified”, “official vendor of GRF”, or language implying affiliation.
(d) Sponsorship: attribution uses text-only; logo placement requires Board resolution and CB conditions.
11.1.7 Social, Web & Digital
(a) Handles & bios: official accounts only; personal bios must state “views personal; see §11.2.4”.
(b) Threads & replies: avoid policy debate during blackouts; route media to official spokespeople.
(c) Comments & moderation: enforce code of conduct; remove hate speech/spam; preserve moderation logs in CSR.
(d) Web tracking: cookie banners and privacy notices per Art. 15; no dark patterns.
11.1.8 Research, Teaching & Op-Eds
(a) Authors disclose funding and conflicts; include Independence Notice and CRE citations.
(b) Use of GRF affiliation requires CB notation (not clearance) if purely academic and non-policy; Pre-Clearance if institutional positions or marks are used.
11.1.9 Filing & Transparency
(a) Material communications are filed to CSR with Clearance ID and content hash; versions preserved.
(b) The Gazette publishes summaries of major releases, co-hosting notices, corrections, and crisis statements (lawful redactions).
11.2 Independence Notice Usage (All Media)
11.2.1 Mandatory Independence Notice — Standard Texts
Short Form (default):
Independence Notice — GRF is an independent, Swiss-registered association (Verein) based in Geneva, non-affiliated with governments, intergovernmental bodies, or donors. Views expressed are those of GRF and do not imply endorsement by any third party.
Long Form (for reports/websites/events):
Independence & Non-Affiliation — The Global Risks Forum (GRF) is an independent, non-profit Swiss Verein (Zug register; principal base Geneva). GRF does not accept donor-conditioned editorial or policy control. References to other entities are for identification only and do not imply affiliation, sponsorship, endorsement, or approval. Funding and in-kind support, where applicable, are disclosed in the Council System of Record and summarized in the Council Gazette.
Both forms are controlled texts; translations to FR/DE may be issued, with EN controlling (Art. 5.2).
11.2.2 Where & How the Notice Appears
(a) Reports, briefs, dashboards: inside front matter and the back legal page; on the landing webpage.
(b) Press releases/statements: footer block above contact lines.
(c) Presentations & event collateral: title slide footer and final slide; venue signage near registration.
(d) Websites/newsletters: site footer; policy pages; “About” section.
(e) Social media: link in bio and pinned post during campaign/event periods.
(f) Third-party materials: required as a condition of any co-announcement or mention (text-only if their template does not allow a block, at minimum a link to the GRF notice).
11.2.3 Co-Hosting, Sponsorship & Attribution Language (Text-Only Defaults)
- Co-hosting (approved): “Hosted by GRF. Organized with the support of [Name].”
- Sponsorship (approved): “Support for logistics provided by [Name]. No editorial or policy control.”
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Data acknowledgment: “Data provided under license by [Name]; analysis by GRF.”
Logos require Board resolution and CB conditions; no exclusive brand lock-ups.
11.2.4 Personal Capacity & Academic Disclaimers
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Trustees/Chairs/Staff speaking or writing outside a designated role must include:
“Speaking in a personal capacity; not an official GRF statement.” - If GRF affiliation is listed for context, add:
“Affiliation shown for identification only.” - Academic works should include the Short Form Notice and conflict/funding statements.
11.2.5 Corrections, Clarifications & Retractions
Where independence could reasonably be misperceived, Comms issues a Clarification Note within 5 Business Days; for material errors, a Correction/Retraction is published and gazetted, linking to the corrected artifact (versioned in CSR).
11.2.6 Enforcement & Remedies
(a) Non-compliant use of marks or omission of the notice triggers take-down, cease-and-desist, and potential debarment (Bylaw 7.9).
(b) Internal breaches may result in discipline (Art. 16) and removal from role (Art. 8.5).
(c) Repeat violations are escalated to the Board; legal action may be authorized (Art. 9.1(g)).
11.3 Crisis & Issues Communications (Interface) (supplemental)
(a) Single spokesperson rule; holding statements pre-cleared; timelines align to Bylaw 9 (72-hour incident standard).
(b) Content: what happened, what is known/unknown, actions taken, how to stay informed; privacy-safe.
(c) Transparency: material crisis statements summarized in the Gazette; FAQs archived in CSR.
11.4 Training, Tooling & Quick-Reference
11.4.1 Training
Annual training for spokespeople and content owners: media law, independence rules, data/model claim controls, privacy/security in communications, election/procurement blackouts, and social media safety.
11.4.2 Tooling & Templates
CB-controlled templates for releases, reports, decks, web pages, and social posts include the Independence Notice, CRE placeholders, and accessibility checks. Use is mandatory.
11.4.3 Quick-Reference (Minimums)
| Area | Minimum Control |
|---|---|
| Pre-Clearance | Required for any use of marks; press/policy/model/data releases; co-announcements |
| Evidence | Link to CRE/URI for material claims; disclose uncertainty/limits |
| Independence Notice | Short Form everywhere; Long Form in reports/web/events |
| Blackouts | 48h pre-election; procurement standstill; quiet period for Board-reserved items |
| Third-party use | Text-only attribution by default; no endorsement language; CB review |
| Filing | CSR entry with Clearance ID and content hash; Gazette summary for major items |
Design result: A Swiss-grade, trust-minimized communications regime that locks independence into every artifact—through pre-clearance, controlled Independence Notices, strict branding rules, and CSR/Gazette transparency—so GRF can inform the world clearly, safely, and credibly at multilateral scale.