LEGAL

Founding Program 2027: Participation Terms

Addendum to the Terms of Use for employers selected for a free place in the USIQ Founding Program 2027.

Version 1.0, November 13, 2026, US English

FP-1 Scope and priority

This Addendum applies to employers selected for a free place in the USIQ Founding Program 2027 (Founding Participants). It supplements the Terms of Use, the Seal Usage Guidelines and the certification criteria of the program chosen. Within the meaning of Section 1.4 of the Terms of Use, it expressly modifies Sections 3.4, 3.6, 7.1 and 7.3 and the fee entries of Appendix E-C for Founding Participants. Everything not addressed here remains governed by the Terms of Use and the criteria.

FP-2 Places and selection

USIQ offers up to 100 free places to employers with 10 to 10,000 employees in the United States. Each employer can receive one place, which covers one program: Top Employer or Family Friendly Employer. USIQ selects Founding Participants in rounds, the first in Q1 2027, aiming for a balanced mix of company sizes and industries from all U.S. regions. Expected assessment results play no role in the selection. An application creates no right to a place.

FP-3 No fees

For a Founding Participant, no package fee, exam fee or other charge is payable for the application, survey, assessment, evaluation, results report, certification, verification page or seal license during the certified period. Sections 3.4 and 3.6 of the Terms of Use do not apply to the free place. USIQ does not ask for payment details. Optional marketing services may be ordered separately at regular prices. Ordering them, or not ordering them, has no effect on selection, scoring or the award decision; Section 7.1 applies to any such order.

FP-4 Same criteria, no guaranteed award

Founding Participants are assessed against the same published criteria, thresholds, evidence requests and second review as paid participants. A free place does not guarantee an award or a particular tier. If no award is issued, the Founding Participant still receives its available results report free of charge, as described in Section 3.5 of the Terms of Use.

FP-5 Research use of results

The Founding Participant agrees that USIQ may use its assessment and survey results in anonymized and aggregated form for research, benchmarks and the further development of its standards. USIQ will not publish results that identify the Founding Participant or individual respondents without the Founding Participant’s prior written consent. The minimum reporting-group and suppression rules of the criteria and the data processing terms in Annex A continue to apply.

FP-6 Linking the seal to its verification page

Every online display of a USIQ seal by a certified Founding Participant must link directly to its current public verification page. This applies to websites and careers pages, job advertisements, social media profiles and posts, email signatures, digital documents and any other digital format. Where a link is technically not possible, such as in print, on signage or in video, a readable verification address must appear next to the seal, as required by Section 4.2 of the Terms of Use. A display without this link or address does not comply with these terms and is subject to Section 9 of the Terms of Use.

FP-7 Clear communication of the methodology

USIQ publishes the methodology and criteria of each program and states the criteria version on every verification page. Whenever the Founding Participant refers to its certification, it must describe it accurately: the exact program and tier awarded, the fact that it is based on a survey and an assessment against published criteria, and the validity period. Where the certification is described beyond the seal itself, for example in a press release, on a careers page or in a job advertisement, the text must link to the verification page or to the methodology of the program. The certification must not be described as a ranking, a competition, a nomination-based award or a government approval.

FP-8 Transparency about the free place

In place of the fee statement in Section 7.3 of the Terms of Use, USIQ states on the verification page of each Founding Participant that the assessment was carried out free of charge within the Founding Program 2027. The Founding Participant does not have to repeat this statement when it displays its seal. If a Founding Participant publishes a testimonial, review or endorsement about USIQ or its services, it must disclose that it received the assessment free of charge, where the FTC Endorsement Guides require such a disclosure. USIQ will never make a testimonial, a review or a positive statement a condition of selection or of the award.

FP-9 Cooperation and withdrawal

The Founding Participant invites all eligible U.S. employees to the survey, completes the assessment within the timeline agreed at kick-off, provides accurate information and answers reasonable evidence requests. It may withdraw at any time by written notice. If it withdraws or does not complete the assessment, USIQ may close the assessment without an award and offer the place to another applicant. No fee or cost is charged in either case.

FP-10 Validity and renewal

A certification issued within the Founding Program is valid for 24 months under Section 3.1 of the Terms of Use. A renewal requires a new assessment at the regular price then in effect. There is no obligation to renew and no automatic renewal or recurring charge.

Quality Standardization and Certification LLC, 30 N Gould St, Sheridan, WY 82801, USA. Questions: e-mail@usiq.org