Individual Member Terms and Conditions: as of 2020

These terms and conditions form the basis of the contract through which the Institute of Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability ("ICRS", "we" or "us") will deliver membership services (the "Services") to you as a member of ICRS ("ICRS individual member" or "you"). 

ICRS is the global professional body for corporate responsibility and sustainability ("CR&S") professionals. Its activities are carried on by Corporate Responsibility Group Limited ("CRG"), a company limited by guarantee, operating under the business name ICRS. CR&S professionals gain individual membership to the ICRS as Fellows through assessment of their level of practical professional experience. Those who apply to join as Members of the ICRS do not go through an assessment process. 

Please read these terms and conditions carefully before applying to become an ICRS individual member. In consideration of us accepting your application to become an ICRS individual member and allowing you to access the site, you agree to be bound by these terms and conditions. You should also note that these terms and conditions set out obligations to other ICRS individual members, and those ICRS ​individual members may be able to enforce their rights against you under these terms and conditions. Your attention is particularly drawn to the limitations and exclusions of liability set out in these terms and conditions.

1. Membership Benefits

Membership of the ICRS will provide you with one of two levels of individual membership: Member or Fellow. 

As an ICRS member you will receive a wide range of benefits such as: 

  • Full access to the members’ area of the ICRS website;
  • A variety of resources to support your Continuing Professional Development; 
  • For Fellows the right to use appropriate post-nominal letters (FICRS) denoting your level of membership; 
  • Those who were Associates as of 31st December 2018 may continue to use the appropriate post-nominal letters (AICRS) until they progress to Fellowship; 
  • Access to ICRS webinars and events; and 
  • The ability to exchange knowledge and professional experiences with the ICRS community. 

Membership packages may vary according to the level of individual membership. 

We reserve the right to change the benefits that apply to ICRS membership at any time without prior notice. 

Any external providers of a benefit included within your membership package will have absolute discretion in relation to the provision of services, and membership of the ICRS does not guarantee that the external provider will accept an application from an ICRS member for the provision of services. 

Services supplied by an external provider will be subject to the provider’s own terms and conditions, and we do not accept any liability for loss or damage suffered as a result of a fault, error or omission in the provision of these services. 

We reserve the right to change our external providers without prior notice and our decision on services provided is final.

2. The Individual Membership Contract

To become an ICRS ​individual member, follow the instructions on the membership pages of the Site. This application is an online process where you will have the ability to save your progress. 

If you require the form in alternative formats please contact info@icrs.info. 

When you submit your online application to the ICRS, or you fax, post, telephone, or email us with details of your application, you are making an offer to subscribe to the ICRS which, if accepted by our panel of assessors, will result in a legally binding contract. 

At the point of renewal of your individual membership, your renewal payment is confirmation of the continued acceptance of this contract. You may not transfer any of your rights and obligations under these terms and conditions to another person. 

Online Applications

For online applications you will either have sight of a confirmation page or receive an email. Acknowledgement that your application has been received and is being processed does not yet mean that your application has been accepted. Your individual membership with ICRS begins on the date when membership and any other fees have been paid in full.

Written/Verbal Applications

For applications made verbally or via a written application form or email, your individual membership will begin on the date we send your welcome pack. This will be sent out when all of your documents have been received and assessed, and membership fees have been paid in full.

Membership renewals

If you are already an individual member and wish to renew your membership or elect for automatic renewal of your membership, please log on to the members’ area of the Site and follow the instructions on how to renew. Do not complete the application form again as this might result in a duplicate membership record being created.

Lapsed memberships

If your individual membership has lapsed for a period of two years or more, you will be required to complete a new membership application form (ensuring you quote your lapsed membership number in the form to ensure a duplicate member record is not created). It is not possible to reinstate lapsed memberships online.  Please contact the ICRS team to arrange payment at info@icrs.info.

3. Cooling off period

You have a fourteen (14) working days cooling off period* from the date of confirmation of your new membership in which to cancel your subscription without penalty. You must notify us of your wish to cancel in writing by contacting the ICRS team at info@icrs.info or by post at: 21 Holborn Viaduct, London, EC1A 2DY.

The cancellation right above only applies to new membership applications and does not apply to the renewals of existing memberships.

4. Professional Development and Conduct

By proceeding with this application you are confirming that, as a Fellow of ICRS, you will be committed to developing your CRS competences while contributing to the professionalism of the sector. Specifically, you are agreeing to abide by the ICRS Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Policy. All relevant individual members commit to adhere to the CPD Policy on joining and reaffirm their commitment on an annual basis. Failure to adhere to the Policy may result in disciplinary procedures and/or the termination of your membership. 

ICRS ​individual members (including Members) also agree to abide by the ICRS Code of Conduct (the "Code"). All Institute members sign up to this Code on joining and reaffirm their commitment on an annual basis. Failure to adhere to the Code, resulting in a formal complaint made against you, may result in disciplinary procedures and/or the termination of your membership.

5. Right to refuse applications or downgrade applications

We reserve the right not to fulfil, or to cancel, your application if we are unable to obtain payment authorisation from the issuer of your credit/debit card or payment by other means. 

If you have been convicted of a criminal offence which is not yet spent, or have a prosecution pending, this must be declared. A declaration must also be made of insolvency or undischarged bankruptcy. This information will be treated in the strictest confidence and will only be taken into account if relevant. Spent convictions under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 need not be disclosed. 

If your individual membership application is accepted, but we subsequently discover that any or all of the information provided by you was misleading or false, we reserve the right to revoke your membership with immediate effect, without the right of appeal. 

Membership levels and upgrades are granted by our assessment team. We reserve the right to downgrade an application if following an initial application it transpires the evidence we have received does not meet the assessment criteria. You have the right of appeal against the membership level offer if you believe it to be unjust as not reflecting the level of your professional CRS experience. A review will be conducted with the decision of the assessment team then being final.

6. Individual members' obligations

As an ICRS individual member you warrant and represent to us and each other ICRS member that the following are and will be true each time that you access or use the Site and/or Services: 

  • you have all requisite power and authority to enter into and perform your obligations under these terms and conditions; 
  • there are no circumstances of which you should reasonably be aware which would prevent these terms and conditions from being and forming legally binding obligations upon you; 
  • your performance pursuant to these terms and conditions does not and will not conflict with or breach any constitutional document, agreement or Applicable Laws to which you are subject or by which you are bound; 
  • all the information which you submit to the Site is complete, reliable, accurate, free from errors, and not misleading in any way, and will not infringe any third party rights; 
  • you have declared any unspent criminal convictions, insolvency or undischarged bankruptcy in accordance with clause 5; and 
  • you will not do, or omit to do, anything that might reasonably be expected to put us in breach of any Applicable Laws. 

You will provide us promptly on request with all information that we may reasonably require from time to time in connection with your access to or usage of the Site. 

7. Cancellations and refunds

Subject to clause 15 below, if you wish to cancel your individual membership you must inform us of your intention to cancel by notice to us, in writing by letter or email. 

No refunds of fees will be provided other than in the case of cancellation of a new membership under Condition 3 (Cooling off period). Refunds will not be given in relation to your cancellations of a renewal of an existing membership.

8. Price information

By agreeing to these terms and conditions, you agree that you will pay us the fees set out on the "Application" pages of the Site. Fees displayed on this page – both for the annual individual membership fee and joining fee (if applicable) – will prevail at all times in relation to orders placed online. 

Fees displayed on a hard-copy application form, or quoted to you by an ICRS representative, will prevail in relation to membership applications made verbally or by post. 

You may make a one-off payment for a one-year membership subscription (new or renewal) by credit or debit card, in accordance with the payment information contained on the Application page of our Site. 

We reserve the right to increase the price of individual membership subscription from time-to-time, and any such amendments will be on the Application page of the Site.  If you are a current ICRS individual member, you will be informed of any fee increase in your renewal letter. If we discover an error in the price of your membership subscription, we will inform you as soon as possible. 

Fees quoted are for individual membership only.

9. Credit/debit card payment

If you are not using your own credit/debit to pay for the membership fee, you must ask the permission of the credit/debit card holder before entering the payment details. 

When you apply to become an ICRS member either online, by post or verbally, you are confirming that you have obtained the express prior permission of the credit/debit card holder.

10. Viruses, hacking and other offences

You shall not (a) knowingly introduce any viruses into the Site or (b) attack (or instigate or facilitate the attack of) the Site or Services via a denial-of-service attack or a distributed denial-of-service attack, or (c) use the Site or Services for any purpose which is unlawful, abusive, libellous, obscene or threatening. 

A breach of this clause may constitute a criminal offence. We may report any such breach (whether actual or suspected) to the relevant law enforcement authorities and you agree to co-operate with those authorities. 

You shall be responsible for ensuring that you have in place on such systems appropriate Virus protection processes and software. 

We will not be liable for any losses caused by any form of attack or viruses that may infect your computer equipment, computer programs, data or other proprietary material due to use of the Site or Services.

11. Links

The Site may contain links to other websites, which in turn may contain material that has been produced by third parties not affiliated with us.  We have no control over those other websites and accept no responsibility or liability for information or content provided on such websites.

12. Liability

Nothing in these terms and conditions shall exclude or limit any person's liability for death or personal injury caused by its negligence, or any person's liability for fraud. 

Subject to the above, neither we nor any of our agents, licensors or delegates or our or their directors, officers or employees will be liable for any losses incurred or suffered by you, directly or indirectly in connection with: 

  • materials provided to or by or on behalf of us being corrupted or inaccurate; 
  • you being unable for whatever reason to access or use the Site or Services; 
  • benefits, goods or services provided by an external provider/third-party; 
  • any acts or omissions by you, any other ICRS members, or your or their personnel; or 
  • us, or other ICRS members, acting on materials or communications which purport to have been made by or on behalf of you but which have been created or sent by (i) a third party purporting to act in your name, or (ii) a person who has lawful access to the Services but who exceeds his authority, regardless of whether such losses arise in contract, tort, negligence, breach of statutory duty or otherwise. 

Further, neither we nor any of our agents, licensors or delegates or its or their directors, officers or employees will be liable for any indirect or consequential losses incurred or suffered by you, whether or not those losses are foreseeable. 

The total aggregate liability of us to you for all losses arising out of or in connection with these terms and conditions, the Site and the Services (whether such losses arise in contract, tort, negligence, breach of statutory duty or otherwise) shall not exceed the amount of any fees received from you in the preceding 12 months.  

Except as specified in these terms and conditions, all express or implied conditions, terms, representations or warranties (whether implied by statute or otherwise) are hereby excluded to the maximum extent permitted by law. 

These terms and conditions do not and shall not affect your statutory rights as a consumer.

13. Data protection and confidential information

You acknowledge and agree that we may monitor your use of the Site. 

We may record, retain and use for monitoring, statistical analysis or marketing purposes information on or from your access to and use of the Site and the Services. Please see our Privacy Policy for more information on how and for what purposes we use your personal data.

You shall treat as confidential and shall not (other than where permitted or compelled to do so by any Applicable Law) use or disclose to any person any Confidential Information nor permit its disclosure. For the purposes of these terms and conditions, Confidential Information means all information (in whatever form) which is not publicly known and which is disclosed to, or otherwise learnt by, you in connection with the site, Services or these terms and conditions.

14. Events

Individual members may be invited to events organised by us or our partners, to enable ICRS members to gain information and make the best use of networking opportunities 

If you have paid us to attend such an event, and wish to cancel, you must inform us 14 days or more before the event to get a refund of the relevant fees paid. Cancellations after that date will not be refunded, although substitute attendees can be made at any time by contacting us at info@icrs.info.

15. Termination

If you elect for automatic renewal, your one-year subscription shall automatically renew for successive one-year periods, unless you provide to us not less than 14 days’ written notice prior to the expiry of the then-current annual period of your intention to end your subscription. Upon each renewal, annual membership fees at the then-current price shall be payable by you in respect of such renewed annual period in accordance with these terms and conditions. In the event that we terminate your subscription, you may be entitled a refund in respect of any remaining, unfulfilled period of your paid-for subscription period in accordance with UK consumer rights law.

Without affecting any other rights and remedies which we may have and without liability to you for any losses which may result, we may terminate these terms and conditions: 

1. immediately and without notice if:

  • in our sole opinion, you materially breach any of these terms and conditions, or fail to adhere to the CPD policy and/or ICRS Code of Conduct. 
  • you fail to renew your membership; 
  • you become bankrupt or insolvent;  or
  • we are required by any applicable law to terminate these terms and conditions; or

2. at any time by giving you 7 days' notice in writing.

On any termination of these terms and conditions your right to use the Site and the Services shall cease, and we may terminate your access to and use of the Site and Services and invalidate any relevant access details. 

Termination for whatever reason of these terms and conditions shall not affect: 

  • any rights, liabilities or obligations which accrued before such termination; 
  • any right to payment of fees; and 
  • any of these terms and conditions that are intended to continue to have effect after such termination. 

The right of an individual member to use post-nominal letters (relevant to Fellow level membership or those who were Associates as of 31 December 2018) will cease with immediate effect if a member falls into arrears on their membership subscription, cancels their membership or has their membership terminated by the ICRS for any reason as set out above. 

If we terminate your individual membership under clause 15(1) or 15(2), you may appeal our decision to terminate by contacting info@icrs.info. The matter will be referred to an independent third party chosen by us, and any decision they make regarding the termination of your membership will be considered final and binding.

16. Variation

We may change these terms and conditions at any time upon giving you 14 days prior written notice. The most recent edition of these terms and conditions will be binding upon you.

Members may exit the contract without penalty if they do not accept any proposed variation.

17. Third parties

A person who is not party to these terms shall not have any rights under on in connection with them under the Contracts (Rights of Third Parties) Act 1999.

18. Entire Agreement

These terms and conditions override any contrary terms or conditions published in relation to any membership subscription between you and us.

19. The ICRS Brand

The "ICRS" trade mark is owned by us and nothing contained on the Site or these terms and conditions shall constitute the grant of a licence to use such trade mark.

20. Governing Law and jurisdiction

These terms and conditions are governed by English law. You hereby irrevocably submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the English courts notwithstanding the jurisdiction where you are based.

If any court or competent authority decides that any of the provisions of these terms are invalid, unlawful or unenforceable to any extent, the term will, to that extent only, be severed from the remaining terms, which will continue to be valid to the fullest extent permitted by the law.

21. Queries, comments and complaints

We will respond to any complaint or query received within five working days. This may be an acknowledgement that we have received a complaint whilst further investigations are carried out.

If you have any queries, comments or complaints about your subscription please contact the ICRS team on info@icrs.info.

 

 

*As outlined in the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013.