Terms & Conditions

All invoices are issued on terms of thirty days and are based on the time allocated to our work. Time allocated, but not used is not 'rolled over' month to month without agreement.

As far as publication matters are concerned we will issue media releases and internet posts in the name of the relevant organisation/individual after approval. The organisation is the publisher and information must be true an accurate. It will indemnify us if we suffer loss or damage arising out of the content of any material we issue with approval. We regard all matters that are not for publication as confidential and our staff have confidentiality clauses in their contracts of employment. For crisis management we need to know the full facts in order to assist properly. Nothing will be sent to the media by us that is not approved. We also reserve the right not to defend in cases where unethical or illegal behaviour is not repudiated. Social media posts that promote the supply or transfer of goods, services, opportunities or gifts or a direct solicitation of donations must comply with the ASA code, final responsibility for the accuracy of posts rests with the client.

It is understood that Recognition will choose press photographers and internal and freelance TV crews based on the appropriate skills and quality for the task. Unless a separate agreement is reached, copyright for photographs taken by Recognition’s retained photographers and video taken by our TV crews is passed to the client but please note other photographers maintain the copyright for their work. Any printing and design work will be quoted to before it is booked and permission will be sought before ordering other items. Video storyboards are approved by clients before shooting and one edit session is included in the price. It is also understood that clients will not directly engage our staff or contractors and that, unless otherwise agreed, we will be the only PR consultancy representing them to the media.

All published media files are available in the client news section of our website. Clients that require unused material to be passed to them should request this contemporaneously. Upon termination of agreement to work with Recognition PR, clients have 30 days to request any media collateral. 

Some clients require an out-of-hours contact person in case of emergency; sadly this is a frequent occurrence. We have set up a rota system, which will ensure someone is available to deal with matters after 5.30pm weekdays and throughout the weekend. We reserve the right to charge our prevailing “crisis management” rate for this service and the right not to represent businesses in which a serious ethical failing could contaminate our own reputation. 

We are often asked to conduct stakeholder relations activity to help decision makers understand the proposals, products or services of our clients. This is not our core work, but when undertaken follows all the relevant rules to ensure an open and ethical representation of our client. We are registered with the Registrar of Consultant Lobbyists and make public disclosures when required. We abide by the CIPR's 10 Professional behaviours you should expect from lobbyists. Professionals in any context should serve the public interest ahead of their clients or employers. Lobbyists should act with integrity and be ethical and transparent. Each of the behaviours below is relevant under the CIPR’s Code of Conduct: 

1. Professional lobbyists tell you who they are and whom they represent – including the nature of their client’s or employer’s interests. 

2. Professional lobbyists do not intentionally mislead you or your staff or anyone else in any way. 

3. Professional lobbyists provide information that is accurate and true. Lobbyists should make a reasonable effort to verify statements and they should be clear about what they don’t know to be accurate or true. No information should be deliberately omitted or obscured from briefings, statements or other material used in the course of lobbying where to do so would potentially create a misleading impression. 

4. Professional lobbyists do not offer bribes or inducements - which includes gifts or excessive entertainment, whether or not the intention is to solicit a favour or preference. 

5. Professional lobbyists manage and avoid conflicts of interest. It is not acceptable for a professional lobbyist to represent two clients who compete in the same market or have a clash of interests. In the context of lobbying, a conflict of interest can also arise between the lobbyists’ professional and personal political interests. Where this arises, the professional lobbyist is expected to cease relevant lobbying until any conflicts can be resolved. This might arise when lobbying while holding elected or public office, pursuing a voluntary role in politics or working as a political adviser. 

6. Professional lobbyists respect confidentiality – this is more than simply keeping a client’s commercial information confidential. Professional lobbyists, who may know politicians and civil servants socially, do not misuse privileged information for commercial gain. 

7. Professional lobbyists respect the rules and regulations of the institutions of government and representation wherever they work, and the codes of conduct that bind other professionals. 

8. Professional lobbyists respect the public’s right to know about lobbying activity – the Chartered Institute of Public Relations believes good professional conduct requires lobbying to be carried out in plain view. This means that professional lobbyists should be willing to publicly identify themselves and disclose the interests on whose behalf they lobby, as well as disclosing their clients. For consultant lobbyists, the 2014 Act made it a statutory requirement if they communicate directly with Government on behalf of a client and are VAT registered. 

9. Professional lobbyists observe rules, resolutions, codes of conduct and statutes in relation to employing or contracting elected representatives, members of Parliament (including members of the House of Lords), holders of public office and public servants – this includes any rules covering the periods of time after they have left those roles. 

10. Professional lobbyists do not use access privileges to lobby – professional lobbyists who hold passes or otherwise have privileged access to the precincts of any Parliament, Assembly, Council or other elected body, or any Institution of Government, where that pass is not explicitly granted in relation to their role as a lobbyist, must not make use of it in the course of lobbying or otherwise abuse this privilege.