FIG. 04 - STANDARDS
EST. 2025
Trust, Safety, Governance

A Guild Built on Standards,
Not Volume.

Invitation-only entry, a published Code, and zero-tolerance enforcement keep the Co-Founders Suite safe for founders, co-founders, partners, and capital.

Read the Code
Code of Conduct

Principles We Enforce

Every member signs the Code before trials begin. Breaches trigger immediate review and potential removal.

Truthfulness

No inflation of traction, credentials, or commitments. Every representation is auditable.

Fair Dealing

Terms, equity, and expectations must be explicit. No surprise renegotiations or hidden agendas.

Directness

Concerns are surfaced to counterparts or stewards, not whispered into the ecosystem.

Respectful Disagreement

Challenge ideas, never undermine people. We remove ego-driven conflict fast.

Confidentiality

Trial artifacts, partner data, and references stay sealed unless consented.

Contribution

Give back: intros, pattern-sharing, or support. Community health requires reciprocity.

Red-Flag Process

Taxonomy & Escalation

Integrity, conduct, reliability, and governance concerns are investigated with speed and discretion.

Signal Intake
Integrity, conduct, reliability, or governance concerns raised via encrypted form or steward hotline.
Fact-Find
Dedicated trust lead interviews parties, collects documentation, and freezes sensitive access if required.
Safeguards
Interim actions (suspension, mandate pause, mediation) deployed within 12 hours when member safety is at risk.
Committee Decision
Gatekeeping committee reviews evidence, votes, and issues outcome: warning, suspension, or removal.
Communication
Affected parties briefed with summary + next steps. Appeal window remains open for 7 days.
Data & Privacy

Governance & Consent

We treat application data as privileged. No identifiable data is sold, and every backchannel requires consent.

Data Minimization

We collect only what is needed for evaluation and governance. No sale of identifiable data ever.

Retention Windows

Trial workspaces auto-expire after 120 days. Application data purged if not admitted within six months.

Consent-Based Backchannels

References or background checks only occur with explicit written consent and logged context.

Access & Audit Trails

Zero-trust posture: least-privilege access, encrypted storage, and audit logs for every file touch.

Member Rights

Access, correction, or deletion requests honored within 30 days. Dedicated privacy desk for escalations.

Breach Playbook

Incident response clock begins under 24 hours, with transparent notifications and remediation steps.

Need to exercise your rights? Email privacy@thefoundersbay.com.

Safeguards

Systemic Protection.

Gatekeeping, conflict checks, mediation partners, and suspension protocols keep the network safe without drama.

View Governance Kits

Gatekeeping Committee

Multi-disciplinary panel with veto rights on admissions, escalations, and reinstatements.

Conflict Checks

Automated COI sweeps plus human red-teaming on every mandate and partner request.

Mediation & Arbitration

Accredited facilitation partners on retainer with SLA-driven response windows.

Suspension Protocols

Immediate access revocation, workspace freezes, and communication guidance when harm is plausible.

Community Value

More Guild, Less Directory

Governance Salons

Small, off-the-record sessions moderated by stewards to dissect board-level decisions and trust repairs.

Operator Pods

Cohorts of 6-8 co-founders who meet bi-weekly to exchange live mandates, intros, and tactical help.

Case Reviews

Anonymized breakdowns of successful or failed trials to reinforce learning loops.

Pattern Library

Living repository of templates, clauses, and negotiation moves contributed by members and partners.