General Terms of Use – VSME Medals

Article 1 – Purpose

These General Terms govern the obtaining, use and maintenance of a VSME Medal awarded by SMT. The VSME Medal constitutes a structured recognition of ESG maturity awarded to a specific legal entity, under the conditions defined below.

Article 2 – SMT Contact Details

Article 3 – Definitions

• SMT : entity in charge of the governance, methodology, audit and awarding of VSME Medals.
• ESG Actions : documents and actions necessary for the obtaining of a Medal.
• Year : validity period of the Medal (12 months) beginning before any communication by the Medal Holder about the Medal.
• Audit : official verification of the check by SMT.
• Accredited Partner : body accredited by SMT to carry out the documentary check.
• Medal Holder : company wishing to benefit from a VSME Medal.
• Medal : distinction awarded by SMT (Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum) recognising the level of ESG engagement of the awarded company.

Article 4 – SMT Commitments

Update of the Medals Framework based on EFRAG

The framework will be updated annually if necessary so that the Medals comply with the evolution of the VSME standard. This framework change will be communicated to the Medal Holder at least 6 months before the renewal of its Medal.

Update of the Medal Holder's Medal

SMT may update the Medal Holder's Medal at the time of payment of the annual fees.

Audit

The audit is carried out by SMT on the basis of a documentary check of the file submitted by the Medal Holder. This file may be prepared according to two modalities, at the choice of the Medal Holder:

• With the support of an Accredited Partner, within the framework of a structured accompaniment;
• Directly by the company, within the framework of an autonomous preparation.

The use of an Accredited Partner is strongly recommended in order to guarantee the quality of the file and to optimise the audit process. Regardless of the modality chosen, the final audit is carried out exclusively by SMT.

Brand Book

As soon as the annual fees are paid, SMT undertakes to send a Brand Book allowing the Medal Holder to communicate about its newly obtained recognition.

Medal Register

SMT undertakes to keep a register of active awarded companies.

Article 5 – Medal Holder Commitments

Documents to be submitted

The Medal Holder undertakes to transmit all the required documentary evidence within the framework of the audit, allowing the Actions implemented to be justified. These elements are transmitted to SMT, either directly by the company within the framework of an autonomous preparation, or via an Accredited Partner within the framework of an accompaniment.

Use and Communication

The Medal Holder undertakes strictly:

• To respect the framework of the Empowering Consumers for the Green Transition (ECGT) directive, as well as any other applicable regulation in matters of environmental or sustainability communication, including national transposition requirements and any relevant substantive legislation. Any communication relating to VSME Medals is strictly limited to internal or professional exchanges, notably with its employees, suppliers, partners, institutional clients or investors. Any external communication with promotional, advertising or commercial purposes aimed at the general public (B2C) is prohibited, under penalty of immediate removal of the Medal and the right of use.
• To use exclusively the awarded Medal and to comply strictly with the provisions of the Brand Book. At the request of SMT, to withdraw without delay any communication deemed non-compliant.
• To immediately cease any communication relating to the Medal in the event of expiry, suspension or withdrawal of the right of use.
• To use the Medal only on the communication media of the legal entity specifically defined by its VAT number.
• To accept that SMT publishes the Medal Holder's logo on its official website, within the framework of the register or institutional communications linked to the device.
• To systematically mention the level of Medal obtained, the reference year of the data and the legal entity concerned.
• To integrate, for any digital use, a visible and active link redirecting to the official VSME Medals website.

Specific case: Partner wishing to obtain a VSME Medal for its own organisation

By way of derogation, when an entity with the status of Accredited Partner or partner candidate wishes to engage its own organisation in a process of obtaining a VSME Medal, it may prepare its file autonomously, without using another Accredited Partner.

This possibility is strictly limited to this specific case. The obtaining of a VSME Medal does not confer in any case the right, automatic or subsequent, to become an Accredited Partner.

In this context, the entity concerned transmits directly to SMT all the documents, data and evidence necessary for the final Audit, in accordance with the VSME Medals framework. This autonomous preparation does not exempt the entity from full compliance with the methodological requirements, nor from the final Audit carried out exclusively by SMT.

Article 6 – VSME Medals Framework

To obtain a Medal, the Medal Holder must send, either to the Accredited Partner, or directly to SMT within the framework of an autonomous preparation, all the evidence justifying the implementation of the Actions necessary for the obtaining of said Medal.

The use of an Accredited Partner is strongly recommended in order to guarantee the quality of the file and to optimise the audit process.

Article 7 – Pricing

A price list is provided by SMT. This price list may be revised annually and unilaterally by SMT. In such a case, SMT will inform the Medal Holder in writing.

SMT Audit Fees

SMT audit fees vary according to the size of the company and the type of audit applicable. They must be paid before the SMT audit. Each VSME Medal is awarded for a specific data year and its validity is strictly limited to 12 months. An audit is mandatory for the first obtaining of a Medal, in the event of a change of Medal level and at each annual renewal in order to maintain the right of use.

Full audit

The full audit constitutes the level of in-depth examination. It applies mandatorily for the first obtaining of a Medal, in the event of an upgrade, in the event of a significant evolution of the scope, activities or data, and when the risk level justifies it.

Simplified audit

The simplified audit constitutes a lighter check focused on the verification of data updates, the confirmation of the stability of the maturity level and the check of any declared evolutions. It can only apply in the event of renewal at the same level, in the absence of major evolution and if the data remain comparable to the previous financial year.

SMT reserves the right to require a full audit if the stability conditions are not met.

Audit fee scale according to company size

Size is determined according to the highest criterion between the number of FTEs and the turnover.

Annual fee

The annual fee depends on the size of the Medal Holder. It is due for any validity period of the Medal and must be paid directly after the SMT audit.

It includes in particular the right of use of the Medal, registration in the official register and the framing of the use of communication elements. The maintenance of the right of use is conditioned on the payment of the annual fee and the carrying out of the required audit.

In the event of a stop in payment of this fee, the Medal Holder must withdraw the mention of the Medals from all communication media. In the event of non-compliance, the annual fees will be due.

Additional support fees

Any request for supplement, correction or resubmission of the file within the framework of the audit process constitutes an iteration. Each iteration gives rise to additional flat-rate fees of 180 €, applicable from the first iteration.

These fees cover the additional review work carried out by SMT, notably in the event of an incomplete, inconsistent file or one that does not meet the requirements of the framework.

Iterations may occur regardless of the modality of file preparation (with an Accredited Partner or in autonomous preparation):

• In the event of accompaniment by an Accredited Partner: the terms of coverage of these fees fall within the contractual relationship between the company and the Partner;
• In the absence of a Partner: these fees are directly borne by the company.

The use of an Accredited Partner is strongly recommended in order to limit the number of iterations and to secure the quality of the submitted file.

Payment due dates

• The audit fees and additional support fees are to be paid before the audit.
• The annual fee is to be paid directly after the audit.
• Any internal or external communication by the Medal Holder about its Medal is conditioned on the full payment of the fees above.

Article 8 – Liability

The Medal Holder is solely responsible for the manner in which it communicates about the obtained Medal: both for the use of the Medal and for the communication visuals developed.

Article 9 – Confidentiality

SMT, the Medal Holder and, where applicable, the Accredited Partner are bound by a mutual confidentiality commitment concerning all the information of which they become aware within the framework of the present contractual relationship.

This confidentiality commitment remains valid throughout the duration of the contract and for a period of five (5) years after its expiry, whatever the cause.

The Medal Holder, the Partner and SMT expressly acknowledge and accept that:

• The data, documents and evidence necessary for the obtaining or maintenance of a VSME Medal are transmitted to SMT and, where applicable, to the approved Partner in charge of the documentary verification;
• SMT and the Partner use this information exclusively for the purposes of the evaluation and awarding of VSME Medals;
• No data may be disclosed to unauthorised third parties without the prior agreement of the Medal Holder, except where required by law.

By signing these General Terms, the Medal Holder expressly authorises SMT and the Partner to access the information necessary to carry out the checks and audits linked to the VSME Medals.

Article 10 – Applicable Law and Disputes

The general terms of use of SMT are subject to Belgian law. In the event of a dispute, concerning in particular their validity, their interpretation or their execution, the competent courts of the judicial district of Brussels shall have sole jurisdiction.

Article 11 – Severability

In the event that one or more clauses of these general terms of use are declared null, they shall not affect the legitimacy of the other clauses which shall remain valid.