Member's Area
Join the Community

Unified Terms of Service & Privacy Policy

Master Version: 4.1 Last Updated: February 6, 2026 Effective Date: Immediate

Master Version: 4.1
Last Updated: February 6, 2026
Effective Date: Immediate

1. INTRODUCTION & LEGAL ENTITY

Hello Greenhouse Ltd (Company No: 16924760), registered at 4d Hanover Walk, Leeds, LS3 1AB ("the Company," "we," "us"), is the legal successor to Startling Ltd (trading as Greenhouse).

These Terms constitute a legally binding agreement between you ("the User," "Member," or "Sponsor") and the Company. By using our website, registering for an event, or signing up for a programme, you accept these Terms in full. If you are registering on behalf of a business, you confirm you have the authority to bind that business to these Terms.

1.2. B2B Warranty

You warrant that you are entering into this agreement for the purposes of your trade, business, craft, or profession. As a B2B service provider, Hello Greenhouse Ltd does not offer consumer rights (such as the 14-day cooling-off period) unless explicitly required by law.

2. GENERAL EVENT TERMS

Applies to all attendees of our events, workshops, and gatherings.

2.1. Venue, Safety & Property

  • Third-Party Venues: Our events are hosted at third-party locations (e.g., universities, hotels). You agree to comply with all health and safety rules of the venue. We accept no liability for any accidents, injuries, or incidents occurring on venue premises.
  • Personal Belongings & Theft: You are solely responsible for the safety and security of your personal belongings (including but not limited to laptops, coats, bags, and electronic devices) at all times. Hello Greenhouse Ltd accepts no liability whatsoever for any loss, theft, or damage to property, regardless of cause. We do not provide cloakroom supervision or security for personal items.
  • Catering & Allergies: You are solely responsible for managing your own dietary needs and checking ingredients. While we endeavour to label food where possible, we cannot guarantee an allergen-free environment or prevent cross-contamination. If you are unsure about the ingredients of any item, you are strongly advised NOT to consume it. You consume all food and drink at your own risk, and you indemnify us against any claims resulting from allergic reactions.
  • No Outside Food: Bringing external food/drink is prohibited unless medically necessary and agreed in advance.

2.2. Changes, Cancellations & Force Majeure

  • Our Right to Change: We may alter the venue, speaker line-up, date, or time of an event. We will notify you via the email provided at booking.
  • Force Majeure: We are not liable for delays or cancellations caused by events outside our reasonable control (e.g., extreme weather, strikes, pandemics, venue failure). In such cases, we will endeavour to reschedule, but refunds are not guaranteed for free or low-cost events.
  • Revocation of Ticket: We reserve the right to refuse entry, revoke your ticket, or eject you from the event without refund if you fail to adhere to our Code of Professional Conduct (see Section 2.3 below), or if your behaviour is otherwise deemed disruptive or unprofessional.

2.3. Code of Professional Conduct

We are dedicated to providing a collaborative and safe environment for businesses and individuals. By attending, you agree to uphold the following standards:

  • Professional Courtesy: Treat all venue staff, speakers, and fellow attendees with kindness, patience, and respect.
  • Inclusive Networking: Actively welcome new faces into conversations and respect the boundaries and diverse viewpoints of others.
  • Constructive Engagement: Approach workshops and discussions with an open mind, a willingness to listen, and a spirit of collaboration.
  • Supportive Community: Look for ways to help and support your peers, fostering an atmosphere of trust and shared success.

2.4. Media & Recording License

  • Consent: Photography and audio/visual recording occur at our events. By attending, you grant us a worldwide, royalty-free, perpetual license to use your image and likeness in our marketing (website, social media, press).
  • Opt-Out: If you do not wish to be recorded, you must notify a member of staff upon arrival. While we will make reasonable efforts to avoid photographing or filming you, we cannot guarantee total exclusion from crowd shots or wide-angle video. If you require 100% assurance that you will not be captured in any media, you are strongly advised not to attend the event.

2.5. Accessibility

It is your responsibility to inform us of specific access requirements at least 7 days prior to the event. We will work with the venue to accommodate you but cannot guarantee facilities beyond the venue's existing provision.

3. MEMBERSHIP TERMS (FREE & ASSOCIATE)

3.1. Tiers & Access

  • Free Membership: Includes access to community newsletters or emails, select open events and any additional features mentioned on our website. We may terminate free accounts at any time for inactivity.
  • Associate Membership: Paid monthly/quarterly/annual access to premium resources and additional features mentioned on our website.
  • Service Evolution: Services, features, and platform tools available under any membership tier may change over time. We reserve the right to modify, add, or remove features at our sole discretion. While we endeavour to announce significant changes, some updates may occur automatically in the background without notice. It is your responsibility to review the current features on our website to ensure they continue to meet your needs. Continued use of the service constitutes your acceptance of the current feature set.

3.2. Fees, Payments & Late Charges

  • Billing: Associate Membership fees are billed in advance via Stripe.
  • Automatic Renewal: Memberships auto-renew unless cancelled via your account dashboard or by written notice before the renewal date.
  • Price Adjustments: We reserve the right to increase fees annually to reflect inflation (CPI/RPI + 2%) or commercial factors. You will receive 30 days' notice.
  • Late Payments: Failure to pay may result in immediate suspension of services. We reserve the right to charge statutory interest (8% above the Bank of England base rate) on overdue commercial debts.

3.3. Conduct & Membership Termination

  • Applicability: The Code of Professional Conduct (see Section 2.3) applies to all aspects of your membership, including online community interactions, email communications, and peer-to-peer engagement.
  • Termination Rights: We reserve the right to suspend or terminate your membership immediately (without refund for paid periods) if you violate the Code of Conduct or behave in a manner detrimental to the community or our staff.

3.4. Non-Solicitation

You agree that you will not use the Hello Greenhouse platform, events, or membership directories to aggressively solicit business, poach employees, or harass other members. We reserve the right to revoke membership for unwanted solicitation or "spamming" of the community.

3.5. Corporate vs. Individual Ownership

  • Corporate Payment: If a membership fee is paid by a business entity, the membership belongs to that entity. The business may request to transfer the seat to another employee upon written notice, subject to our approval.
  • Individual Payment: If an individual pays the fee personally, the membership belongs to them and stays with them if they leave their current employment.

3.6. Community Moderation & UGC

We reserve the right to moderate, hide, or delete any user-generated content (UGC) posted on our platform or community channels without notice if we deem it offensive, illegal, or off-topic. You waive any moral rights to object to such moderation.

4. THE ACCELERATE PROGRAMME (COACHING & ADVISORY)

4.1. The "No-Advice" Disclaimer & Indemnity

  • Suggestion Only: All coaching, mentoring, and peer advice is provided for educational and brainstorming purposes only. It does not constitute legal, financial, or professional advice.
  • Your Decisions: You retain sole responsibility for your business decisions. Hello Greenhouse Ltd is not liable for any loss of profit, business failure, or damages resulting from actions you take following our sessions.
  • Indemnity: You agree to indemnify and hold us harmless against any claims arising from your business activities or your use of our guidance.

4.2. Peer Confidentiality (The "Vegas Rule")

  • Strict Confidentiality: You agree to keep all sensitive business information shared by other participants strictly confidential.
  • Breach: A breach of confidentiality is considered gross misconduct and may result in immediate expulsion from the programme without refund.

4.3. Competitor Crossovers

  • Our Endeavour: We endeavour to curate peer groups to ensure that direct competitors are not placed in the same group. However, due to the complexity of business sectors, we cannot guarantee a competitor-free environment.
  • Your Responsibility: It is your responsibility to review the participant list for potential conflicts of interest. If you identify a competitor or conflict, you must raise it with us prior to the first session so we can attempt to find a resolution.

4.4. AI Recording & Data Processing

  • Consent: You explicitly consent to the use of AI tools (e.g., Gemini, Otter.ai) to record and transcribe 1:1 sessions for note-taking purposes.
  • Usage: These records are used for internal progress tracking and, where required, shared with funding bodies (e.g., Leeds City Council) for audit compliance.

4.5. Commitment & Cancellation

  • Term: Programmes are for a fixed term (e.g., 9 or 12 months).
  • Withdrawal: You must provide 7 working days' notice to withdraw.
  • Funding Clawback: Your place on this programme is funded by public bodies (e.g., UKSPF) based on your active participation. If you fail to attend at least 80% of the scheduled sessions without reasonable cause, Hello Greenhouse Ltd may suffer a direct financial loss due to the withholding of grant funding. In such cases, we reserve the right to invoice you for the full commercial value of the training received to cover this shortfall.

5. SPEAKER & PANELIST TERMS

5.1. Licenses

  • Profile License: You grant us a license to use your name, job title, company logo, and LinkedIn profile data to promote your appearance.
  • Content License: You warrant that any presentation materials you use are your own (or you have permission to use them). You grant us the right to record your talk and distribute it as a resource to our members.

5.2. Speaker Indemnity

You agree to indemnify Hello Greenhouse Ltd against any claims, damages, or liabilities arising from the content of your presentation, including but not limited to claims of defamation, copyright infringement, or breach of confidentiality.

6. SPONSORSHIP TERMS

6.1. Scope & Deliverables

  • Sponsorship covers only the specific items agreed in the booking confirmation.
  • Marketing Materials: You are responsible for providing relevant marketing materials (e.g., logos, bios, banners) by our specified deadlines. Failure to do so may result in your branding being omitted from event collateral or digital platforms until such time as we receive the necessary materials. No refunds or compensation will be offered for exposure lost due to late submission.
  • Right to Reject: We reserve the right to reject any sponsor materials that we deem offensive, low-quality, or misaligned with our brand values.

6.2. Limitations

  • No Speaking/Data Rights: Unless explicitly stated in writing, sponsorship does not include speaking slots or attendee data lists.
  • Cancellation: Sponsorship fees are non-refundable unless the event is cancelled by us and not rescheduled within 12 months.

6.3. Non-Exclusivity

Unless explicitly agreed in writing as an "Exclusive Sponsor," sponsorship packages are non-exclusive. We reserve the right to accept sponsorship from other businesses, including potential competitors within your sector.

7. INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY & CONTENT

7.1. Our IP

All content, frameworks, methodologies, and materials provided by Hello Greenhouse Ltd (including the Accelerate Programme assets) remain our exclusive Intellectual Property. You may use them for your personal business growth but may not reproduce, resell, or distribute them.

7.2. Your IP

You retain ownership of your specific business data and trade secrets shared during coaching.

8. LIABILITY & GENERAL LEGAL PROTECTIONS

8.1. Limitation of Liability (The "Cap")

  • Nothing in these terms excludes liability for death or personal injury caused by negligence.
  • Subject to the above, Hello Greenhouse Ltd’s total liability to you in contract, tort, or otherwise is limited to the total amount paid by you to us in the 12 months preceding the claim (or £100 if you are a free user).
  • Exclusions: We are not liable for indirect or consequential losses, including loss of profit, data, goodwill, or business opportunity.

8.2. Severability & Waiver

If any part of these Terms is found to be illegal or unenforceable, the rest of the Terms remain in full force. Failure to enforce a right does not constitute a waiver of that right.

8.3. Entire Agreement

These Terms constitute the entire agreement between us and supersede any previous agreements or oral understandings.

8.4. Time Bar on Claims

Any legal claim or action regarding these Terms or our services must be brought within 12 months of the cause of action arising. Claims brought after this period are contractually time-barred.

9. PRIVACY POLICY

9.1. Data Controller

Hello Greenhouse Ltd is the Sole Data Controller for data we collect directly.

9.2. Lawful Basis for Processing

  • Contract: To deliver the membership/event you booked.
  • Legal Obligation: To comply with funding audits (e.g. UK Shared Prosperity Fund).
  • Legitimate Interest: To market relevant B2B events to you (with opt-out options).

9.3. Data Sharing (The "Hand-Off")

We share data with:

  • Funders: Leeds City Council, West Yorkshire Combined Authority (e.g. for audits).
  • Processors: Stripe (payments), Google Workspace (AI notes/email).
  • Partners: Once data is transferred to a partner (e.g., University venue), they act as Independent Data Controllers.

9.4. Retention

  • General: 2 years of inactivity.
  • Funded Programmes: Data retained until December 31, 2032 (or as required by current funding contracts).

9.5. Contact

For privacy queries, contact us here.

Governing Law: These Terms are governed by the laws of England and Wales. Disputes shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of England and Wales.