These terms apply to the process under which the Small Business Charter (SBC) assesses university business schools for accreditation under the Small Business Charter award. SBC is a part of the Chartered Association of Business Schools (a Royal Charter company number RC000880 and a registered charity in England and Wales with charity number 1162854). 

In these terms, we, us, our etc. and SBC refers to the Small Business Charter, and you, yours etc. refers to the business school applying for accreditation or re-accreditation. The following terms are also used: 

annual fee refers to the annual fee detailed in the guidance and on the website 

application form refers to the form you will submit, or have submitted (whether for first accreditation or any subsequent reaccreditation, templates of which are available at https://smallbusinesscharter.org/sbc-accreditation/apply-for-accreditation) 

assessment fee refers to the assessment fee detailed in the guidance and particulars 

assessor means a person nominated by us to conduct the assessment 

award period means a period of 3 of 5 years (as applicable), as described on the website 

award means the grant of SBC accreditation to a business school for the relevant award period 

chair means the chairperson of the assessors 

guidance refers to the guidance issued by SBC, as may be updated from time to time, and available at https://smallbusinesscharter.org/sbc-accreditation/apply-for-accreditation 

particulars means the specific details of your assessment process or application as communicated by us via email or other written form (and which may cover assessment dates, names of assessors, [fees] and other relevant details) 

website refers to the SBC site at https://smallbusinesscharter.org and its related webpages 

Formation of contract 

By signing and returning this form, or submitting the application form, you acknowledge and agree that the conduct of the accreditation assessment, and any subsequent award, is governed by these terms, which together with the particulars form the agreement between you and us under which we will assess your business school for potential accreditation under SBC. This agreement takes effect as a contract between the Chartered Association of Business Schools (operating via SBC) and the university of which your business school is a part. 

Fees and expenses 

You agree to pay to us the following fees and expenses: 

• The assessment fee 

• The assessor expenses (as described below) 

• If granted the award, the annual fee for each year of the award period. 

The assessment fee is payable within 30 days of confirmation of your assessment dates. The annual fee (where applicable) is payable within 30 days of our invoice, which we will send following award, in the case of the first year, and on or around the annual anniversary of that date in the case of each subsequent year during the award period. The assessor expenses are payable within 30 days. Such expenses are payable directly to the chair, who will provide you with details of their claim following the pre-assessment visit. 

All amounts stated exclude VAT, which where applicable will be invoiced at the appropriate rate. All amounts payable are to be paid to our account details given in the relevant invoice. 

We may suspend or discontinue the assessment process (or where relevant any continuing accreditation during the award period) for non-payment of any relevant amounts. In that case, we will make reasonable efforts to resolve the issue with you before taking such steps. 

Assessor expenses 

The assessor expenses referred to above are the reasonable travel and subsistence expenses incurred by the chair for the pre-assessment visit [which may include accommodation if approved by us] where that pre-assessment step is conducted in person at your business school. Such expenses will be invoiced to you by the relevant assessor.  

Schedule changes 

In addition to the fees and expenses identified above, we reserve the right to charge additional amounts in the following cases: 

• If you require us to change the date of the assessment for any reason.  

• If (as a result of the chair's pre-assessment visit) we conclude that your business school is not potentially ready for the assessment, and as a result we may cancel, or postpone, the assessment. 

• If you have not submitted the application form in sufficient time before the scheduled assessment dates and, where as a result of that delay, we cannot reasonably conduct the assessment on the scheduled dates.  

In each such case, we may charge you any wasted assessor costs that we will incur (and which we cannot reasonably avoid or mitigate) relating to the original assessment date. You acknowledge that charging such costs is reasonable on the basis that we need to ensure that assessors are committed in advance for specified assessment dates. 

We will avoid changing the assessment dates unless absolutely necessary (for example, due to indisposition of assessors or force majeure). If we need to change any dates, we will work with you to agree a suitable alternative date. 

Assessment day(s) 

The expected conduct of the assessment, and the facilities and co-operation required from you, are described in the guidance, and you will use all reasonable endeavours to provide the required assistance and facilities to enable the smooth operation of the assessment process. This includes the pre-assessment visit conducted by the chair. 

Assessors 

The assessors we appoint for your accreditation will be identified in the particulars. Please note that: 

• We reserve the right to appoint substitute assessors not named in the particulars, as may sometimes be necessary for reasons of indisposition or other unavailability. 

• You agree that, in addition to the named assessors, we may also include a trainee assessor, or member of staff, who may attend all or part of the assessment process. That person shadows the assessors for training purposes and participates as an observer only and does not participate in our accreditation decision.  

Award decision 

Our decision whether to grant you the SBC award is made on the basis of the information contained in the application form and our assessors' appraisal of relevant matters during the assessment process. Where we decide not to make an award, we will discuss our findings and reasons with you, but we have no liability towards you relating to any decision not to grant the award. 

General 

These terms, and the agreement between us and you relating to the assessment and accreditation process, is subject to the law of England and Wales, and any dispute in relation to this agreement is subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of England and Wales.