Terms & Conditions

Effective Date: May 28, 2025
Last Updated: July 2, 2026

These Terms & Conditions (“Terms”) govern your access to and use of the websites located at www.top10hrvoices.com, including its geographic editions and any associated subdomains (the “Site”), operated by V.I. Top 10 Voices Ltd, a company incorporated in Cyprus with its registered place of business in Limassol, which operates the Top10HRVoices vertical within the wider Top10Voices ecosystem (“Top10HRVoices,” “we,” “us,” “our”).

By accessing this Site or submitting content, you agree to be bound by these Terms and our Privacy Policy.

Contributors retain authorship to their content but grant Top10HRVoices exclusive first-publication rights, extensive editorial rights, and perpetual archival display rights across current and future formats.

1. Purpose of the Initiative

We spotlight extraordinary HR leadership through curated editorial features and professional storytelling to elevate important voices shaping the future of work. Top10HRVoices forms part of the wider Top10Voices ecosystem, which also includes other editorial verticals, the NO BRIEF podcast, The Top Voices Forum and Gala, the MeritChecked™ verification standard and The Vetting Mark™, and a range of commercial services described in Section 8.

2. Eligibility of Use and Nominations Policy

a. Eligibility of Use
The Site is intended for adults (18+) working within HR or workplace-related fields.

b. Nominations Policy
Featured voices are identified through editorial review and external nominations from those with direct knowledge of their impact. Self-nominations are not accepted. Where a nomination provides information about a third party, the nominator confirms they are entitled to share it; we process such information as described in our Privacy Policy, including the notice we provide to individuals whose details we receive from someone other than themselves.

3. Intellectual Property Rights

a. Content Ownership (Site Materials)
All original wording, graphics, design, structures, and layouts on this Site are copyrighted property of Top10HRVoices. Unauthorized use is strictly prohibited.

b. Contributor Submissions
Contributors grant us a non-exclusive, irrevocable, perpetual, royalty-free license to edit, format, publish, archive, and repurpose submissions across:
• Our websites and subdomains
• Social media channels (e.g., LinkedIn, X)
• Editorial newsletters and documentary archives
• Award and recognition materials

We will never sell your content or offer paid licensing without express written permission.

c. Republishing Restrictions
Reposting any feature (in whole or part) outside approved platforms — including adapted, translated, or AI-altered versions — is strictly prohibited without explicit written consent.

d. Archival & Preservation Rights
All published content becomes part of the permanent editorial archive of Top10HRVoices. We reserve the exclusive right to preserve, reformat, update, or enhance published work (without altering its core message or intent) to ensure accuracy, clarity, accessibility, technological compatibility, and long-term relevance.

Contributors may request factual corrections or professional updates; however, Top10HRVoices retains sole and final authority over whether, when, and how any changes are made. In order to maintain the integrity and continuity of the archival record, full removal of published content shall not be expected or guaranteed under any circumstances.

Top10HRVoices also reserves the unrestricted right to modify, temporarily unlist, or permanently remove published content at any time and for any reason at its sole discretion, including but not limited to legal compliance, reputational protection, or editorial standards.

e. AI Disclosure & Originality
If AI tools contribute to content creation, contributors must disclose the scope of usage. Full responsibility for factual accuracy remains with the contributor.

f. Enforcement Authority
We maintain the right to issue legal takedowns, DMCA claims, GDPR Article 17 or 21 requests, and pursue financial claims for infringement or unauthorized redistribution.

4. Submission Guidelines, Editorial Rights & Upcoming Awards

Submission Guidelines
Submissions must be accurate, lawful, respectful, and consistent with professional integrity. You warrant you possess full rights and permissions for all included materials — including headshots, quotes, research, and intellectual property.

Submission does not guarantee review, publication, promotion, or retention. All editorial decisions, including if, whether and when to publish, are made solely at the discretion of Top10HRVoices Editorial Board and are final, non-negotiable, and not subject to appeal.

Editorial Rights
We reserve the unrestricted right to:
• Accept, reject, or postpone publication
• Edit for clarity, structure, style, or legal compliance
• Remove or modify content without prior approval

You agree to fully indemnify and hold harmless Top10HRVoices from any claim, dispute, liability, or expense resulting from your contribution.

No Compensation & No Employment Relationship
Publication is a voluntary, unpaid recognition. It does not constitute employment or any entitlement to compensation or future inclusion.

Record Permanence
Published features form part of a curated, professional record. Removal requests will be reviewed fairly, but we retain ultimate authority over archival preservation.

Top10HRVoices may withdraw approval or remove a feature at any time, for any reason, without requirement to provide justification.

Awards Disclaimer
Editorial inclusion automatically places the contributor in the eligibility pool for award consideration in the corresponding award cycle, should such awards take place that year.

Eligibility does not guarantee nomination, advancement, recognition, publication of results, or receipt of any award.

Top10HRVoices retains exclusive and unrestricted discretion over every aspect of the awards program, including but not limited to: event timing, award format, judging criteria, selection processes, recognition categories, and any public communications relating to outcomes.

We reserve the unilateral right to modify, postpone, reassign, withdraw, or cancel awards or ceremonies at any time without notice and without liability.

Contributors invited to serve on an awards jury or judging panel are automatically ineligible for nomination or recognition within that same award cycle, and no objection or exception shall be considered.

By submitting content, you acknowledge that editorial inclusion is a voluntary selection, not an entitlement.

5. Podcast Appearances (NO BRIEF)

This Section applies to any individual who appears, or agrees to appear, as a guest, co-host, or participant on NO BRIEF, the Top10Voices ecosystem podcast (a “Podcast Guest”).

a. Governing Agreement (Guest Appearance & Release)
Participation in NO BRIEF is governed by a separate Guest Appearance & Release Agreement (the “Release”), which each Podcast Guest agrees to before recording. The Release sets out the licence granted, the unscripted format, and the archival terms. These Terms, our Privacy Policy, and our Cookies Policy govern a Podcast Guest’s use of the Site; the Release governs the recording and its use. Agreement to the Release may be given electronically — including by email or direct message confirming acceptance of the Release terms presented to the Guest — and such confirmation constitutes a valid electronic acceptance of the Release. Agreement to the Release is acceptance of the terms actually presented to the Guest, and is not a substitute for those terms being made available.

b. Licence Granted (under the Release)
Under the Release, a Podcast Guest grants Top10HRVoices and V.I. Top 10 Voices Ltd an irrevocable, worldwide, perpetual, royalty-free licence to record, edit, publish, archive, distribute, and otherwise commercially exploit their recorded appearance, name, image, voice, likeness, and statements across our websites, subdomains, social media channels, podcast distribution and hosting platforms, editorial newsletters, and documentary archives, in all media and formats now known or later developed. This licence is granted on a contractual basis and is not dependent on consent as its lawful basis; accordingly, it is not withdrawn by any later withdrawal of consent to peripheral processing.

c. No Pre-Approval of Final Cut
Consistent with NO BRIEF’s unscripted format, a Podcast Guest acknowledges that no questions are shared in advance beyond a single pre-recording coordination call addressing strengths and topic areas, and that the recorded episode is published as recorded, without a right to review, approve, or request changes to the final edit, except where required for legal or regulatory compliance.

d. Archival & Removal
Published episodes form part of the permanent editorial archive on the same basis as Section 3(d) above. Full removal of a published episode shall not be expected or guaranteed under any circumstances, though factual correction requests will be reviewed in good faith.

e. No Compensation
A podcast appearance is a voluntary, unpaid recognition on the same basis as Section 4 above, unless otherwise agreed in a separate signed written agreement.

f. Consent for Peripheral Uses
Where any processing genuinely requires your consent (for example, certain uses of your image in unrelated future marketing), that consent is sought separately and may be withdrawn at any time. Withdrawing such consent does not affect the contractual licence in Section 5(b), the lawfulness of processing already carried out, or our right to retain and continue publishing recordings already made.

6. MeritChecked™ & The Vetting Mark™

MeritChecked is the proprietary verification methodology of the Top10Voices ecosystem, and The Vetting Mark is the visual credential confirming that a specific output passed a documented MeritChecked review.

a. What the Mark Certifies
Where the Vetting Mark appears, it certifies one specific, named act — an editorial feature, a podcast episode, a speaking engagement, an award designation, or a reviewed third-party programme — in the relevant category, on the date it was reviewed, and nothing more. It does not certify, endorse, vouch for, or accept responsibility for the individual or organisation as a whole, their character, their opinions, their conduct outside the certified act, or any service, statement, or action that was not itself the subject of the review.

b. Third-Party & Resold Services
Where MeritChecked is applied to a third-party programme, webinar, course, or service that we resell, license, or formally recommend, the certification covers only the specific programme or engagement reviewed. It is not an endorsement of the provider’s company, other services, business conduct, or any matter outside that review. Every such listing carries an explicit scope-limitation statement to this effect, and the applicable provider agreement governs the relationship.

c. Trademarks & Use of the Mark
MeritChecked and The Vetting Mark are trademarks of V.I. Top 10 Voices Ltd, used to denote our verification standard. No right to use, reproduce, apply, or represent the Mark or the term MeritChecked arises except under a separate written agreement.

d. Verification Records
Every MeritChecked review generates a decision record retained as described in our Privacy Policy.

7. Events: The Top Voices Forum & Gala

Attendance at The Top Voices Forum, the Gala, Founder’s Circle dinners, and related events is by invitation or curated application and is not available for open purchase. Sponsorship does not confer speaking, nomination, jury, or selection rights; speakers, moderators, nominees, and jurors are merit-selected under the MeritChecked process.

By attending, speaking at, or otherwise participating in an event, you acknowledge that the event may be recorded, photographed, and filmed, and that such material may be published and archived under the licence terms in Section 3 and, for podcast content, Section 5. Ticketing, delegate, sponsorship, and participation arrangements, where they exist, are governed by separate written terms specific to each event.

We may modify, postpone, reassign, or cancel any event at our sole discretion, without notice and without liability, consistent with the awards provisions in Section 4.

8. Commercial Services & Separate Agreements

Certain commercial opportunities, including but not limited to sponsorship packages, strategic partnerships, and brand visibility options, may be offered at our sole discretion. Any commercial engagement is governed by separate written agreements specific to that arrangement. No commercial relationship shall exist, nor any rights or obligations arise, unless a dedicated contractual agreement has been formally executed and signed by an authorized representative of Top10HRVoices. We reserve full authority to approve, decline, modify, or discontinue any commercial offering at any time, for any reason, without liability. Prospective participants should not interpret promotional materials or discussions as constituting a binding offer.

The Top10Voices ecosystem offers, or intends to offer, a range of services beyond editorial inclusion. These include, without limitation: sponsorship and partnership packages; display and native advertising; sponsored editorial (Partner Briefs); MeritChecked-as-a-Service and event consulting; Forum-format and geo-franchise licensing; unscripted-moderation training and corporate pressure-test workshops; awards and jury-as-a-service; vetted speaker placement and board or executive referral introductions; annual benchmark reports; licensed expert webinars and courses; the MeritChecked Membership and Directory; the ProofYourMerit verification platform; and the Employer Hire-Verification service.

Each of these is offered at our sole discretion and is governed exclusively by a separate written agreement executed between the parties — and, where personal data is processed on behalf of a client, by a separate Data Processing Agreement establishing the applicable controller and processor roles under the GDPR. Nothing on this Site, and nothing in these Terms, creates any such commercial relationship, obligation, licence, or right; constitutes a binding offer; or governs the provision of those services. Regulated and client-contracted services — in particular the Employer Hire-Verification service and the ProofYourMerit platform — operate under their own contracting structure and are not governed by these website Terms.

8.1 Professional Commentary (Commissioned)
Notwithstanding Section 2(b) (Nominations Policy), Top10HRVoices may, at its sole discretion, accept self-submitted content exclusively as Professional Commentary (Commissioned), following preliminary coordination regarding scope, theme, format, and editorial standards.

Prior to formal editorial acceptance, Top10HRVoices retains full and unrestricted discretion to review, request revisions, require alignment with editorial guidelines, or reject any proposed commissioned content without obligation.

Upon formal editorial acceptance, payment shall be required prior to publication. Following receipt of payment, Top10HRVoices shall publish the Professional Commentary (Commissioned) for a minimum publication period, as defined in a separate written agreement executed between the parties. Publication duration may vary, including without limitation twelve (12), twenty-four (24), or thirty-six (36) months, depending on the agreed commercial terms.

Professional Commentary (Commissioned) may include authored articles and/or interviews conducted by the submitting author with third parties. Such commissioned content does not constitute a nomination, editorial feature, recognition, or inclusion as a “Top 10 HR Voice” and is permanently excluded from all awards, rankings, voting processes, and recognition cycles, whether current or future.

All commissioned content shall be clearly labelled as Professional Commentary (Commissioned).

Following publication, Top10HRVoices retains the right to edit, temporarily unlist, or remove commissioned content solely where required for legal or regulatory compliance, factual correction, reputational protection, or material breach of these Terms or the applicable written agreement.

Any additional commercial arrangements, including but not limited to enhanced author biographies, logo placement, visibility upgrades, or extended promotional elements, shall be offered solely at Top10HRVoices’ discretion and governed exclusively by separate written agreements. No such options are implied or guaranteed by these Terms.

9. Site Access and Availability

The Site may become temporarily unavailable for maintenance or upgrades. No guarantee of uninterrupted service. We may suspend operations indefinitely for improvements.

10. User Conduct

Malicious behavior (e.g., scraping, harassment, impersonation, malware) is strictly prohibited. This includes automated scraping, harvesting, or extraction of Site content by any means and for any purpose, including the training of machine-learning or artificial-intelligence systems, which is expressly prohibited without our prior written consent. Violations may result in immediate removal and legal action.

11. Limitation of Liability

Your use of the Site is solely at your own discretion and risk. Publication does not constitute endorsement of any contributor or affiliated entity. Nothing in these Terms excludes or limits any liability that cannot lawfully be excluded or limited under applicable law, including certain rights available to consumers under mandatory law.

12. External Links

We are not liable for accuracy, content, or legal compliance of third-party sites linked from this Site. Contributor and feature pages may include text hyperlinks to third-party profiles (for example, LinkedIn); these are ordinary links, and we are not responsible for those external sites or their processing of your data once you choose to follow them.

13. Changes to These Terms

We may update these Terms at any time. The “Last Updated” date reflects the most recent revision. Continued use constitutes as legal binding acceptance.

14. Governing Law & Jurisdiction

These Terms are governed by the laws and courts of Cyprus. Where you engage with us as a consumer, you may additionally benefit from the mandatory protections of the country of your habitual residence; nothing in these Terms deprives you of protections that cannot be waived under that law.

15. Contact

For legal matters or permissions requests:
[email protected]
Limassol, Cyprus

This T&C Policy should be read together with our Privacy Policy and Cookies Policy;
together they constitute the entire understanding regarding the Site’s operation, your interaction with it, and supersede any prior communications or representations relating to the Site.