Environmental knowledge, tools & collaborationFree to explore. Useful from the first question.

Materials & evidence glossary

A clearer shared vocabulary.

Understand the terms, why they matter and the source behind the definition.

Assembly
The combination of materials and components actually delivered or used, including printing, finishes and fixings.

A base-material claim may not cover later components.

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Material variant
A specific grade, thickness, formulation or named version within a broad material family.

Evidence needs to apply to the supplied item.

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Functional unit
The defined service used as the basis for an environmental comparison.

Area alone may omit duration, quality or repeated deployments.

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System boundary
The processes and lifecycle stages included in an assessment.

Totals with different boundaries are not automatically comparable.

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Life cycle assessment
A structured assessment of environmental aspects and potential impacts across a defined product system.

It requires scope, inventory, impact assessment and interpretation.

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Environmental Product Declaration
Environmental product information published under a programme using specified product category rules and review requirements.

Read the units, scope and scenarios before comparing numbers.

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Product category rules
Rules defining how environmental information is developed for a specified product category.

The identifier and version affect comparability.

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Declared unit
The reference quantity used to present a product declaration’s results where its applicable method specifies this basis.

It may not describe the complete service of a finished campaign.

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Recycled content
A stated share of a product or component’s material that comes from reclaimed inputs under the applicable definition.

The component and denominator must be identified.

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Pre-consumer material
Recovered material from processes before end-user consumption, within the applicable standard’s definitions and exclusions.

Factory scrap categories need a precise definition.

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Post-consumer material
Recovered material generated after use by an end user, under the applicable definition.

It is a source category, not proof of future recyclability.

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Recyclability
The ability of a defined item to enter a relevant collection, sorting and recycling system under its actual conditions.

The assembly and available receiving system matter.

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Bio-based
Made wholly or partly from biological feedstock, with a stated scope and measurement basis.

Feedstock origin does not establish biodegradability.

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Biodegradable
Capable of biological breakdown under stated environmental conditions and a relevant timeframe.

A conditions-free claim is hard to interpret.

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Industrially compostable
Meeting specified composting requirements under controlled industrial conditions for the defined product.

A facility still needs to accept the actual item.

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Chain of custody
Documented control of material identity or claims through relevant supply-chain stages.

A company certificate and an individual product claim need matching scope.

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Certification
A third-party assessment of conformity to specified criteria under a defined scheme or standard.

It answers a specific question rather than every performance question.

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Accreditation
Recognition of a conformity-assessment body’s competence for specified activities.

Read the published scope of the activity.

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Environmental management system
An organisation’s system for managing environmental responsibilities under a defined framework.

System certification does not rank each product’s lifecycle impact.

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Waste hierarchy
A priority framework that considers prevention, preparation for reuse, recycling, other recovery and disposal.

Begin with avoiding unnecessary material and retaining useful items.

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Reuse
Using a product or component again for a useful purpose, with the status and context recorded.

Planned use is distinct from confirmed actual use.

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Repair
Work that restores or maintains an item’s useful function within applicable safety and competence requirements.

Record what was changed and whether restrictions remain.

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Recovery acceptance
A current receiving-party response agreeing to handle a defined load under stated conditions.

Directory discovery alone does not provide acceptance.

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Waste transfer note
A required record for applicable non-hazardous waste transfers, containing information needed for safe handling and accountable movement.

Transfer documentation is distinct from treatment-outcome evidence.

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Extended producer responsibility
A policy approach allocating specified responsibilities to producers for products or packaging placed on a market.

The relevant market, role and scheme determine obligations.

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Digital product passport
A digital container for product information within a specified system or legal framework.

Requirements are product-specific rather than one universal graphic record.

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Factor provenance
The identity, source, version, units, geography and method attached to a calculation factor.

A number without its basis cannot be applied reliably.

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Scenario
A conditional account of what would happen under explicitly stated assumptions.

A scenario result is not an achieved outcome.

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Sensitivity analysis
Exploring how a result changes when relevant inputs or assumptions vary.

It reveals decisions that depend heavily on uncertain inputs.

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Regenerative design
Design directed toward restoring or improving natural systems within an evidenced scope.

A fibre or plant-based input alone does not establish regeneration.

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Fibre content
The identities and proportions of fibres within a material, such as a named textile or paper grade. The composition describes the material; it does not by itself establish where the fibres came from or how the finished assembly will be treated.

Record fibre type, proportion and measurement basis before applying a sourcing or recycled-content statement to the exact variant.

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Virgin material
Material made from new primary feedstock rather than recovered feedstock. The description concerns origin, not a complete judgement about forestry, extraction, production impacts or product suitability.

Compare exact constructions and service outcomes. The word virgin cannot establish either an environmental disadvantage or a sourcing assurance on its own.

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Paperboard
A paper-based sheet material generally made thicker or more rigid for applications such as packaging, signs or displays. Grades can include several fibre layers, coatings or other treatments.

Request the actual grade, thickness, finish and receiving-party conditions; the family name leaves these practical differences unresolved.

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Corrugated board
A board construction in which a fluted paper layer is bonded to one or more flatter liners. Single-wall and multiple-wall constructions contain different combinations of liners and fluting.

Describe the complete grade and applied finishes. A printed, laminated or adhesive-covered display may need a different acceptance check from an untreated board.

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Honeycomb board
A panel construction using a cellular core, often formed into a honeycomb pattern, between facing layers. In paper-based versions, the core, faces, adhesive and added surface finishes form the delivered construction.

Record the faces and core as well as panel thickness; do not assume that every honeycomb product has the same material or recovery route.

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Textile weave
The arrangement produced by interlacing lengthwise and crosswise yarns to form a woven fabric. Different yarns and weave patterns can change the surface, stability and behaviour of a print substrate.

Keep the exact fabric specification with the graphics template and fixing requirements; a weave description does not determine recycled content or outdoor suitability.

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Textile knit
A fabric structure made by forming connected yarn loops. The loop arrangement and yarn choices influence stretch, handling and the way a graphic tensions into a frame.

Confirm the named fabric, orientation and frame compatibility. A knitted construction alone does not establish fire performance, recovery acceptance or a verified environmental benefit.

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Coated textile
A textile carrying an additional surface treatment or coating that changes its functional behaviour. The base textile and coating can involve different materials and must be considered together.

Ask what the coating is and whether it affects printing, inspection, separation and receiver acceptance; a fibre-only description omits part of the assembly.

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Blockout layer
A layer intended to reduce light passing through a graphic or fabric construction. It may be part of the substrate or an added backing, with its own material and attachment method.

Include the light-blocking layer in the passport and mass record. Do not transfer a claim about the outer print face to the entire multilayer product.

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Translucency
The degree to which light passes through a material while being scattered rather than forming a clear view. It is an optical property of the particular construction and measurement conditions.

A backlit application needs the actual sample or supplier specification, not a general family description or an environmental badge.

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Opacity
The extent to which a material prevents the background or transmitted light from being seen. Thickness, pigment, layers and the test arrangement can affect the stated result.

Confirm opacity for the intended lighting and installation. Adding a backing to improve it also changes the construction that needs evidence and recovery review.

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Adhesive
A substance used to bond surfaces or components. Its chemistry, coverage, curing and removability can influence both the application and the ability to separate a finished assembly.

Identify the actual adhesive, not just the substrate. Ask about removal residues and receiving-party conditions before describing the bonded product as recyclable.

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Release liner
A temporary backing that protects an adhesive surface before application and is removed during installation. The liner can have its own material, coating and disposal or recovery requirements.

Plan for the removed liner as a separate installation stream; it is not automatically covered by the final graphic's acceptance route.

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PVC
Polyvinyl chloride, a polymer family used in rigid and flexible products. Formulations can contain plasticisers, fillers and other additives that make different grades behave differently.

Record the exact PVC construction and finish. A polymer name cannot determine fire suitability, local recovery acceptance or a whole-product footprint.

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Polypropylene
A thermoplastic polymer commonly abbreviated PP, used in products including films, sheets and moulded items. Grade, additives and construction affect practical performance.

Keep the PP identification with the actual product specification; do not infer a local collection route or universal environmental ranking from its resin name.

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Polyethylene
A thermoplastic polymer family commonly abbreviated PE. Grades such as low-density and high-density polyethylene have different structures and are used in different forms.

Distinguish the grade and finished form, including printing and adhesives. A broad PE label is too general for a project-specific suitability or acceptance decision.

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PET
Polyethylene terephthalate, a polyester used in forms such as film and fibre. PET is a polymer identity; recycled origin, coatings and other components require separate evidence.

Keep a recycled-PET claim tied to its exact material and supply-chain record. Do not assume a textile and a bottle use the same receiving stream.

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Acrylic
In sheet applications, acrylic commonly refers to polymethyl methacrylate, or PMMA. The wider word acrylic can also describe other resins or coatings, so the exact product identity matters.

Confirm the polymer, grade, thickness and application. Transparent appearance does not distinguish acrylic from other clear materials or establish safe substitution.

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Polycarbonate
A thermoplastic polymer family often abbreviated PC and used in transparent or other engineered products. Its actual performance depends on the named grade, thickness and any coatings.

Keep the manufacturer's specifications with the application; do not substitute another clear sheet merely because the dimensions match.

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Composite panel
A panel made from more than one constituent layer or material, such as facing sheets bonded to a different core. Its useful properties arise from the whole construction.

List faces, core, adhesive and finishes separately. A claim or recovery route for one constituent does not automatically apply to the composite panel.

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Aluminium extrusion
An aluminium section formed by forcing material through a shaped die to produce a continuous profile. The alloy, section geometry, surface finish and connection system form its usable specification.

Retain the exact frame profile and fixing information. An aluminium material identity does not certify a display's structure or establish its recycled-content percentage.

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Timber panel
A panel made from solid timber, timber pieces or wood-based fibres, depending on the named product. Engineered boards can also contain binders, veneers, coatings or other layers.

Record the actual panel type and sourcing evidence. A timber label leaves treatment, suitability and finished-assembly recovery unresolved.

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Completion evidence
Attributable information showing that a specified task or activity actually reached its defined completion state. It identifies what happened, who recorded it, the relevant object and date, and any remaining limitations.

A booking, intention or reminder is not completion. Keep the actual delivery, receipt, inspection or learning record that supports the particular statement.

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Asset register
An organised record of identifiable equipment or other assets, with references that remain stable as condition, location and use change. It connects each item to its owner and relevant history.

A stock list is more useful when it distinguishes available, booked, returned and unreleased items rather than treating every entry as ready to use.

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Asset model
The manufacturer's or owner's specific product model and version used to identify an asset. Similar appearance or broad category membership does not establish the same dimensions, components or permitted configuration.

Keep the model reference with templates, replacement parts and inspection records so a proposed refresh can be checked against the actual hardware.

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Component
A constituent part of an assembly, such as a substrate, ink, coating, fixing or frame. A component has its own identity and can carry evidence that covers only that part.

Map each source statement to its actual component; this makes it easier to see what changes when a layer is added or replaced.

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Condition record
A dated account of an asset's observed condition, inspection responsibility, defects and relevant limits. It separates what was seen from what was assumed about future suitability.

Record unresolved defects visibly and obtain the relevant competent review before marking equipment ready for another deployment.

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Compatibility
The confirmed ability of specified items or conditions to work together for the intended use, such as a graphic with its frame, fixing and venue. Matching dimensions alone are only one check.

Keep manufacturer or competent confirmation with the actual versions and application instead of assuming that similar parts are interchangeable.

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Repairability
The practical ability to restore an item through an appropriate repair, considering access, parts, methods and responsible competence. A repairable design does not mean a particular damaged item has already been repaired.

Describe the defect and proposed work, then retain the repair and release evidence separately from the original plan.

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Refurbishment
Work that restores or updates an existing asset for a defined further use. It can combine inspection, cleaning, replacement parts and other changes to the original condition.

Record which parts changed and what review is required. The word refurbished does not itself establish structural suitability or an independently measured saving.

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Reskinning
Replacing the graphic surface or covering while retaining specified underlying hardware or other reusable components. The retained and replaced parts remain distinct in the record.

Confirm graphic fit and frame condition, and include the new substrate, ink and finish in the assembly evidence rather than counting the entire display as unchanged.

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Graphic refresh
A change to a display's graphic message or surface for another application or campaign. It may keep the same hardware while introducing new materials, artwork and approvals.

Preserve the previous artwork and assembly version; a visual update can still change compatibility, evidence scope and the intended recovery route.

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Deployment
An instance in which an asset or graphic is actually put into use at a defined location and period. Planned or booked deployments are separate states from confirmed use.

Count actual deployments from attributable use records, and retain return and condition information before another booking is treated as ready.

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Utilisation
How much an asset is used within a defined period, measured against an explicitly chosen basis such as available days or eligible opportunities. Different denominators produce different utilisation figures.

State the period, numerator and denominator. A utilisation measure does not by itself establish safe condition, financial return or avoided environmental impact.

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Loan
A temporary transfer of an asset's use under agreed terms while ownership remains with the lender. Responsibility for condition, custody, damage and return needs to be clear.

A loan request is not an accepted reservation. Confirm the real item, release conditions and return arrangements with the responsible parties.

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Rental request
A request to obtain temporary use of an asset from a provider under proposed commercial terms. The request is separate from availability confirmation and an accepted rental agreement.

Keep dates, exact equipment, delivery, inspection and return requirements visible; a browser draft cannot book stock or accept a contract.

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Return batch
A defined group of items or quantities being returned from a use or location. The batch reference connects dispatch, receipt, inspection and any later recovery decision.

Track the actual items and units so a mixed load is not counted twice or treated as already recovered when it has only been collected.

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Collection
Taking possession of items or material for transport or another agreed next step. It records a custody event, rather than proving what treatment will eventually occur.

Record the collector, time, batch and quantity. A collection receipt alone cannot substantiate a recycling outcome.

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Receipt
An attributable record that the receiving party obtained a specified item or quantity. It may also describe differences, rejection or unresolved checks against the dispatched load.

Reconcile receipt with dispatch using the same units and batch reference; accepted receipt and treatment confirmation remain separate evidence.

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Treatment confirmation
Evidence describing the treatment actually performed on a particular received load or quantity. It identifies the responsible operator, process, date and scope needed to support the claimed outcome.

Keep treatment evidence with the matched batch, and distinguish it from a collection note, intended destination or general description of the facility.

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Contamination
Material, residue or another condition that interferes with a specified process or intended use. What counts as contamination depends on the receiver's criteria and the actual construction.

Describe inks, coatings, adhesives and other residues before requesting acceptance; the receiving operator's requirements matter more than a generic recycling label.

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Acceptance conditions
The stated requirements under which a receiving party will take a particular material or item, including construction, quantity, condition, preparation and documentation where relevant.

Obtain confirmation for the finished assembly and location. A directory entry or theoretical process description is not acceptance of your actual load.

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Disassembly
Separating an assembly into constituent parts using a defined method. Fixings, adhesives and possible hazards influence whether separation is practical and who should perform it.

Plan the responsible assessment and the destinations of the separated components; a conceptual checklist does not authorise physical work or prove recovery.

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Recycling
A treatment process that reprocesses waste into material or products within the applicable definition. Collection, sorting and a recyclable design are stages or possibilities rather than proof of that completed outcome.

Match the statement to treatment evidence for the actual load, and check the jurisdiction and receiver rather than promising a universal route.

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Recovery
A category of waste operations in which material serves a useful purpose or replaces material that would otherwise be used, under the applicable legal definition. Recycling is one form of recovery; other processes are distinct.

Name the actual process and evidence. A recovery claim should not imply that the material was recycled when a different operation occurred.

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Disposal
Handling waste through an operation outside the applicable recovery definition, such as certain landfill or other disposal routes. Its meaning depends on the actual process and jurisdiction.

Record the real destination and treatment rather than using a broad phrase such as dealt with, which obscures the outcome.

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Environmental claim
A statement or presentation that conveys an environmental characteristic or benefit of a product, service or organisation. Words, symbols, imagery and an overall impression can all communicate such a claim.

Identify the exact subject and supporting evidence, including qualifications that a reader needs to understand the claim's actual meaning.

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Claim scope
The limits of what a particular statement actually covers: its subject, construction, activity, geography, period and method. A narrow component fact should not be presented as an unrestricted whole-product conclusion.

Store the intended wording alongside these limits before asking for review or publishing it.

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Supplier declaration
Information supplied by the responsible supplier about a specified product, process or organisation. It attributes the statement to that source without establishing that an independent party checked it.

Retain the named supplier, document version, date and actual scope; a declaration and independent assurance are different evidence states.

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Documentation review
An attributable examination of documents against a stated purpose or requirement. The reviewer records the material examined, method, findings and limits rather than merely noting that a file exists.

A complete upload is not the same as a substantive review. Keep the check's responsible person and scope visible.

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Independent assurance
An assurance activity performed by a party independent of the relevant subject, with a defined method, scope and result. Its validity depends on the actual assurance arrangement and evidence held.

Keep the assurance statement and its limits. A supplier declaration, platform label or internal review cannot silently take its place.

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Certification scope
The particular organisations, sites, products, processes or activities covered by a certificate, together with its scheme, conditions and validity. A certificate does not necessarily cover every item supplied by its holder.

Check the exact certificate and issuing body before extending a mark or statement to the intended assembly or location.

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Evidence completeness
How fully a record supplies the information required for a specified review, such as subject, source, method, dates and scope. Completeness describes information readiness, not the quality of an environmental outcome.

Missing fields should create a request or review task. A fully populated form does not establish authenticity, suitability or superiority.

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Data quality
How suitable information is for its intended decision, considering factors such as relevance, accuracy, coverage, age and traceability. The necessary quality depends on the question being asked.

An old regional average may be useful context yet unsuitable for a precise comparison of two current finished assemblies.

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Unknown value
A value that has not been supplied or cannot presently be established. Unknown is a distinct state from a measured zero, an estimated value or a confirmed absence of activity.

Keep it explicit in calculations and reports; replacing missing values with zero can make partial totals appear complete.

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Lifecycle stage
A defined part of a product's life, such as raw-material supply, manufacture, distribution, use or end-of-life handling. Stage names organise the assessment but do not establish its actual coverage.

Record which stages are included and whether their quantities are observed or assumed; a manufacturing-only figure is not automatically a full lifecycle result.

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Activity data
A measured or estimated quantity describing an activity, such as energy used, distance travelled or material mass. It carries units and a defined period or boundary before being combined with a relevant factor.

Keep the original quantity and its basis so another reviewer can reproduce the arithmetic and check whether the factor applies.

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Emission factor
A coefficient used to relate an activity quantity to an emissions quantity for a specified method and unit. Its applicability depends on the source, year, geography and activity boundary.

Check the exact unit and factor version. A company-reporting coefficient cannot automatically replace product-specific manufacturing data.

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Method version
The identifiable edition of an assessment method, rule set or calculation procedure used for a result. Later editions can change definitions, factors or required steps.

Save the version with the inputs rather than silently recomputing accepted history using whichever method is newest.

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Uncertainty
The unresolved range, variability or lack of knowledge affecting a result or decision. It can arise from measurement, missing data, model choices and future conditions.

Describe the important limits and test relevant assumptions instead of presenting more decimal places as greater confidence.

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Baseline
The explicitly defined reference condition against which a change is evaluated. A baseline needs a period, subject, boundary and defensible account of what would otherwise occur.

Preserve the rationale; a convenient or unusually poor alternative can overstate an apparent benefit.

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Comparative claim
An environmental statement comparing specified alternatives, periods or reference conditions. Its meaning depends on comparable function, scope, data and the actual words used.

Keep the comparison basis visible and support the full impression of words such as better or lower, rather than one favourable isolated number.

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Avoided emissions
An estimated difference between emissions in a specified reference situation and an alternative situation, under a stated comparison method. It is distinct from the emissions inventory of the activity actually performed.

Keep the counterfactual and assumptions visible, and do not subtract an unverified avoided-emissions scenario from an actual inventory as if it were an observed removal.

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Observed outcome
A result recorded from activity that actually happened, with an attributable source and a defined subject, quantity, period and limit. Observation does not automatically mean independent verification.

Match the outcome to its evidence and distinguish it from a plan, scenario, invitation or expected future treatment.

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Product footprint
An assessment of the environmental impact or greenhouse gases attributable to a specified product system under a defined method and boundary. The reported category and unit need to be stated explicitly.

Ask whether it covers the complete assembly and lifecycle. A substrate factor alone cannot describe all inks, fixings, transport and use.

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Corporate inventory
An organisation-level account of greenhouse gas emissions within defined reporting boundaries and categories. It describes organisational activity rather than automatically allocating a footprint to each product sold.

Keep reporting period, organisational boundary and method visible; use additional suitable data for a product-level comparison.

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Social commitment
A stated undertaking to deliver a defined social activity or benefit with an accountable owner, period and intended recipient. It is a commitment, not evidence that the benefit has already happened.

Turn the promise into a task with acceptance and outcome evidence; do not infer delivered impact from a logo or registration.

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Delivered activity
An activity actually performed within a defined scope and period, supported by attributable records. Delivery and the effect of that activity are separate questions.

A workshop attendance record can show participation while a training outcome needs an additional basis for assessing what changed.

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Intended beneficiary
The person, group or organisation a proposed activity is meant to benefit. Naming the intended recipient does not establish their agreement, needs or an achieved benefit.

Confirm the recipient's requirements and suitable evidence before describing a donation or programme as successful.

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Suitable donation
A proposed transfer without a purchase price that matches the actual recipient's needs, condition requirements and practical ability to receive and use the item. Suitability needs confirmation rather than a donor's assumption.

Keep acceptance, handling, transport and any safeguarding arrangements with the genuine item before reporting a completed transfer.

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Training outcome
The result of a learning activity against a specified objective, supported by the chosen evaluation method. Attendance, completion and demonstrated competence are different possible records.

State what was assessed and by whom. An informal game completion is not a professional qualification or proof of safe practical competence.

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Reasonable adjustment
A change intended to reduce a substantial disadvantage experienced by a disabled person in the relevant situation. The applicable duty and what is reasonable depend on the circumstances and legal context.

Ask about the actual barrier and implement an appropriate response rather than treating one generic display design as universally accessible.

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Accessible communication
Information presented in ways that people with differing abilities can perceive, understand and use. Clear text, appropriate alternatives and usable interactions support access alongside visual design.

Provide equivalents for essential diagrams and colour cues, and test the actual journey with keyboard and assistive-technology needs in mind.

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Procurement notice
A published announcement within a procurement process describing an opportunity, intention, decision or other required information. Different notice types serve different stages and legal regimes.

Read the current notice and linked documents; a discovered headline is not proof that bidding remains open or that its conditions fit your organisation.

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Tender lot
A defined part of a procurement that can be competed or awarded separately from other parts. The lot description, scope and participation rules identify what is being bought.

Keep the specific lot ID and requirements with your evidence; eligibility or interest in one lot does not automatically extend to the whole procurement.

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Award notice
A procurement publication describing an award-stage decision under the applicable regime. Its legal role and relationship to a concluded contract depend on the notice type and process.

Check the actual notice and dates instead of treating every award announcement as an open opportunity or a final signed contract.

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Withdrawn opportunity
An opportunity that the responsible buyer has cancelled, terminated or removed from the active process. Its prior listing can remain useful history without representing a current invitation to bid.

Preserve the source status and withdrawal date, and stop using the record as an active lead unless a new verified notice reopens it.

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Clarification
A question and attributable response intended to resolve uncertainty in a requirement, document or proposed process. Procurement clarification follows the buyer's specified channel and deadlines.

Keep the response version with the affected requirement; a private assumption cannot replace an official answer available to the relevant bidders.

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Compliance matrix
A structured mapping between actual requirements, proposed responses, supporting evidence, responsible owners and unresolved gaps. It organises a check rather than declaring that every requirement is satisfied.

Use the buyer's wording and current document version; an empty evidence cell should trigger action instead of an automatic compliance tick.

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Bidder
An organisation or permitted group submitting or preparing a tender under the relevant procedure. Bidder status is different from being a listed supplier, prospect or awarded contractor.

Confirm the responsible legal party and actual submission conditions; a directory profile does not establish qualification or participation.

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Main contractor
The party directly responsible to the customer under the principal contract for the relevant work. Specific responsibilities come from that contract and the applicable legal arrangement.

Identify who holds the buyer's obligation and who can authorise changes; other participating suppliers may have different duties and permissions.

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Subcontractor
A party performing a defined part of another contractor's work under an agreed subcontract. Its scope and obligations are separate from merely being recommended or listed by a platform.

Keep the actual appointment, permitted information and responsibilities explicit before sharing files or describing the organisation as an accepted provider.

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Participation condition
A requirement that a supplier must satisfy to take part in the relevant procurement, under the applicable process. It is distinct from the criteria used to assess the tender's offered merits.

Check the current buyer documents and jurisdiction; a platform listing or informal checklist cannot establish legal eligibility.

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Supplier declaration form
A structured form in which a supplier supplies statements and information requested by a buyer or scheme. The form's meaning and any verification steps depend on that actual process.

Record the responsible declarant and version, and distinguish a self-declared answer from evidence checked independently.

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Bid evidence
The documents or other information supporting specific statements made in a tender. The buyer's instructions determine format, currency, scope and the circumstances in which further verification is required.

Map each item to the exact requirement and bidder; do not assume a certificate for another entity or site supports your response.

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Contract commitment
An undertaking contained in an actual agreed contract, with the responsible party, scope and relevant conditions. A proposal, quotation or local planning entry is not automatically a binding commitment.

Preserve the accepted version and the person's authority. Artwork approval and commercial contract acceptance can require different decisions.

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Reporting period
The stated start and end of the time interval covered by a report or record. It defines which activity belongs in the figure and which remains outside it.

Use the same period when reconciling commitments, learning, deployments or organisational emissions; a current total should not silently mix incompatible histories.

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Project licence
Permission to use specified programme content, wording or marks for a defined project under actual agreed conditions. Its scope, duration and responsible licensee need to be identifiable.

Free software access stays separate. A project licence does not independently assure the product, authorise another party's material or replace an external supplier contract.

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Trading name
The name under which a person or organisation carries on business, which may differ from the responsible legal person's registered name. The name is not a substitute for identifying the contracting party.

Keep the legal operator with terms and invoices so a brand name does not obscure who is responsible for a declaration or agreement.

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Authorisation scope
The defined actions, records, organisations and period for which a person or credential has permission to act. Authority to do one thing does not automatically grant every other approval or disclosure.

Check the current grant against the actual action, such as artwork approval, commercial acceptance or public publication, before carrying it out.

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Platform operator
The identified person or organisation responsible for running a platform and setting its service terms. Operating a directory does not automatically make that operator the supplier, auditor or contracting party for every listed activity.

Check the published operator identity before sharing information or agreeing a service. Record separately who fulfils a particular purchase, review or recovery request.

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Directory listing
A record that helps someone find an organisation, service or source. Its inclusion is an editorial or indexing act; any asserted verification, membership or endorsement requires a separate, explicit basis.

Use the listing as a starting point for checks. Confirm current contact details, service scope and evidence with the actual organisation.

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Claimed profile
A directory profile for which a person has asked to control or maintain the information as the organisation's representative. The request and any identity checks are separate from environmental assurance of the organisation or its products.

Preserve the representative's authority, what was checked and when. A claimed profile must not be presented as a verified material claim or partner status.

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Network participant
An organisation or person taking part in a defined network activity under stated participation rules. Participation describes involvement, not automatic competence, certification, endorsement or permission to act for another participant.

Identify the particular programme, current participation state and permitted activity. A contact entry alone does not establish network membership.

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Authorised partner
A party with explicit, current permission to carry out a defined partner activity or use a mark under agreed terms. The scope, grantor, start and end conditions determine what that party may represent.

Check an actual permission record before displaying a partner badge or implying a relationship. Common interests or a directory listing do not create authority.

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Charter
A published statement of purpose, principles, responsibilities and limits for a project or network. It can guide decisions and participation, but its precise legal effect depends on the actual agreements and context.

Connect commitments to an owner and practical rules. Leaf Accord's project identity charter describes intended shared records and does not grant access to private projects.

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Audit criterion
The stated requirement against which an audit checks evidence. A criterion may come from an agreed policy, contract, procedure or applicable standard, with a defined scope and version.

State the criterion before judging a record. Reviewers need the same benchmark and must distinguish missing evidence from a proven failure.

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Audit finding
An attributable result from comparing collected evidence with a stated audit criterion. A useful finding identifies the requirement, observed facts, scope and conclusion without implying that unexamined activities were assessed.

Retain the supporting record and reviewer. A finding about one batch or process should not become an unrestricted claim about an entire organisation.

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Corrective action
An action intended to address the cause of an identified problem and reduce its recurrence. It differs from correcting the immediate defective item; closure requires evidence that the agreed action was completed and checked.

Assign an owner, due date and verification method. Marking a task done should not erase the original finding or automatically prove the cause was resolved.

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Reviewer conflict
An interest, relationship or prior involvement that could impair, or reasonably appear to impair, a reviewer's impartial judgement. The issue concerns the particular decision and needs an explicit management response.

Record the relationship before assignment and arrange an appropriate independent decision where needed. Disclosure by itself does not make every conflict acceptable.

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Appeal
A request to reconsider a decision through a stated review process. An appeal should identify the decision, grounds, relevant evidence, responsible reviewer and available outcomes while preserving the original record.

Publish fair submission and response arrangements before operating an approval scheme. An appeal request is not evidence that the underlying decision has already changed.

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Suspension
A temporary restriction of a defined permission, participation state or service while a stated condition is considered or resolved. Its scope, authority, notification and review conditions need to be recorded.

Show what activity is restricted and what remains permitted. Avoid turning a limited operational restriction into an unsupported public statement about misconduct.

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Wind-down
The managed ending or reduction of an activity, service or relationship. A plan sets responsibilities for outstanding work, notices, access, rights, records, retained obligations and the date each change takes effect.

Prepare continuity and export arrangements before closure. Ending a platform activity does not automatically remove contractual duties or rights in held content.

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Continuity permission
An explicit permission allowing a defined activity or use of specified records to continue when a service, relationship or operator changes. It describes the allowed purpose, parties, duration and restrictions.

Do not assume a backup, common ownership or business closure grants new rights. Record the actual consent, licence or agreement that permits the proposed continuation.

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Source licence
The terms under which a source owner permits use of their material, such as reading, quotation, copying, redistribution or adaptation. A publicly accessible link does not establish a permission to reproduce the source.

Store the licence identifier or permission reference alongside provenance. Apply its scope and attribution requirements to the specific extract, image or dataset used.

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Content permission
An attributable grant to use particular content in a defined way. The record identifies the rightsholder or authorised grantor, content, permitted uses, recipients, duration and any limits or conditions.

Confirm that the person granting permission has the relevant rights. Permission for one campaign, channel or derivative does not automatically cover every later reuse.

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Personal data
Information relating to an identified or identifiable person. Names and email addresses can qualify, and combinations of identifiers or contextual records may identify someone even when a name is absent.

Avoid entering personal details that a planning task does not need. Decide who can access the record and how long identifiable information should remain.

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Processing purpose
The specific reason personal information is collected or used. A useful purpose describes the activity and intended result clearly enough to assess relevance and the appropriate basis and controls.

Keep operational contact, learning and marketing purposes separate. A later use needs its own assessment rather than a vague assumption that any platform use is allowed.

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Marketing preference
A recorded choice about receiving promotional communications through specified channels and purposes. A preference setting records the choice but does not, by itself, establish that all legal requirements for a message are satisfied.

Respect opt-outs and keep their scope clear. Launch Leaf Accord offers local preferences; it does not operate a submitted newsletter subscription.

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Retention period
The time or event-based rule for keeping a category of records before review, deletion or anonymisation. Its justification should reflect the purpose and any applicable obligations rather than keeping everything indefinitely.

Set review points and distinguish source evidence, personal contacts and backups. A browser draft remains until the user or browser removes it; it is not a managed archive.

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Access review
A deliberate check that each person's access to records and actions remains necessary and authorised. The review considers current duties, membership, grants, departures and any excessive or obsolete permissions.

Review access when responsibilities change and record resulting decisions. A brand view or an old invitation must not silently grant another organisation's private records.

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Data export
A copy of selected records produced in a usable format with their scope and provenance. A product export feature and any statutory right to receive personal data are related but distinct arrangements.

Check included fields and permissions before sharing. Leaf Accord's JSON downloads preserve local planning records; downloading does not send them to another organisation.

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Redaction
The deliberate removal or masking of information in a released copy while preserving an appropriate original separately. Effective redaction must remove the underlying data, including relevant hidden text, metadata or layers.

Review the actual exported file, not only its appearance. Keep public evidence references useful without revealing private names, commercial details or restricted source content.

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Tenant
A defined customer or organisational boundary within a shared application. Tenant isolation concerns keeping that boundary's records and operations appropriately separated; signing in alone does not establish isolation.

A project shared between Leaf Accord and Graphic Accord still needs explicit organisational grants. The public browser-local launch does not create a server tenant.

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Organisation role
A named set of responsibilities and permissions within an organisation, such as administrator, editor or reviewer. Role names only have meaning when their allowed actions, scope and assignment authority are specified.

Give people the rights their work needs and check grants when duties change. An organisational role must not silently confer access to every project.

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Least privilege
The security principle of granting only the access needed for an authorised task and limiting its scope and duration. This applies to people, service accounts, files and automated connections.

Use separate permission checks for reading, exporting and approving records. A useful platform feature does not justify unrestricted access to another organisation's information.

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Authentication
The process of establishing that a person or system controls an identity or credential. Successful authentication establishes who is acting to the required assurance level; it does not determine every action they may perform.

Keep sign-in distinct from record permissions and professional authority. Leaf Accord's local draft controls do not authenticate an organisation or verify a reviewer.

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Authorisation
The decision about whether an identified actor is permitted to perform a particular action on a particular resource in the current context. Authorisation depends on the actual grants, roles, ownership and policy.

Check permission at the action and record boundary, including downloads and approvals. Opening a brand's interface must not expose another tenant's private material.

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Session
The application context linking a sequence of requests to a previously established identity or interaction. A signed-in session normally relies on securely managed identifiers with expiry and termination controls.

Protect session credentials and end obsolete sessions. Browser-saved planning data is separate from an authenticated shared-engine session and should not be treated as one.

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Passkey
An authentication credential based on public-key cryptography, designed for passwordless sign-in using an authenticator. Its use may be synchronised across a provider's ecosystem or bound to a device, depending on the arrangement.

Assess recovery and device-sharing arrangements alongside sign-in. A passkey authenticates an account; project access and permission to approve still need separate controls.

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Multi-factor authentication
Authentication that requires evidence from more than one distinct factor category, such as something held and something known. Two steps using the same factor type do not necessarily provide multi-factor authentication.

Choose factors and account-recovery controls appropriate to privileged work. An email notification or repeated password prompt must not automatically be labelled stronger authentication.

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Scoped token
A credential whose permitted actions or resources are explicitly limited, often with an expiry. The token's scope should be enforced by the service rather than being a descriptive label attached to a broad credential.

Restrict connectors to the minimum records and actions they need. Do not place private tokens in public downloads, front-end source or evidence references.

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Webhook
An event-triggered HTTP message sent by one service to a configured recipient. Delivery can be delayed or repeated, and a receiver needs to authenticate the source and handle the event's defined format.

Verify incoming messages and distinguish delivery from completed processing. An event should not create a duplicate transfer, payment or approval when it is delivered again.

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Idempotency
A property of an operation that allows repeated equivalent requests to have the intended effect once rather than creating additional side effects. In an application this often needs a stable request identifier and recorded outcome.

Use a documented key and consistency rules for retries. A network timeout does not prove that the first request failed before a record or transaction was created.

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Outbox
A durable record of messages that an application intends to publish after a related data change. A transactional outbox can couple the data change and message record within one database transaction before later delivery.

Retain delivery state and use consumers that handle duplicates. An outbox coordinates reliable publication; it does not guarantee that an external recipient has completed the work.

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Job retry
A later attempt to perform work that did not complete successfully. A retry policy defines which failures are eligible, waiting intervals, maximum attempts and how the same logical operation is identified.

Retry temporary failures without multiplying side effects. Preserve attempt history and surface permanent failures rather than allowing work to loop indefinitely.

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Dead-letter queue
A separate queue or holding area for messages that could not be processed under the normal retry policy. It supports inspection and controlled recovery; placement there is not successful completion of the original task.

Assign responsibility for investigation and safe replay. A recovery process needs the original event identity, failure reason and protection against duplicate actions.

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Rate control
A mechanism that bounds requests or work over a defined interval and scope. It can protect capacity, fairness and external service limits, with an explicit response when the permitted rate is exceeded.

Show a usable retry or delay state and avoid aggressive repeated requests. Rate controls complement authentication and permission checks; they do not establish who may access a record.

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File quarantine
A restricted holding state for an incoming file while the application performs defined checks before making it available. Checks can include size, permitted type, content inspection and scanning appropriate to the service.

Do not publish an uploaded file merely because its extension looks acceptable. Record the checks and release decision; quarantine does not itself prove a file is safe.

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Row-level security
Database rules that restrict which rows an actor can access or change, commonly using policies evaluated for each operation. Correct policy configuration and the effective database role determine the protection provided.

Test cross-organisation access and privileged paths. Row policies are part of isolation and cannot replace application checks on file storage, exports or external services.

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Prompt injection
An attempt to make an AI system follow unintended instructions through supplied content, retrieved material or tool results. A document can contain useful evidence and hostile instructions at the same time.

Treat source content as data and constrain tools and permissions separately. A citation or apparently trusted file does not make embedded commands authoritative.

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Source-grounded answer
An answer that ties its factual statements to identifiable retrieved or supplied sources with relevant scope. Grounding makes the basis inspectable, but sources, extraction and the generated interpretation can still be incomplete or wrong.

Check that each reference supports the associated statement and preserve uncertainty. A sourced answer is not independent assurance or permission to reuse protected content.

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Retrieval
The process of finding and selecting relevant records or passages for a query. A retrieval system may use text search, metadata filters or similarity methods; what it returns depends on its index and access rules.

Keep source versions and permission filters visible. Failing to retrieve evidence means it was not found in that search, not that it does not exist.

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Model evaluation
A structured assessment of an AI model or application against stated tasks, measures and test cases. Results describe the tested version and conditions, with limitations and observed failure modes.

Include realistic missing evidence and access-boundary cases. A favourable aggregate result does not establish that every generated answer is accurate or suitable for approval.

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Connector health
The observed operating state of a connection to another service, such as authentication validity, recent success, errors and data freshness. A reachable service and a correctly processed exchange are separate observations.

Show the last verified result and pending or failed work. A healthy connector indicator must not imply that a supplier accepted an enquiry or a record is independently assured.

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Backup restoration
The recovery of data or files from a preserved backup into a usable environment, followed by checks that the restored content and intended operation are correct. Merely creating an archive is not a restoration test.

Verify integrity, completeness, access and practical recovery before relying on a backup. Keep public production available independently of the machine holding local development and archives.

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Release rollback
The controlled return of a service to a previously verified release when a new release fails or must be withdrawn. The procedure accounts for files, configuration, compatibility and any data changes rather than blindly replacing code.

Keep a bounded, verified rollback and check the public result after restoration. Returning older software may require a separate plan for newer data and external side effects.

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