Badge Usage Policy

Welobadge, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company with its registered office at 131 Continental Dr, Suite 305, Newark, DE 19713, United States ("Welo", "we", "us").

Version: 1.0. Effective date: 5 November 2026. For Businesses that already displayed the Badge before the effective date, this Policy applies from 5 December 2026. This Badge Usage Policy (the "Policy") forms part of, and is incorporated by reference into, the Welo Business Service Agreement (the "Agreement"). Capitalized terms not defined in this Policy have the meanings given in the Agreement or in the Welo Trust Standard.

1. Purpose and scope

1.1 This Policy governs when and how a business authorized by Welo may display the Welo Badge, refer to its Welo certification and use Welo's name and other Welo Marks. It applies to every website, application, document, advertisement, email, social media account, marketplace listing, printed item and other medium, whether owned by the business or by a third party acting on its behalf.

1.2 The purpose of this Policy is to ensure that every representation of Welo certification is accurate, current and not misleading to consumers, and to protect the integrity of the Welo certification system and Welo's intellectual property.

1.3 This Policy does not set the criteria for certification. The criteria, levels, scoring method, evidence requirements and certification outcomes are defined exclusively by the Welo Trust Standard published at welobadge.com/standards, as updated from time to time. This Policy governs the use of a certification once it has been granted.

1.4 This Policy applies to the Business, its Affiliates, Authorized Users, employees, contractors, agencies, resellers, affiliates, influencers and any other person acting on the Business's behalf or under its direction. The Business is responsible for their compliance as if it were its own conduct.

2. Definitions

In this Policy:

"Badge" or "Welo Badge" means any graphical, interactive or textual mark that Welo makes available to indicate a Certification Level or Certification Status, including the Blue Checkmark and the Gold Checkmark, in any version, size, color, language or format.
"Badge License" means the limited license granted in Section 5.
"Business" means the legal entity that has entered into the Agreement with Welo and holds, or has applied for, a Certification.
"Certification" means a determination by Welo, made under the Welo Trust Standard, that the Business met the applicable requirements at the time of the assessment, together with the Certification Level assigned.
"Certification Level" means the Blue Checkmark or the Gold Checkmark level described in the Welo Trust Standard, or any other level Welo may later publish.
"Certification Status" means the current status of a Certification as displayed on the Welo Page, being one of the statuses described in Section 4.
"Certified Scope" means the legal entity, brand(s), Verified Domain(s) and, where stated, the business model, products or services that Welo assessed, as identified on the Welo Page and in the Business's dashboard.
"Official Badge Code" means the embed code, script, widget, image file or other implementation that Welo makes available through the dashboard or otherwise in writing for the display of the Badge, in its current version.
"Verified Domain" means each domain or subdomain that Welo has expressly identified as within the Certified Scope.
"Welo Marks" means the names "Welo", "Welo Badge", "Welobadge", "Welo Trust Standard", "Trust Score", "Verified by Welo", the Welo logos, the Badge, and all other trademarks, service marks, trade names, trade dress, logos and distinctive signs of Welo, whether registered or unregistered.
"Welo Page" means the public page hosted by Welo that presents the Business's Certification Status and related information.
"Welo Trust Standard" or "WTS" means Welo's published certification methodology, currently version 2.4, as updated and versioned by Welo.

3. Nature and limits of the certification

3.1 Independent assessment. A Certification is Welo's independent assessment, made on the basis of the information, evidence and signals available to Welo at the time of assessment and under the version of the Welo Trust Standard then in force, that the Business met the requirements applicable to its Certification Level. It is Welo's opinion formed through a defined process. It is not a statement of fact about every aspect of the Business.

3.2 What a certification is not. A Certification is not, and must not be presented as:

(a) a government license, authorization, accreditation or statutory certification, or a certification issued by a public body or a notified, accredited or conformity-assessment body;
(b) legal, regulatory, tax, financial, security or compliance advice, or an opinion that the Business complies with any particular law or regulation;
(c) a guarantee, warranty, insurance policy, surety, escrow or purchase protection of any kind;
(d) an endorsement of, or a guarantee of the quality, safety, legality, performance, origin or fitness of, any particular product or service of the Business;
(e) a guarantee that the Business will deliver, refund, perform, or resolve complaints, or that consumers will not experience problems, fraud or loss;
(f) a penetration test, security audit, financial audit, background check or investigation of the Business's owners, officers or personnel, unless Welo has expressly stated in writing that such an activity was performed and its scope;
(g) a representation that Welo continuously monitors every aspect of the Business, beyond the monitoring actually described in the Welo Trust Standard.

3.3 Point in time. Each Certification reflects the Business as assessed at a specific time. Facts can change after an assessment. The current Certification Status on the Welo Page, and not any copy, screenshot or earlier statement, is the authoritative indication of the Business's status.

3.4 Independence from payment. Certification decisions, Certification Levels, Trust Scores and Certification Statuses are determined under the Welo Trust Standard and are not for sale. No fee, plan, program, promotion, partnership, referral, volume of business or other commercial consideration entitles a Business to a Certification, a particular Certification Level, a particular Trust Score, a more favorable status or the avoidance of a suspension or revocation. Fees cover the evaluation work and the services described in the Agreement, not the outcome. The Gold Checkmark cannot be purchased.

3.5 Blue and Gold levels. The Certification Levels are defined in the Welo Trust Standard. In summary, and without modifying the WTS:

(a) the Blue Checkmark indicates that the Business met all Core Requirements and achieved the Trust Score and consistency thresholds required for the Blue level under the WTS at the time of assessment; and
(b) the Gold Checkmark indicates that the Business met all Core Requirements, achieved the higher Trust Score threshold required for the Gold level under the WTS (currently a minimum Trust Score of 90), and demonstrated continuity through at least one completed recheck cycle, together with any additional criteria in the WTS.

If this Section 3.5 and the WTS differ, the WTS controls. The Business must display only the Badge corresponding to the Certification Level currently assigned to it.

4. Certification statuses

4.1 The Welo Page displays one of the following statuses. The Business acknowledges that Welo may change the displayed status in accordance with the WTS, this Policy and the Agreement.

Status	Meaning	Badge License
Active (Certified)	The Business holds a current Certification at the displayed Certification Level.	In effect, subject to this Policy.
Under Review (Recheck in progress)	Welo is conducting a scheduled or event-driven recheck under the WTS. This status does not by itself indicate a finding against the Business.	In effect, unless Welo directs otherwise in writing. The Business must not represent that the review has concluded in its favor.
Suspended	The Certification is temporarily inactive while credible concerns, missing evidence or required clarifications are resolved, or while an enforcement measure applies.	Suspended. The Business must stop displaying the Badge and making certification claims until reinstatement.
Revoked	The Certification has been withdrawn because Core Requirements are no longer met, risk persists without remediation, material deception was found, or for another reason permitted by the WTS or the Agreement.	Terminated.
Lapsed	The Badge License has ended for a reason that does not involve an adverse finding, such as the end of a plan, a program term or the Agreement, or a voluntary withdrawal.	Terminated.

4.2 "Lapsed" is a contractual status. Welo will not describe a Lapsed Business as "Revoked" or imply an adverse finding where none was made. Where Welo considers it useful for consumers, the Welo Page may state the date on which the Certification ceased to be active.

4.3 Application outcomes before a Certification is granted (for example "Not eligible", "Under review" or "Rejected due to red flags") are governed by the WTS. A Business that has not received an Active Certification has no Badge License.

5. The Badge License

5.1 Grant. Subject to the Business's continuing compliance with this Policy, the Agreement and the Welo Trust Standard, and for so long as its Certification Status is Active or Under Review, Welo grants the Business a limited, conditional, revocable, non-exclusive, non-transferable, non-sublicensable, royalty-free (other than any applicable Fees) license, during the term of the Agreement, to:

(a) display the Badge corresponding to its current Certification Level on its Verified Domains, using only the Official Badge Code;
(b) make the factual certification statements permitted by Section 9; and
(c) use the word marks "Welo" and "Welo Badge" in plain text, solely to identify Welo as the issuer of its Certification in accordance with Section 9.

5.2 Ownership. The Badge, the Official Badge Code and all Welo Marks are and remain the exclusive property of Welobadge, LLC or its licensors. All goodwill arising from any use of the Welo Marks by the Business inures solely to the benefit of Welo. The Business acquires no ownership interest in, and will not register, apply to register, or challenge Welo's rights in, any Welo Mark or any confusingly similar mark, domain name, social media handle, business name or keyword.

5.3 Reservation of rights. All rights not expressly granted are reserved. No license is granted by implication, estoppel or otherwise. The Badge License does not permit the Business to use the Welo Marks as part of its own trade name, product name or domain name, or in connection with any goods or services other than to identify its Certification.

5.4 Conditions. The Badge License is conditional on: (a) an Active or Under Review Certification Status; (b) the Agreement being in effect and the applicable plan, program or written arrangement being current; (c) compliance with this Policy; and (d) the accuracy of the information the Business has provided to Welo. If any condition ceases to be satisfied, the Badge License is suspended or terminates as provided in Sections 12 and 13.

5.5 No sublicensing. The Business may not sublicense, assign, lend, sell or otherwise make the Badge License available to any other person, including an Affiliate, a parent company, a subsidiary, a franchisee, a distributor, a reseller, a marketplace seller, a client or a successor, unless that person is expressly included in the Certified Scope in writing by Welo.

6. Eligibility to display the Badge

6.1 Only a Business with an Active (or, subject to Section 4.1, Under Review) Certification may display the Badge, and only within the Certified Scope.

6.2 A Certification relates to the legal entity, brand(s) and Verified Domain(s) assessed. It does not extend automatically to: (a) other domains, brands, storefronts, apps or marketplace accounts; (b) Affiliates, franchisees, agents or partners; (c) new business lines, materially changed business models or newly acquired businesses; or (d) products or services sold by third parties on the Business's website, unless Welo has expressly included them in the Certified Scope.

6.3 To add a domain, brand or business line to the Certified Scope, the Business must request an extension through the dashboard or support channel. Welo may assess the request under the WTS and may require additional evidence or a separate evaluation. Display of the Badge on an additional property before Welo confirms the extension in writing is prohibited.

7. Permitted websites and placement

7.1 The Badge may be displayed only on Verified Domains. It may not be displayed on any website, page or application that is not owned and controlled by the Business, including third-party marketplaces, affiliate or comparison websites, review aggregators, social media profiles (other than as permitted by Section 9.5), lookalike or mirror domains, or pages that sell or promote products of a third party, unless Welo has authorized that placement in writing.

7.2 The Badge must be placed so that it clearly relates to the Business as a whole as assessed under the WTS. It must not be placed in a manner that suggests that Welo has certified, tested or endorsed a particular product, price, offer, claim, testimonial, financial return, health outcome or third-party product. For example, the Badge must not be placed immediately next to a product claim, a "guarantee", a price comparison or a testimonial in a way that implies Welo verified that specific claim.

7.3 The Badge must not be placed on, or linked from, any page or content that is unlawful, deceptive, defamatory of Welo or others, or that falls within a sector excluded by the WTS.

7.4 Welo may publish technical display guidelines, such as minimum and maximum dimensions, clear space, color variants and supported placements. Where Welo publishes such guidelines in the dashboard or the Official Badge Code documentation, they form part of this Policy. The current Terms and Conditions state maximum display sizes of 500 pixels wide on desktop and 300 pixels on mobile unless Welo specifies otherwise; those limits apply until Welo publishes different guidelines.

8. Installation and technical requirements

8.1 Official Badge Code only. The Badge may be displayed only through the Official Badge Code, installed without modification, and only as provided in the Business's dashboard or as otherwise specified in writing by Welo. The Business must not copy, recreate, redraw, screenshot, host locally, cache, proxy, re-encode or otherwise reproduce the Badge outside the Official Badge Code.

8.2 Link to the Welo Page. Where the Official Badge Code includes a link to the Business's Welo Page, the link must remain functional and unobstructed so that a visitor can verify the current Certification Status. The Business must not alter, redirect, cloak or intercept that link.

8.3 Updates. Welo may update the Official Badge Code, the Badge design, the information the Badge displays, and the infrastructure that serves it, including to reflect a change of Certification Level or Certification Status, to fix defects, to improve security or accessibility, or to comply with law. Where an update requires action by the Business, Welo will notify the Business, and the Business must implement the update within the reasonable period stated in the notice. The Business must not block, delay or interfere with updates delivered automatically by the Official Badge Code.

8.4 Technical controls. The Business must not, and must not permit anyone to: (a) modify, obfuscate, minify, wrap, decompile or reverse engineer the Official Badge Code, except to the extent such restriction is prohibited by applicable law; (b) circumvent, disable or interfere with any feature that displays, updates, verifies, measures or withdraws the Badge; (c) artificially generate, inflate or suppress Badge impressions, clicks or other usage metrics, including by bots, scripts, hidden frames or incentivized traffic; (d) display the Badge in a hidden, invisible, off-screen or deceptive manner; or (e) use the Official Badge Code to collect, infer or transmit data other than as designed by Welo.

8.5 Remote changes; limits of current technology. The Business acknowledges that Welo may, where supported by the version of the Official Badge Code installed and by Welo's systems, remotely change the information displayed by the Badge, display the current Certification Status, or cause the Badge to stop rendering. The Business acknowledges that not every version or format of the Badge supports remote changes and that copies of the Badge made outside the Official Badge Code cannot be controlled remotely. Accordingly, the Business's obligation to remove the Badge and certification claims under Sections 12 and 13 applies independently of whether Welo has made, or is able to make, a remote change.

8.6 Data and cookies. The Official Badge Code may collect technical information about the display of and interaction with the Badge, such as the page on which it is displayed, the referring page, browser information and pseudonymous identifiers stored in the visitor's browser. The respective responsibilities of the Business and Welo for that processing, including the provision of information to visitors and the collection of any consent required for the storage of or access to information on a visitor's device, are set out in the Data Processing Agreement and the Business Service Agreement. The Business must not install the Official Badge Code on any page where it cannot lawfully do so.

8.7 Availability. Welo does not warrant that the Badge or the Official Badge Code will be available at all times or render correctly in every browser, device, content management system or configuration. Temporary unavailability does not entitle the Business to reproduce the Badge by other means.

9. Representations about certification and use of Welo's name

9.1 Accuracy. Every statement the Business makes about Welo or its Certification must be accurate, current, consistent with the Welo Page and not misleading by statement, omission, placement or context.

9.2 Approved statements. While its Certification Status is Active, the Business may use the following statements, adapted grammatically and translated accurately, without further approval:

"[Business name] is certified by Welo (Blue Checkmark)." or "... (Gold Checkmark)." as applicable;
"Verified by Welo under the Welo Trust Standard. Check our current status on our Welo Page." with a working link to the Welo Page;
"Welo Certified Business" when displayed with, or linked to, the Welo Page.

Any other statement referring to Welo requires Welo's prior written approval, which may be given by email.

9.3 Prohibited claims. The Business must not state or imply, directly or indirectly, that:

(a) Welo guarantees, insures, warrants or stands behind the Business, its products, its services, its prices, its delivery, its refunds or any transaction;
(b) Welo has tested, approved, endorsed, recommended or verified a particular product, service, claim, result, statistic, testimonial or review, unless Welo has expressly verified that specific item and permitted the statement in writing;
(c) the Certification is a government, legal, regulatory, safety, medical, financial or industry certification, or that it demonstrates compliance with any law;
(d) Welo is affiliated with, a partner of, an investor in, or a sponsor of the Business, beyond the certification relationship;
(e) the Business holds a higher Certification Level, a different Trust Score or a more favorable status than is shown on the Welo Page, or that a Certification covers properties outside the Certified Scope;
(f) consumers are protected by Welo, may claim compensation from Welo, or should contact Welo to resolve a dispute with the Business;
(g) the Business has been "approved by Welo for life", "permanently certified" or similar, or that a past Certification is current;
(h) the Business is "the only", "the most trusted", "the best rated" or similarly ranked certified business, unless the claim is true, substantiated, permitted by law and approved by Welo in writing;
(i) Welo reviews, ratings or the Trust Score are higher, more numerous or more favorable than those displayed on the Welo Page, or that reviews displayed selectively by the Business represent all reviews on Welo.

9.4 Reviews and ratings. When the Business reproduces Welo reviews, ratings or review counts, it must: (a) reproduce them accurately and without alteration of meaning; (b) not present a selection of reviews as representative of all reviews if it is not; (c) state the source as Welo; (d) show the date or period to which the information relates where omission could mislead; and (e) comply with the Content Moderation and Appeals Policy, the Review Guidelines and applicable consumer protection law. The display of Welo reviews through Welo widgets is governed by the Agreement.

9.5 Advertising, email and social media. The Business may refer to its Certification in advertising, email, social media and printed materials, subject to this Section 9 and the following conditions: (a) the materials must not use the Badge graphic, unless Welo has supplied a static marketing asset for that purpose and the materials are withdrawn when the Badge License ends; (b) digital materials must, where practicable, link to the Welo Page; (c) the Business must not use any Welo Mark as a keyword, search term, hashtag, handle, account name or domain name, or in a sponsored link, in a manner likely to cause confusion as to the source of the advertisement; (d) the Business must not run advertisements that appear to be published by or on behalf of Welo; and (e) the Business must comply with the advertising rules of the relevant platform and applicable law, including the disclosure of any material connection.

9.6 Disclosure of the commercial relationship. The Business acknowledges that it pays Welo, or participates in a Welo program, for evaluation and related services. Where applicable law, including the US Federal Trade Commission's Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising, requires disclosure of a material connection between the Business and Welo, the Business is responsible for making that disclosure clearly and conspicuously. Welo may require a standard disclosure to accompany certification claims in particular contexts.

9.7 Translations. Translations of approved statements must be accurate and must not enlarge their meaning. Welo may require the use of a translation it provides.

9.8 Press releases and announcements. The Business must obtain Welo's prior written approval before issuing any press release or public announcement that names Welo, other than social media posts consistent with Section 9.2.

10. Prohibited uses

Without limiting any other provision of this Policy, the Business must not, and must not permit or assist anyone to:

(a) display any Badge, or make any certification claim, before receiving an Active Certification, during a suspension, after revocation, after the Badge License has lapsed, or after the Agreement ends;
(b) display a Badge on any domain, page, property, product or material outside the Certified Scope;
(c) reproduce, copy, imitate, redraw or simulate the Badge or any Welo Mark, or create or use any graphic, seal, checkmark or text confusingly similar to it;
(d) alter the Badge, including its color, proportions, text, Certification Level, status, score, date or link, or combine it with other marks or seals in a way that creates a composite mark;
(e) create, use or circulate any forged, altered, expired or fictitious certificate, Badge, Welo Page, report, screenshot, letter or email purporting to come from Welo;
(f) use the Badge or any Welo Mark on a website or in materials relating to products or services in a sector excluded by the WTS, or that are unlawful, counterfeit, or deceptive;
(g) use the Badge in connection with phishing, impersonation, fake support, misleading billing, or any practice described as a red flag in the WTS;
(h) display the Badge on behalf of, or allow its use by, any other person, including through white-label, reseller, agency or marketplace arrangements;
(i) attempt to circumvent technical controls, as described in Section 8.4;
(j) misrepresent the meaning, scope, level, status, date or basis of the Certification, or the results of any Welo assessment, report or Trust Score, including by selective quotation of a report;
(k) use any Welo report, assessment, evidence summary, improvement summary or correspondence for any purpose other than the Business's internal use, or publish it, unless Welo makes it public or authorizes the publication in writing;
(l) use the Welo Marks in a manner that disparages Welo, or that is obscene, discriminatory or otherwise unlawful; or
(m) use the existence of a Certification to discourage consumers from exercising legal rights, leaving honest reviews, filing complaints or contacting authorities.

11. Changes to the certification

11.1 Events that may lead to a change. Welo may initiate a recheck, change the Certification Level, change the Certification Status or revoke a Certification in accordance with the WTS where, for example:

(a) new evidence, information or signals come to Welo's attention, including information from public sources, regulators, payment providers, consumers or other third parties;
(b) Welo receives complaints or reports that it reasonably considers credible and relevant to the WTS;
(c) a verification, recheck or renewal cannot be completed, including because the Business does not provide requested evidence or access within the stated period;
(d) a security incident, data breach, compromise of the Verified Domain or of the checkout, or comparable event affects the Business;
(e) the Business materially changes its business model, ownership, control, legal entity, products, pricing or billing model, subscription or cancellation flow, policies, or Verified Domain;
(f) information provided by the Business proves to be inaccurate, incomplete or misleading;
(g) the Business breaches this Policy, the Agreement, the Review Guidelines or the Content Moderation and Appeals Policy, including by manipulating reviews; or
(h) a court order, regulatory decision, sanctions designation or legal requirement makes continued certification inappropriate or unlawful.

11.2 Obligation to notify. The Business must notify Welo in writing without undue delay, and in any event within fifteen (15) days, of any event in Section 11.1(d) or (e), of any material regulatory action, enforcement proceeding, judgment or sanctions designation relating to its consumer-facing activities, and of any change that makes information previously given to Welo materially inaccurate.

11.3 Basis of decisions. Welo will make decisions under this Section 11 in good faith, on the basis of the WTS and the evidence and information reasonably available to it, in a manner proportionate to the risk to consumers and to the integrity of the certification system. Welo is not required to establish facts to the standard of a court. Where the available evidence is insufficient to confirm that the requirements of the WTS continue to be met, Welo may suspend or decline to renew a Certification until sufficient evidence is provided.

11.4 Procedure. Except where Section 14 applies, before revoking a Certification or downgrading a Certification Level for reasons attributable to the Business, Welo will: (a) notify the Business of the concern and the requirement at issue; (b) give the Business a reasonable opportunity, which will normally be not less than ten (10) business days, to respond, provide evidence or remediate; and (c) consider any response received. Welo may place the Certification in Under Review or Suspended status during this period where that is proportionate to the risk.

11.5 Statement of reasons. When Welo suspends, downgrades or revokes a Certification, it will inform the Business of the decision, the main reasons and the requirement(s) concerned, the effective date, the steps (if any) required for reinstatement, and the available appeal route, except to the extent that disclosure would be unlawful, would compromise an investigation, security or fraud prevention, or would reveal the identity of a reporting person in breach of law or confidentiality.

12. Suspension

12.1 During a suspension: (a) the Badge License is suspended; (b) the Business must, within the period stated in Section 13.2, remove or disable all Badges and stop making certification claims, unless Welo states in writing that a specific display may remain; (c) Welo may display the Suspended status on the Welo Page and cause the Badge to show the Suspended status or stop rendering, where technically supported; and (d) Welo may restrict related features in the dashboard.

12.2 A suspension ends when Welo confirms reinstatement in writing or changes the status to Active, or it may be converted into a revocation in accordance with this Policy and the WTS.

12.3 A suspension does not by itself suspend the Business's payment obligations under the Agreement, except as provided in the Agreement or the applicable order.

13. Revocation, lapse and termination of the Badge License

13.1 The Badge License terminates automatically and without further notice when: (a) the Certification is revoked; (b) the Certification Status becomes Lapsed; (c) the Agreement, or the plan or program under which the Badge License was granted, expires or terminates; or (d) Welo terminates the Badge License for a material breach of this Policy in accordance with the Agreement.

13.2 Within five (5) business days after receiving notice of a suspension, revocation, lapse or termination (or within forty-eight (48) hours where Welo notifies the Business that Section 14 applies), the Business must:

(a) remove the Official Badge Code and every Badge from all websites and properties;
(b) remove or correct every certification claim and reference to Welo in its websites, advertising, email templates, social media profiles, product listings and other materials under its control;
(c) instruct its agencies, affiliates, resellers and other persons acting on its behalf to do the same; and
(d) on request, confirm in writing that it has done so.

Printed materials already distributed before the notice are not subject to recall, but must not be further distributed.

13.3 Historical, factual and non-misleading statements, such as "certified by Welo from [date] to [date]", are permitted only with Welo's prior written consent.

14. Urgent measures

14.1 Welo may, without prior notice, immediately place a Certification in Suspended status, change the information displayed by the Badge, cause the Badge to stop rendering where technically supported, and display an appropriate notice on the Welo Page, where Welo reasonably believes, on the basis of credible information, that:

(a) consumers face a risk of fraud, financial loss, safety risk or other serious harm;
(b) the Verified Domain, the Business's checkout or payment flow, or the Official Badge Code has been compromised, or the Business is subject to a serious security incident;
(c) the Business, or a person acting for it, has submitted forged or materially false information or evidence, or is impersonating another person;
(d) a Badge is being displayed on an unauthorized property or in connection with a deceptive scheme;
(e) the Business has engaged in serious review manipulation; or
(f) immediate action is required by law, a court order, a regulator or a sanctions requirement.

14.2 Welo will notify the Business of an urgent measure promptly, normally no later than when the measure takes effect or as soon as reasonably practicable afterwards, together with the information described in Section 11.5. Welo will then proceed under Section 11.4 as soon as the urgency allows, and will lift or modify the measure if it concludes that the grounds no longer apply.

15. Unauthorized display and enforcement

15.1 Monitoring. Welo may, but is not obliged to, monitor the use of the Badge and the Welo Marks, including by automated means, reports from consumers and third parties, and review of the Business's websites and advertising.

15.2 Request for correction. Where Welo identifies a use that does not comply with this Policy, Welo may require the Business to correct or remove it within a reasonable period stated in Welo's notice, which will normally be five (5) business days, or forty-eight (48) hours where Section 14 applies.

15.3 Continued display after authorization ends. If the Business continues to display a Badge or make a certification claim after the Badge License has been suspended or has terminated, or fails to correct a non-compliant use within the required period, Welo may, in addition to any other right or remedy:

(a) display a notice on the Welo Page, and cause any Badge rendered through the Official Badge Code to display, that the Business is not currently certified, or the actual Certification Status;
(b) publish a factual notice that a specified website is not authorized to display the Badge;
(c) notify hosting providers, marketplaces, advertising platforms, domain registrars, search engines, payment providers or app stores, including by submitting trademark or copyright notices;
(d) suspend or terminate the Agreement and the Business's access to the Services in accordance with the Agreement;
(e) decline future applications from the Business or its Affiliates for a period proportionate to the seriousness of the conduct; and
(f) seek injunctive relief, damages, an accounting, and any other remedy available under applicable law, including under the Lanham Act (15 U.S.C. § 1051 et seq.) and the laws of any other jurisdiction.

15.4 Unauthorized third parties. Where a person that has no Agreement with Welo displays the Badge or claims Welo certification, Welo may take any of the measures in Section 15.3(b), (c) and (f), and may report the conduct to competent authorities. This Policy does not grant any right to such a person.

15.5 Injunctive relief. The Business acknowledges that unauthorized use of the Welo Marks or the Badge may cause Welo and consumers irreparable harm for which monetary damages would be an inadequate remedy, and that Welo may seek injunctive or other equitable relief in any court of competent jurisdiction, in addition to any other remedy, to the extent permitted by applicable law.

15.6 Costs. To the extent permitted by applicable law and without limiting the Agreement, the Business will reimburse Welo's reasonable, documented costs of enforcing this Policy against the Business, including reasonable attorneys' fees, where Welo substantially prevails.

16. Appeals and disputes about certification decisions

16.1 Right to request reconsideration. A Business may request reconsideration of a decision to decline, suspend, downgrade or revoke a Certification, or of a change of Certification Status, within thirty (30) days after notice of the decision, through the support channel identified in the dashboard or in the notice. The request must identify the decision, explain why it should be changed, and include any supporting evidence.

16.2 Review. Welo will assess the request against the WTS and the evidence available, including any new evidence provided. Where reasonably practicable, the reconsideration will be carried out or supervised by a person who did not make the original decision. Welo will communicate the outcome and the main reasons within a reasonable time, taking into account the complexity of the case. Welo may uphold, modify or reverse the decision.

16.3 Effect of a request. A request for reconsideration does not suspend the decision, unless Welo decides otherwise. The Business must comply with Section 13.2 while the request is pending.

16.4 Recheck after remediation. Separately from reconsideration, a Business may ask for a recheck or reapply after it has remediated the issues identified, subject to any waiting period that Welo reasonably applies under the WTS in cases involving material deception or red flags.

16.5 Other remedies. Welo's reconsideration is the final step of Welo's internal process. It does not limit any right of the Business under applicable law, which may be exercised in accordance with the dispute resolution provisions of the Agreement. Content-related decisions are subject to the Content Moderation and Appeals Policy, and account enforcement decisions to the Agreement and the Terms and Conditions.

17. Responsibility and indemnity

17.1 The Business is solely responsible for its products, services, websites, marketing claims, customer relationships and compliance with law. The display of the Badge does not transfer to Welo any responsibility for the Business's conduct or for any transaction between the Business and its customers.

17.2 The Business's indemnification obligations under the Agreement apply to any claim arising out of its use of the Badge or the Welo Marks, its certification claims, and any breach of this Policy.

17.3 Nothing in this Policy limits Welo's liability where such liability cannot be limited under applicable law. The limitations and exclusions of liability in the Agreement apply to this Policy.

18. Changes to this Policy

18.1 Welo may amend this Policy to reflect changes to the WTS, the Official Badge Code, the Services, legal requirements or the protection of consumers. Welo will publish each version with its version number and effective date and will keep previous versions available on request.

18.2 Welo will give the Business at least thirty (30) days' notice by email or through the dashboard before a material change takes effect, unless a shorter period is required by law, a court or regulator, or to address a security risk or an urgent risk to consumers. If the Business does not accept a material change, it may terminate the Agreement in accordance with its terms before the change takes effect.

18.3 A change requiring the Business to modify its existing installation or materials will allow a reasonable period for implementation, stated in the notice.

19. Order of precedence and general

19.1 In the event of a conflict concerning the use of the Badge or the Welo Marks: (a) mandatory law prevails; (b) then a written agreement signed by an authorized officer of Welo that expressly refers to and varies this Policy; (c) then this Policy; (d) then the Business Service Agreement; and (e) then the Terms and Conditions. The Welo Trust Standard controls on the criteria, levels, scoring and outcomes of certification.

19.2 This Policy is governed by the law and dispute resolution provisions of the Agreement.

19.3 If any provision of this Policy is held invalid or unenforceable, it will be enforced to the maximum extent permissible and the remaining provisions will remain in effect.

19.4 Welo's failure to enforce a provision of this Policy is not a waiver of its right to do so later.

19.5 The English version of this Policy is the binding version. Translations are provided for convenience; in the event of any inconsistency, the English version prevails, unless applicable law requires otherwise.

20. Contact

Questions about this Policy, requests for approval and reports of unauthorized use of the Badge may be sent to support@welobadge.com. Legal notices must be sent as provided in the Agreement. Welobadge, LLC, 131 Continental Dr, Suite 305, Newark, DE 19713, United States.