Above BoardCertification / Audit process
How we audit.
The same procedure for every business, published in full. If we change it, we say so here first.
On this page
The nine steps Evidence for each pillar Sampling rules Decision rules While certified RenewalThe nine steps.
Application
Five-minute form. We confirm eligibility and run a conflict-of-interest check within two business days.
Scope and fee, in writing
The certification, the roster size, locations and a flat fee, signed before any review starts. The fee never depends on the result.
Document review
You share the evidence for each pillar with us securely. Typical turnaround: five business days after the last document arrives.
Creator confirmations
We contact creators directly, through channels the business doesn't control, and ask them to confirm the relationship, their access settings and their contract terms.
Payout reconciliation
Three recent months of statements for every sampled creator, checked against the contract rate and its base (gross or net).
Site visit (studios)
Unannounced, within a 30-day window agreed in the scope. Private model interviews without management present, in the model's language.
Findings
A written report: every required criterion passed or not, every scored criterion assessed. Gaps can be fixed within 90 days, with one re-check included.
Independent decision
A reviewer who took no part in the audit decides, using the report and the evidence.
Publication
Register entry, public profile, live badge and a tamper-proof record of the decision. The report itself stays private.
Evidence for each pillar.
What we ask for, and how we check it.
| Pillar | Evidence | How it's checked |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Legal identity | Registry extract, ownership chart, ID of beneficial owners | Checked against the official registry. Owners kept private. |
| 2 Account control | Access settings screenshots, staff access list, payout routing | Confirmed by each sampled creator, from their own device. |
| 3 Contract fairness | Contract template and every variation in use | Clause by clause against criteria 3.1 to 3.9. |
| 4 Money matches paper | Three months of statements and invoices per sampled creator | Commission recalculated and compared with the contract rate. |
| 5 Verified roster | Full roster, public marketing claims | Direct confirmation from creators; claims checked for evidence. |
| 6 Outcomes | Earnings before and after joining, retention | Platform data with consent. Scored privately, never published. |
| 7 Chatters and staff | Chat disclosure policy, payroll sample | Policy review, pay against local minimum wage, anonymous survey. |
| 8 Age and consent | ID verification and consent logs | Sample of records traced to content. Any minor ends the audit and is reported. |
| 9 Workplace (studios) | Rules, schedules, pay records | Unannounced visit and private interviews. |
| 10 Grievance channel | How creators are told about our channel | Confirmed by creators; checked against our own intake records. |
The rules we audit by.
Sampling
Every creator on rosters of 25 or fewer. Above that, a random sample of 25 plus 10% of the remaining roster, chosen by us, not by the business. If any sampled creator reports a required criterion failing, we widen the sample.
Decision rules
Every required criterion must pass. One failed required criterion means no certification until it's fixed and re-checked. Scored criteria never block certification; they're reported privately with recommendations.
Creator protection
We never tell a business which creators said what. Creator answers are reported in aggregate. A business that pressures or retaliates against a creator fails the audit.
Evidence standard
Self-declarations aren't evidence. Every required criterion is checked against a document, a record or a direct confirmation, and we keep an audit trail of what was seen.
Confidentiality
Audit reports are private to the business. Only the decision, dates and, for suspensions and revocations, the criterion number are published.
While certified
- One unannounced mid-term check of creator confirmations
- Notify us within 30 days of a change of ownership, legal name, contract template, commission or business model
- Badge shown only as issued, linked to the live profile
- Any credible complaint can trigger a re-check or suspension. How complaints work
Renewal
- Certification lasts 12 months
- Renewal starts 60 days before expiry, with a lighter audit if nothing material changed
- If renewal isn't complete by the expiry date, the status becomes Expired
- Each renewal is audited against the version of the standard then in force