What can be raised
Complaints may concern participant treatment, expert conduct, conflicts, funding, privacy, research, registry identity, badge use, accessibility, procurement integrity, editorial conduct or failure to follow a published process.
How to complain
Email hello@marketaccord.co.uk with “Complaint” in the subject. Include the project or page, what happened, dates, people or organisations involved, desired outcome and any immediate risk. Do not send confidential tender files until a secure route is agreed.
Handling
- Acknowledge normally within five working days.
- Identify conflicts and appoint a reviewer not materially involved where practicable.
- Clarify scope, evidence, confidentiality and any urgent protective action.
- Provide a reasoned outcome normally within twenty working days, or explain the revised timetable.
- Record corrective action, status change or publication correction where appropriate.
Possible outcomes
- No breach found, with reasons.
- Apology, explanation or process correction.
- Content correction or additional limitation.
- Project pause, redesign or termination.
- Badge suspension or revocation.
- Conflict mitigation or reviewer replacement.
- Referral to a controller, professional body, authority, insurer or law enforcement where required.
Escalation
Privacy complaints may also be taken to the Information Commissioner's Office. Procurement, contractual, professional or legal concerns may have external routes specific to the buyer, adviser or competent authority. Market Accord will not prevent lawful whistleblowing or regulatory contact.
Protection from retaliation
A good-faith complaint must not be used to determine a favourable research conclusion, badge status or access to an otherwise available route. Malicious or abusive conduct may still be managed proportionately.