1. Participation is voluntary
Research participation is separate from receiving support, applying for a programme, appearing in a registry or purchasing a service. Declining research should not remove an otherwise available service unless the project itself is clearly and lawfully a research activity.
2. Before participation
A research record should explain the purpose, questions, organiser, funder, participants, method, information collected, recording, expected use, publication route, risks, benefits, withdrawal point and contact.
3. Consent choices
Interview or observation participation, audio/video recording, named quotation, organisation naming, registry publication, case study, future contact and marketing are separate choices where applicable.
4. Withdrawal
A participant may withdraw from future research contact and, where agreed, from unpublished identifiable data. Withdrawal may not be possible after information has been irreversibly anonymised, lawfully aggregated or published, and it does not require deletion of records retained for legal or integrity reasons.
5. Confidentiality and anonymity
Market Accord does not promise anonymity merely by removing a name. It considers sector, geography, dates, values, roles, events, public records and the means reasonably likely to be used to identify someone.
6. Publication
Outputs identify evidence level, funding, material conflicts, reviewer, limitations and correction route. Confidential tender strategy, personal data and identifiable sensitive experience are not published merely because they are interesting.
7. Complaints
Research concerns can be raised through the complaints route. Privacy rights can also be exercised under the privacy notice.