Code of Conduct

Our Shared Network

When I founded Statement Co., I envisioned more than just a business network—I wanted to cultivate a healthy, living ecosystem where independent leaders, partners, and collaborators don't just execute great work, but genuinely thrive together.

A resilient ecosystem relies on balance, reciprocity, and clear boundaries. The same is true for sustainable business. We apply these principles as our operational model: believing deeply that uncompromisingly high standards, joint accountability, and profound human respect are mutually dependent.

At Statement Co., we value authenticity in our relationships, integrity in our actions, and resonance in our interactions with everyone. Within our network, we treat one another with the same level of intention, responsiveness, and care that we extend to our valued clients.

This Code of Conduct serves a dual purpose for Statement Co., our strategic business partners, and members of the Statement Co.llab: it grounds our day-to-day interactions in safety, curiosity, and respect, while capturing the compliance, integrity, and operational standards that our enterprise clients expect of us. 

Consider this document our collective compass—a commitment to upholding our core convictions as we build something extraordinary together.

Thank you for bringing your expertise, your voice, and your trust to this shared space.

Sarah Cargill
Founder & Managing Director, Statement Co.

Core Pillars of Collaboration

1. Relational Intent & Communication

  • Cultivate Psychological Safety: We build spaces—in meetings, communications, and project channels—where everyone feels safe to voice ideas, raise early risks, ask for help, or offer constructive feedback without fear of retaliation.

  • Lead with Curiosity: When challenges or unexpected outcomes arise, we prioritize seeking to understand, gaining clarity, and gathering facts before drawing conclusions. We ask questions to understand context and perspective.

  • Assume Positive Intent: We operate from the baseline assumption that our collaborators care about quality, integrity, equity, and doing the right thing. When misalignments, honest mistakes, or unintended impacts happen, we extend grace, separate the person's worth from the error, and focus conversations on shared goals, accountability, and constructive solutions.

  • Provide Feedback for Growth: We request, give, and receive feedback early and often—attuning thoughtfully to timing, context, and the individual—with the sole intention of strengthening our partnership, improving our shared work, and helping each other grow. Feedback is offered thoughtfully by articulating the specific situation, observed behavior(s), and impact. We understand feedback is an invitation to consider another perspective rather than a mandate for agreement. In turn, receiving feedback requires listening, asking questions, and examining the biases or assumptions that shape our conclusions. Ultimately, considering a perspective does not require adopting another person’s priorities or proposed actions; if feedback misaligns with the purpose, context, or scope of the work, we respectfully acknowledge the insight while choosing a different path forward.

  • Engage Respectfully, Always: We combine radical candor with deep professional respect and basic courtesy. We communicate calmly, professionally, compassionately, and transparently—delivering clear truths without resorting to inflammatory language or aggression even in times of high stress and difficult discussions. We show basic respect for each other’s time by acknowledging communications promptly, respecting capacity, and proactively communicating delays or changes before deadlines pass.

  • Maintain Healthy Boundaries: We honor professional and personal boundaries across all interactions. We respect each collaborator’s personal capacity, autonomy, and privacy, only offering advice, guidance, or intervention when it is explicitly welcomed, appropriate, and imperative.

2. Inclusion & Belonging

  • Be Inclusive: We are dedicated to maintaining an environment free from discrimination, harassment, bullying, or unfair treatment based on race, ethnicity, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, disability, age, religion, or background. We do not tolerate any discrimination.

  • Honor Human Dignity: We expect that every individual within our ecosystem be treated with fundamental fairness, care, and dignity. This means honoring individual agency, respecting self-identification, practicing active listening, and valuing diverse lived experiences.

  • Honor Diverse Perspectives: We respect that each business leader within our network holds unique personal beliefs and chooses the degree to which their independent business serves as a platform for advocacy. We keep our standard shared spaces, joint projects, and professional scope neutral—provided that doing so does not conflict with our mutually agreed-upon policies and contracts. However, specific events, campaigns, or projects may explicitly feature impact initiatives when all participating members mutually agree in advance to leverage that specific effort as a shared platform.

  • Prioritize Well-Being: We design physical and digital work environments that protect safety, support mental health, and respect sustainable working rhythms based on the unique needs of each individual.

3. Autonomy, Reciprocity & Sustainability

  • Respect Business Scope: We enter partnerships with clarity around our shared commercial, strategic, and professional focus. While we value the multi-dimensional perspectives each leader brings, members and partners respect the established scope of Statement Co. services and programs—recognizing that clear operational boundaries allow us to deliver focused, high-impact work effectively.

  • Honor Business Autonomy: We recognize and honor that each participating business within the Statement Co.llab as well as Statement Co. remains fully autonomous. Every partner and contractor is entirely free to operate, establish policies, and engage businesses as they see fit—remaining in the Co.llab so long as those practices do not violate our mutually agreed-upon contracts or policies.

  • Ensure Mutual Value: We structure joint efforts on mutual respect, free consent, and transparent value exchange so that every collaborator gains meaningful benefit. We aim to continually balance the scales when generous gifts of time, access, expertise, and offerings are shared—ensuring that goodwill is met with active support. Testimonials, endorsements, and professional access are given freely as a celebration of mutual value.

  • Create Regenerative Impact: We aim for work that leaves our teams, partners, client relationships, and communities healthier and more capable than we found them.

4. Integrity, Protection & Shared Stewardship

  • Uphold Legal & Ethical Commitments: We honor our contractual agreements, intellectual property boundaries, privacy obligations, and all applicable local, national, and international laws—including anti-corruption laws (such as the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act). Additionally, when engaged on client projects, we commit to upholding any specific client Codes of Conduct, security guidelines, or ethical standards articulated in our Master Services Agreements (MSAs) and Statements of Work (SOWs).

  • Protect Confidentiality & Trust: We handle sensitive information, client assets, and proprietary ideas with care and discretion.

  • Ensure Transparent Conflicts of Interest: We proactively disclose any potential conflicts of interest, competing business engagements, or financial overlaps so we can address them together with full openness, trust, and professional integrity.

  • Gifts, Hospitality & Entertainment: We ensure that any exchange of gifts, meals, or professional hospitality remains modest, infrequent, customary, and transparent. Gifts or entertainment must never be offered or accepted with the intent to improperly influence a business decision, create an obligation, or compromise professional judgment.

  • Maintain Accurate Books, Records & Billing: We build trust through transparent billing, accurate and complete record-keeping, and an absolute commitment to fair dealing. We maintain clean operations by refusing to offer, promise, give, or accept bribes, kickbacks, or improper payments of any kind to government officials or private entities.

  • Steward Public Voice: We honor and protect each entity's brand reputation. Neither party speaks publicly on behalf of the other or references shared work without explicit alignment and mutual consent.

Living Our Standards

This Code reflects the shared commitments of Statement Co. employees, business partners, and Statement Co.llab collaborators.

  1. Ensuring Alignment: Entering into a Master Collaboration Agreement (MCA) or other partner agreement, statement of work, or contract signifies our mutual commitment to uphold these values. Nothing in this Code creates an employment, joint venture, or agency relationship beyond the terms established in your underlying contract or MCA.

  2. Addressing Friction: If tension or misunderstandings occur, we commit to addressing them early through direct, compassionate, and collaborative dialogue.

  3. Speaking Up: If we experience or witness a violation of this Code by Statement Co. employees, contractors, Co.llab members, clients, or strategic partners, we welcome and encourage individuals to share their concerns directly with Statement Co. Founder Sarah Cargill via email at sarah@statementco.io. We commit to listening with care and acting responsibly.

  4. Protecting Ecosystem Health: Building a high-trust, regenerative ecosystem requires collective commitment. Statement Co. reserves the administrative right to pause, adjust, or discontinue community access, collaboration agreements, or event participation for any party whose conduct violates these core standards.