Research Usage Policy
All content published by Elev8 Group — across every research format, access tier, and channel — is protected by copyright and other applicable intellectual property law. This policy defines how that content may be used, shared, cited, and distributed. It applies to all individuals and organisations who access, receive, or reference Elev8 research, regardless of format, commercial relationship, or how the content was obtained. Elev8 monitors usage of its research and will act on non-compliance. This policy operates alongside the Terms of Use, the Citation & Content Compliance Policy, and the Analyst Access & Engagement Policy.
Elev8's Research Content Architecture
Elev8 publishes research across the following formats. Access tier and usage rules differ by format — the sections below define what applies to each.
Access to any Elev8 research content — regardless of tier or format — does not transfer ownership or any right to reproduce, redistribute, or otherwise use that content beyond the terms of this policy. All rights are reserved.
Absolute prohibitions — no exceptions, no format, no tier
- Using any Elev8 content as input to — or to train, fine-tune, retrain, or otherwise inform — any artificial intelligence, machine learning, large language model (LLM), or automated system, for any purpose.
- Using any automated device, script, scraper, robot, bot, spider, crawler, data-mining tool, or similar technology to access, copy, index, or monitor any Elev8 content.
- Reproducing any Elev8 research publication in full in any format or channel.
- Representing Elev8 research, analysis, or frameworks as your own work or as the work of your organisation.
Internal Use Rules
Internal use is use of Elev8 research content within your own organisation — not shared externally, not used in client-facing or public-facing materials. The following rules apply to all internal use of Elev8 content, regardless of format or access tier.
Internal use — permitted without approval
- Read, consult, and reference Elev8 research for your own professional development, strategic planning, or internal decision-making.
- Share a direct link to any publicly accessible Elev8 research page with colleagues via internal messaging, email, or intranet — linking is always encouraged.
- Include a single short excerpt — no more than two consecutive sentences, one data point, or one short pull-quote — in an internal presentation, briefing note, or planning document, with full attribution to Elev8 Group, the publication title, and the date.
- Save or print a copy of any freely published Elev8 page for personal, offline reference use.
- Retain a personal copy of a gated PDF (Master Research Paper) for the duration of your engagement with Elev8's research on the relevant topic.
These are not internal uses — approval required
- Forwarding a gated PDF (including the Master Research Paper) to any colleague — even within your own organisation — without Elev8's prior written consent.
- Posting Elev8 content — in whole or in substantial part — on an internal intranet, SharePoint, document management system, or other internal platform accessible to a large or unrestricted audience.
- Systematically or routinely circulating Elev8 excerpts across a team or organisation as a substitute for purchasing research access or an advisory engagement.
- Importing or entering any Elev8 research data, findings, or frameworks into an internal data warehouse, business intelligence tool, or system of record.
External Use Rules
External use is any use of Elev8 research content outside your organisation — including press, media, publications, conference presentations, social media, client communications, and any other channel visible to audiences beyond your own organisation. All external use requires Elev8's prior written approval.
Potentially approvable external uses
- Press and media citations referencing a specific Elev8 finding with full attribution — name of publication, Elev8 Group, month and year.
- Academic or independent research papers citing Elev8's published position using correct academic citation format, with attribution and a direct link to the source.
- Conference or event presentations referencing a specific Elev8 finding — not a full publication — with clear attribution visible on the relevant slide or reference list.
- Industry reports or benchmarking studies including a brief attributed reference to Elev8's published position on a market topic.
- Vendor marketing materials — subject to full compliance with the Citation & Content Compliance Policy and a separate written approval from Elev8. See also the Vendor Use section below.
Not permitted externally under any circumstances
- Reproducing full or substantial portions of any Elev8 publication in any external document, platform, or communication.
- Misrepresenting a partial citation as Elev8's overall position on a topic, vendor, or market.
- Using Elev8 research to imply endorsement of any organisation, product, vendor, or service beyond what the cited research itself explicitly states.
- Embedding or hosting Elev8 research content (including PDFs or excerpted graphics) on any external website, landing page, or public platform without a Reprint licence.
- Publishing or distributing translated versions of any Elev8 content without Elev8's prior written approval of the translated version.
The Master Research Paper is accessible upon completion of a formal access request. By submitting a request you confirm that access is for your own internal informational purposes, that the information you provide is accurate, and that you will not share, distribute, reproduce, or republish the paper in any form without Elev8's prior written consent. Elev8 may contact you in connection with your access request and your engagement with Elev8's research and services.
Research Memos are published exclusively via LinkedIn as short-form analytical pieces. They may be shared via LinkedIn's native sharing functionality, and may be referenced in internal documents with attribution and a link to the original post. Reproducing Research Memo content on any other platform — even with attribution — requires Elev8's prior written approval.
Diagrams, models, infographics, and other visual framework assets — including representations of Calibr8™, Articul8™, the Hex-Model™, the Circle System™, and the Gap Map™ — may not be reproduced, adapted, or incorporated into any external presentation, marketing material, or publication without Elev8's prior written approval. Screenshots of visual assets are subject to the same restriction.
Vendor Use of Elev8 Research
Vendors — including HR technology companies, workforce technology providers, and related organisations — are subject to the strictest terms under this policy. This reflects the centrality of research independence to Elev8's credibility with practitioner buyers. The following applies regardless of whether a commercial relationship with Elev8 exists.
Vendors may not — without prior written approval
- Reference, quote, summarise, or paraphrase any Elev8 research — including Research Memos, Research Notes, Research Briefs, the Master Research Paper, or any Articul8™ publication — in any marketing material, product collateral, sales presentation, website content, press release, or social media post.
- Imply that Elev8 or Chris Long endorses, recommends, evaluates favourably, or has validated any product, platform, or vendor claim.
- Use the Elev8 Group name, the Articul8™ name, or any proprietary framework name — including Calibr8™, Hex-Model™, or Circle System™ — in any external communication without prior written consent.
- Reference the fact of a Briefing, Advisory Session, or any other interaction with Elev8 in any external communication.
- Use any Elev8 research in investor communications, regulatory filings, or fundraising materials.
- Use Elev8 research or any Elev8 branded asset in any communication that implies co-sponsorship, co-authorship, or co-production with Elev8.
Elev8 monitors vendor use of its research and reserves the right to issue a formal notice of non-compliance. Vendors will be given five Business Days to correct any non-compliant use following receipt of a notice. Failure to comply within this period may result in prohibition from future Briefing access and referral for legal remedy.
Usage Quick Reference
The table below summarises permitted uses across Elev8's primary content formats. "Approval required" means Elev8's prior written consent must be obtained before the use proceeds. Use without approval where approval is required constitutes a policy violation.
| Use | Free content | Gated PDF | Research Memos | Articul8™ Evaluation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Read & consult personally | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Share a link internally | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Short excerpt in internal doc | ✓ with attribution | ✓ with attribution | ✓ with attribution | ✓ with attribution |
| Forward / distribute internally | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | |
| Post on internal intranet | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | |
| External citation (press / academic) | ||||
| Use in vendor marketing | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | |
| Reproduce on external platform | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ |
| Use for AI training | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ |
| Import into data system / tool | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ |
Practical Scenarios
The following scenarios illustrate how this policy applies in common situations. They are intended to make the rules easier to navigate in practice — not to limit the scope of the policy.
Permitted — internal use with attribution
Not permitted — contact Elev8 to arrange an internal licence or direct briefing
Not permitted — vendor external use of any Elev8 research requires prior written approval in all cases
Approval required — likely approved with correct attribution. Submit request before use.
Not permitted — Calibr8™ is proprietary IP. Contact Elev8 to discuss a licensed or advisory arrangement.
Permitted — within the scope of an active Reprint licence
Not permitted — inputting Elev8 content into any AI or automated system is prohibited under all circumstances
Not permitted — this policy applies to third-party agencies acting on a vendor's behalf. Approval is required before any external use, including by agencies.
Non-Compliance
Elev8 monitors use of its research and will act on violations of this policy. The following process applies where a non-compliant use is identified.
Non-Compliance Notice & Cure Process
Notice: Where Elev8 identifies a use of its research that violates this policy, it will issue a written notice of non-compliance to the relevant individual or organisation. The notice will identify the specific non-compliant use and the provision of this policy that has been breached.
Cure period: Following receipt of a non-compliance notice, the individual or organisation has five Business Days to correct the non-compliant use — including removing, amending, or retracting the relevant content — and to confirm in writing that the correction has been made.
Consequences of non-cure: Failure to correct a non-compliant use within five Business Days may result in: prohibition from future Briefing and advisory access; termination of any active Reprint licence or engagement agreement; and referral for legal remedy, including an injunction and claim for damages. Where the non-compliant use involves automated access or AI training of Elev8 content, Elev8 reserves the right to act immediately and without a prior cure period.
All decisions under this process are at Elev8's sole discretion and are final. Elev8 reserves the right to update this policy and the non-compliance process at any time.
Requesting Permission
All requests for use beyond what is expressly permitted in this policy must be submitted to Elev8 before the intended use proceeds. Requests submitted after use has already occurred will not constitute retrospective approval and may be treated as a non-compliance notice.
Research Independence Statement
Elev8's research is editorially independent of all commercial relationships. The usage rules in this policy exist to protect that independence in how Elev8's work is used externally. Any use that misrepresents Elev8's findings, implies endorsement of a vendor or product, or undermines the objectivity of published research will not be approved — regardless of the commercial relationship involved. Independence is not just what makes Elev8's research worth reading. It is what makes it worth citing.