Terms of Business
MβB
Last updated: September 2026
These Terms of Business apply to services supplied by MβB.
MβB is operated by Mike Bratby-Bale as a sole trader in the United Kingdom.
Website: wearembb.com
Email: hello@wearembb.com
Accounts: accounts@wearembb.com
By instructing MβB to begin work, accepting a proposal, statement of work or quotation, or otherwise agreeing that services should commence, the Client agrees to these Terms of Business.
1. THE SERVICES
MβB provides consultancy, advisory, delivery and individual support services across areas including:
• Talent and hiring
• Organisation and transformation
• Recruitment delivery
• Social value and inclusion
• Careers and outplacement
• Associated research, diagnostics, tools and project work
The precise scope of each engagement will normally be set out in a proposal, statement of work, quotation, engagement letter or other written agreement.
Where there is any conflict between these Terms of Business and a specific written statement of work, the specific statement of work will take precedence for that engagement.
2. HOW WE WORK
MβB does not operate on the basis that every challenge has a predetermined solution.
Our work may involve investigation, challenge, analysis, design, delivery, implementation or a combination of these.
Where an engagement begins with discovery, diagnostic or Beta Test activity, the purpose is to establish an evidence based starting point. It does not guarantee that a particular problem, recommendation or solution will be identified.
Recommendations may change as new evidence becomes available.
3. PROPOSALS AND SCOPE
A proposal or quotation is valid for the period stated within it.
Any assumptions, dependencies, exclusions or Client responsibilities stated in a proposal form part of the agreed scope.
Work requested outside that scope may be treated as additional work and may require:
• An amended statement of work
• Additional fees
• Revised timelines
• Additional resources
MβB will discuss material scope changes with the Client before undertaking additional chargeable work.
4. CLIENT RESPONSIBILITIES
The Client agrees to provide reasonable access to the information, people, systems and decision makers required for MβB to deliver the agreed work.
The Client is responsible for ensuring that information supplied to MβB is accurate, lawful to share and reasonably complete.
Where delivery depends on Client decisions, approvals, access or information, delays in providing these may affect agreed timescales.
MβB will not be responsible for delay caused by circumstances outside its reasonable control or by Client dependencies that have not been met.
5. FEES
Fees will be agreed before work begins and may be structured as:
• A fixed project fee
• A daily or hourly rate
• A retained or fractional fee
• A recruitment placement fee
• A campaign or delivery fee
• An individual service fee
• Another agreed commercial arrangement
Unless expressly stated otherwise, fees exclude reasonable third party expenses and any taxes that become applicable.
MβB is not currently VAT registered. If this changes, applicable VAT will be added in accordance with the law from the relevant date.
6. INVOICING AND PAYMENT
Invoices will be issued according to the payment schedule agreed for the engagement.
Unless otherwise stated in writing, invoices are payable within 14 calendar days of the invoice date.
MβB reserves the right to request:
• Payment in advance
• A deposit
• Stage payments
• Shorter payment terms
where appropriate to the nature or value of the work. MβB reserves the right to charge statutory interest and permitted recovery costs on overdue business invoices.
Where an invoice remains materially overdue, MβB may suspend further work until outstanding sums are paid.
7. EXPENSES
Reasonable expenses directly connected with an engagement may be charged to the Client where agreed.
These may include travel, accommodation, specialist software, venue costs or other third party expenditure.
Material expenses will normally be agreed with the Client before they are incurred.
8. RECRUITMENT SERVICES
Where MβB provides recruitment or work finding services, the specific commercial arrangement will be confirmed separately.
This may include:
• Retained search
• Contingent recruitment
• Project recruitment
• Embedded or fractional recruitment
• Campaign delivery
• Critical or specialist hiring
Where MβB acts as an employment agency for the purposes of UK legislation, the relevant statutory requirements will apply.
Unless expressly agreed otherwise, MβB does not employ or supply temporary workers as an employment business.
9. RECRUITMENT INTRODUCTIONS
Where recruitment is charged on a placement or introduction basis, the fee structure, introduction period and any rebate or replacement terms will be confirmed in writing before the assignment begins.
An introduction may include providing a CV, candidate profile, candidate details, arranging an interview or otherwise bringing a candidate to the Client’s attention.
The Client must notify MβB promptly if a candidate introduced by MβB is:
• Already known to the Client
• Already in an active recruitment process with the Client
• Subsequently engaged by the Client
Any recruitment fee due will be determined by the specific recruitment terms agreed for that assignment.
10. CANDIDATE CHECKS AND HIRING DECISIONS
Unless specifically included within the agreed scope, the Client remains responsible for final hiring decisions and for satisfying itself as to a candidate’s:
• Identity
• Right to work
• Qualifications
• Professional registrations
• References
• Medical or occupational requirements
• Security clearance
• Criminal record checks
• Suitability for the role
MβB may support verification activity where agreed but does not warrant that any individual will perform successfully in a role.
Where statutory recruitment regulations require MβB to obtain or provide particular information about a vacancy, hirer or work seeker, those requirements will take precedence.
11. CONSULTANCY AND ADVISORY WORK
MβB will provide services with reasonable skill and care.
Any advice, recommendation, model or analysis is based on the information reasonably available at the time.
Business decisions remain the responsibility of the Client.
MβB does not guarantee a particular financial, operational, recruitment, organisational or commercial outcome unless that outcome has been expressly agreed as a contractual deliverable.
12. SOCIAL VALUE AND INCLUSION WORK
Social value, inclusion and community related work may involve multiple organisations, stakeholders and external dependencies.
MβB does not guarantee:
• Funding outcomes
• Contract awards
• Community participation levels
• Workforce outcomes
• Regulatory approval
• Specific equality or diversity outcomes
unless expressly agreed otherwise. The Client remains responsible for any formal commitments it makes to customers, regulators, employees, communities or procurement bodies.
13. CAREERS AND OUTPLACEMENT
Career, CV and outplacement services are intended to improve professional positioning, clarity and readiness for career transition.
MβB does not guarantee:
• Interviews
• Job offers
• Salary levels
• Promotion
• Employment within a particular timescale
Where services are commissioned by an employer for employees affected by restructuring or redundancy, the scope and number of participants will be agreed with the commissioning organisation.
14. INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
Unless otherwise agreed, MβB retains ownership of its pre existing intellectual property, including:
• Methodologies
• Frameworks
• Templates
• Diagnostic tools
• Models
• Processes
• Brand assets
• Training material
• The Beta Test
• Beta Lab materials
Where MβB creates bespoke deliverables specifically for a Client and those deliverables have been paid for in full, the Client may use them internally for the purpose for which they were created.
This does not transfer ownership of MβB’s underlying methods, templates, systems or reusable know how.
Neither party may use the other’s branding, trade marks or confidential material publicly without permission.
15. CONFIDENTIALITY
Both parties agree to keep confidential information received through an engagement confidential and to use it only for the purpose of the engagement.
This does not apply to information that:
• Is already publicly available
• Was lawfully known before disclosure
• Is received lawfully from another source
• Must be disclosed by law or regulatory requirement
Confidentiality obligations continue after an engagement ends.
16. DATA PROTECTION
Each party will comply with applicable UK data protection law.
Where MβB processes personal data as a controller, that processing is governed by the MβB Privacy Policy.
Where an engagement requires MβB to process personal data on behalf of a Client, the parties may agree additional data processing terms where required.
17. THIRD PARTY TOOLS AND SUPPLIERS
MβB may use third party technology, software, research platforms or professional services when delivering work.
MβB will take reasonable care in selecting suppliers but cannot guarantee the uninterrupted operation of third party systems.
The Client remains responsible for any third party supplier it contracts with directly.
18. ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AND AUTOMATED TOOLS
MβB may use AI assisted tools to support research, drafting, analysis, administration or delivery where appropriate.
Material professional judgement remains subject to human review.
Confidential or personal Client information will not knowingly be entered into unapproved public AI tools where doing so would breach confidentiality or data protection obligations.
Where an engagement specifically concerns AI, automation or hiring technology, additional governance or assurance terms may be agreed.
19. CANCELLATION AND TERMINATION
Either party may terminate an engagement in accordance with the notice provisions stated in the relevant proposal or statement of work.
Where no specific provision has been agreed, either party may terminate ongoing work by giving reasonable written notice.
The Client remains responsible for:
• Work completed up to the termination date
• Approved expenses incurred
• Non cancellable third party commitments
• Any agreed cancellation charges
MβB may terminate or suspend an engagement immediately where:
• Invoices remain materially overdue
• The Client commits a serious breach of these terms
• Continuing the work would create an unlawful, unsafe or professionally unacceptable situation
20. FORCE MAJEURE
Neither party will be liable for delay or failure caused by events outside its reasonable control.
This may include significant infrastructure failure, natural disaster, industrial action, government restriction, serious illness, cyber incident or failure of essential third party services.
The affected party should notify the other as soon as reasonably practical.
21. LIABILITY
Nothing in these Terms excludes liability that cannot lawfully be excluded.
Subject to that, MβB will not be liable for indirect or consequential loss, loss of profit, loss of opportunity, loss of anticipated savings or reputational loss arising from an engagement.
Unless otherwise agreed in writing, MβB’s total liability arising from a particular engagement will not exceed the total fees paid or payable to MβB for that engagement.
22. SUBCONTRACTORS AND PARTNERS
MβB may work with trusted associates, consultants or partner organisations where this supports delivery.
MβB remains responsible for managing any subcontractor it appoints directly unless otherwise agreed.
Where the Client contracts directly with another partner or supplier, that relationship will be governed separately.
23. PUBLICITY AND CASE STUDIES
MβB will not identify a Client publicly as a case study or disclose confidential Client information without permission.
MβB may refer to anonymised experience, outcomes and aggregated information where the Client cannot reasonably be identified.
Where Client logos, testimonials or named case studies are used, permission will be obtained.
24. NON SOLICITATION
Where appropriate to an engagement, neither party should knowingly solicit for employment an individual directly employed or engaged by the other and materially involved in the engagement during the project and for an agreed period afterwards.
Any specific restriction should be set out in the relevant statement of work rather than assumed under this clause.
25. CHANGES TO THESE TERMS
MβB may update these general Terms of Business from time to time.
The terms that apply to an engagement are those accepted when that engagement begins, unless both parties agree a change.
26. ENTIRE AGREEMENT
The agreed proposal, statement of work, engagement letter and these Terms of Business together form the agreement between MβB and the Client for the relevant engagement.
They replace earlier discussions or representations relating to that engagement unless expressly incorporated into the written agreement.
27. GOVERNING LAW
These Terms of Business and any dispute arising from them are governed by the laws of England and Wales.
The courts of England and Wales will have jurisdiction, unless the parties agree another dispute resolution process in writing.
28. CONTACT
Questions about these Terms of Business should be sent to:
MβB
hello@wearembb.com
wearembb.com