Code of Conduct

1. Our Standard

We’re a startup boutique firm, so every interaction matters. Clients hire us for judgment, not just deliverables. This Code defines how we earn and keep trust.

2. Who It Covers

All partners, employees, associates, advisor consultants and contractors. Applies everywhere: office, client site, virtual meetings, and any communication tied to firm work.

3. People & HR Compliance

• Respect First We work with diverse clients and teams. No harassment, bullying, or discrimination. May disagree on ideas, not people.
• Workload & Boundaries Boutique work is intense. Be honest about capacity. Take leave. Don’t burn out yourself or teammates. Report unsafe work conditions immediately.
• Confidentiality Client data, candidate info, financials, and internal playbooks stay inside. Don’t discuss client work outside the project team. Follow IT Act 2000 and DPDP Act 2023 for data handling.
• Conflicts If you have a side gig, investment, or relationship that could affect a client decision, disclose it to a partner. We will manage it together.

4. Legal & Commercial Integrity

• Follow the Law We follow all applicable laws and regulation to letter and spirit. No exceptions because we’re new.
• No Bribery We don’t pay or accept bribes, facilitation fees, or gifts beyond token business courtesies. If anything is asked, escalate to a partner.
• IP & Contracts Deliverables belong to the client per contract. Our frameworks, tools, process, ways of working and methods belong to the firm. Don’t reuse client materials for other clients without permission.
• Fair Dealing We respect all in the profession and believe in fair competition. Win on quality, not on misinformation.

5. Client Communication & Corporate Conduct

• Be Direct and Honest Set clear scope. Flag risks early. If we can’t do something well, say so and suggest who can.
• Own Your Work Senior led services enables quality of service and first-time right approach. However, mistakes may happen. Communicate to the client and the team fast and correct it. That’s how boutique firms build loyalty.
• Brand Representation You are the brand. In emails, proposals, and LinkedIn, be professional. Only partners speak to press. For personal posts, add "views are my own" and don’t share client details or talk about client’s work, unless pre agreed.
• Meetings & Presence On client site: dress to their culture, arrive prepared, and protect their information like it’s ours.

6. Ethics in Boutique Consulting

• Professional Advice Over firms’ business Recommend what’s right for the client, even if it means a smaller engagement for us. Guide Clients to right professional in case required.
• Transparency Explain assumptions, data sources, and limitations in every recommendation.
• Independence Avoid situations where personal interests could appear to influence advice.

7. AI & Data Use

• Purpose We use AI to work faster and smarter, not to replace judgment. Clients trust us for human insight backed by data.
• Approved Use AI may be used for research, drafting emails/proposals, summarizing notes, and building frameworks. Always signoff through human intelligence and review before sending to client.
  AI may only be used with client consent stated in the SOW.
  Use only firm-approved platforms. Do not use personal ChatGPT/Claude accounts for client data.
  Data Protection: Do not paste client names, financials, employee data, or other confidential info into public AI tools.
  Anonymize first: Strip identifiers before using data for analysis or prompts.
  Retention: AI outputs that contain client info must be stored on firm-approved server, drives, devices or AI chat history.
• Accuracy & Accountability
  • Human in the loop: Senior led approach - A partner or lead consultant must review all deliverables before they go to a client.
  • Cite sources: If AI provides data, stats, or benchmarks, verify them. Don’t present AI hallucinations as fact.
  • Bias check: Question AI outputs for bias, especially in analysis work.
• Transparency
  • AI tools may be used for drafts, but all client advice is reviewed by a human and anonymized data only.
  • Disclose when AI is materially used to produce a deliverable, per contract terms.
  • Explain limitations: AI is a tool, not the decision maker.
  • Follow client policies. Some clients prohibit AI use entirely. Respect that.
• Legal Compliance Comply with all applicable Rules, and any client data processing agreements. We have security features to avoid any unauthorised data transfer. Comply with Sanction restrictions and advice clients accordingly.
• Violations Unauthorized use of AI with client data will be treated as a breach of confidentiality and lead to disciplinary action.

8. Reporting

• Talk to senior most member of the team and/or partners.
• Email: dhar.mohua@e-lexservices.com
• Confidential Line/DM: +91 9324530850

9. Agreement

All team members sign this on joining and review it annually.

• Client poaching: Do not solicit client employees nor allows team members to do so.
• All third-party contractors/ agents / Subcontractors must adhere to this Code
• No retaliation: No retaliation for good-faith reports. Proven breaches can lead to warnings, contract termination, or legal action.