Membership Terms & Conditions
INTRODUCTION
The Merchant Risk Council ("MRC") is a not-for-profit corporation formed for the purposes of, among other things, assessing, understanding, and managing risk associated with eCommerce payment methods, compiling relevant information, and educating its members (each, a "Member") on policies and practices related to the mitigation of fraud and other risks associated with current and emerging electronic payment methods.
We are excited to have you join our community and we trust you will find your membership experience to be engaging, informative, and rewarding.
These Terms and Conditions provide the ground rules of your membership. They apply to each Member, as well as each Member's associated subscribers, if any. As a Member, you agree to abide by these Terms and Conditions throughout the term of your membership ("Membership Term"). Failure to comply with these Terms and Conditions may, at the discretion of the MRC, result in the suspension or termination of your membership.
Please familiarize yourself with these Terms and Conditions and revisit them often. The MRC may amend or modify these Terms and Conditions at any time, by providing written notification to MRC Members in advance of proposed changes going into effect.
1. MEMBERSHIP TERM
Your Membership Term will begin on the date that the MRC approves your membership application. Membership Terms are recognized annually. Unless terminated as provided in these Terms and Conditions, your membership status will remain active and will renew automatically on the anniversary of the date your application was approved and your Membership Term commenced, or in the case of a period of lapsed membership, the date that your membership was reactivated. A Membership Term may be adjusted in the event that a Solution Provider becomes an Elite member to align with the Elite Member board seats.
2. MEMBERSHIP PAYMENT AND RENEWAL
As a Member, you agree to pay the annual fees established for your membership level. Membership fees may be amended in accordance with the Membership Regulations, upon approval of the MRC Global Board of Directors. Membership fees are incurred annually and payment is required upon approval of your membership application (to activate your membership) and upon renewal (on the anniversary of approval of your membership application). Your Membership will automatically renew and will be invoiced 60 days prior to the end of your Membership Term, unless you cancel your membership by notifying us in writing. If any renewal invoice is not paid by the due date, then your membership will be deactivated and all member services will be suspended. If you elect to not renew your membership and you or any of your subscribers have registered and paid for an upcoming event or activity at the Member rate, your registration type will be updated to "non-Member" and the difference in price will be collected in order to confirm your participation.
You may upgrade your membership level to a higher level by notifying membership@merchantriskcouncil.org and paying the appropriate fees. You may only downgrade your membership upon verification of eligibility and approval by the MRC membership team.
3. MEMBERSHIP BENEFITS
MRC membership provides a wide array of benefits based on membership type and level. Membership benefits for each Member type are set out on the Merchant Risk Council website and can be referenced below:
a. Merchant Members
b. Solution Provider Members
c. Industry Partner Members
The MRC reserves the right to modify the benefits associated with membership at any time, in accordance with its assessment of membership preferences, availability, and cost.
In the event that a company has both a merchant and solution provider side to their business, the Fraud and Payments team for the merchant component of the business is eligible to join as a Merchant member. If the company is interested in sponsoring MRC activities with the intent to promote or sell products, a Solution Provider membership will be required.
When appropriate, companies are eligible to carry dual memberships.
4. CANCELLATION
You may cancel your Membership by contacting the MRC membership team by email at membership@merchantriskcouncil.org. Upon your request to cancel, your membership will be deactivated on the expiration date of your Membership Term. At the time of deactivation, if you or any subscribers to your membership have registered and paid for an upcoming event or activity at the Member rate, the registration type will be updated to "non-Member" and the difference in price will be collected in order to confirm your participation.
5. PUBLICATIONS, RECORDING OF EVENTS, MEDIA RELATIONS
a. Publications -- You may, at your reasonable discretion, issue press releases, promotional materials, or make public announcements ("Publication") concerning your membership in the MRC, your sponsorship of the MRC, or any MRC event, product, or service; provided that, in the MRC's sole determination, no such Publication is contrary to, or is likely to negatively impact the reputation and goodwill of the MRC or MRC Members. During the Membership Term, the MRC reserves the right to demand the retraction of any such Publication if the MRC determines, in its sole discretion, that any such Publication reflects negatively upon the MRC, any of its Members, or otherwise uses or displays any MRC Property (as that term is defined in Section 6 below) contrary to the terms of these Terms and Conditions and/or the MRC Membership Regulations.
b. Filming and Recording -- You may not, directly or indirectly, nor may you enable any non-Member third party to photograph, film, or otherwise capture any video or audio recording of all or any portion of any MRC conference, webinar, conference call, meeting, or other event or activity organized, sponsored, or presented by the MRC (an "MRC Event") for any purpose without the MRC's prior written consent, whose consent will be at the MRC's sole discretion.
c. Reporters, etc. -- You may, subject to the MRC's prior written consent, invite a reporter or other media representative to an MRC Event, provided that any such media representative may only attend the specific session approved by the MRC and that such approval may be subject to other conditions and/or restrictions that the MRC may establish in its sole discretion. Even though the MRC has previously approved a media representative's attendance at an MRC Event session, the MRC reserves the right to request that the media representative be removed upon the MRC's determination that the media representative is disruptive to the MRC Event, or otherwise presents the MRC, any of its Members, and/or the MRC Event in a negative light.
6. INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
a. MRC Properties -- During your Membership Term, the MRC grants you a limited, non-exclusive, royalty-free, non-transferable, revocable license to use and display the name "MERCHANT RISK COUNCIL" and related trademarks, service marks, trade names, tag lines, logos, and other materials trademarked or copyrighted by the MRC (the "MRC Properties") as the MRC may, in its discretion, provide to you in your advertising or other promotional and marketing materials in which you promote your Membership, throughout the world, in all media and formats whether now known or later developed. All materials produced by you or on your behalf that incorporate any MRC Property will be subject to the MRC's prior written approval in each instance, which approval will not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned, or delayed.
b. Member Properties -- During your Membership Term, you hereby grant to the MRC a limited, non-exclusive, royalty-free, non-transferable license to use and display such of your trademarks, service marks, trade names, tag lines, and logos as you may, in your discretion, provide to the MRC (the "Member Properties"), for inclusion in advertising, promotional, and marketing materials produced by or on behalf of the MRC and in connection with conferences and other MRC Events. All materials produced by or on behalf of the MRC that incorporate any Member Property will be subject to your prior written approval in each instance. If you choose to not have your company's name or other trademark represented publicly as a Member, including without limitation, display of your Company's name or logo on the MRC website, please email us at membership@merchantriskcouncil.org and request removal of your company's name and other company identifiers.
7. CONFIDENTIALITY
You acknowledge that all information that the MRC provides to you, or otherwise makes available to you during your Membership Term, including without limitation, Member lists and directories, is proprietary and confidential information of the MRC and is subject to these Terms and Conditions and the MRC Member Regulations. Accordingly, you agree to maintain the confidentiality of the MRC's proprietary and confidential information during and after your Membership Term; use any of the MRC's proprietary and confidential information only during your Membership Term and only as specifically authorized by the MRC in writing in advance of such use; and not disclose any of the MRC's proprietary or confidential information, in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, to any third party without the MRC's prior written consent.
8. INDEMNITY
a. MRC -- The MRC will defend, indemnify, and hold you and, if applicable, your officers, directors, employees, and agents, from and against all liability, loss, and expense (including reasonable attorney's fees) or claim for injury or damages arising out of defending or settling any third-party claim brought against you for copyright, patent, trademark, or other intellectual property right, to the extent such third-party claims arose out of your use of any MRC Properties in accordance with Section 6.a above, provided that you (i) promptly notify the MRC of the claim in writing, (ii) you cooperate with the MRC in the defense, at the MRC's reasonable request and expense, and (iii) you allow the MRC to solely control the defense or settlement of such claim.
b. Member -- You agree to defend, indemnify, and hold the MRC, its officers, directors, employees, and agents, from and against all liability, loss, and expense (including reasonable attorney's fees) or claim for injury or damages arising out of defending or settling any third-party claim brought against the MRC for copyright, patent, trademark, or other intellectual property right, to the extent such third-party claim arose out of the MRC's use of the any of your Member Properties in accordance with Section 6.b above, provided the MRC (i) promptly notifies you of the claim in writing, (ii) the MRC cooperates with you in the defense, at your reasonable request and expense, and (iii) the MRC allows you to solely control the defense or settlement of such claim.
9. OTHER TERMS AND POLICIES
MRC members agree to adhere to the MRC Website Terms of Service set out on the Merchant Risk Council website.
MRC members agree to adhere to the MRC Attendee Code of Conduct set out on the Merchant Risk Council website.
MRC members agree to the MRC Privacy Policy set out on the Merchant Risk Council website.
10. INQUIRIES
If you have any questions regarding our Membership Terms and Conditions, please contact the MRC by filling out the MRC Contact Us form and selecting the Membership radio button.