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Contributing / Adapting This Framework

This framework is meant to be forked, not just read.

If you're adopting it for your organization

  1. Start with PRINCIPLES.md — if your organization can't commit to all six as written, note the deviation explicitly rather than quietly editing it. A framework that says one thing and is applied as another is worse than no framework.
  2. Tune GOVERNANCE.md — the Reference Panel, thresholds, and review cadence are the parts most likely to need adjustment for your size, sector, and risk appetite. Document what you changed and why.
  3. Route the three prohibited-actions/ lists through your legal function before publishing — this repo states a policy position, not legal advice, and jurisdiction-specific review matters here.
  4. Publish which version of the framework (commit hash or tag) you've adopted, so your public commitment is checkable against a fixed text rather than a moving target.

If you're proposing a change to the framework itself

  • Changes to PRINCIPLES.md should be rare and should explain what real-world case motivated the change.
  • Changes to the Reference Panel in reference/reference-organizations.md (adding, removing, or re-tiering a source) should include the rationale — e.g., an organization ceased operating, merged, or a new credible source emerged.
  • Changes to thresholds in GOVERNANCE.md should include the reasoning for why the new threshold is better calibrated, not just a preference.

Open questions this framework doesn't fully resolve

Documented here rather than hidden, per the framework's own transparency principle:

  • How should a designation interact with an organization's existing long-term contracts that predate the designation, beyond "wind down on the shortest legally available timeline"?
  • Should the Reference Panel differ by sector (e.g., a different panel composition for a bank vs. a hardware manufacturer)?
  • How should smaller organizations without a legal/compliance function apply the appeals process in GOVERNANCE.md §3?

Contributions that propose answers to these, or raise new open questions, are welcome.