The Practising Company Secretaries Committee of the Council of the Institutein its 64^th meeting held on April 23, 2014 held at ICSI headquarters, New Delhi has decided that the views and suggestions on the draft Guidelines for Use of Individual Logo by Company Secretaries in Practice, be obtainedfrom all ICSI members. 

Accordingly, a copy of the draft Guidelines for Use of Individual Logo by Company Secretaries in Practice is placed below.

We request you to send your views/suggestions on the draft guidelines, to Mr. Saurabh Jain, Deputy Director at e-mail saurabh.jain @icsi.edu, latest by May 20, 2014

Regards

Dr. S.K. Dixit Joint Secretary

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DRAFT

THE INSTITUTE OF COMPANY SECRETARIES OF INDIA
(Constituted under the Company Secretaries Act, 1980)

ICSI Guideline No. 1 of 2014

[Pursuant to Clause (1) of Part II of the Second Schedule to the Company Secretaries
Act, 1980 as amended]

New Delhi, the ……, 2014

GUIDELINES FOR USE OF INDIVIDUAL LOGO BY COMPANY SECRETARIES IN PRACTICE

In exercise of the powers conferred by Clause (1) of Part II of the Second Schedule to the Company Secretaries Act, 1980 (56 of 1980), as amended by the Company Secretaries (Amendment) Act, 2006, the Council of the Institute of Company Secretaries of India hereby issues the following guidelines:-

Introduction

1.1 The Institute of Company Secretaries of India, (the Institute) constituted under the Company Secretaries Act, 1980 (the Act) is a statutory body to develop and regulate the profession of company secretaries in India. Members of the Institute who hold the Certificate of Practice issued by it are authorised to practise the profession of Company Secretaries and these members are known as Company Secretaries in Practice.

1.2     The Council of the Institute of Company Secretaries of India at its ………….  meeting held on ………. ., 2014approved the following Guidelines for Use of Individual Logo by Company Secretariesin Practice.

1.3         The Guidelines herein, as issued by the Central Council of the Institute on ……………….. , 2014deal with the manner in which a Company Secretary in Practice can design and use their individual logo on letter head, visiting cards, uniform for the employees of their firm, websites, advertisement materials,             name boards, other stationery, invoices, packing material, stickers, sponsorship material, etc.

1.4 Any non compliance or violation of these Guidelines as may be in force from time to time in any manner whatsoever shall be deemed to be an act of professional misconduct and the concerned member shall be liable to disciplinary proceedings under the Act.

Key Definitions For the purposes of these Guidelines,

2.1      The “Act” means the Company Secretaries Act, 1980.

2.2      “Institute” means the Institute of Company Secretaries of India.

2.3 “Advertisement or advertising” means advertisement or advertising in any mode including written, recorded, displayed communication through print or electronic mode or otherwise including in newspapers, journals, internet, online, websites, banners, letters, circulars issued, circulated or published in accordance with these guidelines.

2.4      “Brand” is the perceived emotional corporate image as a whole.

2.5    “Company Secretary in Practice” means a member of the Institute who holds a Certificate of Practice issued to him by the Institute.

2.6 “Firm of Company Secretaries” means sole proprietorship concern, the sole proprietor of which is a Company Secretary in Practice, or a firm wherein all partners are Company Secretaries and such firm is approved by the Council.

2.7      “Identify” means the visual aspects that form part of the overall brand.

2.8 “Logo” is any visual construct that identifies a business in its simplest form via the use of a mark or icon or any word written in a particular manner or a combination of these. A logo identifies a company or product via the use of a mark, flag, symbol or signature.

The terms not defined herein have the same meaning as assigned to them in the Company Secretaries Act, 1980, Trade Marks Act, 1999, Indian Copyright Act, 1957, The Emblems And Names (Prevention Of Improper Use) Act, 1950, Design Act, 2000 and the rules and regulations made thereunder.

3. Logo for Members

3.1 The Council of the Institute in its 173^rd meeting held on June23-24, 2007 has allowed the members of the Institute to use the following logo on their visiting cards and letter head to indicate that an individual company secretary is a member of The Institute of Company Secretaries of India.

3.2 The Council of the Institute has laid down that while using the letters ^„CS^‟ on their letter heads and visiting cards, the company secretaries need to ensure that the width of the logo when used along with the name of the member should not be more than 125% of the size of the characters used for publishing the name. When the ^„CS^‟ logo is used as a standalone on visiting cards and letter heads then it should not exceed 1cm (0.39 inch) in height. The logo is to be printed in navy blue colour only.

3.3 The same logo may be used on the website of the firm of Company Secretaries in Practice, visiting cards, name boards and advertisements whether in print or electronic media.

3.4 If, for any reason, an individual^‟s membership should lapse or be cancelled, the logo must immediately be removed from any written, printed or electronic materials maintained, displayed or distributed.

3.5 The Logo for members cannot be modified, manipulated or changed in any way from its original design, nor can it be used as a feature or design element of any other logo (e.g. a PCS firm logo).

3.6   The CS member logo cannot be used to imply an endorsement by ICSI of any PCS firm or any practice group.

3.7 The CS Member logo is open only to individual Company Secretaries, not to firms of Company Secretaries in Practice. Therefore, use of the logo cannot imply membership in ICSI by a firm, only by an individual Company Secretary.

3.8       Any animation/music with this logo on digital media is prohibited.

3.9 ICSI reserves the right to monitor the use of the logo at all times and may direct a member who is in violation of these usage guidelines to remove the logo immediately at the member^‟s cost.

4. The individual LOGO

4.1 A logo is something very specific that one can see. It^‟s a mark, something graphic / visual. It is the face of the business. It^‟s like a small “ad” that can be put at various places to market the business. It can be used on business cards, websites, power point presentations, apparel, letterheads, stickers and more.

4.2    While designing the individual LOGO each member shall ensure the
following:

(i)                 The Logo is not in contravention of the provisions of the Company Secretaries Act, 1980, Trade Marks Act, 1999, Indian Copyright Act, 1957, The Emblems And Names (Prevention Of Improper Use) Act, 1950 and the rules and regulations made thereunder.

(ii)                The Logo is professional and gives a good impression about the firm.

(iii)                The Logo of the firm is representative of the name of the firm or the services provided by the firm.

(iv)               The words “Company Secretaries” are written below the Logo.

(v)                Use of Tag line is prohibited.

(vi)                Logo used in a website or in a powerpoint presentation or in any digital media should not be derogatory to the image of CS profession.

(vii) In case the logo is used in digital media and some music / jingle is attached to it, then the music should be soothing and should establish a connect with the logo.

(viii)              The Logo shall be in compliance with the ethical principles enshrined in the Code of Conduct issued by the Institute.

(ix)                The Logo shall conform to the highest levels of dignity and ethical behaviour.

(x)                  The Logo is consistent with the core idea that make up the firm, showing what it stands for, what it believes in and why it exists.

(xi)                In case a particular typography is used in creating a Logo design, then such typography should be simple and legible.

(xii)               The Logo is legible when used in any media such as newsprint, electronic media and mobile devices.

(xiii)              Use of any photograph is prohibited.

4.3     Use of the individual LOGO

The individual logo may be used on-

(i)             Stationery (Letterhead, business cards, envelopes, etc.)

(ii)           Marketing Collateral (Flyers, brochures, books, website, etc.)

(iii)      Apparel Design (Tangible clothing items that are worn by employees)

(iv)       Signage (Interior & Exterior design)

(v)           Messages & Actions (Messages conveyed via indirect or direct modes of communication)

(vi)       Other Communication (Audio / video, etc.)

(vii)     Anything visual that represents the business.

5. Disclaimer

The contents or design of the logo are the sole and exclusive responsibility of the member. The Institute of Company Secretaries of India does not own any responsibility whatsoever for such contents or claims by the member.

6. Responsibility for the observance of these Guidelines

6.1 The responsibility for the observance of these guidelines lies with members who create, place or publish any Logo or assist in the creation or publishing of any Logo covered under these guidelines.

6.2    Members are expected not to commission, create, place or publish any Logo which is in contravention of these Guidelines. This is a self imposed discipline       required to be observed by all          those involved in the commissioning, creation, placement or publishing of Logo(s).

7. EFFECTIVE DATE:

7.1      These guidelines become effective from……… , 2014.