Brand Protection Policy

UnitedLayer Brand Protection Policy

1. Purpose

1.1 This Brand Protection & Trademark Usage Policy (the “Policy”) is issued by UnitedLayer, LLC (“UnitedLayer,” the “Company,” “we,” “us,” or “our”) to protect the Company’s trademarks, service marks, trade names, logos, product and service names, slogans, trade dress, domain identifiers, and other source-identifying brand assets (collectively, the “Marks”).

1.2 The Marks constitute valuable intellectual property of the Company, protected under applicable trademark, copyright, unfair competition, and passing-off laws in the jurisdictions in which the Company operates, including but not limited to the United States, the European Union, and India. Marks that are not registered in a given jurisdiction remain protected under common law rights, unfair competition law, and the law of passing off, to the extent available in that jurisdiction.

1.3 This Policy governs: (a) internal use of the Marks by employees and personnel; (b) use by contractors, agencies, vendors, partners, resellers, licensees, and other authorized third parties; (c) conditions under which Company-owned brand assets are supplied; and (d) internal reporting and enforcement procedures for suspected misuse.

1.4 This Policy should be read together with the published UnitedLayer Branding Guidelines (unitedlayer.com/branding), which govern the visual and editorial application of the Marks. Where the Branding Guidelines address how the Marks are used, this Policy addresses who may use them and with what authorization.

1.5 In the event of any conflict or inconsistency between this Policy and any trademark, brand, or intellectual property provision contained in a duly executed written agreement between the Company and a third party, the terms of such executed agreement shall prevail solely to the extent of such conflict or inconsistency. In all other respects, this Policy shall remain in full force and effect and shall continue to apply.

2. Schedule of Protected Marks

2.1 The following Marks are protected under this Policy. This schedule is maintained by the Legal Department and is non-exhaustive; protection extends to all marks, names, and brand elements used by the Company or its affiliates in commerce, whether or not listed. Schedule A states, for each listed Mark, its registration status and jurisdiction(s) of registration; a Mark described as registered is registered only in the jurisdiction(s) indicated. The registration status of each Mark must be verified against the records of the relevant trademark office before this Schedule is relied upon in any external communication or enforcement action.

Schedule A — UnitedLayer Marks

Mark	Nature of Protection & Jurisdiction(s) of Registration
United Private Cloud®	Registered trademark – UNITED STATES
UnitedLayer®	Registered trademark – UNITED STATES
UNITEDCONNECT®	Registered trademark – UNITED STATES
UnitedEdge®	Registered trademark – UNITED STATES
UNITEDSECURE™	Unregistered mark – application LIVE & pending (United States)
UPC VEKTOR	Trade/product name (no trademark filed)

3. Core Prohibition — Use by Non-Employees & Third Parties

BINDING RULE

No person other than a current employee of the Company acting in the course of official Company business may use, reproduce, display, distribute, or exploit any of the Marks, in any medium, without a prior written license or authorization executed by the Company, except to the extent such use is expressly authorized under Section 4 or is permitted by applicable law (including bona fide nominative fair use). Any person who becomes aware of unauthorized use of the Marks is required to report it to the Legal Department immediately, as set out in Section 7 of this Policy.

3.1 Unauthorized use includes, without limitation, the display of the Marks on websites, social media profiles, marketing materials, presentations, event signage, product listings, mobile applications, merchandise, or any commercial or promotional context, by any party not authorized under Section 4.

3.2 Unauthorized use further includes the registration or use of the Marks, or any confusingly similar variant thereof, in domain names, social media handles, app store listings, company or trade names, or paid search advertising keywords.

3.3 Use of the Marks in a manner that falsely suggests affiliation with, sponsorship by, certification by, or endorsement by the Company is prohibited regardless of the medium or the commercial or non-commercial nature of the use.

3.4 Artificial Intelligence and Automated Systems. Except with the Company’s prior written authorization, no person may use any of the Marks: (a) as, or as part of, the name, identity, persona, branding, or representation of any artificial intelligence agent, chatbot, virtual assistant, automated account, or similar system; (b) in connection with any AI-generated or AI-assisted content, advertisement, communication, representation, or output in a manner that states, implies, or is reasonably likely to create the impression that such content, advertisement, communication, representation, or output is created, sponsored, approved, authorized, affiliated with, or endorsed by the Company; or (c) to train, fine-tune, prompt, configure, or otherwise develop or operate any artificial intelligence or automated system for the purpose of generating, reproducing, simulating, or imitating the Company’s Marks, branding, trade dress, visual identity, marketing materials, or communications.

4. Authorized Users & Scope of Authorization

4.1 Current employees. Employees may use the Marks solely for official Company business and strictly in accordance with the published Branding Guidelines. Employee authorization is non-transferable and terminates automatically upon separation from the Company.

4.2 Former employees. Upon separation, all rights to use the Marks cease immediately. Former employees must remove the Marks from personal websites, portfolios, social media banners, and any material implying current affiliation. Factual statements of past employment (e.g., in a résumé) are permitted; display of logos in a manner implying ongoing association is not.

4.3 Vendors, agencies, and contractors. Third-party service providers may use the Marks only (a) under a written agreement containing brand usage provisions, (b) within the scope and duration of that agreement, and (c) using current asset files supplied by the Company. All Marks and materials must be returned or destroyed upon termination of the engagement.

4.4 Resellers and channel partners. Resellers, GSI partners, and technology partners may use the Marks only pursuant to the brand provisions of their executed partner or reseller agreement. Expired or terminated partners must cease all use immediately.

4.5 Press and analysts. Bona fide editorial use of the Marks by media and industry analysts is permitted consistent with nominative fair use, provided the Marks are used in unaltered form, are properly attributed, and do not imply Company endorsement. Media assets are available on request from the Company.

4.6 Customers. Current customers may make truthful, factual statements that they use the Company’s services, consistent with nominative fair use. Any display of the Marks or logos in customer marketing materials, case studies, customer lists, or “powered by” attributions requires the Company’s prior written consent and must not suggest that the Company endorses the customer or its products.

4.7 Employee Personal Social Media. Current employees may accurately identify their employment with the Company on personal social media profiles and accounts. However, employees may not use the Company’s Marks, logos, trade dress, or other brand assets in a manner that states, implies, or is reasonably likely to create the impression that any personal content, opinion, communication, or account is issued, sponsored, approved, authorized, or endorsed by the Company. Employees must also comply with all applicable Company policies governing social media, confidentiality, public communications, and use of Company intellectual property.

4.8 No Other Authorization. Any use of the Marks that is not expressly permitted under this Section 4 requires the Company’s prior written authorization pursuant to a Brand License Agreement or other written instrument duly executed by an authorized representative of the Company. Verbal approvals, informal communications, approvals by personnel lacking appropriate authority, implied consent, past practice, or failure by the Company to object to a particular use shall not constitute authorization or create any license or other right to use the Marks.

4.9 No Assignment or Sublicensing. Any authorization, permission, or license granted under or pursuant to this Policy is personal to the authorized party and may not be assigned, transferred, delegated, sublicensed, shared, or otherwise extended, whether voluntarily, by operation of law, or otherwise, to any other person or entity, including any affiliate, subsidiary, contractor, subcontractor, agent, successor, or assign, without the Company’s prior written consent. Any purported assignment, transfer, delegation, or sublicense made without such prior written consent shall be null and void.

5. Conditions Applying to All Authorized Users

5.1 Even where use of the Marks is authorized, the following are prohibited without separate written approval from the Legal Department:

(a) Altering, distorting, recoloring, animating, abbreviating, translating, or partially reproducing any Mark;
(b) Combining any Mark with a third-party mark, name, or logo to create a composite or co-branded mark;
(c) Using the trademark symbols (® / ™) other than as directed in the Branding Guidelines for the relevant jurisdiction, or removing or omitting such symbols from the Marks as supplied;
(d) Using the Marks in connection with content that is unlawful, misleading, disparaging, obscene, discriminatory, or politically affiliated;
(e) Using the Marks on merchandise, apparel, or promotional goods (governed separately by the Swag & Merchandise guidelines and requiring Company approval);
(f) Publishing screenshots of the UnitedLayer platform or UPC management interfaces in external materials;
(g) Using the Marks as, or as part of, a product name, feature name, or service name of any third party.
(h) Using the Marks in comparative advertising, benchmarking claims, or competitive materials, except where such use is truthful, non-disparaging, and otherwise permitted by applicable law.

5.2 The Company retains the right to review any use of the Marks and to require correction or withdrawal of any material, at the user’s cost, where the use does not conform to this Policy or the Branding Guidelines.

5.3 All goodwill arising from any use of the Marks inures solely to the benefit of the Company. No user acquires any right, title, or interest in the Marks by virtue of any permitted use.

5.4 Quality control. Every license or authorization to use the Marks must include quality-control standards consistent with this Policy and the Branding Guidelines, and the Company retains the right to inspect and audit the manner in which the Marks are used and the quality of goods and services offered under them.

5.5 No waiver. No failure or delay by the Company in enforcing this Policy or its rights in the Marks constitutes a waiver of any right; a waiver is effective only if made in writing by the Legal Department.

5.6 Proper form of use. The word Marks must always be used as adjectives modifying an appropriate generic noun (e.g., “UnitedLayer® services”), and never as nouns, verbs, plurals, or possessives, and never in abbreviated, hyphenated, or modified form. Uses that risk rendering a Mark generic are prohibited.

5.7 Domain names and social media handles. Any domain name, social media handle, page, or account that incorporates a Mark and is registered or operated for or in connection with Company business is held for the sole benefit of the Company, and the registrant must transfer it to the Company (or its designee) promptly on demand and at no cost to the Company.

6. Employee Obligations

6.1 All employees are required to familiarize themselves with this Policy and the published Branding Guidelines.

6.2 Employees must not supply logo files, brand assets, templates, or design source files to any external party without confirming that a written agreement or license authorizing such use is in place. When in doubt, employees must consult the Legal Department before sharing any brand asset.

6.3 Employees involved in procurement, partnerships, or vendor management must ensure that brand usage clauses are included in relevant agreements before any brand assets are shared.

6.4 Managers must include brand asset access revocation in the offboarding process for departing team members, including removal from shared asset repositories and design tools.

7. Duty to Report Unauthorized Use

REPORTING OBLIGATION

Every employee, contractor, and partner who becomes aware of any suspected unauthorized use of the Marks — including use by former employees, expired partners, competitors, imitators, or unknown third parties — must report it to the Legal Department without delay. Timely reporting is essential: delay in enforcement can weaken the Company’s legal position and, in certain jurisdictions, prejudice its rights.

8. Reporting Suspected Unauthorized Use

8.1 Reporting Procedure. Any suspected unauthorized, improper, or potentially infringing use of the Marks should be reported promptly to the Legal Department at legal@unitedlayer.com with the subject line “Brand Misuse Report.” To the extent available, the report should include: (a) the URL, physical location, publication, platform, or other source where the suspected use appears; (b) a screenshot, photograph, copy, or other evidence of the use; (c) the date on which the use was observed; and (d) any information reasonably known regarding the person or entity responsible for the use.

8.2 Review and Confidentiality. The Legal Department will endeavor to acknowledge receipt of a report within five (5) business days and will evaluate the matter in accordance with the enforcement framework set forth in Section 8. The identity of any employee or other individual making a good-faith report will be treated as confidential to the extent reasonably practicable and permitted by applicable law, subject to any disclosure reasonably necessary to investigate, address, or enforce the Company’s rights.

8.3 No Independent Enforcement Action. Employees and other personnel must not independently contact an alleged infringer or unauthorized user, issue cease-and-desist demands, make legal representations or threats, negotiate regarding use of the Marks, or make public statements concerning suspected infringement or enforcement activity unless expressly authorized by the Legal Department. All external communications and enforcement actions relating to actual or suspected infringement, misuse, dilution, misappropriation, or unauthorized use of the Marks shall be undertaken by, or under the direction of, the Legal Department.

8.4 Non-Retaliation. The Company prohibits retaliation against any person who, in good faith, reports suspected unauthorized use, infringement, misuse, or misappropriation of the Marks, provides information in connection with such a report, or participates in an investigation relating to such conduct. This protection applies regardless of whether the reported conduct is ultimately determined to constitute a violation of this Policy or applicable law.

9. Enforcement

9.1 The Legal Department will assess each reported matter and select a proportionate response, which may include the following escalating measures:

Level	Circumstances	Measures
Level 1	Inadvertent or low-impact misuse (e.g., outdated logo used by a current partner; former employee’s stale profile banner)	Informal corrective notice; supply of current assets; defined cure period
Level 2	Unauthorized commercial use without evident bad faith (e.g., unlicensed reseller marketing; vendor exceeding license scope)	Formal notice letter; demand to cease or regularize under license within a stated period
Level 3	Deliberate infringement, passing off, confusingly similar branding, or cybersquatting	Cease-and-desist; platform and marketplace takedowns; UDRP/INDRP domain proceedings; civil action as warranted
Level 4	Impersonation, fraud, or misuse creating customer or security risk (e.g., phishing sites bearing the Marks)	Emergency takedown; referral to law enforcement; coordinated response with IT Security and Communications

9.2 For employees, violation of this Policy may result in disciplinary action up to and including termination of employment, in accordance with applicable HR policies and law.

9.3 For third parties, the Company reserves all rights and remedies available at law and in equity, including injunctive relief, damages, an account of profits, and recovery of enforcement costs where available.

9.4 The Legal Department maintains a Brand Enforcement Register recording all reported matters, actions taken, and outcomes. The Register is reviewed annually as part of the trademark portfolio review.

10. Trademark Portfolio Management

10.1 Portfolio Administration and Monitoring. The Legal Department shall be responsible for managing and overseeing the Company’s trademark portfolio, including the filing, prosecution, registration, maintenance, renewal, and geographic coverage of the Marks. Such responsibilities include monitoring applicable filing and renewal deadlines, office actions, opposition and cancellation periods, and other material trademark proceedings. The Legal Department may engage external counsel, trademark watch services, or other service providers to monitor potentially conflicting trademark applications, domain-name registrations, social media accounts, marketplace listings, and other uses that may infringe, dilute, or otherwise adversely affect the Company’s rights in the Marks.

10.2 Clearance of New Marks. All proposed product names, service names, sub-brands, taglines, slogans, logos, and other identifiers intended for public or commercial use must be submitted to and cleared by the Legal Department before adoption, launch, publication, registration, or other external use. The Legal Department may conduct or commission appropriate trademark availability and clearance searches and, where appropriate, pursue registration or other legal protection.

10.3 Notification of Changes to Brand Portfolio. The Marketing Department and other relevant business functions shall promptly notify the Legal Department of any new Mark proposed for or adopted in commerce, any material rebranding or modification of an existing Mark, and any decision to discontinue, retire, or materially alter use of a Mark. The Legal Department shall use such information to maintain the Company’s trademark records and the applicable schedules or registers referenced in Section 2 of this Policy.

10.4 Domain Names and Social Media Assets. The Legal Department shall maintain, or oversee the maintenance of, an inventory of Company-owned or Company-controlled domain names, social media handles, usernames, and other digital identifiers incorporating or associated with the Marks. Such records should include, where applicable, registrar or platform information, registration and renewal dates, ownership and administrative contact information, and authorized access or account-control details. Access credentials shall be maintained and protected in accordance with the Company’s applicable information security and access-control policies.

11. Contact, Acknowledgment, and Amendment

11.1 Legal Department. Any questions regarding this Policy, requests for authorization or licenses to use the Company’s Marks, and reports of suspected or actual unauthorized use, infringement, misuse, or misappropriation of the Marks should be directed to the Legal Department at legal@unitedlayer.com.

11.2 Marketing Department. Requests for approved brand assets, logo files, templates, and guidance regarding the visual presentation or application of the Marks should be directed to the Marketing Department at marketing@unitedlayer.com. The Marketing Department may provide guidance regarding brand standards but may not grant legal rights or licenses to use the Marks unless expressly authorized by the Company in writing.

11.3 Employee Acknowledgment and Training. All employees are required to review and acknowledge this Policy as part of the Company’s onboarding process and following any material revision to this Policy. Employees whose roles involve customer communications, sales, marketing, public relations, partnerships, procurement, vendor management, or other activities involving the use or authorization of the Marks may also be required to complete periodic training and, at least annually, re-acknowledge their understanding of and compliance with this Policy.

11.4 Amendment and Current Version. The Company reserves the right to amend, modify, supplement, replace, or withdraw this Policy at any time, subject to applicable law. Unless otherwise specified by the Company, the most current version of this Policy published on the Company’s intranet or other officially designated repository shall supersede all prior versions and shall constitute the Policy then in effect. Employees will be notified of material revisions and, where required under Section 10.3, must acknowledge the revised Policy.