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Terms · Editorial summary

Terms of use.

A plain-language framing of the agreement that governs participation in the ONIC ecosystem.

This page distils the binding Terms & Conditions into a readable summary - your rights, your responsibilities, and the principles that guide every interaction with ONIC.

Effective 01 April 2026
Version 1.0
Reference ONIC-LEG-TC-001
Jurisdiction New Delhi, India
Our Commitments

Three promises we hold ourselves to.

Every clause in the underlying Terms flows from these foundational commitments to the participants of our ecosystem.

01 / Independence

Certification cannot be bought.

The Firewall Protocol structurally separates our commercial services from our certification authority - no fee, no membership, no commercial relationship buys influence.

02 / Transparency

Decisions made in the open.

Every certification outcome is published on the public registry. AI is advisory only - human assessors make the call, and the methodology is documented.

03 / Ownership

Your IP stays yours.

We do not take equity, royalties, or perpetual claims on your formulas, brand, or data. Anonymised AI training contributions are voluntary and reversible.

"Trust is not a marketing claim - it is a structural property of the system that issues the certification."

ONIC Governance Charter
The Two-Way Agreement

What you can expect, and what we expect.

Participation in the ONIC ecosystem is a reciprocal undertaking. Both sides carry obligations - clarity here prevents disputes later.

Your Rights

What ONIC provides.

  • Independent, expert-led certification under the Responsible Nutrition Standard.
  • Confidential treatment of all submitted product, formulation, and business data.
  • Full retention of intellectual property in your formulas, brand, and proprietary work.
  • A formal appeal process for any certification decision (ONIC-FORM-OCA-APL-001).
  • Thirty days' notice for any material amendment to these Terms.
  • Voluntary opt-in for AI training - reversible, with no impact on service quality.
Your Responsibilities

What ONIC asks of you.

  • Provide accurate, complete, and truthful information at every stage.
  • Comply with all applicable FSSAI regulations and statutory requirements.
  • Disclose any pending regulatory action, litigation, or material adverse facts.
  • Cooperate with post-certification surveillance and market sample testing.
  • Report any adverse event within 48 hours of becoming aware.
  • Use the ONIC certification mark only as authorised, and cease use upon revocation.
Operating Principles

The principles beneath the legalese.

Read these once and the rest of the document interprets itself. Every clause maps back to one of these four ideas.

Principle 01

Independence is structural.

The Firewall Protocol is not a marketing position - it is a binding operational separation across personnel, data systems, finances, and governance. Commercial engagement provides no certification advantage. Period.

Principle 02

Humans decide, AI assists.

Every certification verdict is rendered by qualified human assessors. AI accelerates analysis and pattern detection - it does not issue certifications, and its outputs are subject to mandatory human review.

Principle 03

Safety has a floor.

The Non-Negotiable Safety Floor cannot be overridden by score, tier, or appeal. A breach results in automatic denial regardless of any other factor. We do not trade safety for tier elevation, ever.

Principle 04

Certification is a benchmark, not a license.

ONIC certification is a quality standard - it does not replace FSSAI registration, FDA clearance, or any statutory regulatory approval. You remain solely responsible for all licences and regulatory obligations.

Key Terms at a Glance

The seven clauses you should know.

A condensed walk-through of the most consequential provisions. The full Terms govern - this list is for orientation, not a substitute.

i.

Acceptance is by use.

Submitting any application, accessing the platform, or accepting any service constitutes acceptance of these Terms. If you act on behalf of a company, you warrant you have authority to bind it.

ii.

Eligibility has clear exclusions.

Drugs, tobacco, alcohol, WADA-banned ingredients, and entities under active enforcement action are excluded. Products making drug claims are excluded. The full list is in Section 3 of the Terms.

iii.

Certification fees are upfront.

Standard track is ₹3,00,000; expedited is ₹4,50,000. Both require 100% advance payment. Certification fees become non-refundable once assessment commences. All fees exclude GST.

iv.

Confidentiality has limits, by design.

Your data is confidential except: (a) when law or a regulator compels disclosure, (b) to empaneled service providers performing requested work, or (c) anonymised aggregates with your consent.

v.

Liability is capped.

ONIC's total liability for any claim is capped at the fees paid for the specific service giving rise to the claim. Services are provided "as-is"; we do not guarantee commercial success or third-party regulatory approval.

vi.

Disputes go to mediation, then arbitration.

Certification appeals follow the formal appeals process. All other disputes go to good-faith mediation, then to binding arbitration in New Delhi under the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996.

vii.

Termination ends mark usage.

Upon termination - voluntary or by ONIC - you must immediately cease use of all ONIC certification marks, QR codes, and references to ONIC certification status. Confidentiality obligations survive.

Read the full document

The full Terms & Conditions.

This page is an editorial summary. The complete legal document - with definitions, hierarchy, and all binding provisions - is the authoritative reference.

View the full Terms
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