Ethics & Confidentiality
How we expect to behave, and how to tell us when we have not.
Conduct
We work with owners at moments that matter to them — a sale, a succession, a capital raise, a difficult year. That access comes with obligations, and we would rather set them out plainly than imply them.
We give the assessment we actually hold, including when it is unwelcome. We do not overstate what we know, invent evidence of experience we do not have, or describe capabilities or regulatory status we do not possess.
Confidentiality
- Confidentiality is agreed before commercial information is exchanged
- Information is used only for the purpose it was provided for
- Access to data rooms and documents is controlled and logged
- No client is named publicly without written permission
- Approaches to a target business are made discreetly and to the right person
- Information is retained only as long as necessary and then securely destroyed
Conflicts of interest
Because Crystal Zest both advises clients and may invest its own or group capital, conflicts can arise. We check for them at the outset of every engagement, disclose them in writing where they exist, and decline or restructure the engagement where a conflict cannot be managed properly. Where Crystal Zest is a potential buyer of a business, we will not also act as the seller's adviser on that transaction.
Anti-bribery and financial crime
We do not offer, give, request or accept bribes or improper payments, in any market. We carry out proportionate checks on counterparties and the source of funds, and we will withdraw from a transaction rather than proceed where those checks are not satisfied.
Raising a concern
Concerns about the conduct of Crystal Zest or anyone acting on its behalf can be raised in confidence by email to Ethics@crystalzest.co.uk. Concerns are reviewed by the firm's leadership. We will acknowledge receipt and explain how the matter will be handled.
Reports can be made without giving a name, though this may limit our ability to investigate or to respond. We do not tolerate retaliation against anyone who raises a concern in good faith.
Scope note
This page describes Crystal Zest's own conduct commitments. It does not create legal rights, and it is not a statutory whistleblowing procedure. Statutory protections, where they apply, exist independently of this page.
Start a confidential conversation
Whether you are preparing to sell, looking to acquire, raising capital or trying to lift the value of a business you already own, the first step is a short, confidential discussion about the situation.