Who is required to use or have access to the Licensed Materials under the Engel & Volkers Franchise Agreement?
Engel_Volkers Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
Under the Franchise Agreement you will sign with us, you will be granted a license to use our proprietary Integrated Product Suite and information technology ("Licensed Materials"). You must ensure that only licensed users use or have access to the Licensed Materials. If your employees or sales advisors are terminated, you must discontinue their access rights to the Licensed Materials. You must keep secret and confidential, and not disclose, the proprietary information related to the Licensed Materials. You have to employ reasonable security measures to prevent unauthorized disclosure or access to that proprietary information, which may include obtaining suitable non-disclosure agreements from the licensed users.
Source: Item 14 — PATENTS, COPYRIGHTS, AND PROPRIETARY INFORMATION (FDD pages 59–61)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Engel & Volkers's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, the Franchise Agreement grants franchisees a license to use the proprietary Integrated Product Suite and information technology, referred to as "Licensed Materials." Engel & Volkers requires that only licensed users are permitted to use or have access to these Licensed Materials. This means the franchisee is responsible for ensuring that only authorized individuals within their organization can access and utilize the Licensed Materials.
Engel & Volkers also stipulates that if employees or sales advisors are terminated, their access rights to the Licensed Materials must be discontinued. This highlights the franchisee's ongoing responsibility to manage and control access to the Licensed Materials, ensuring that only current and authorized personnel can use them. Furthermore, the franchisee must maintain the confidentiality of the proprietary information related to the Licensed Materials and implement reasonable security measures to prevent unauthorized disclosure or access, including obtaining non-disclosure agreements from licensed users.
This requirement is typical in franchising, as franchisors need to protect their intellectual property and maintain the integrity of their systems. By limiting access to licensed users and requiring confidentiality, Engel & Volkers aims to safeguard its proprietary information and ensure that it is not misused or disclosed to unauthorized parties. This protects the Engel & Volkers brand and system standards.