How Samso handles relationships, holdings and interests

The Samso Editorial Charter sets out six commitments that govern everything Samso publishes. Two of them concern disclosure: every piece must state how it came to exist, and any holding, exposure or prior relationship must be declared. This page explains how both work in practice.

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HOW EVERY PIECE IS LABELLED

Every Samso piece carries a label at the top stating how it came to exist. A piece cannot be published without one.

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Independent Research. Samso chose the subject. No fee was paid by the subject.

Samso Research · Commissioned. The company commissioned a research workup. The fee covers research effort and access. It does not cover the conclusion.

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Samso Member — Essential / Growth / Strategic. The company holds a current Samso Membership at that tier. Membership covers research effort, access, scheduling and distribution. It does not cover the conclusion.

Editorial control rests with Samso in all three cases. The label is at the top of the piece, before the content, so a reader knows what they are holding before they read a word.

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COMMERCIAL RELATIONSHIPS

Where a company has a current or prior commercial relationship with Samso, that relationship is stated on the face of every piece we publish about that company. It is stated at the time of publication, which is the point at which it matters to a reader.

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Ending a relationship does not retract published work. Removing a piece because a company has left would undermine the credibility of every other piece on the platform. The original label stays, and a prior relationship is disclosed on any later coverage.

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HOLDINGS AND EXPOSURES

Where Samso, Noel Ong personally, or a close associate holds a position in a company we cover, that holding is disclosed at the top of the piece.

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Holding is read broadly. It covers shares, options, convertible notes or any other security in the subject; founder, director or adviser roles held within the past three years; and family or trust interests known to Samso. Exposure also covers a material long or short position in a commodity a subject's project produces or consumes.

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Positions change. A standing list would be out of date the day after it was published, and an out of date list is a worse disclosure than none. So the disclosure is made on each piece, at the time of publication, current as at that date. When in doubt, we disclose.

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A holding does not prevent coverage. It is declared, every time.

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WHAT THIS MEANS FOR A READER

You do not have to trust that Samso is independent. You can check it on the piece in front of you. If a piece carries no disclosure and you believe it should, that is a Charter breach and we want to hear about it.

noel.ong@samso.com.au, subject line 'Editorial Charter'.