Legal

Terms and Conditions

Last updated: 2 December 2025

Introduction

Agreement

These Terms and Conditions ("Terms") govern your organization's use of Contour's advisory platform. By subscribing to Contour, your organization agrees to these Terms and establishes a commercial relationship for platform services.

Acceptance

By using our platform, your organization agrees to abide by these Terms. Continued use of Contour constitutes acceptance of these Terms and any updates.

Service Description

Platform Services

Contour provides software-as-a-service to professional advisory teams, enabling them to manage client relationships, capture field observations, and streamline advisory workflows. Our platform includes:

• Cloud-based software for advisory workflow management
• Tools for field visit capture and documentation
• Client relationship management functionality
• Data processing and report generation services
• Team collaboration features
• Geographic information system (GIS) capabilities

Our platform is designed for professional advisory organizations serving clients in agriculture, horticulture, animal health, and related industries.

Service Modifications

Contour reserves the right to modify or discontinue services for improvement or operational reasons. Subscribers will be notified of significant changes with reasonable advance notice.

Organizational Responsibilities

Your Organization's Responsibilities

• Ensure all team members using the platform are authorized by your organization
• Maintain security of all account credentials and access controls
• Use the platform only for lawful advisory purposes
• Comply with all applicable laws including POPIA
• Ensure you have the right to process client data entered into the platform

Authorized Use

The platform may be used only for professional advisory services. Each team license authorizes access for one professional advisor and their associated team data. Your organization is responsible for all activity that occurs under your account.

Subscription and Payment Terms

Subscription Model

• Contour is provided on a subscription basis
• Pricing is based on the number of team licenses in use
• Invoices are issued monthly based on active licenses
• Payment is due within 30 days of invoice date via electronic funds transfer
• Price changes will be communicated in advance

Late Payment

Accounts overdue by more than 30 days may result in service suspension. Service will be restored upon receipt of payment. Contour reserves the right to charge interest on overdue amounts at the legal rate.

Privacy and Data Handling

Data Handling

We handle user data as outlined in our Privacy Policy, respecting user privacy and complying with data protection regulations including POPIA.

Cookies Usage

Cookies are used for maintaining authenticated sessions. We do not track user activity for marketing purposes inside the application. Cookie preferences can be managed through your browser settings.

Data Processing and POPIA Compliance

Understanding Data Roles

Under POPIA, Contour has different responsibilities depending on whose information we're handling. For a detailed explanation, please see our Privacy Policy.

1. For your account information (your name, email, team members, billing): Contour is the responsible party (data controller under POPIA)
2. For your client data (information about people you serve): You are the responsible party, Contour is your operator (data processor under POPIA)

Your Responsibilities

By using Contour, you confirm that:

• You have the right to collect and process the client data you enter
• You've obtained necessary consent from your clients, or have another lawful basis under POPIA
• You'll use the platform only for lawful advisory purposes
• You're responsible for keeping the data accurate
• You'll comply with POPIA as the responsible party

Our Commitments

Contour promises to:

• Process data only to provide our platform services
• Keep appropriate security measures in place
• Keep all data strictly confidential
• Help you respond to data subject requests within 7 days
• Notify you within 48 hours if we discover a data breach
• Never use your identifiable client data for our own purposes
• Delete or return your data within 90 days after account closure

Anonymized Data for Product Improvement

We may use anonymized and aggregated data for internal analysis and product improvement. "Anonymized" means data that has been stripped of all identifying information and cannot be linked back to you or your clients. Examples include feature usage rates and aggregate platform statistics.

We will never:

• Use identifiable client data to train Contour's own AI models without obtaining separate, explicit consent
• Sell or share identifiable data with third parties for their own purposes
• Use your client data to benefit other Contour customers in any identifiable way

If you prefer that even anonymized data not be used for product improvement, contact us and we will exclude your data from anonymized analytics. See our Privacy Policy for full details.

Third Party Services

We use carefully selected third party services including AI transcription and EU-based cloud hosting. These services:

• Process data only to help us provide services to you
• Keep data for 30 days or less
• Don't use your data to train AI models
• Have strong security certifications (SOC 2 or equivalent)
• Are contractually required to protect your data

By using Contour, you authorize us to use these third party services.

Client Data Subject Requests

If someone you serve (a client, grower, or other person) contacts us directly about their data, we'll forward their request to you. You're responsible for responding to them as the responsible party under POPIA.

You Own Your Data

All client data, field observations, voice recordings, and service information you enter into Contour belongs to you. We claim no ownership. We only process it to provide our service to you.

AI Services

Our platform uses AI services for voice transcription and natural language processing. These services:

• Keep data for up to 30 days for abuse detection only
• Don't use your data to train AI models
• Are SOC 2 compliant and GDPR-compliant

You agree your use must comply with AI service usage policies. Normal advisory work is fully compliant.

Your Protection

You agree to protect Contour from claims arising from: failure to get proper consent from your clients, unauthorized use of the platform, or violations of POPIA in how you collect client data. Contour is not liable for your POPIA compliance as the responsible party.

Special Personal Information and Children's Data

Platform Intended Use

Contour is designed for professional agricultural advisory services and is not intended for processing:

• Special personal information as defined in POPIA Sections 26–33 (including health information, religious beliefs, race or ethnic origin, political opinions, trade union membership, sexual orientation, or biometric data)
• Children's personal information as defined in POPIA Sections 34–35 (personal information of persons under 18 years of age)

Your Responsibility

If your advisory work requires processing special personal information or children's data, you must:

1. Notify Contour in writing before entering such data
2. Ensure you have obtained the appropriate consent or have another lawful basis under POPIA Sections 27–35
3. For children's data, ensure consent from a competent person (parent or guardian) as required by POPIA Section 35

Our Position

If you require specific technical or contractual accommodations for processing special personal information, please contact us at [email protected] to discuss a supplementary agreement.

Intellectual Property Rights

Platform Ownership

Contour retains all intellectual property rights in the software platform, including all code, designs, features, and documentation. This ensures continued innovation and platform security.

Your Data

You retain all ownership rights to data you enter into Contour, including:

• Client contact information
• Field visit reports and observations
• Voice recordings and images
• Geographic data and map features
• All other content created by your team

License Grant

You grant Contour a limited license to process your data solely for the purpose of providing platform services to you. This license terminates when your account is closed and all data is deleted.

Termination and Suspension

Termination by Your Organization

You may terminate your subscription at any time with 30 days written notice. You will remain responsible for payment through the end of your current billing period or annual commitment.

Termination by Contour

Contour may terminate service if:

• Payment is overdue by more than 60 days
• You use the platform for unlawful purposes
• You breach these Terms and fail to remedy within 14 days of written notice
• You violate applicable laws including POPIA

Effect of Termination

Upon termination, you will have 30 days to export your data from the platform. After 90 days from termination, all data will be permanently deleted from our systems. Termination does not relieve you of payment obligations for services rendered prior to termination.

Dispute Resolution

Resolution Methods

Disputes will be resolved through arbitration in accordance with the rules of the Arbitration Foundation of Southern Africa, ensuring a fair and efficient conflict resolution mechanism.

Governing Law and Jurisdiction

These Terms are governed by the laws of the Republic of South Africa. The parties consent to the non-exclusive jurisdiction of the South African courts for any disputes that cannot be resolved through arbitration.