І. HOW CAN THE AGGRESSOR BE SUPPORTED?
- Through taxes. Individuals and legal entities paying taxes in the Russian Federation and/or the Republic of Belarus contribute to the financing of the war against Ukraine.
- Through value. Companies providing services or selling goods that generate value for other companies in the Russian Federation and/or the Republic of Belarus lead to the growth of those companies and, consequently, their profitability. These companies pay taxes in the Russian Federation and/or the Republic of Belarus, which are used for the war against Ukraine.
- Through employees. The company has employees whose centre of vital interests is located in the territory of the Republic of Belarus and/or the Russian Federation. The company pays them salary, which are used to purchase goods and services in the Russian Federation and/or the Republic of Belarus. The result is the payment of taxes and the financing of the war against Ukraine.
As a community, we do not want and will not support the Russian Federation and/or the Republic of Belarus in any way. Similarly, we do not want our individual Club members to support the aforementioned countries in any direct or indirect manner.
II. WHAT ARE WE ALREADY DOING?
- We currently do not accept citizens of the Russian Federation and/or the Republic of Belarus into the Club, including those with multiple citizenships, even if their company does not support or have any connection with the aggressor.
- Every Club member, regardless of citizenship, will undergo a compliance check, which involves an assessment of their connections and support for the Russian Federation and/or the Republic of Belarus. To keep this, we regularly ask each of our members to complete a separate questionnaire.
- Over the past year, we have undertaken efforts to identify individual Club members who may be associated with the Republic of Belarus and/or the Russian Federation, including those who endorse the mentioned countries. Each of these individuals undergoes a separate interview, and a decision is made regarding their continued participation. Members who continue to support the Russian Federation and/or the Republic of Belarus will be immediately exclude from the Club.
- Each new Club member will undergo a compliance check, which includes an assessment of their connections and support for the Republic of Belarus and/or the Russian Federation.
ІII. WHAT CRITERIA DO WE RELY ON DURING THE MENTIONED COMPLIANCE CHECK?
1. If the business is partially or fully associated with:
- aggressor country - Russian Federation;
- country supporting the aggressor - Republic of Belarus;
- temporarily occupied territories endorsing aggression against Ukraine, namely the so-called "LPR", "DPR", "Abkhazia", "South Ossetia", "Transnistria", "Crimean Federal District"/"Southern Federal District" and others;
- sanctions (western and Ukrainian National Security and Defence Council (NSDC)): sanctioned individuals and entities, including media assets;
- Ukrainian legal and natural persons endorsing aggression against Ukraine;
- any legal and natural persons continuing activities in the temporarily occupied territory of Crimea (Ukraine).
2. If there are connections through:
A. Ownership. Ultimate beneficiary or business partner, including joint ventures (companies):
- citizen of the Russian Federation and/or the Republic of Belarus, including dual citizenship;
- legal entity with headquartered in the Russian Federation and/or the Republic of Belarus;
- if the business is structured through non-Russian/Belarusian jurisdictions. For example, Cyprus and so on.
B. Suppliers:
- an individual or legal entity sells goods or services in Ukraine sourced from the Russian Federation and/or the Republic of Belarus (representative office, trading house, official distributor, etc.);
- an individual or legal entity includes products or services from Russian/Belarusian companies in their portfolio;
- an individual or legal entity obtains components for their products from the Russian Federation and/or the Republic of Belarus and so on.
C. Consumers:
- an individual or legal entity has its representation (branch) in the Russian Federation and/or the Republic of Belarus;
- an individual or legal entity sells its products or services to Russian/Belarusian individuals or legal entities.
D. Intellectual property:
- an individual or legal entity is a franchisee registered in the Russian Federation and/or the Republic of Belarus and pays royalties there;
- an individual or legal entity distributes its franchise within the territory of the Russian Federation and/or the Republic of Belarus and receives royalties from there;
- an individual or legal entity uses any intellectual property within the territory of the Russian Federation and/or the Republic of Belarus;
- an individual or legal entity utilizes any intellectual property of legal or natural persons subject to the laws of the Russian Federation and/or the Republic of Belarus within the territory of other countries.
ІV. WHAT SHOULD CLUB MEMBERS WITH DIRECT OR INDIRECT CONNECTIONS TO THE REPUBLIC OF BELARUS AND/OR THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION DO?
If you fall any of the criteria mentioned above, you should personally contact the CEO of your YBC branch. The procedure and the possibility of further cooperation will be discussed with each member.
Regarding current members who hold passports or residence permits issued by the Russian Federation and/or the Republic of Belarus, we will assess each case individually. In doing so, we will consider whether:
- You are not a resident of the Russian Federation and/or the Republic of Belarus and do not pay taxes there;
- You do not live in the territory of the Russian Federation and/or the Republic of Belarus and your centre of life and economic interests is not there;
- You hold a residence permit in Ukraine;
- You have a public stance condemning actions by the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus;
- You contribute (donate) to the victory of the Armed Forces of Ukraine;
- You have taken steps to sever connections with the Russian Federation and/or the Republic of Belarus (if you fall under Section III of this Position);
- You hold a residence permit in the Russian Federation and/or the Republic of Belarus and have submitted all necessary documents for the cancellation of the aforementioned permit.
Additionally, a significant factor in our decision-making process will be if you have submitted documents for Ukrainian citizenship or a change of citizenship.
We will prevail!
YBC Team
✊💛💙