NovoScuba Dive Store Affiliation Agreement

This NovoScuba Dive Store Affiliation Agreement (“Agreement”) is entered into between NovoScuba Limited, 7 Bell Yard, London, WC2A 2JR, United Kingdom (“NovoScuba”), and the undersigned dive store, dive centre, or training facility (“Affiliated Store”).

By entering into this Agreement, the Affiliated Store agrees to be bound by all terms and conditions set forth below.

1. Professionalism, Ethics, and Ocean Stewardship

The Affiliated Store agrees to maintain a consistently high standard of professionalism, ethics, and environmental responsibility throughout the duration of its affiliation with NovoScuba.

This includes, but is not limited to:

Conducting all business and training activities with honesty, integrity, and respect.
Ensuring all staff, instructors, and representatives act in accordance with applicable laws, regulations, and industry best practices.
Promoting ocean stewardship, environmental awareness, and responsible diving practices.
Ensuring that the conduct of the Affiliated Store and its personnel reflects positively on NovoScuba at all times.

2. Training Standards and Compliance

The Affiliated Store agrees to:

Fully understand, implement, and comply with all NovoScuba training standards for any courses offered under the NovoScuba system.
Ensure that any instructors or assistants teaching under the Affiliated Store’s affiliation are properly certified, authorised, and current with NovoScuba standards if they are to be using NovoScuba systems.
Remain informed of, and comply with, all updates, revisions, and amendments to NovoScuba training standards and course materials.
Take reasonable measures to ensure instructional quality, safety, and consistency across all NovoScuba-branded training activities.

3. Fitness, Health, and Safety Responsibility

The Affiliated Store acknowledges that scuba diving is an inherently hazardous activity involving risks including, but not limited to, decompression sickness, embolism, serious injury, or death.

The Affiliated Store agrees to:

Ensure that all instructors and staff conducting diving activities are fit, healthy, and medically cleared as required by law or industry standards.
Implement procedures requiring instructors and staff to refrain from diving or teaching when not physically or mentally fit to do so.
Promote a strong safety culture prioritising student welfare, instructor wellbeing, and risk management.

4. Insurance and Legal Compliance

The Affiliated Store agrees to:

Maintain all legally required business, professional liability, and instructional insurance applicable in its operating jurisdiction.
Ensure that all instructors operating under the Affiliated Store also maintain any legally required personal or professional insurance.
Assume full responsibility for understanding the scope, limitations, and validity of all insurance policies.

NovoScuba strongly recommends comprehensive insurance coverage for all affiliated stores and instructors but assumes no responsibility for verifying or enforcing insurance coverage

5. Records, Certifications, and Student Management

The Affiliated Store agrees to:

Ensure that all students meet NovoScuba’s prescribed training requirements before certification is issued.
Maintain accurate, complete, and verifiable student training records, including skills development and course completion.
Ensure assessments are conducted fairly, impartially, and without bias.
Communicate promptly and transparently with students who require additional training before certification.
Ensure timely submission and updating of certification records within NovoScuba systems.

6. Incident Reporting and Cooperation

The Affiliated Store agrees to:

Promptly report any incidents, accidents, injuries, or safety-related events occurring during NovoScuba training activities.
Submit incident reports that are complete, factual, unbiased, and honest.
Cooperate fully with any investigations, reviews, or requests for additional information initiated by NovoScuba or relevant authorities

7. Conduct Review and Disciplinary Action

The Affiliated Store acknowledges that:

Complaints or concerns relating to its conduct, or that of its instructors or staff, may result in a review by NovoScuba.
Such reviews may lead to corrective actions, suspension, or termination of affiliation.

NovoScuba agrees to conduct any such review fairly and impartially. The Affiliated Store acknowledges that termination of affiliation may occur if standards are not met.

8. Data Protection and Privacy

The Affiliated Store consents to NovoScuba collecting, storing, and processing business and personal data as necessary for:

Affiliation management
Instructor and certification administration
Safety, compliance, and communication.

NovoScuba will process all data in accordance with applicable data protection laws and its published privacy policy.

9. Digital Communications and Updates

The Affiliated Store acknowledges and agrees that:

All updates to legal documents, training standards, policies, and course materials will be communicated digitally
It is the responsibility of the Affiliated Store to remain informed of such updates
Failure to remain informed does not exempt the Affiliated Store from compliance

10. Independent Contractor Status

he Affiliated Store acknowledges that:

It is not an employee, agent, or partner of NovoScuba
The Affiliated Store operates as an independent business entity
NovoScuba provides standards and materials but does not control day-to-day operations, teaching methods, or business practices

The Affiliated Store agrees to indemnify and hold harmless NovoScuba from any claims, damages, or liabilities arising from the Affiliated Store’s operations, training activities, or business conduct.

11. Protection of NovoScuba Reputation

The Affiliated Store agrees not to engage in any conduct, statements, or actions that may damage or discredit the reputation of NovoScuba.

The Affiliated Store acknowledges that its conduct reflects upon NovoScuba and agrees to act in a manner that upholds and enhances NovoScuba’s reputation at all times.

12. Use of NovoScuba Intellectual Property

The Affiliated Store acknowledges that:

All NovoScuba logos, trademarks, branding, and course materials remain the exclusive property of NovoScuba
Only NovoScuba stores may use NovoScuba logos or promotional materials
Unauthorised use may constitute intellectual property infringement

13. Membership and Affiliation Fees

The Affiliated Store agrees to:

Pay all applicable affiliation or membership fees in full and on time
Understand that failure to maintain current payments may result in suspension or termination of affiliation

14. Term and Ongoing Agreement

This Agreement:

Remains in effect for the duration of the Affiliated Store’s association with NovoScuba
Automatically applies upon renewal or reinstatement of affiliation unless otherwise amended in writing

15. Governing Law and Jurisdiction

This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the United Kingdom.

Any disputes arising from this Agreement shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of the United Kingdom.