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PURPOSE© open content materials

Our mission is to realize the full potential of steward-ownership and make it accessible for everyone.

In order to achieve this, we gather, analyze and produce information, knowledge and experiences around steward-ownership, make them open source and distribute them. One result of this work is our Open Content page, where we are more than happy to share our knowledge on this complex topic with you. Since we hold steward-ownership and the correct share of knowledge very dear, we appreciate your equally careful handling of our materials. Have you found content, materials, images, or videos on our pages that you would like to make use of? Here you will find answers to your questions.

**Disclaimer: The following information does not constitute binding legal advice. The final assessment and verification are your responsibility or the responsibility of the person using our content. If you have any questions or uncertainties, please feel free to contact us at hallo@purpose.ag.**

How am I allowed to use content of PURPOSE®?

Q:

Am I allowed to use an article, text or other content by PURPOSE®?

A:

The content of PURPOSE® is usually published under a Creative Commons license (CC). At the end of each article, text, or content, you can find license information that indicate the type of the CC license used through abbreviations and pictograms. Additionally, you will find a brief explanation of the applicable conditions. The easily understandable license and the full license agreement can be accessed via the provided links.

Various CC licenses can be used on our website, but the most commonly used is “CC BY-ND” (Attribution – No Derivatives). Content that is subject to this license can be used under the following conditions:

  • Attribution (BY): You may use, reproduce, distribute, and publish content marked with the “CC BY-ND” license as long as you attribute the authorship, meaning you adhere to the principle of attribution. Specifically, this means you must provide appropriate author and rights information and include a link to the applicable license. These attributions may be made in any reasonable manner. An example of how to do this can be found in the graphic below.
  • No Derivatives (ND): If you intend to modify, translate, or otherwise directly build upon the material, you generally cannot redistribute the result of these modifications. We want to ensure that the information we’ve generated on this complex topic is always passed on correctly. Nevertheless, we encourage you to share knowledge correctly. Therefore, we also permit the editing and subsequent distribution of our materials, provided that the final result is submitted to us for review before publication. This approach is possible because the Creative Commons license allows for modifying or adapting certain license terms or conditions and making individual agreements.

Please note that any violation of the terms and conditions of the CC license may carry legal repercussions.

Q:

What does the modification of content mean?

A:

Section 1a of the license agreement defines modifications as “material that is protected by copyright or similar rights and is derived from or based on licensed material and in which the licensed material is translated, altered, rearranged, transformed, or otherwise modified in a way that requires permission from the copyright or similar rights holder of the licensor.”

The CC license agreement and accompanying materials provide examples of actions that are commonly considered modifications or edits under copyright law but do not provide an exhaustive list. Dr. Till Kreutzer [1] additionally explains that “modifications of the work itself, such as cuts, expansions, or reordering of content, are generally considered modifications under copyright law” and thus also fall under the definition of modification in the ND restriction. The exact delineation of modifications is complex, as the definition of “modification” varies depending on the legal system.[2]

In general, according to the license agreement, the following can be established: Altered material is created when protected content is translated, altered, rearranged, transformed, or otherwise modified, requiring the copyright holder’s consent under copyright law. More information is available at creativecommons.org/faq.

Footnotes

[1] und [2] Refer to p. 55, „Open Content – A Pratical Guide to Using Creative Commons Licences“ by Dr. Till Kreutzer and German Commission for UNESCO, licenced unter CC BY 4.0.

Q:

Can I use an image (photo, illustration, graphic) that I found on purpose-economy.org?

A:

On our website, you will usually find information about the copyright holder under each image (including photos, illustrations, or graphics) and each video. In cases where PURPOSE® is explicitly mentioned as the copyright holder, the conditions of the Creative Commons license apply. Information on whether and how you can use these images is explained in the FAQ “Am I allowed to use an article, text or other content by PURPOSE®?“. In other cases, we are not necessarily authorized to allow the use of the images. In these cases we would recommend to get in touch with us.

Q:

Can I use the content of PURPOSE® for commercial purposes?

A:

As mentioned in the introduction on this page, a central part of our work is to pave the way for steward-ownership and facilitate its implementation. Therefore, we provide content that specifically serves this purpose. However, we cannot achieve this goal on our own. We know that the distribution and implementation of steward-ownership also require the participation of commercial actors such as lawyers, tax advisors, and multiplicators. Since our content is intended to support these actors in their work to implement steward-ownership, the commercial use of our content is allowed. Of course, hereby also the conditions of the Creative Commons license have to be considered, meaning the use and distribution of our content in its original form and proper attribution. For more information on the correct use of content under the CC license, please read “Am I allowed to use an article, text or other content by PURPOSE®?”

Q:

How do I correctly attribute sources?

A:

Attribution is a central component of the Creative Commons license, which allows you to use our content as long as you attribute us as the author. Here are the steps you should follow to correctly attribute the source:

  • Look for attribution information in the licensed work. You will usually find information about our content in the imprint or at the end of a webpage.
  • Place the attribution near the licensed work so that it is easily visible and recognizable as belonging to the content. This could be below the image, at the end of a text section, or in the image caption.
  • The attribution should include the following information: the title, the author, the source, and the valid license (including the license type and a link to the license itself). Providing a link to the license is necessary to ensure that all users can benefit from the license. If no license information is available, usage rights cannot be granted, meaning that subsequent use is done without proper authorization, which can lead to copyright violations if the work is shared.

Example of correct attribution

“Stewardship Ownership: Corporate Ownership for the 21st Century” by Purpose Foundation nonprofit GmbH is licensed under CC-BY-ND 4.0 International.

Title? “Stewardship Ownership: Corporate Ownership for the 21st Century”

Author? “Purpose Foundation nonprofit GmbH” with a link to the homepage

Source? “Stewardship Ownership: Corporate Ownership for the 21st Century” – link to the source included in the title

License? “CC-BY-ND 4.0 International” with a link to the license agreement

Remember that the exact requirements may vary depending on the specific Creative Commons license variant!