Last updated: March 28, 2026
satco. is built on the promise of bringing humanity and integrity back to development. This Code of Conduct explores what this means in practise, as in how members and clients treat each other, as well as general expectations.
You must agree to this code of conduct as well as the professional standards before you are approved fully to join satco.
If you take on a project, you own it. If something changes, you communicate early, not after the deadline.
Don't take work you're not equipped for. Refer it to another member or say no. This protects the client and the organisation's reputation.
Member email, Drive, and shared tools are for satco. work. Treat them accordingly.
If a client comes through satco., the engagement stays through satco. Taking a client relationship private after an introduction is a breach of trust.
Being part of a organisation means contributing to it, whether that's reviewing someone's work, flagging a useful resource, or introducing a skill you have that others don't.
Weekly updates are a commitment, not a suggestion. If you're behind, the client hears it from you first.
Don't agree to timelines you don't believe in. Don't quote costs you know will change without flagging it upfront.
Remote is fine for execution. First meetings, hard conversations, and major milestones happen in person when at all possible.
What you learn about a client's business, systems, or users stays confidential. Don't discuss it outside the team without explicit permission.
Unless explicitly agreed otherwise in writing, all code, designs, and documentation produced for a client engagement become their property upon final payment. Members retain no licence to reuse, resell, or repurpose client-specific work.
If you intend to use open source libraries or pre-built components in a project, disclose this during scoping. Clients should understand what they're getting. Members retain ownership of any personal tools or frameworks that predate the engagement, but this must be stated upfront, not discovered at handoff.
The organisation facilitates the relationship; it does not claim intellectual property rights over what members build. The revenue share covers coordination and infrastructure, not creative ownership.
Members may list completed projects in their portfolio and mention the client by name, unless the client has requested confidentiality. When in doubt, ask.
satco. operates on a 70%+ share-to-members model. The exact split for each project is confirmed in writing before any work starts. Verbal agreements are not binding.
All client invoices are issued by satco. Members do not invoice clients directly unless explicitly authorised. This protects everyone: members, clients, and the organisation's financial clarity.
Members who coordinate work and receive funds on behalf of others are responsible for passing on the agreed share promptly, within 7 days of receiving client payment unless otherwise agreed.
Payment disagreements between members, or between a member and a client, are escalated to the founding team for mediation. Taking disputes outside the organisation first is a breach of trust.
If a client is late, the project lead informs the founding leadership immediately. The organisation handles follow-up. Members are not expected to absorb delays personally without a plan in place.
Treat every person you interact with through satco, including clients, teammates, and third parties, with basic respect. Disagreements happen. How you handle them is what defines you here.
Be professional in communication. That doesn't mean formal; satco has never been about formality. It means being clear, being timely, and not leaving people guessing where you stand.
Keep your commitments to the organisation as seriously as you keep them to clients. Showing up for internal calls, reviewing work when asked, and contributing to shared decisions matters. The organisation only works if members invest in it.
Take care of yourself. Burnout is real, and it affects clients and teammates. If you're overwhelmed, say so. The organisation would rather adjust scope than lose a good person or deliver poor work.
satco is a partner, not a vendor, and that relationship works both ways. We ask clients to treat our members with the same respect they'd want in return.
Give feedback early and honestly. The worst outcome is a team building in the wrong direction for weeks because feedback felt uncomfortable. We can handle direct feedback; we struggle with ambiguous feedback.
Respect agreed timelines on your end too. Delays in client feedback, approvals, or asset delivery affect the whole project. We'll always flag when something is at risk; we ask the same in return.
Don't go around the team. If you have a concern about the work or a member, bring it to satco. directly. Side conversations that create confusion or undermine trust in the team don't serve anyone.
Raise it directly first. If that doesn't work, bring it to the founding team. The goal is resolution, not punishment, but repeated violations of trust are grounds for removing someone from the organisation, or ending a client relationship.
Please don't hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or want to make a report at safeguarding@satco.dev.
Build things well. Communicate honestly. Show up when it matters. Treat people like people.