Statutes of FAME

under Act No. 83/1990 Coll. on the association of citizens, as amended

Article IBasic provisions

The name of the civic association (občianske združenie) is: Friends of Applied Marketing sciencE, o. z. Abbreviated name: FAME

The registered office of the association is: Ďatelinová 5530/6, 821 01 Bratislava – mestská časť Ružinov.

The association is a voluntary, independent, non-political and non-profit association of natural and legal persons who support the objective of improving the quality of marketing decisions in Slovakia through scientific findings, data, research, measurement, critical thinking and verified professional practice.

The association is a legal person. It shall be liable for its obligations with its own assets.

The association is not a professional chamber, certification authority, advertising competition, agency association, political platform, educational product or commercial channel for its members.

Article IIMission and objectives of the association

The association’s mission is to improve the quality of marketing decisions in Slovakia and support an understanding of marketing as a strategic discipline contributing to the growth, competitiveness and long-term value of companies and organisations.

The association shall focus in particular on:

• supporting marketing science, marketing effectiveness and the practical application of professional findings in business and organisational practice,
• connecting marketers, clients, agencies, research agencies, media professionals, academics, consultants, students, entrepreneurs and managers,
• supporting better dialogue between marketing, finance, sales and company management, particularly the roles of Chief Marketing Officer (CMO), Chief Financial Officer (CFO), VP of Sales/Sales Director and Chief Executive Officer (CEO),
• enhancing the reputation of marketing as a profession,
• educating professionals and the wider public about empirical marketing regularities, marketing effectiveness, brands, company growth, advertising campaigns, business strategy, effective sales, measurement, research and decision-making,
• using artificial intelligence tools (LLMs) for all the activities above, particularly education within the Slovak marketing ecosystem.

The association shall carry out its activities independently of political parties, individual members’ commercial interests and partners’ commercial interests.

Article IIIActivities of the association

The association shall pursue its objectives in particular through the following activities:

• organising member meetings, professional discussions, seminars, lectures, workshops, livestreams, conferences and public events,
• organising online and in-person meetings with domestic and international experts,
• creating and curating a professional library and a specialised LLM tool with sources on marketing science, marketing effectiveness, company growth, business strategy, measurement and behavioural marketing,
• preparing a public glossary of professional terms in evidence-based marketing and data-based marketing in accessible language,
• publishing articles, recommendations, analyses, interviews, statements and methodological outputs,
• accepting donations, grants, membership fees, partnerships and other sources of funding permitted by law,
• other activities consistent with the association’s mission and objectives.

The association may charge admission to professional events, membership fees, participation fees or fees for professional materials or access to online education, provided they are used to pursue the association’s objectives.

The association shall not carry out its activities for the purpose of distributing profits among members, founders, members of its statutory body or partners.

Article IVMembership of the association

A natural or legal person who agrees with the association’s mission, these Statutes, the founding Manifesto and the Members’ Code of Conduct may become a member.

Membership categories:

• regular individual member,
• student or junior member,
• honorary member or professional guarantor,
• company partner or associate member,
• another membership category approved by the General Meeting.

A regular individual member may be a natural person who supports the association’s objectives. The member shall have voting rights and the right to vote and stand for election to the association’s bodies, unless these Statutes provide otherwise.

A student or junior member may be a natural person who is a secondary school or university student, or a person aged 18 to 28. The member shall have the right to participate in the association’s activities and use membership benefits under the membership rules. Voting rights shall arise only if determined by a decision of the General Meeting.

An honorary member or professional guarantor is a person who has made a significant contribution to the development of marketing science, marketing effectiveness, research, education or professional practice. Honorary membership shall be approved by the Committee. An honorary member shall not have voting rights unless also a regular individual member.

A company partner or associate member may be a legal person who supports the association’s objectives. Company partnership shall not confer the right to interfere with professional statements, methodological outputs, topic selection or the association’s programme. A company partner shall not have voting rights unless the General Meeting decides otherwise.

Membership shall begin on the date when the last of the following conditions is met:

approval of the application by the Committee or a person authorised by the Committee, and

payment of the membership fee, where applicable to the membership category.

Membership shall end upon:

• voluntary withdrawal by the member,
• failure to pay the membership fee within 30 days of delivery of a payment notice,
• expulsion for a serious or repeated breach of the Statutes or the Code of Conduct, or for damaging the association’s good name,
• the death of a natural person or dissolution of a legal person,
• the termination of the association.

The Committee shall decide on the expulsion of a member. Before a decision, the member shall have the right to be heard. The member may appeal the Committee’s decision to the next General Meeting. If an appeal is made, the member’s membership shall be temporarily suspended until the General Meeting decides.

Article VRights and obligations of members

A member shall have the right to:

• participate in the association’s activities,
• attend member meetings, events and activities under the association’s rules,
• submit proposals, suggestions and comments,
• use membership benefits under the membership rules,
• be informed about the association’s activities and financial management,
• vote and stand for election to the association’s bodies where the membership category carries voting rights.

A member shall:

• comply with the Statutes, Code of Conduct and other internal rules of the association,
• act so as not to damage the association’s name, credibility or independence,
• not misuse membership to sell their own services, obtain commercial contracts or create the impression that the association guarantees the quality of their commercial services,
• declare conflicts of interest transparently when participating in the association’s public or professional activities,
• protect confidential information obtained in member discussions,
• pay the membership fee where applicable to their membership category.

A member who creates outputs or tools within the association’s working groups and projects shall give the association permission to use and modify them to pursue its objectives. For significant works, the scope of the licence shall be confirmed in a written agreement between the association and the member.

Article VIBodies of the association

The bodies of the association are:

• the General Meeting,
• the Committee,
• the Internal Auditor.

The General Meeting is the association’s highest body.

The Committee is the association’s strategic, executive, curatorial and statutory body (štatutárny orgán).

The Internal Auditor is the association’s supervisory body.

The association may establish working groups, advisory councils, programme committees or project teams. These groups are not bodies of the association.

Article VIIGeneral Meeting

The General Meeting is the association’s highest body.

The General Meeting shall consist of all members of the association. Only members granted voting rights by these Statutes shall have voting rights.

The General Meeting shall in particular:

• approve and amend the Statutes,
• elect and remove Committee members and the Internal Auditor,
• approve the association’s basic direction, including revisions and amendments to the Manifesto and other strategic documents,
• approve the activity report and financial report,
• approve the amount or framework of membership fees unless it delegates this power to the Committee,
• decide on the voluntary dissolution or merger of the association,
• decide on a member’s appeal against expulsion,
• ratify the Members’ Code of Conduct.

An ordinary General Meeting shall be held at least once a year. It shall be convened by the Committee.

The Committee shall convene an extraordinary General Meeting if requested by at least one third of voting members or the Internal Auditor. The Committee shall convene it within 30 days of receipt of the request; if it fails to do so, the Internal Auditor or requesting members may convene it.

The Committee shall convene the General Meeting by an invitation stating its agenda, sent to members by email at least 14 days in advance.

The General Meeting shall have a quorum if at least one third of voting members are present.

In the invitation, the Committee may convene a reconvened General Meeting to begin 30 minutes after the scheduled start if the General Meeting does not have a quorum. The reconvened General Meeting shall have a quorum if at least one fifth of voting members are present. It may discuss and decide only the agenda items stated in the invitation; voting on an amendment to the agenda shall not be permitted.

The General Meeting shall decide by a simple majority of voting members present, unless these Statutes provide otherwise.

An amendment to the Statutes, dissolution of the association or merger with another association shall require a two-thirds majority of voting members present.

The General Meeting may also be held online or in hybrid form, provided voting members can be identified and voting results recorded.

Article VIIICommittee

The Committee is the association’s strategic, executive, curatorial and statutory body.

The Committee shall have 3 to 7 members. The number shall be determined by the General Meeting.

Committee members shall serve a term of 24 months. Re-election is possible.

Committee members shall be elected and removed by the General Meeting.

The Committee shall elect a Chair, Vice-Chair and Treasurer from among its members.

The same person may serve as Chair for no more than two consecutive terms. That person may be re-elected as Chair only after one full term has elapsed since they ceased to hold office. Committee membership shall not be affected.

The Committee shall in particular:

• prepare the association’s strategic direction,
• manage its day-to-day activities,
• approve the annual activity plan,
• prepare the draft budget,
• ensure administration, contractual relations, communication with public authorities and maintenance of membership records,
• ensure implementation of General Meeting decisions,
• approve admission of members unless it delegates this power to another person or working group,
• approve partnerships, expert publications and public statements of the association,
• ensure that the association’s public outputs meet its professional standards,
• ensure compliance with the Statutes, Code of Conduct, financial rules and other internal rules,
• decide on the establishment of working groups, advisory councils, programme committees or project teams,
• propose amendments to the Statutes and basic internal rules to the General Meeting,
• decide on the expulsion of a member,
• submit an activity report and financial report to the General Meeting.

The Committee shall meet as needed, and at least quarterly.

The Committee shall have a quorum if more than half of its members are present.

The Committee shall decide by a simple majority of members present. In a tied vote, the Chair’s vote shall be decisive.

The Committee may also decide online or by written circulation (per rollam), provided more than half of its members agree and the outcome is recorded in writing.

Article IXActing on behalf of the association

The Committee is the association’s statutory body.

Any Committee member may act and sign independently on behalf of the association. For legal acts valued at €1,000 or more, the following shall act and sign on behalf of the association:

the Chair and Vice-Chair jointly, or

the Chair or Vice-Chair jointly with one other Committee member.

The financial rules shall govern internal approval of expenditure and obligations, including limits and Committee consent. A breach shall not affect the validity of an act towards a third party acting in good faith, but shall give rise to the liability of the person acting towards the association.

The Committee may authorise a member or external person in writing to perform a specific act, provided it is consistent with the Statutes and decisions of the association’s bodies.

Article XInternal Auditor

The Internal Auditor is the association’s supervisory body.

The Internal Auditor shall be elected by the General Meeting for 24 months. Re-election is possible.

The Internal Auditor shall in particular:

• check the association’s financial management,
• check compliance with the Statutes and internal rules, such as the financial rules,
• check whether decisions of the association’s bodies comply with the Statutes and objectives,
• submit an audit report to the General Meeting,
• draw the Committee’s attention to identified shortcomings,
• may request that an extraordinary General Meeting be convened.

The Internal Auditor shall have the right to inspect accounting documents, contracts, minutes, decisions and other association documents necessary to perform the supervisory role.

The Internal Auditor shall not also be a Committee member.

Article XIFinancial management of the association

The association shall manage its assets in accordance with its mission, objectives, these Statutes, financial rules, approved budget and applicable legislation.

The association’s income may in particular include:

• membership fees,
• admission and participation fees for events,
• donations from natural and legal persons,
• grants and subsidies,
• income from partnerships and sponsorship agreements,
• income from selling professional materials, publications or services related to the association’s objectives,
• a share of income tax assigned to the association by taxpayers, if it meets the statutory conditions,
• other income permitted by law.

The association’s expenditure shall in particular cover:

• organising events,
• creating professional content,
• creating professional LLM tools,
• the website, digital tools, software and communication,
• accounting, legal services and administration,
• fees for expert guests and collaborators,
• support for student, research and educational activities,
• other expenditure related to the association’s objectives.

Any financial surplus shall be used exclusively to pursue the association’s objectives.

The association’s assets shall not be distributed among members, founders, members of its statutory body or partners.

The financial rules shall govern details of financial management, expenditure approval, document records, cash handling, acceptance of donations and transparency.

Article XIIInternal rules of the association

The association may issue internal rules, in particular:

• membership rules,
• financial rules,
• the Manifesto,
• the Members’ Code of Conduct.

Internal rules shall not conflict with the Statutes.

The Manifesto and its amendments shall be approved by the General Meeting.

The Members’ Code of Conduct shall be approved by the Committee, which shall submit it for ratification at the next General Meeting. Until that meeting decides, the Code shall apply in the form approved by the Committee. If the meeting does not ratify it, it shall cease to apply on the date of the General Meeting’s decision.

Other internal rules shall be approved by the Committee unless the General Meeting decides otherwise.

Article XIIIDissolution and termination of the association

The association shall be dissolved by:

• voluntary dissolution,
• merger with another association,
• a final decision of the competent authority,
• another means provided by law.

The General Meeting shall decide on voluntary dissolution or merger by a two-thirds majority of voting members present.

If the association is dissolved with liquidation, the General Meeting shall appoint a liquidator.

After obligations have been settled, the remaining liquidation assets shall be used for a purpose close to the association’s objectives, particularly to support education, research, marketing science or professional public-benefit activities.

Article XIVTransitional and final provisions

These Statutes were approved by the preparatory committee on 5 August 2026.

The association shall come into existence on registration by the competent registration authority.

The first ordinary General Meeting shall be held no later than 12 months after the association comes into existence.

These Statutes shall take effect on the date of the association’s registration.