Terms of Use

The terms governing your use of this website and our published research.

Effective Date: March 1, 2026

These Terms of Use ("Terms") govern your access to and use of the website operated by The Center for Recruiting Excellence ("CFRE," "we," "us," or "our"), located at recruitingexcellence.org, including all content, reports, research publications, and services made available through this site (collectively, the "Site"). By accessing or using the Site, you agree to be bound by these Terms. If you do not agree to these Terms, please do not use the Site.

1. Acceptance of Terms

By accessing, browsing, or otherwise using this Site, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to be bound by these Terms and by our Privacy Policy, which is incorporated herein by reference. These Terms constitute a legally binding agreement between you and CFRE. We reserve the right to modify these Terms at any time, and your continued use of the Site following any such modification constitutes your acceptance of the revised Terms.

2. About the Site

CFRE is an independent research institute that evaluates executive recruitment firms across multiple practice areas. The Site provides informational content, including published research reports, methodology descriptions, institutional information, and related materials. All reports and research publications on this Site are made available on an open-access basis at no charge. The Site does not require user accounts, does not process financial transactions, and does not operate as an e-commerce platform.

3. Use of Website

You may use the Site for lawful, personal, and professional informational purposes only. In using the Site, you agree not to:

  • Use the Site in any manner that violates any applicable federal, state, local, or international law or regulation;
  • Reproduce, distribute, modify, create derivative works of, publicly display, or publicly perform any content from the Site except as expressly permitted under these Terms or with prior written consent from CFRE;
  • Use any automated system, including but not limited to robots, spiders, scrapers, or similar tools, to access the Site for any purpose without our express written permission;
  • Attempt to gain unauthorized access to any portion of the Site, its servers, or any systems or networks connected to the Site;
  • Interfere with or disrupt the operation of the Site or the servers or networks used to make the Site available;
  • Use any content from the Site in a manner that implies endorsement by CFRE of any product, service, organization, or individual unless such endorsement has been explicitly granted in writing;
  • Remove, alter, or obscure any copyright, trademark, or other proprietary notices contained on or within the Site.

4. Intellectual Property

All content on this Site, including but not limited to text, research reports, data, graphics, logos, page layouts, the CFRE Evaluation Framework (CEF), scoring methodologies, publication numbering systems, and the overall design and arrangement of the Site, is the property of The Center for Recruiting Excellence and is protected by United States and international copyright, trademark, and other intellectual property laws.

The CFRE name, logo, "CFRE Evaluation Framework," "CEF," and all associated branding elements are trademarks or service marks of The Center for Recruiting Excellence. You may not use these marks without our prior written permission.

Although our reports are published as open-access and freely available for reading, this does not constitute a transfer of intellectual property rights. You may:

  • Read, download, and print reports for personal or internal organizational reference;
  • Share links to reports published on the Site;
  • Quote brief excerpts from reports for purposes of commentary, criticism, or academic citation, provided that proper attribution to CFRE is given and the excerpt does not constitute a substantial portion of the original work.

You may not republish, redistribute, or commercially exploit our reports or other content in whole or in substantial part without prior written authorization from CFRE. Requests for reproduction or licensing permissions should be submitted through our contact form.

5. Research and Reports Disclaimer

CFRE publishes research reports evaluating executive recruitment firms using our proprietary CFRE Evaluation Framework (CEF). It is important that users of the Site understand the nature and limitations of this research:

  • Informational purposes only. All reports, evaluations, scores, designations (including "Top-Rated" and "Highly Recommended"), and related content are provided for general informational and educational purposes only. They are not intended as, and should not be construed as, professional advice, endorsements, or recommendations to engage or not engage any particular recruitment firm.
  • Not a guarantee of performance. A favorable evaluation by CFRE does not guarantee future performance, results, or outcomes from any evaluated firm. Past performance, as measured by CFRE's assessment criteria, is not necessarily indicative of future results.
  • Independent assessment. CFRE's evaluations reflect independent research and analysis conducted at a specific point in time. Firm capabilities, personnel, and performance may change after the date of publication. Users should conduct their own due diligence before engaging any recruitment firm.
  • No fiduciary or advisory relationship. Nothing on this Site creates a fiduciary relationship, professional advisory relationship, or duty of care between CFRE and any user, evaluated firm, or other third party.
  • Methodology limitations. While CFRE strives for methodological rigor, all evaluation frameworks have inherent limitations. Our scoring reflects the data available to us at the time of assessment and is subject to the constraints of the evaluation instruments employed.

6. Third-Party Links

The Site may contain links to third-party websites or resources. These links are provided solely for your convenience and informational purposes. CFRE does not endorse, control, or assume responsibility for the content, privacy policies, or practices of any third-party websites. Your access to and use of any third-party sites is at your own risk and subject to the terms and conditions of those sites.

7. Disclaimer of Warranties

THE SITE AND ALL CONTENT, MATERIALS, REPORTS, AND INFORMATION AVAILABLE THROUGH THE SITE ARE PROVIDED ON AN "AS IS" AND "AS AVAILABLE" BASIS WITHOUT WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED. TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, CFRE DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, TITLE, AND NON-INFRINGEMENT.

CFRE does not warrant that the Site will be uninterrupted, error-free, secure, or free of viruses or other harmful components. CFRE does not warrant the accuracy, completeness, or timeliness of any content on the Site, including research reports and evaluations.

8. Limitation of Liability

TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, IN NO EVENT SHALL THE CENTER FOR RECRUITING EXCELLENCE, ITS DIRECTORS, OFFICERS, EMPLOYEES, RESEARCH ANALYSTS, ADVISORY BOARD MEMBERS, AGENTS, OR AFFILIATES BE LIABLE FOR ANY INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO LOSS OF PROFITS, DATA, BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES, OR GOODWILL, ARISING OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH:

  • Your access to or use of (or inability to access or use) the Site;
  • Any content, reports, evaluations, or information obtained from or through the Site;
  • Any decisions made or actions taken in reliance on content published on the Site;
  • Any unauthorized access to or alteration of your data or transmissions;
  • Any other matter relating to the Site.

This limitation applies regardless of the legal theory on which the claim is based, whether in contract, tort (including negligence), strict liability, or otherwise, even if CFRE has been advised of the possibility of such damages.

9. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless The Center for Recruiting Excellence and its directors, officers, employees, research analysts, advisory board members, and agents from and against any and all claims, liabilities, damages, losses, costs, and expenses (including reasonable attorneys' fees) arising out of or in connection with your use of the Site, your violation of these Terms, or your violation of any rights of any third party.

10. Governing Law and Jurisdiction

These Terms shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the District of Columbia, United States of America, without regard to its conflict of law provisions. You agree that any legal action or proceeding arising out of or relating to these Terms or your use of the Site shall be brought exclusively in the federal or local courts located in the District of Columbia, and you hereby consent to the personal jurisdiction of such courts.

11. Severability

If any provision of these Terms is found to be invalid, illegal, or unenforceable by a court of competent jurisdiction, such invalidity, illegality, or unenforceability shall not affect the remaining provisions, which shall continue in full force and effect. The invalid or unenforceable provision shall be deemed modified to the minimum extent necessary to make it valid and enforceable.

12. Waiver

The failure of CFRE to enforce any right or provision of these Terms shall not constitute a waiver of such right or provision. Any waiver of any provision of these Terms will be effective only if in writing and signed by an authorized representative of CFRE.

13. Changes to These Terms

CFRE reserves the right to update or modify these Terms at any time at our sole discretion. When we make changes, we will revise the "Effective Date" at the top of this page. Your continued use of the Site after any such changes constitutes your acceptance of the new Terms. We encourage you to review these Terms periodically to stay informed of any updates. Material changes may also be communicated through a notice on the Site's homepage.

14. Contact Information

If you have any questions or concerns about these Terms of Use, please contact us:

The Center for Recruiting Excellence
1800 M Street NW, Suite 650S
Washington, DC 20036
Phone: (212) 647-9887
Online: Contact Form