Enablers Association Document Retention Policy

Version: 1.0
Effective Date: 1 January 2026
Approved by: Enablers Mission Circle
Questions? [email protected]

Purpose

This policy establishes retention periods for Association documents to ensure compliance with Swiss legal requirements, tax obligations, and good governance practices while avoiding unnecessary accumulation of outdated records.

Legal Requirements

Swiss Law requires retention of:

Accounting records: 10 years (Swiss Code of Obligations Art. 958f)
Business correspondence: 10 years
Supporting documents for accounting: 10 years
Contracts: 6 years after termination (general statute of limitations)

GDPR requires:

Personal data retained only as long as necessary for purpose
Specific retention schedules documented (see Privacy Policy)

Retention Schedules by Document Type

3.1 Financial and Accounting Records

Retention: 10 years from end of fiscal year

Includes:

Annual financial statements and balance sheets
General ledger and journals
Bank statements and reconciliations
Invoices (issued and received)
Payment records and receipts
Expense reports and supporting documentation
Tax returns and tax payment records
Audit reports

Reason: Swiss tax law and Code of Obligations requirements

3.2 Client Contracts and Project Records

Retention: 6 years after contract termination or project completion

Includes:

Master Service Agreements (MSAs)
Individual Project Agreements (IPAs)
Statements of Work
Contract amendments and addendums
Client correspondence related to contracts
Project deliverables (final versions)
Client approval and acceptance documentation

Reason: Swiss statute of limitations (Art. 127 Swiss Code of Obligations)

Exception: Delete participant personal data per GDPR schedule (typically 30 days after project completion) even if other project records retained.

3.3 Insurance Records

Retention: 6 years after policy expiry

Includes:

Professional liability insurance policies and certificates
Member individual insurance certificates
Insurance claims and correspondence
Coverage verification records

Reason: Potential claims may arise years after services delivered

3.4 Member Records

Active Members:

Retain all records during active membership

Former Members – Retention: 6 years after membership termination

Includes:

Membership agreements and applications
Policy acknowledgments
Training and certification records
Performance evaluations
Disciplinary records (if any)
Correspondence regarding membership

Delete sooner:

Personal data not required for legal/financial purposes: 3 years after termination (per Privacy Policy)
Photos and marketing materials: 30 days unless explicit consent for continued use

3.5 Governance Records

Retention: Permanent

Includes:

Association Statuts (bylaws) and all amendments
General Assembly meeting minutes
Association Committee meeting minutes
Circle meeting minutes (all circles)
Membership registers
Annual reports to authorities

Reason: Historical record, legal compliance, governance continuity

3.6 Policies and Procedures

Retention: Permanent

Includes:

All Association policies (current and superseded versions)
Operating procedures and guidelines
Code of Conduct and professional standards

Reason: Track policy evolution, demonstrate compliance history

3.7 Compliance and Legal Records

Retention: 6 years after matter closes

Includes:

Conflict of interest disclosures and resolutions
Incident reports and investigation records
Legal opinions and advice
Regulatory correspondence
Compliance audit records

Exception: If ongoing legal matter, retain until matter fully resolved plus 6 years

3.8 Personal Data (GDPR)

Retention: Per Privacy Policy and Data Protection Agreements

Includes:

Member personal information: 3 years after membership ends
Website visitor data: 26 months (Google Analytics automatic deletion)
Newsletter subscriber data: Until unsubscribe + 30 days
Client project participant data: 30 days after project completion (working files)

Financial/legal records with personal data: Retain per financial/legal schedule above, not GDPR schedule

See Privacy Policy Section 8 for complete retention schedules

3.9 Correspondence and Communications

General business correspondence: 3 years

Client-related correspondence: 6 years after engagement ends

Legal/compliance correspondence: 6 years after matter closes

Internal communications (WhatsApp, informal emails): Not retained systematically

3.10 Marketing and Communications Materials

Retention: 3 years or until superseded

Includes:

Website content (keep version history)
Newsletter archives
Marketing presentations
Case studies and testimonials
Blog posts and articles

Longer retention acceptable for historical/archival purposes

Storage and Access

During Retention Period:

Documents stored securely per Information Security Policy
Google Drive primary repository for electronic documents
Access restricted to authorized personnel
Annual review of stored documents to verify retention compliance

Responsible Party:

Compliance Contact maintains retention schedule tracking
Committee member designated for financial record custody
All members responsible for documents in their possession

Destruction Procedures

When retention period expires:

Electronic Documents:

Permanent deletion from Google Drive (empty Trash)
Remove from any backup systems
Document destruction date in retention log

Physical Documents (if any):

Shred or destroy securely
Do not simply discard in regular trash
Document destruction date in retention log

Personal Data: Follow Privacy Policy procedures for data deletion

Confidential Information: Ensure complete destruction, not just deletion (overwrite if possible)

Legal Hold

If any document becomes subject to litigation, investigation, or audit:

Do NOT destroy, even if retention period has expired
Notify [email protected] immediately
Place “legal hold” on documents
Retain until legal matter fully resolved
Then apply normal retention period from resolution date

Annual Review

Each January:

Compliance Contact reviews all stored documents
Identifies documents eligible for destruction
Coordinates destruction of expired documents
Updates retention log
Reports to Association Committee on compliance

Exceptions and Approvals

Retention beyond scheduled period:

May be approved by Network Development Circle for legitimate business reasons
Must document reason and review date
Examples: ongoing business relationship, historical significance, pending litigation

Early destruction:

Requires approval from Enablers Mission Circle
Only in exceptional circumstances
Must document reason
Never permitted for financial, legal, or regulatory records

Relationship to Other Policies

This policy works together with:

Privacy Policy: Personal data retention schedules
Information Security Policy: Secure storage during retention period
Confidentiality Policy: Confidential information handling
Data Protection Agreements with Clients: May impose different/additional retention requirements

If conflict: More stringent requirement applies

Responsibilities

Compliance Contact ([email protected]):

Maintain retention schedule and tracking log
Coordinate annual review and destruction
Answer retention questions
Monitor compliance

Association Committee:

Designate custody for financial records
Approve exceptions to standard retention
Oversee compliance

All Members:

Follow retention schedules for documents in their possession
Delete participant data within 30 days of project completion
Consult [email protected] with questions
Report documents subject to legal hold

Quick Reference: Retention Periods

Document Type	Retention Period	Trigger
Financial records	10 years	End of fiscal year
Client contracts	6 years	Contract termination
Member agreements	6 years	Membership termination
Insurance certificates	6 years	Policy expiry
Meeting minutes	Permanent	N/A
Policies	Permanent	N/A
Personal data (working files)	30 days	Project completion
Personal data (general)	3 years	Membership/relationship ends
General correspondence	3 years	Creation date
Compliance records	6 years	Matter closes

Questions? [email protected]

Acknowledgment: I have read and understood the Document Retention Policy and will comply with retention schedules for documents in my possession.

Member Name: _______________
Signature: _______________
Date: _______________