Scrum.org Trademarks and Copyrights

TRADEMARK GUIDELINES

Advanced Development Methods, Inc. d/b/a Scrum.org (“ADM”) owns numerous trademarks, service marks, and certification marks (collectively referred to as “Trademarks”), for use in association with various educational, assessment and certification services, including the trademarks found via Trademark List. ADM’s trademarks include but are not limited to the Scrum.org brand and the PROFESSIONAL brand family of marks may only be used as provided in these Guidelines and/or with the permission of ADM.  

Proper use of ADM’s Trademarks is essential to maintain the good-will that ADM has established in the trademarks and prevent any confusion as to source, sponsorship, or affiliation.  Any unauthorized or improper use of ADM Trademarks may harm the goodwill associated with the Trademarks and may constitute infringement, unfair competition, and/or be in violation of other federal, state and/or international laws.  ADM reserves the right to revoke or deny permission any use of its intellectual property that ADM, in its sole discretion, deems unlawful or improper, or otherwise inconsistent with its brands even if such use is not expressly prohibited hereunder.  

The status of ADM Trademarks may change, and it may be necessary to revise these Trademark Guidelines from time to time. It is your responsibility to comply with the most current version of these guidelines.

Please direct any questions regarding these Trademark Guidelines to your ADM representative or email them to ADM at marketing@scrum.org.

PERMISSIBLE USES OF ADM TRADEMARKS

ADM only licenses its trademarks for use with goods and services that meet ADM’s quality standards. ADM reserves the right to object to or prohibit at any time the use of its marks in connection with goods or services that, in ADM’s sole opinion, fail to meet ADM’s standards of quality.  All use of the Trademarks, licensed or informational, is subject to the requirements below.

Authorized partners, resellers, certified parties and other licensees may have additional usage rights and may be subject to additional specific usage requirements.  If you are a Professional Scrum Trainer, Partner, a “Professional Training Network” entity, or a course Contributor, please consult your agreement for additional requirements applicable to your use of ADM trademarks.

INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES

ADM’s word marks (but not logo marks or other graphic depictions of ADM marks) may be used in an informational context to describe the subject matter of an educational or informational program, such as training presentations and “how-to” videos regarding preparation for ADM certification exams, provided that such use otherwise complies with these Trademark Guidelines, including but not limited to, the following requirements:

  1. The ADM mark appears less prominently than the rest of the program title and is used only in a referential context.
    Correct: “ABC EDUCATION SERVICES will help you to prepare for the Scrum.org™ Professional Scrum Master® I (PSM I) exam”
  2. The subject matter of the content promoted must actually relate to the specific ADM product or service referenced.
  3. The use does not falsely imply any affiliation, sponsorship or endorsement by, or a partnership or affiliation with, ADM.

Correct:  This training is intended to help you prepare for the Scrum.org™ PSM™ I assessment.

Incorrect:  This PSM I training…

  1. Proper attribution, as detailed below, must be provided with any use. 

CERTIFICATION MARKS & PST COURSE USE

ADM’s certification marks (badges) may only be used by those who have passed the applicable certification exam and meet and maintain all other criteria for each such certification.  Such certification marks may not be altered any may only be used by the certified individual to show that they are certified under a particular ADM certification.  

Course logos (badges) may only be used by authorized trainers in relation to the courses that they are licensed to teach by ADM.

ATTRIBUTION

Any printed or online materials relating to the program must include proper attribution symbols provided with the Trademark List, and include a trademark attribution statement prominently in the footer of any materials using any ADM Trademark similar to the following example:

[ADM Trademarks referenced] are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of Advanced Development Methods, Inc., d/b/a Scrum.org.

If the user is not otherwise a licensee, such as a PST and is not presenting ADM provided materials, then the user must also include a disclaimer with any educational/training materials similar to the following:

This training [materials] is not affiliated with Advanced Development Methods d/b/a Scrum.org (ADM) and does not constitute an endorsement of any product, service or point of view by ADM.   

If a program is presented in audio format, without any visual aids or physical or online materials, the applicable notice and disclaimer statements must be read out loud to the audience at the beginning of each presentation and must appear in related marketing and advertising materials.

FORM and FORMAT

LOGOS

UNLESS EXPRESSLY AUTHORIZED BY ADM, ANY USE OF ADM LOGOS  AND CERTIFICATION MARKS IS PROHIBITED.  If you have received authorization from ADM to use an ADM logo or Certification Mark (i.e. pursuant to a valid License, Certification or Partnership Agreement), you must adhere to the terms of your license or agreement, as well as the following general guidelines:

  1. All ADM trademarks with graphic elements must be reproduced from materials supplied by ADM without alteration: Each representation of the ADM logo should be consistent, undistorted, and clear.
  2. If displaying in color, use only the colors as provided by ADM.  Gray scale use is also permitted as provided by ADM.
  3. Use appropriate trademark symbols.

TRADEMARK USE IN TEXT FORM

  1. Always use the trademark as an adjective, NEVER as a noun or verb.
    Correct: Training for the Professional Scrum Master™ certification exam.
    Wrong:  Training as a Professional Scrum Master…
  2. Do NOT make any trademark into a plural or possessive.
  3. ADM’s Trademarks should be used consistently stand out in text in bold or italics, particularly if a trademark symbol cannot be used.
  4. Use with the appropriate goods and services.  
    Correct: Professional Scrum Master® training course will teach you…
    Wrong:  Professional Scrum Master will teach you.
  5. Do not abbreviate: However, official abbreviations found on the Trademark List may be used as they are also trademarks of ADM – all other rules apply.
  6. Note:  Where Scrum.org is being used as the name of our company, as opposed to the brand of services provided, it is a noun and does not follow these rules and is instead used to denote the provider of the branded product or service.

    Example of Scrum.org as a business name:  Scrum.org provides education and certification in the field of agile development.

    Example of Scrum.org as a trademark:  Scrum.org™ educational materials will help you become a better scrum master.
  7. Provide attribution showing ADM’s ownership of ADM trademarks (see “Attribution” above.
  8. Use appropriate symbols.

PROHIBITED USES OF ADM TRADEMARKS

Unless otherwise provided in these rules or in a separate agreement with ADM, use of the Trademarks, company names, content, or images belonging to ADM by third parties in marketing, promotional or advertising materials is prohibited, as such use may create the perception that ADM endorses or sponsors the product, service or promotion.  This section also applies to use of marks that are the phonetic or foreign language equivalent or any mark that is substantially similar to the Trademarks.

COMPANY OR TRADE NAMES

You may NOT use or register, in whole or in part, Advanced Development Methods, Scrum.org, or any of the Trademarks, including ADM-owned graphic symbols, logos, icons, or any version thereof (translation or transliteration), or any name confusingly similar to the foregoing as a company name or trade name or as part of such a name.

DOMAIN NAMES & SOCIAL MEDIA

You may NOT  use or register, in whole or in part, Advanced Development Methods, Scrum.org, or any of the Trademarks or any or any version thereof (translation or transliteration), or any name confusingly similar to the foregoing as part or all of a domain name or social medial handle.

META TAGS AND HIDDEN TEXT

You may NOT use the Advanced Development Methods or Scrum.org trade names, or any of the Trademarks or any or any version thereof (translation or transliteration), or any name or mark confusingly similar to the foregoing in any manner to divert business to non-ADM affiliated products and services such as in misleading meta tags or other hidden text in a webpage.  

COPYRIGHT

Use of ADM proprietary copyrighted material is strictly prohibited without prior approval from ADM.  Such materials include, but are not limited to, content and text displayed on Scrum.org website, White Papers or other documentation, photographs, diagrams, videos, images, and sound clips.

Scraping of the www.scrum.org website is strictly prohibited.

VIOLATIONS

Any violation of any part of this policy may result in immediate termination of any license, partnership, certification, reseller or employment agreement, and/or in legal action.