THE CAMPAIGN GOAL
The goal of the campaign is simple – legislative and regulatory change that will make NDAs unenforceable when hiding crime, abuse or anything other than their original purpose – the prevention of sharing confidential business information (“intellectual property”) and trade secrets.
Two way NDAs are unnecessary for protecting victim identity, which can be protected with a simple one sided confidentiality clause at the request of the victim; catastrophically damaging to innocent parties, and immoral when they hide harmful information from the public.
Every day, NDAs are being used by the rich and powerful to protect themselves. Legislators and regulators must speed up reform and we are here to make sure this issue stays firmly on their radar.
OUR STRATEGY
Our campaign will focus on 4 strategies.
Lobbying government to recognise that NDAs are currently being used to create dangerous environments and that the law needs to be changed
Building public awareness of the immoral use of NDAs and give people the information and power to say “no” to signing.
Advocating that regulators, businesses and institutions adopt a code of practice that will not allow NDAs to hide information about harmful people, practices and products.
Providing a safe platform for people who have been pressured to sign an NDA to anonymously step forward and share how it has affected them.
WHO WE ARE
ZELDA PERKINS
Zelda Perkins was the first woman to break an NDA in 2017, signed decades earlier with Harvey Weinstein. Her decision to speak out brought the systemic abuse of NDAs to the attention of the British Government and international press.
Since 2017 she has led the fight for legislative and regulatory reform to end the misuse of NDAs, founding Can’t Buy My Silence UK in 2021. The campaign has worked with governments in the UK, Ireland and across Canada and Australia, achieving successful legislative reforms in three countries. The most significant reforms being in the UK with amendments to the Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Bill, Employment Rights Bill, Victims and Prisoners and the Victims and Courts Bill, which will together make NDAs void if used to silence victims or witnesses of harassment, discrimination, or crime.
Zelda’s work has been recognised with several awards including being named a TIME Person of the Year and receiving the UN Womens UK Award for Outstanding Contribution to Gender Equality. Her story was portrayed by Samantha Morton in the Universal Pictures film She Said, which documents her role in exposing Weinstein and challenging the culture of silence that enabled him.
CEO & Founder UK
Originally Can’t Buy My Silence was a joint initiative between the United Kingdom and Canada.
Whilst both campaigns continue to share similar goals, they now operate separately and independently.
Zelda is solely responsible for the UK and Prof. MacFarlane for Canada.
Campaign Manager
OSCAR BANNOCK PRIEST
Testimonial Checkers
STACY BUCHHOLZER
PARTNERS
Below are some of our amazing partners who we are working with to realise the goals of the Can’t Buy My Silence campaign.
STUDIO NINETYONE
Design Partner
Studio NinetyOne is a brand focused design agency based in East London and North Cornwall. Since 2005, we have worked with an eclectic mix of clients who understand the value of great design. We are known for creating brands full of character and heart. As part of our commitment to social change we worked with Co-founders Zelda Perkins and Julie Macfarlane to develop the unique Can’t Buy My Silence brand and creative as part of their campaign to ban the misuse of non-disclosure agreements. As a design agency we are committed to supporting the campaign to end the mis-use of NDAs to cover up wrong-doing in the design industry and beyond and our proud to play a part in its development.
OCTOPUS PSYCHOLOGY
Psychology Partner
Octopus Psychology supports people who have experienced betrayal trauma to rebuild their lives and make a full recovery. The shame of betrayal and recrimination keeps people in distress. Being able to share your story, take ownership of your narrative, and be met with validation are all important steps in healing. The misuse of NDAs to gag those who’ve been harmed is a barrier to recovery so we’re proud to partner with Can’t Buy My Silence to challenge theses and help those who need it.
SPEAK OUT REVOLUTION
Data Insights Partner
Speak Out Revolution is an award winning not-for-profit, founded in 2020, with a mission to cancel the culture of silence on harassment and bullying in our workplaces. They provide a safe platform for targets of workplace harassment and bullying to anonymously speak out via their Speak Out Dashboard and use the collective insights to raise awareness, educate and empower everyone to become allies for more inclusive work environments. Find out more about their work at speakoutrevolution.co.uk. You can help us collect information on the prevalence of NDAs as well as bullying and harassment by completing our survey here.
BILL EYERS
Campaign Consultant
Bill Eyres is a sustainability and social justice campaigner who has worked in politics, the charity sector and for ethical businesses like The Body Shop and The Co-operative Bank and major brands like O2. He has worked on high profile initiatives against the financing of landmines, domestic violence, trafficking of women, and climate change with well known campaigners like Anita Roddick, Jonathon Porritt and Emma Thompson. Bill has a won a variety of awards for his work including the Winner of the Global Good Awards Individual Outstanding Leadership Award in 2015 and with the agency VCCP a Webby in 2019 for a campaign on online child safety.
BREAKTHROUGH IMPACT
Strategy & Campaign Development Partner
Breakthrough Impact identify high potential leaders with experience and grassroots campaign groups focused on the most pressing social justice issues of our time. They support them to develop and execute winning strategy and connect them to the world class networks they need to drive transformative change. Co founder Katherine Sladden has been at the forefront of some of the UK's most high profile campaigns as a founding director of Change.org before Breakthrough Impact whilst Co founder David Pinto Duschinsky brings his experience from senior roles across Government in the 90's including special advisor to the Chancellor and Home Secretary to deputy Director in the Prime Minister's strategy unit.
