ESOMAR 37 Compliance in Expert Networks: A Practical Guide

ESOMAR 37 is a set of questions designed to help research buyers evaluate the practices of expert network providers. For research teams, understanding these questions — and what good answers look like — is essential for managing risk and maintaining project integrity.

What is ESOMAR 37?

ESOMAR (the European Society for Opinion and Marketing Research) developed 37 questions that research buyers can ask panel providers and expert networks. The questions cover transparency, quality, compliance, and operational standards — essentially a due diligence framework for anyone buying expert access.

While originally designed for survey panel providers, the questions have become the de facto compliance benchmark for expert networks that serve research and consulting firms.

Why It Matters for Expert Networks

Expert consultation sits in a compliance grey zone. The expert is typically employed by a company. The research team is seeking information about markets, competitors, or industries. The potential for conflicts of interest, insider information breaches, or confidentiality violations is real.

ESOMAR 37 gives research buyers a structured way to assess whether an expert network takes these risks seriously — or just pays lip service to compliance.

Key Areas Covered

1. Expert Recruitment & Vetting

How are experts sourced and screened? Is there a verification process for employment status and credentials? At Sourcelyn, every expert undergoes identity verification, current employment confirmation, and a compliance briefing before they're eligible for calls.

2. Conflict of Interest Management

Does the network check whether the expert has conflicts relevant to the specific engagement? This includes employer restrictions, contractual non-disclosure obligations, and potential inside information concerns. Robust networks run conflict checks per-project, not just at onboarding.

3. Data Privacy & Protection

How is personal data collected, stored, and processed? What consent mechanisms are in place? With GDPR and similar regulations, expert networks must demonstrate robust data handling — not just a privacy policy, but actual operational compliance.

4. Quality Control

What post-engagement quality mechanisms exist? How does the network handle feedback, complaints, and expert removal? Good networks don't just source experts — they maintain standards through ongoing quality review.

5. Transparency

Can the network provide clear documentation of its processes? Will it share its ESOMAR 37 responses directly? Transparency isn't just a nice-to-have — it's the foundation of a trustworthy partnership between research buyers and expert network providers.

Questions to Ask Your Expert Network

If your current expert network hasn't proactively shared ESOMAR 37 documentation, ask these five questions:

• 1How do you verify that experts are currently employed in the role described?
• 2What conflict-of-interest checks do you run per engagement (not just at onboarding)?
• 3Where is expert personal data stored and who has access to it?
• 4Can you provide a complete audit trail for a sample engagement?
• 5Will you share your full ESOMAR 37 responses with our procurement team?

Compliance is Not a Checkbox

The best expert networks treat compliance as an operational principle, not a marketing claim. At Sourcelyn, our ESOMAR 37 responses are available to any prospective or existing client on request. We believe transparency builds trust — and trust is what makes expert consultation work.