The people, not only the paperwork
Ferretly reviews named individuals’ public content across social platforms, news, forums and the open web, in text and images, across multiple languages. It covers what entity databases don’t capture.
Third-Party & Key-Person Due Diligence
Key-Person Due Diligence: Public Online Conduct Review
Due diligence checks the company. The headlines are usually about the people running it. Ferretly reviews the public online conduct of founders, principals and key individuals at your vendors, partners and investment targets, so your file covers the people as well as the entity.
Book a demoWhat entity checks miss
Third-party and deal due diligence covers ownership, financials, litigation, sanctions and regulatory history. Those checks are essential, but they don’t show how the people behind a company behave in public:
- A founder’s posts that would be hard to defend once your brand is attached
- A principal’s history of harassing or threatening statements
- Public commentary that contradicts what the company told you during due diligence
What your team gains
One standard across counterparties
Use the same behavioral categories and keywords for every vendor tier or deal stage. Each review is comparable, repeatable and easy to explain to a committee.
A different question from list screening
For sanctions and watchlist checks, see Ferretly’s sanctions, PEP and adverse media screening.
How it works
Name the individuals and the purpose
Your team identifies the people in scope and records why each review is being done.
Set criteria
Choose from Ferretly’s 13 behavioral risk classifications and add keywords such as the company name, products, competitors or issues already raised.
Ferretly reviews public content
Across social platforms, news, forums and the open web.
Your team reviews and decides
Your team reviews the findings. Ferretly Analyst Assistant is available as an option, depending on your plan and service agreement.
What your team receives
- Findings organized by behavioral category
- The underlying public content, for context
- Public information only, with nothing from private accounts
- No recommendation on whether to proceed: that decision stays with your team
Why teams choose Ferretly
Criteria tied to the relationship
Select relevant conduct categories and apply appropriate safeguards for personal characteristics and beliefs.
Beyond a name search
Images are reviewed alongside text, and coverage goes past the person’s own accounts.
Different review questions
Evaluate public conduct alongside sanctions, PEP and adverse-media findings.
Where it fits
The examples below are illustrative scenarios, not customer results.
High-visibility vendors
A brand reviews the principals of a new agency of record before the contract is signed.
Co-branding and partnerships
A company reviews the founders of a partner whose name will appear next to its own in a joint launch.
Investment and M&A
A deal team adds a conduct review of the founder and management team to its management due diligence.
Licensing and franchising
A franchisor reviews the principals of a prospective franchisee who will represent the brand locally.
For senior people you’re appointing rather than partnering with, see executive and board candidate screening.
Safeguards
Public information only
No private-account access and no passwords.
A defined purpose
Each review ties to a specific business relationship or transaction.
Jurisdiction matters
Rules on notice, consent and permissible purpose for reviewing individuals differ by country and by purpose. Your team is responsible for determining what applies, particularly for individuals outside the US.
Findings, not decisions
Ferretly doesn’t decide whether to proceed with a counterparty.
Questions, answered
Frequently asked questions
What is key-person due diligence?
A review of the individuals who lead or control a company you’re engaging with, such as founders, executives, principals or owners, to identify risks tied to those people rather than to the company as a legal entity.
How is this different from sanctions and adverse media screening?
Sanctions and PEP screening check names against official lists. Adverse media screening looks for negative news coverage. A conduct review looks at what the individual has said and shared publicly online. They are separate reviews, and each answers a different question.
Do the individuals need to consent?
It depends on the purpose of the review and where the individuals are. Requirements differ for employment and non-employment purposes and across countries, so your team should determine what applies before ordering.
Can it cover people outside the United States?
Ferretly reviews public content across multiple languages. Rules for reviewing individuals differ by country, so confirm what applies in each jurisdiction before ordering.
Does Ferretly tell us whether to sign?
No. Ferretly supplies findings. Your deal, risk or compliance team decides.
Add the people to your due diligence
See how a key-person review would sit alongside your existing third-party or deal process.
Book a demoProtect Your Brand. Prevent the Fallout.
Discover how Ferretly can help you make informed decisions about who you work with, partner with, or hire.