It is a provision in a contract that limits one party's ability to engage in similar business arrangements with other parties. This clause is typically included in agreements where the exclusivity of a relationship is essential for its success. The purpose of an exclusivity clause is to protect the interests of both parties by ensuring that their investment of time, resources, and capital into the relationship is not undermined by parallel agreements with competitors.

Key elements of an exclusivity clause include:

1. Scope: Clearly define the scope of the exclusivity, including the products or services, the geographic territory, and the duration of the exclusive arrangement.
2. Exclusivity: Specify the nature of the exclusivity – whether it is sole, exclusive, or semi-exclusive. This establishes the level of competition allowed between the parties and third parties.
3. Performance obligations: Detail the obligations each party must fulfill to maintain exclusivity, such as sales targets or minimum purchase requirements.
4. Termination: Explain the circumstances under which exclusivity may be terminated or suspended, including breach of contract, poor performance, or the end of the contractual term.

Examples of exclusivity clauses:

1. In a distribution agreement, a manufacturer might grant a distributor exclusive rights to sell their products within a specific geographic region. The distributor would agree not to sell any competing products, and the manufacturer would refrain from appointing additional distributors in that area.
2. In an endorsement deal, a celebrity might agree to promote a brand's products exclusively, refraining from endorsing or promoting any competing products during the term of the agreement.

‍

Similar or related clauses:

1. Non-compete clause:

A provision that restricts a party from engaging in activities that compete with the other party's business interests, either during the term of the contract or for a specified period after its termination.

2. Confidentiality clause:

A provision that prohibits the disclosure of sensitive information shared between the parties and obligates them to protect it from unauthorized use or disclosure. More details here.

3. Non-solicitation clause:

A provision that prevents one party from attempting to hire or engage the employees or clients of the other party, usually for a specified duration after the contract's termination.

‍

How to manage clauses like these effectively?

Check out Clause Library implementation from ContractKen. It has a really smooth, easy to use interface which allows for easy curation, management, tagging, commenting and retrieval (from Microsoft Word) of your clauses.