When we want to sign a document electronically, we have to upload it to DocuSign. There we say who has to sign it (name and email address) and then DocuSign manages the document, send notifications and guides users in the process. Once everybody has signed, DocuSign sends a mail with info for downloading a signed copy. Each person can later store the document on their own repository.

Solvay has approved the usage of electronic signature via DocuSign in these countries: Belgium, France, Portugal, United States

If you want to have more information about the legal context of electronic signature in your country you can check the eSignature Legality Guide per country (provided by DocuSign).

Every process that wants to use electronic signature in Solvay has to comply with some obligations to keep legality of signatures. One is apply an authentication process to every signer. You are getting more information about this topic once you submit your use case using the request form.

In general Solvay has accepted the usage of electronic signature for contractual agreements between Solvay and other companies.

More specifically, the nature of the document has to be reviewed and validated use case per use case from different points of view (local legality and eSignature regulation compliant). Currently it only includes some purchasing contracts, but it can be extended as new use cases arrive.

Every GBU, Function and country has a legal expert assigned. This person belongs to Legal department and is an expert in the laws that affect their perimeter. If you don't know whom to contact, check with your hierarchy to identify him/her.

Adobe Acrobat is a tool:

Adobe Acrobat implements the technical mechanism to sign any document by any user. However, the electronic certificate used in the process is self generated by the computer. In other words, you can trust that signed document as long as you trust the person and the computer who has given it to you. This is normally ok for internal documents with low risk implied.

Anyone in Solvay can use this tool under his/her own responsibility about the content and the usage of the tool.

DocuSign is a Trust Service Provider under EU legislation:

DocuSign (as many other similar services in Internet) implements the same mechanism as Adobe Acrobat, but it also generates and maintain the electronic certificates used during the signature. By using these publicly trusted electronic certificates, contracts signed via DocuSign are automatically accepted as a valid proof in case of trial or disputes.

In fact, when you use Adobe Acrobat for viewing a PDF signed by DocuSign, it automatically checks in the background with DocuSign if all the signatures and certificates are valid and trustworthy.

You can only use DocuSign to sign documents if your signature represents Solvay company.

In a nutshell:

Both tools allows you to sign a PDF, however the only one that can be automatically accepted as contractual for agreements between Solvay and other companies is via DocuSign

Legal Department has written and approved some guidelines that helps you and your legal counsel or local lawyer to decide how to apply electronic signature to your case. You can read it here: Solvay eSignature Legal policy

If you have received a mail from DocuSign requesting you to sign a document, follow the instructions in the mail. The process guides you though the different steps. Action buttons are normally colored in yellow. At the end of the process is possible that you are asked for an authentication code. You normally have received that code from the contract creator via a different email, a phone call or an SMS. You have videos and tutorials in this page.

If what you want is to create a document and sign it, you first need to understand which are the different possibility you have and request to use DocuSign (check previous section Get started)

If you need help using the tool you should contact your DocuSign key user for your process or use case (check with your hierarchy if needed). Take into account that the process behind each document is different depending on the use case or process in which you are working on.

If you have problems using the application you can also check videos and tutorials in this page or request help via the section Troubleshooting

There is criteria that has to be followed in order to start using electronic signature in your department. You have the most updated information in the eSignature Service presentation