FAQs and Privacy

Answers to the most common questions about our research methodology, GDPR compliance, ESOMAR standards, pricing, confidentiality, and how we work with clients across the EU policy and commercial landscape.

In Brief:

The CYPRESS Consulting is an independent political research and market intelligence firm operating between Milan and Brussels. We conduct public opinion surveys, political polls, and AI-moderated interviews (AIMI) for public affairs teams, corporate affairs functions, NGOs, and brands. We are registered on the EU Transparency Register (ID: 3001875101969-29) and adhere to the ICC/ESOMAR International Code of Conduct. All research is GDPR compliant and methodologically independent.

What does The CYPRESS do?

The CYPRESS Consulting is an independent political research and market intelligence firm based between Milan and Brussels. We design and conduct public opinion surveys, political polls, brand perception studies, and AI-moderated qualitative interviews for public affairs consultancies, corporate government affairs teams, NGOs, press organisations, and trade associations.

Our research is independent, methodologically rigorous, and structured for policy, advocacy, and strategic use. Clients commission research from us when they need credible, externally-authored data they can cite in front of policymakers, journalists, or institutional audiences.

What is the difference between political polling and public opinion research?

Political polling measures specific political attitudes and behaviours — voting intention, party preference, approval ratings, and policy positions. It is typically quantitative and structured around electoral or legislative questions.

Public opinion research is broader: it measures how general populations or specific groups perceive an issue, a brand, a policy, or a sector — combining quantitative surveys with qualitative depth interviews to capture both what people think and why.

The CYPRESS conducts both, and frequently combines them in mixed-method studies.

Methodology and AIMI

What's AIMI and how does it work?

AIMI stands for AI-Moderated Interview. It is a research methodology in which an AI system conducts structured one-to-one interviews with respondents, combining closed quantitative questions with open-ended qualitative probing.

The AI adapts its follow-up questions based on each respondent's answers — producing both statistical data and rich verbatim insight at scale. AIMI interviews typically run 15–25 minutes and are available in multiple languages simultaneously.

The CYPRESS uses AIMI as its primary qualitative research method for studies requiring both quantitative rigour and qualitative depth.

What research methodologies does The Cypress use?

The CYPRESS uses four primary research methods:

Quantitative online surveys — structured questionnaires fielded to representative samples via online panels, producing statistically robust findings with defined margins of error
AI-moderated interviews (AIMI) — conversational AI-conducted interviews combining quantitative scales with open-ended qualitative probing at scale
Qualitative depth interviews — structured one-to-one interviews for in-depth exploration of attitudes and motivations

How does The Cypress reach out to people to get answers?

The CYPRESS works with established, ISO-certified online panel suppliers for fieldwork across all the markets. Online panels assure respondents and completes to the research study.

Panel selection is study-specific, based on the geographic scope, target demographic, and language requirements of each research brief.

GDPR & Esomar Compliance

How does The Cypress handle GDPR and respondent data protection?

All research conducted by The CYPRESS Consulting complies with the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Specifically:

We collect only the data necessary for each research study (data minimisation)
Respondents provide informed consent before participation
Individual responses are anonymised before analysis and reporting
Personally identifiable information is never shared with commissioning clients
Respondents have the right to withdraw at any point during fieldwork

Our legal basis for processing survey data is informed consent and, where applicable, legitimate interest in independent public interest research.

Does The Cypress follow the Esomar Code of Conduct?

Yes. The CYPRESS Consulting adheres to the ICC/ESOMAR International Code on Market, Opinion and Social Research and Data Analytics.

This means we:

Protect respondent anonymity and ensure participation is voluntary
Maintain the confidentiality of client briefs and proprietary data
Report findings accurately and without misrepresentation
Do not conduct push polling or design studies intended to mislead respondents

All studies are designed and conducted in accordance with ESOMAR methodological and ethical standards.

Is The Cypress registered on the EU Transparency Register?

Yes. The Cypress is registered on the EU Transparency Register under identification number 3001875101969-29 (marked as the founder's name). This registration confirms our commitment to transparency in activities related to EU institutions and our compliance with the standards required for organisations engaging with EU policymakers.

Research independence

How does The Cypress ensure the independence of its studies?

The CYPRESS maintains methodological independence on all research studies:

The questionnaire is designed by The CYPRESS, and it's not subject to editorial control by the commissioning client
Questions are written to measure genuine opinion, not to produce a predetermined result
Findings are reported accurately regardless of whether they support or contradict the client's position
All research is attributed to The Cypress as the producing firm
The commissioning client's identity is not disclosed to respondents during fieldwork, in line with standard independent research practice

This independence is what makes The CYPRESS's research citable by clients in front of policymakers, journalists, and institutional audiences.

Is the research commissioned confidential?

Yes. All client briefs, research designs, data, and findings are treated as strictly confidential. The Cypress does not:

Disclose the identity of commissioning clients to third parties
Publish client-specific findings without written consent
Reference client work in marketing materials without explicit permission

Confidentiality obligations are set out in the research agreement signed before each engagement begins.

Projects details

What is the typical timeline for a research study with The Cypress?

Timelines depend on study complexity and sample size:

Focused single-market survey: 2–3 weeks from brief confirmation to findings delivery
Multi-country mixed-method study: 4–6 weeks
Accelerated schedule (consultation deadline or plenary vote): available on request

Indicative process: questionnaire design (3–5 days) → client approval and tests (2–3 days) → fieldwork (5–7 days) → analysis and report (5–7 days).

Does The Cypress offer multi-country/multi-language studies?

Yes, The Cypress offers multi-country and multi-language studies without the need to differentiate the audience, and with not additional costs

With partners' softwares there is not the necessity to have different questionnaires, as translations will be covered automatically with AIMI projects.

How do I start a research project with The Cypress?

The process starts with a brief conversation (typically 20–30 minutes) to understand your research objectives, target audience, geography, timeline, and budget.

From that conversation, The CYPRESS prepares a written research proposal including study design, sample specification, methodology, timeline, and fixed-price cost. Once the proposal is approved and a research agreement is signed, fieldwork begins.

From first conversation to proposal is typically completed within 48–72 hours.

What are the main steps of a research project with The Cypress?

A traditional ad-hoc project with The Cypress covers the following steps:

Kickoff Meeting: an initial 20–30 minute meeting to define the research objectives, target audience, timeline, and budget.
Questionnaire Definition: Design the structured questionnaire or interview guide based on the agreed objectives
Client Check: Share the draft questionnaire with the client for feedback, revisions, and final sign-off
Informatization: Program and digitize the approved questionnaire into the online survey software or platform
Tests: Perform quality assurance testing to verify survey logic, branching, user experience, and language accuracy
Fieldwork: Launch data collection and field the survey to the target respondent sample
Analyses: Process, clean, and analyze the collected quantitative and qualitative data
Reporting & PPT: Synthesize the key insights into a formal research report and structured presentation deck (PPT)