Data privacy policy

Introduction

This Policy sets out the obligations of Consultiv Utilities Limited, regarding data protection and the rights of its customers and employees (in this context, “employee data subjects”) in respect of their personal data under EU Regulation 2016/679 General Data Protection Regulation incorporated into domestic legislation by virtue of the Data Protection Act 2018 (the “UK GDPR”).

This privacy policy notice is served by Consultiv Utilities, 12 Merchant House, Merchant Court, Monkton Business Park, Hebburn, NE31 2EX, under the website; www.consultivutilities.com . The purpose of this policy is to explain to you how we control, process, handle and protect your personal information through the business and while you browse or use this website. If you do not agree to the following policy you may wish to cease viewing / using this website, and or refrain from submitting your personal data to us.

The UK GDPR defines “personal data” as any information relating to an identified or identifiable natural person (a “data subject”); an identifiable natural person is one who can be identified, directly or indirectly, in particular by reference to an identifier such as a name, an identification number, location data, an online identifier, or to one or more factors specific to the physical, physiological, genetic, mental, economic, cultural, or social identity of that natural person.

This Policy sets the Company’s obligations regarding the collection, processing, transfer, storage, and disposal of personal data relating to employee data subjects. The procedures and principles set out herein must be followed at all times by the Company, its employees, agents, contractors, or other parties working on behalf of the Company.

The Company is committed not only to the letter of the law, but also to the spirit of the law and places high importance on the correct, lawful, and fair handling of all personal data, respecting the legal rights, privacy, and trust of all individuals with whom it deals.

2. The Data Protection Principles

This Policy aims to ensure compliance with the UK GDPR. The UK GDPR sets out the following principles with which any party handling personal data must comply.

All personal data must be:

2.1 Processed lawfully, fairly, and in a transparent manner in relation to the data subject.

2.2 Collected for specified, explicit, and legitimate purposes and not further processed in a manner that is incompatible with those purposes. Further processing for archiving purposes in the public interest, scientific or historical research purposes or statistical purposes shall not be considered to be incompatible with the initial purposes.

2.3 Adequate, relevant, and limited to what is necessary in relation to the purposes for which it is processed.

2.4 Accurate and, where necessary, kept up to date. Every reasonable step must be taken to ensure that personal data that is inaccurate, having regard to the purposes for which it is processed, is erased, or rectified without delay.

2.5 Kept in a form which permits identification of data subjects for no longer than is necessary for the purposes for which the personal data is processed. Personal data may be stored for longer periods insofar as the personal data will be processed solely for archiving purposes in the public interest, scientific or historical research purposes, or statistical purposes, subject to implementation of the appropriate technical and organisational measures required by the UK GDPR in order to safeguard the rights and freedoms of the data subject.

2.6 Processed in a manner that ensures appropriate security of the personal data, including protection against unauthorised or unlawful processing and against accidental loss, destruction, or damage, using appropriate technical or organisational measures.

3. The Rights of Data Subjects

The UK GDPR sets out the following rights applicable to data subjects (please refer to the parts of this policy indicated for further details):

3.1 The right to be informed;

3.2 The right of access;

3.3 The right to rectification;

3.4 The right to erasure (also known as the ‘right to be forgotten’);

3.5 The right to restrict processing;

3.6 The right to data portability;

3.7 The right to object; and

3.8 Rights with respect to automated decision-making and profiling.

4. Lawful, Fair, and Transparent Data Processing

4.1 The UK GDPR seeks to ensure that personal data is processed lawfully, fairly, and transparently, without adversely affecting the rights of the data subject. The UK GDPR states that processing of personal data shall be lawful if at least one of the following applies:

4.1.1 The data subject has given consent to the processing of their personal data for one or more specific purposes;

4.1.2 The processing is necessary for the performance of a contract to which the data subject is a party, or in order to take steps at the request of the data subject prior to entering into a contract with them;

4.1.3 The processing is necessary for compliance with a legal obligation to which the data controller is subject;

4.1.4 The processing is necessary to protect the vital interests of the data subject or of another natural person;

4.1.5 The processing is necessary for the performance of a task carried out in the public interest or in the exercise of official authority vested in the data controller; or

4.1.6 The processing is necessary for the purposes of the legitimate interests pursued by the data controller or by a third party, except where such interests are overridden by the fundamental rights and freedoms of the data subject which require protection of personal data, in particular where the data subject is a child.

4.2 If the personal data in question is “special category data” (also known as “sensitive personal data” (for example, data concerning the data subject’s race, ethnicity, politics, religion, trade union membership, genetics, biometrics (if used for ID purposes), health, sex life, or sexual orientation).

We will rely upon your explicit consent as our legal basis for processing this information.

5. Specified, Explicit, and Legitimate Purposes

5.1 The Company collects and processes the personal data set out in Parts 21 to 25 of this Policy. This includes:

5.1.1 Personal data collected directly from employee data subjects and

5.1.2 Personal data obtained from third parties.

5.2 The specific purposes for which the Company collects, processes, and holds such personal data are set out in Parts 21 to 25 of this Policy (or for other purposes expressly permitted by the UK GDPR).

5.3 Employee data subjects are kept informed at all times of the purpose or purposes for which the Company uses their personal data. Please refer to Part 12 for more information on keeping data subjects informed.

6. Adequate, Relevant, and Limited Data Processing

The Company will only collect and process personal data for and to the extent necessary for the specific purpose or purposes of which employee data subjects have been informed (or will be informed) as under Part 5, above, and as set out in Parts 21 to 25, below.

7. Accuracy of Data and Keeping Data Up-to-Date

7.1 The Company shall ensure that all personal data collected, processed, and held by it is kept accurate and up-to-date. This includes, but is not limited to, the rectification of personal data at the request of an employee data subject, as set out in Part 14, below.

7.2 The accuracy of personal data shall be checked when it is collected and at six months intervals thereafter. If any personal data is found to be inaccurate or out-of-date, all reasonable steps will be taken without delay to amend or erase that data, as appropriate. It is the responsibility of the employee to ensure that they have provided the company with their most up to date personal information and contact details.

8. Data Retention

8.1 The Company shall not keep personal data for any longer than is necessary in light of the purpose or purposes for which that personal data was originally collected, held, and processed.

8.2 When personal data is no longer required, all reasonable steps will be taken to erase or otherwise dispose of it without delay.

8.3 For full details of the Company’s approach to data retention, including retention periods for specific personal data types held by the Company, please refer to our Data & Document Retention Policy.

9. Secure Processing

The Company shall ensure that all personal data collected, held, and processed is kept secure and protected against unauthorised or unlawful processing and against accidental loss, destruction, or damage. Further details of the technical and organisational measures which shall be taken are provided in Parts 26 to 30 of this Policy.

Under the UK GDPR we control and / or process any personal information about you electronically using the following lawful bases.

9.1 Consultiv Utilities Limited are registered with the ICO, Registration number ZA292231

9.2 We process your information in the following ways: Sole trader details may be obtained for credit vetting by a supplier, we will require such personal information, such as Date of Birth and Home address. If a Direct Debit is required, sort code and account numbers will be processed by the chosen (Third Party) supplier, as referenced on Consultiv Utilities Letter of Authority.

9.3 Data retention period: Consultiv Utilities shall not keep personal data for any longer than is necessary in light of the purpose for which the personal data was originally obtained, held and processed. When personal data is no longer needed, all reasonable steps will be taken to remove and erase of all details without delay. Your data will be retained by Consultiv Utilities on the lawful basis of the contract being agreed and for the duration of such contract. Please see more information under ‘your Individual rights’ regarding your data.

9.4 Sharing your information: We do not share your information with third parties, other than the supplier you agreed a contract with.

If, as determined by us, the lawful basis upon which we process your personal information changes, we will notify you about the change and any new lawful basis to be used if required. We shall stop processing your personal information if the lawful basis used is no longer relevant.

10. Accountability and Record-Keeping

10.1 The Company’s Data Protection Officer is Andy Thom, andy.thom@ConsultivUtilities.com.

10.2 The Data Protection Officer shall be responsible, working together with the HR Department, for overseeing the implementation of this Policy and for monitoring compliance with this Policy, the Company’s other employment and data protection related policies, and with the UK GDPR and other applicable data protection legislation.

10.3 The Company shall keep written internal records of all personal data collection, holding, and processing, which shall incorporate the following information:

10.3.1 The name and details of the Company, its Data Protection Officer, and any applicable third-party data processors;

10.3.2 The purposes for which the Company collects, holds, and processes personal data;

10.3.3 Details of the categories of personal data collected, held, and processed by the Company, and the categories of employee data subject to which that personal data relates;

10.3.4 Details of any transfers of personal data to non-EEA countries including all mechanisms and security safeguards;

10.3.5 Details of how long personal data will be retained by the Company (please refer to the Company’s Data & Document Retention Policy); and

10.3.6 Detailed descriptions of all technical and organisational measures taken by the Company to ensure the security of personal data.

11. Data Protection Impact Assessments

11.1 The Company shall carry out Data Protection Impact Assessments for any and all new projects and/or new uses of personal data which involve the use of new technologies and the processing involved is likely to result in a high risk to the rights and freedoms of employee data subjects under the UK GDPR.

11.2 Data Protection Impact Assessments shall be overseen by the Data Protection Officer and shall address the following:

11.2.1 The type(s) of personal data that will be collected, held, and processed;

11.2.2 The purpose(s) for which personal data is to be used;

11.2.3 The Company’s objectives;

11.2.4 How personal data is to be used;

11.2.5 The parties (internal and/or external) who are to be consulted;

11.2.6 The necessity and proportionality of the data processing with respect to the purpose(s) for which it is being processed;

11.2.7 Risks posed to employee data subjects;

11.2.8 Risks posed both within and to the Company; and

11.2.9 Proposed measures to minimise and handle identified risks.

12. Keeping Data Subjects Informed

12.1 The Company shall provide the information set out in Part 12.2 to every employee data subject:

12.1.1 Where personal data is collected directly from employee data subjects, those employee data subjects will be informed of its purpose at the time of collection; and

12.1.2 Where personal data is obtained from a third party, the relevant employee data subjects will be informed of its purpose: a) if the personal data is used to communicate with the employee data subject, when the first communication is made; or b) if the personal data is to be transferred to another party, before that transfer is made; or c) as soon as reasonably possible and in any event not more than one month after the personal data is obtained.

12.2 The following information shall be provided:

12.2.1 Details of the Company including, but not limited to, the identity of its Data Protection Officer;

12.2.2 The purpose(s) for which the personal data is being collected and will be processed (as detailed in Parts 21 to 25 of this Policy) and the legal basis justifying that collection and processing;

12.2.3 Where applicable, the legitimate interests upon which the Company is justifying its collection and processing of the personal data;

12.2.4 Where the personal data is not obtained directly from the employee data subject, the categories of personal data collected and processed;

12.2.5 Where the personal data is to be transferred to one or more third parties, details of those parties;

12.2.6 Where the personal data is to be transferred to a third party that is located outside of the UK or the European Economic Area (the “EEA”), details of that transfer, including but not limited to the safeguards in place (see Part 32 of this Policy for further details);

12.2.7 Details of data retention;

12.2.8 Details of the employee data subject’s rights under the UK GDPR;

12.2.9 Details of the employee data subject’s right to withdraw their consent to the Company’s processing of their personal data;

12.2.10 Details of the employee data subject’s right to complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office;

12.2.11 Where applicable, details of any legal or contractual requirement or obligation necessitating the collection and processing of the personal data and details of any consequences of failing to provide it; and

12.2.12 Details of any automated decision-making or profiling that will take place using the personal data, including information on how decisions will be made, the significance of those decisions, and any consequences.

13. Data Subject Access

13.1 Employee data subjects may make subject access requests (“SARs”) at any time to find out more about the personal data which the Company holds about them, what it is doing with that personal data, and why.

13.2 Employees wishing to make a SAR should do so by sending their request via email to the data protection officer.

13.3 Responses to SARs shall normally be made within one month of receipt, however this may be extended by up to two months if the SAR is complex and/or numerous requests are made. If such additional time is required, the employee data subject shall be informed.

13.4 All employee SARs received shall be handled by the Company’s Data Protection Officer in collaboration with the HR Team.

13.5 The Company does not charge a fee for the handling of normal SARs. The Company reserves the right to charge reasonable fees for additional copies of information that has already been supplied to an employee data subject, and for requests that are manifestly unfounded or excessive, particularly where such requests are repetitive.

14. Rectification of Personal Data

14.1 Employee data subjects have the right to require the Company to rectify any of their personal data that is inaccurate or incomplete.

14.2 The Company shall rectify the personal data in question, and inform the employee data subject of that rectification, within one month of the employee data subject informing the Company of the issue. The period can be extended by up to two months in the case of complex requests. If such additional time is required, the employee data subject shall be informed.

14.3 In the event that any affected personal data has been disclosed to third parties, those parties shall be informed of any rectification that must be made to that personal data.

15. Erasure of Personal Data

15.1 Employee data subjects have the right to request that the Company erases the personal data it holds about them in the following circumstances:

15.1.1 It is no longer necessary for the Company to hold that personal data with respect to the purpose(s) for which it was originally collected or processed;

15.1.2 The employee data subject wishes to withdraw their consent to the Company holding and processing their personal data;

15.1.3 The employee data subject objects to the Company holding and processing their personal data (and there is no overriding legitimate interest to allow the Company to continue doing so) (see Part 18 of this Policy for further details concerning the right to object);

15.1.4 The personal data has been processed unlawfully;

15.1.5 The personal data needs to be erased in order for the Company to comply with a particular legal obligation.

15.2 Unless the Company has reasonable grounds to refuse to erase personal data, all requests for erasure shall be complied with, and the employee data subject informed of the erasure, within one month of receipt of the employee data subject’s request. The period can be extended by up to two months in the case of complex requests. If such additional time is required, the employee data subject shall be informed.

15.3 In the event that any personal data that is to be erased in response to an employee data subject’s request has been disclosed to third parties, those parties shall be informed of the erasure (unless it is impossible or would require disproportionate effort to do so).

16. Restriction of Personal Data Processing

16.1 Employee data subjects may request that the Company ceases processing the personal data it holds about them. If an employee data subject makes such a request, the Company shall retain only the amount of personal data concerning that data subject (if any) that is necessary to ensure that the personal data in question is not processed further.

16.2 In the event that any affected personal data has been disclosed to third parties, those parties shall be informed of the applicable restrictions on processing it (unless it is impossible or would require disproportionate effort to do so).

17. Data Portability

17.1 Where employee data subjects have given their consent to the Company to process their personal data in such a manner, or the processing is otherwise required for the performance of a contract between the Company and the employee data subject, employee data subjects have the right, under the UK GDPR, to receive a copy of their personal data and to use it for other purposes.

17.2 To facilitate the right of data portability, the Company shall make available all applicable personal data to employee data subjects in the following format:

17.2.1 Data would be made available in PDF format.

17.3 Where technically feasible, if requested by an employee data subject, personal data shall be sent directly to the required data controller.

17.4 All requests for copies of personal data shall be complied with within one month of the employee data subject’s request. The period can be extended by up to two months in the case of complex or numerous requests. If such additional time is required, the employee data subject shall be informed.

18. Objections to Personal Data Processing

18.1 Employee data subjects have the right to object to the Company processing their personal data based on legitimate interests, direct marketing (including profiling), and processing for scientific and/or historical research and statistics purposes.

18.2 Where an employee data subject objects to the Company processing their personal data based on its legitimate interests, the Company shall cease such processing immediately, unless it can be demonstrated that the Company’s legitimate grounds for such processing override the employee data subject’s interests, rights, and freedoms, or that the processing is necessary for the conduct of legal claims.

18.3 Where an employee data subject objects to the Company processing their personal data for direct marketing purposes, the Company shall cease such processing immediately.

18.4 Where an employee data subject objects to the Company processing their personal data for scientific and/or historical research and statistics purposes, the employee data subject must, under the UK GDPR, “demonstrate grounds relating to their particular situation”. The Company is not required to comply if the research is necessary for the performance of a task carried out for reasons of public interest.

19. Profiling

19.1 The Company uses personal data for profiling purposes with respect to its employees.

19.2 When personal data is used for profiling purposes, the following shall apply:

19.2.1 Clear information explaining the profiling shall be provided to employee data subjects, including the significance and likely consequences of the profiling;

19.2.2 Appropriate mathematical or statistical procedures shall be used;

19.2.3 Technical and organisational measures shall be implemented to minimise the risk of errors. If errors occur, such measures must enable them to be easily corrected; and

19.2.4 All personal data processed for profiling purposes shall be secured in order to prevent discriminatory effects arising out of profiling (see Parts 26 to 30 of this Policy for more details on data security).

20. Employee Personal Data

The Company holds personal data that is directly relevant to its employees. That personal data shall be collected, held, and processed in accordance with employee data subjects’ rights and the Company’s obligations under the UK GDPR and with this Policy. The Company may collect, hold, and process the personal data detailed in Parts 21 to 25 of this Policy:

20.1 Identification information relating to employees:

20.1.1 Name;

20.1.2 Contact Details;

20.1.3 Next of Kin

20.1.4 Bank Details

20.1.5 P45/46

20.1.6 Annual Leave

20.2 Equal opportunities monitoring information:

20.2.1 Age;

20.2.2 Gender;

20.2.3 Ethnicity;

20.2.4 Nationality;

20.2.5 Religion;

20.3 Health records (Please refer to Part 22, below, for further information):

20.3.1 Details of sick leave;

20.3.2 Medical conditions;

20.3.3 Disabilities;

20.3.4 Prescribed medication;

20.4 Employment records:

20.4.1 Interview notes;

20.4.2 CVs, application forms, covering letters, and similar documents;

20.4.3 Assessments, performance reviews, and similar documents;

20.4.4 Details of remuneration including salaries, pay increases, bonuses, commission, overtime, benefits, and expenses;

20.4.5 Details of trade union membership (where applicable) (please refer to Part 24, below, for further information);

20.4.6 Employee monitoring information (please refer to Part 25, below, for further information);

20.4.7 Records of disciplinary matters including reports and warnings, both formal and informal;

20.4.8 Details of grievances including documentary evidence, notes from interviews, procedures followed, and outcomes;

20.4.9 Training provided to employee.

21. Health Records

21.1 The Company holds health records on all employee data subjects which are used to assess the health, wellbeing, and welfare of employees and to highlight any issues which may require further investigation. In particular, the Company places a high priority on maintaining health and safety in the workplace, on promoting equal opportunities, and on preventing discrimination on the grounds of disability or other medical conditions. In most cases, health data on employees falls within the UK GDPR’s definition of special category data (see Part 4 of this Policy for a definition). Any and all data relating to employee data subjects’ health, therefore, will be collected, held, and processed strictly in accordance with the conditions for processing special category personal data, as set out in Part 4 of this Policy. No special category personal data will be collected, held, or processed without the relevant employee data subject’s explicit consent.

21.2 Health records shall be accessible and used only by the HR Team and shall not be revealed to other employees, agents, contractors, or other parties working on behalf of the Company without the express consent of the employee data subject(s) to whom such data relates, except in exceptional circumstances where the wellbeing of the employee data subject(s) to whom the data relates is at stake and such circumstances satisfy one or more of the conditions set out in Part 4.2 of this Policy.

21.3 Health records will only be collected, held, and processed to the extent required to ensure that employees are able to perform their work correctly, legally, safely, and without unlawful or unfair impediments or discrimination.

21.4 Employee data subjects have the right to request that the Company does not keep health records about them. All such requests must be made in writing and addressed to HR.

22. Benefits

22.1 In cases where employee data subjects are enrolled in benefit schemes which are provided by the Company, it may be necessary from time to time for third party organisations to collect personal data from relevant employee data subjects.

22.2 Prior to the collection of such data, employee data subjects will be fully informed of the personal data that is to be collected, the reasons for its collection, and the way(s) in which it will be processed, as per the information requirements set out in Part 12 of this Policy.

22.3 The Company shall not use any such personal data except insofar as is necessary in the administration of the relevant benefits schemes.

23. Employee Monitoring

23.1 The Company may from time to time monitor the activities of employee data subjects. Such monitoring may include, but will not necessarily be limited to, internet and email monitoring. In the event that monitoring of any kind is to take place (unless exceptional circumstances, such as the investigation of criminal activity or a matter of equal severity, justify covert monitoring), employee data subjects will be informed of the exact nature of the monitoring in advance.

23.2 Monitoring should not impact (unless exceptional circumstances justify it, as above) with an employee’s normal duties.

23.3 Monitoring will only take place if the Company considers that it is necessary to achieve the benefit it is intended to achieve. Personal data collected during any such monitoring will only be collected, held, and processed for reasons directly related to (and necessary for) achieving the intended result and, at all times, in accordance with employee data subjects’ rights and the Company’s obligations under the UK GDPR.

23.4 The Company shall ensure that there is no unnecessary intrusion upon employee data subjects’ personal communications or activities, and under no circumstances will monitoring take place outside of an employee data subject’s normal place of work or work hours, unless the employee data subject in question is using Company equipment or other facilities including, but not limited to, Company email, the Company intranet, or a virtual private network (“VPN”) service provided by the Company for employee use.

24. Transferring Personal Data and Communications

The Company shall ensure that the following measures are taken with respect to all communications and other transfers involving personal data (including, but not limited to, personal data relating to employees):

24.1 All emails containing personal data must be encrypted;

24.2 All emails containing personal data must be marked “confidential”;

24.3 Personal data may be transmitted over secure networks only; transmission over unsecured networks is not permitted in any circumstances;

24.4 Personal data may not be transmitted over a wireless network if there is a wired alternative that is reasonably practicable;

24.5 Personal data contained in the body of an email, whether sent or received, should be copied from the body of that email and stored securely. The email itself should be deleted. All temporary files associated therewith should also be deleted using deletion from Outlook;

24.6 Where personal data is to be transferred in hardcopy form it should be passed directly to the recipient or sent using Royal Mail Recorded; and

24.7 All personal data to be transferred physically, whether in hardcopy form or on removable electronic media shall be transferred in a suitable container marked “confidential”.

25. Storage and disposal

The Company shall ensure that the following measures are taken with respect to the storage of personal data (including, but not limited to, personal data relating to employees):

25.1 All electronic copies of personal data should be stored securely using passwords and AES encryption data encryption;

25.2 All hardcopies of personal data, along with any electronic copies stored on physical, removable media should be stored securely in a locked box, drawer, cabinet, or similar;

25.3 All personal data stored electronically should be backed up daily with backup’s stored offsite. All backups should be encrypted using AES;

25.4 No personal data should be stored on any mobile device (including, but not limited to, laptops, tablets, and smartphones), whether such device belongs to the Company or otherwise without the formal written approval of the company’s IT Manager and, in the event of such approval, strictly in accordance with all instructions and limitations described at the time the approval is given, and for no longer than is absolutely necessary; and

25.5 No personal data should be transferred to any device personally belonging to an employee and personal data may only be transferred to devices belonging to agents, contractors, or other parties working on behalf of the Company where the party in question has agreed to comply fully with the letter and spirit of this Policy and of the UK GDPR (which may include demonstrating to the Company that all suitable technical and organisational measures have been taken).

25.6 Disposal – When any personal data is to be erased or otherwise disposed of for any reason (including where copies have been made and are no longer needed), it should be securely deleted and disposed of. For further information on the deletion and disposal of personal data, please refer to the Company’s Data & Document Retention Policy.

26. Use of Personal Data

The Company shall ensure that the following measures are taken with respect to the use of personal data:

26.1 No personal data may be shared informally and if an employee, agent, sub-contractor, or other party working on behalf of the Company requires access to any personal data that they do not already have access to, such access should be formally requested from the company’s Data Protection Officer;

26.2 No personal data may be transferred to any employees, agents, contractors, or other parties, whether such parties are working on behalf of the Company or not, without the authorisation of the company’s Data Protection Officer;

26.3 Personal data must be handled with care at all times and should not be left unattended or on view to unauthorised employees, agents, sub-contractors, or other parties at any time;

26.4 If personal data is being viewed on a computer screen and the computer in question is to be left unattended for any period of time, the user must lock the computer and screen before leaving it; and

26.5 Where personal data held by the Company is used for marketing purposes, it shall be the responsibility of the HR Team to ensure that the appropriate consent is obtained and that no employee data subjects have opted out, whether directly or via a third-party service such as the TPS.

27. IT Security

The Company shall ensure that the following measures are taken with respect to IT and information security:

27.1 All passwords used to protect personal data should be changed regularly and should not use words or phrases that can be easily guessed or otherwise compromised. All passwords must contain a combination of uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols. All software used by the Company is designed to require such passwords.;

27.2 Under no circumstances should any passwords be written down or shared between any employees, agents, contractors, or other parties working on behalf of the Company, irrespective of seniority or department. If a password is forgotten, it must be reset using the applicable method. IT staff do not have access to passwords;

27.3 All software (including, but not limited to, applications and operating systems) shall be kept up-to-date. The Company’s IT staff shall be responsible for installing any and all security-related updates not more than 90 days after the updates are made available by the publisher or manufacturer.

28.4 No software may be installed on any Company-owned computer or device without the prior approval of the IT Manager.

28. Organisational Measures

The Company shall ensure that the following measures are taken with respect to the collection, holding, and processing of personal data:

28.1 All employees, agents, contractors, or other parties working on behalf of the Company shall be made fully aware of both their individual responsibilities and the Company’s responsibilities under the UK GDPR and under this Policy, and shall be provided with a copy of this Policy;

28.2 Only employees, agents, sub-contractors, or other parties working on behalf of the Company that need access to, and use of, personal data in order to carry out their assigned duties correctly shall have access to personal data held by the Company;

28.3 All employees, agents, contractors, or other parties working on behalf of the Company handling personal data will be appropriately trained to do so;

28.4 All employees, agents, contractors, or other parties working on behalf of the Company handling personal data will be appropriately supervised;

28.5 All employees, agents, contractors, or other parties working on behalf of the Company handling personal data shall be required and encouraged to exercise care, caution, and discretion when discussing work-related matters that relate to personal data, whether in the workplace or otherwise;

28.6 Methods of collecting, holding, and processing personal data shall be regularly evaluated and reviewed;

28.7 All personal data held by the Company shall be reviewed periodically, as set out in the Company’s Data & Document Retention Policy;

28.8 The performance of those employees, agents, contractors, or other parties working on behalf of the Company handling personal data shall be regularly evaluated and reviewed;

28.9 All employees, agents, contractors, or other parties working on behalf of the Company handling personal data will be bound to do so in accordance with the principles of the UK GDPR and this Policy by contract;

28.10 All agents, contractors, or other parties working on behalf of the Company handling personal data must ensure that any and all of their employees who are involved in the processing of personal data are held to the same conditions as those relevant employees of the Company arising out of this Policy and the UK GDPR; and

28.11 Where any agent, contractor or other party working on behalf of the Company handling personal data fails in their obligations under this Policy that party shall indemnify and hold harmless the Company against any costs, liability, damages, loss, claims or proceedings which may arise out of that failure.

29. Transferring Personal Data to a Country Outside the UK

29.1 The Company may from time to time transfer (‘transfer’ includes making available remotely) personal data to countries outside of the UK.

29.2 The transfer of personal data to a country outside of the UK shall take place only if one or more of the following applies:

29.2.1 The transfer is to a country, territory, or one or more specific sectors in that country (or an international organisation), that the European Commission has determined ensures an adequate level of protection for personal data;

29.2.2 The transfer is to a country (or international organisation) which provides appropriate safeguards in the form of a legally binding agreement between public authorities or bodies; binding corporate rules; standard data protection clauses adopted by the European Commission; compliance with an approved code of conduct approved by a supervisory authority (e.g. the Information Commissioner’s Office); certification under an approved certification mechanism (as provided for in the UK GDPR); contractual clauses agreed and authorised by the competent supervisory authority; or provisions inserted into administrative arrangements between public authorities or bodies authorised by the competent supervisory authority;

29.2.3 The transfer is made with the informed consent of the relevant employee data subject(s);

29.2.4 The transfer is necessary for the performance of a contract between the employee data subject and the Company (or for pre-contractual steps taken at the request of the employee data subject);

29.2.5 The transfer is necessary for important public interest reasons;

29.2.6 The transfer is necessary for the conduct of legal claims;

29.2.7 The transfer is necessary to protect the vital interests of the employee data subject or other individuals where the employee data subject is physically or legally unable to give their consent; or

29.2.8 The transfer is made from a register that, under UK law, is intended to provide information to the public and which is open for access by the public in general or otherwise to those who are able to show a legitimate interest in accessing the register.

30. Data Breach Notification

30.1 All personal data breaches must be reported immediately to the Company’s Data Protection Officer.

30.2 If a personal data breach occurs and that breach is likely to result in a risk to the rights and freedoms of employee data subjects (e.g. financial loss, breach of confidentiality, discrimination, reputational damage, or other significant social or economic damage), the Data Protection Officer must ensure that the Information Commissioner’s Office is informed of the breach without delay, and in any event, within 72 hours after having become aware of it.

30.3 In the event that a personal data breach is likely to result in a high risk (that is, a higher risk than that described under Part 28.2) to the rights and freedoms of employee data subjects, the Data Protection Officer must ensure that all affected employee data subjects are informed of the breach directly and without undue delay.

30.4 Data breach notifications shall include the following information:

30.4.1 The categories and approximate number of employee data subjects concerned;

30.4.2 The categories and approximate number of personal data records concerned;

30.4.3 The name and contact details of the Company’s data protection officer (or other contact point where more information can be obtained);

30.4.4 The likely consequences of the breach;

30.4.5 Details of the measures taken, or proposed to be taken, by the Company to address the breach including, where appropriate, measures to mitigate its possible adverse effects.

31. Additional Key points

31.1 Internet cookies – We use cookies on this website to provide you with a better user experience. We do this by placing a small text file on your device / computer hard drive to track how you use the website, to record or log whether you have seen particular messages that we display, to keep you logged into the website where applicable, to display relevant adverts or content, referred you to a third party website.

Some cookies are required to enjoy and use the full functionality of this website.

We use a cookie control system which allows you to accept the use of cookies, and control which cookies are saved to your device / computer. Some cookies will be saved for specific time periods, where others may last indefinitely. Your web browser should provide you with the controls to manage and delete cookies from your device, please see your web browser options.

31.2 Sponsored links, affiliate tracking & commissions – In future, our website may contain adverts, sponsored and affiliate links on some pages. These will typically be served through advertising partners. We would only use trusted advertising partners who each have high standards of user privacy and security. However we will not control the actual adverts seen / displayed by our advertising partners. Our ad partners may collect data and use cookies for ad personalisation and measurement. Where ad preferences are requested as ‘non-personalised’ cookies may still be used for frequency capping, aggregated ad reporting and to combat fraud and abuse.

Clicking on any adverts, sponsored or affiliate links may track your actions by using a cookie saved to your device. You can read more about cookies on this website above. Your actions are usually recorded as a referral from our website by this cookie. In most cases we earn a very small commission from the advertiser or advertising partner, at no cost to you, whether you make a purchase on their website or not.

We may advertising partners in these ways to help generate an income from the website, which allows us to continue our work and provide you with the best overall experience and valued information.

If you have any concerns about this, we suggest you do not click on any adverts, sponsored or affiliate links found throughout the website.

31.3 Email marketing messages & subscription – Under the UK GDPR we use the consent lawful basis for anyone subscribing to our newsletter or marketing mailing list. We only collect certain data about you, as detailed in the “Processing of your personal data” above. Any email marketing messages we send are done so through an EMS, email marketing service provider. An EMS is a third party service provider of software / applications that allows marketers to send out email marketing campaigns to a list of users.

Email marketing messages that we send may contain tracking beacons / tracked clickable links or similar server technologies in order to track subscriber activity within email marketing messages. Where used, such marketing messages may record a range of data such as; times, dates, I.P addresses, opens, clicks, forwards, geographic and demographic data. Such data, within its limitations will show the activity each subscriber made for that email campaign.

Any email marketing messages we send are in accordance with the UK GDPR and the PECR. We provide you with an easy method to withdraw your consent (unsubscribe) or manage your preferences / the information we hold about you at any time. See any marketing messages for instructions on how to unsubscribe or manage your preferences, you can also opt to unsubscribe by following the relevant link.

32. Complaints process

If you have a complaint about how we have handled your personal information, you may contact our Data Protection Officer using the details below and we will investigate your complaint. In addition to the rights listed above, you also have a right to complain to the relevant data protection authority. Under data protection law, you have a right to complain about our handling of your personal information to the data protection authority, which in the UK is the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO).

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, please contact our Data Protection Officer, Andy Thom, using the following contact details: