LIVING BRANDS RESEARCH PRIVACY POLICY

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Your privacy is extremely important to us. This policy outlines how Living Brands Ltd processes your personal data in accordance with the UK Data Protection Act 2018 and the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR). It explains what data we collect, why we collect it, how we use and share it, and your rights regarding your personal data.

 

1. DATA CONTROLLER

Living Brands is the data controller for the personal data processed under this policy.

 

2. HOW WE COLLECT PERSONAL DATA

Living Brands collects personal data through the following methods:

• Paper forms you complete

• Digital / Online Surveys and application forms you complete

• Our website living-brands.co.uk, including when you request to be contacted by us

• Emails and text messages you send to us, or that we send to you

• Conversations with you, in person or online

• Direct messages you send to us through social media

• Information from other organisations where you've given consent for them to share information about you with us or similar organisations, and where they can lawfully share this information

 

3. WHAT PERSONAL DATA WE COLLECT

We may collect and process the following types of personal data:

• Basic personal information (e.g., name, postcode, occupation, age, gender)

• Contact information (e.g., email address, phone number)

• Special category data (e.g., racial or ethnic origin, religious beliefs, health information) - only when necessary and with your explicit consent

• Demographic information (e.g., whether you have children)

• Account information (e.g., usernames, unique identification numbers)

• Bank Account number, Name or Sort Code or PayPal ID - As necessary in order to pay you for research participation

• Website usage data (e.g., pages viewed, links clicked, referral sources)

• Technical information about your devices (e.g., IP address, device model, operating system)

• Information about market research you participate in (e.g., time, date, location, topic)

 

While conducting market research, we may also collect audio and/or video recordings of interviews or focus group sessions. These recordings are used solely for research purposes and are treated with the same level of confidentiality and protection as other forms of personal data. We will only record such sessions with your explicit consent, and you will be informed prior to any recording taking place.

 

The recordings may be used for the following purposes:

• To ensure accuracy in the collection and interpretation of information provided

• For internal analysis and reporting to our clients

• To improve the quality of our research methodologies and services

 

We may share audio or video recordings with third-party clients commissioning the research, but only after anonymising the recordings to remove any personally identifiable information, unless explicit consent is provided otherwise.

 

You have the right to refuse the recording of any session and to request that any recordings made of you be deleted. If you wish to exercise this right, please contact us at hello@living-brands.co.uk.

 

4. LEGAL BASIS FOR PROCESSING

We process your personal data on the following legal bases:

• Consent: Where you have given clear consent for us to process your personal data for a specific purpose.

• Contract: Where processing is necessary for the performance of a contract with you or to take steps at your request before entering into a contract.

• Legitimate Interests: Where processing is necessary for our legitimate interests or those of a third party, except where such interests are overridden by your interests or fundamental rights and freedoms.

 

5. HOW WE USE YOUR PERSONAL DATA

We use the personal data we collect for the following purposes:

• To invite you to participate in market research projects

• To facilitate your participation in market research 

• To process and deliver incentives for participation

• To respond to your inquiries, complaints, or disputes

• To protect our business and users from fraudulent or unlawful activities

• To improve our services and user experience

• For recruitment purposes if you have applied for a position with us

• To comply with legal obligations and enforce our terms and conditions

 

6. WHO WE SHARE YOUR INFORMATION WITH

We may share your personal data with:

• Third-party companies commissioning market research you participate in

• Companies to facilitate incentive payments

• Our service providers and professional advisors

• Law enforcement or government authorities where legally required

• New business partners in the event of a joint venture, reorganisation, or sale

• We ensure that any third parties we share data with are contractually bound to protect your data in compliance with UK GDPR.

 

7. INTERNATIONAL TRANSFERS

If we transfer your personal data outside the UK or European Economic Area (EEA), we will ensure appropriate safeguards are in place to protect your data, such as Standard Contractual Clauses or adequacy decisions. We will seek your explicit consent before transferring your data to a client located outside the UK or EEA.

 

8. DATA RETENTION

We retain your personal data for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes for which it was collected, including for the purposes of satisfying any legal, accounting, or reporting requirements. 

For specific retention periods, please contact us at hello@living-brands.co.uk.

 

9. YOUR RIGHTS

Under the UK GDPR, you have the following rights:

• The right to be informed about our data processing activities

• The right of access to your personal data

• The right to rectification of inaccurate or incomplete data

• The right to erasure (the 'right to be forgotten')

• The right to restrict processing

• The right to data portability

• The right to object to processing

• Rights related to automated decision-making and profiling

• To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at hello@living-brands.co.uk. We will respond to your request within one month.

 

10. DATA SECURITY

We have implemented appropriate technical and organisational measures to ensure a level of security appropriate to the risk, including:

• Encryption of personal data where appropriate

• Regular testing and evaluation of our security measures

• Staff training on data protection and information security

• Data permanently deleted using iShredder

 

11. COOKIES AND SIMILAR TECHNOLOGIES

Our website uses cookies and similar technologies. For more information, please see our separate Cookie Policy here.

 

12. CHANGES TO THIS PRIVACY POLICY

We may update this privacy policy from time to time. We will notify you of any significant changes by posting the new policy on our website and, where appropriate, contacting you directly.

 

13. HOW TO CONTACT US

If you have any questions about this privacy policy or our data practices, please contact us at hello@living-brands.co.uk

 

14. RIGHT TO COMPLAIN

If you are unsatisfied with our response to any data protection issue, you have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO). You can contact the ICO at:

Website: https://ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint/

Phone: 0303 123 1113

 

 

Last updated: 12 September 2024

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