INTRODUCTION
AFB (“we”, “us”, or “our”) is committed to protecting and respecting the personal data that we hold. This privacy statement describes why and how we collect and use personal data and provides information about individuals’ rights. It applies to personal data provided to us, both by individuals themselves or by others. We may use personal data provided to us for the purposes described in this privacy statement or as made clear before collecting personal data.
Personal data is any information relating to an identified or identifiable living person. When collecting and using personal data, our policy is to be transparent about why and how we process personal data.
We process personal data for numerous purposes, and the means of collection, lawful basis of processing, use, disclosure, and retention periods for each purpose are set out in the relevant sections below.
The personal data that is provided to us is provided either directly from the individual concerned, from a third party acting on behalf of an individual, or from publicly available sources (such as internet searches, Companies House).
SECURITY
We take the security of all the data we hold seriously. Staff are trained on data protection, confidentiality and security.
We have a framework of policies and procedures which ensure we regularly review the appropriateness of the measures we have in place to keep the data we hold secure.
All information that is provided to us is stored on our secure servers.
Unfortunately, the transmission of information via the internet is not completely secure. Although we will do our best to protect your personal data, we cannot guarantee the security of your data transmitted to our site; any transmission is at your own risk. Once we have received your information, we will use strict procedures and security features to try to prevent unauthorised access.
1 DATA THAT WE HOLD
1.1 PROFESSIONAL SERVICES
We provide services to individuals as well as businesses. The exact data held will depend on the services to be provided.
Where we engage with clients for professional services, we may collect and process personal data to satisfy a contractual obligation. We request that clients only provide the personal data that is required for us to fulfil our contractual obligation.
1.1.1 Why do we process data?
Where data is collected for professional services, it is used for a number of purposes, as follows;
- Providing services to clients. Data is processed in accordance with our letter of engagement between our clients and us, and may sometimes be further clarified in written documentation supplied before any data processing may occur. We provide a range of professional services to our clients, which includes;
- Client management. When communicating with and assessing the needs of clients, personal data may be processed in order to ensure that their needs are appropriately satisfied. This may include assessing whether the collection of services are provided to our clients are appropriate.
- Administration. In order to manage and administer our business and services, we may collect and process personal data. This may include (but is not limited to) maintaining internal business records, managing client relationships, hosting events, administering client facing applications, and maintaining internal operating processes.
- Regulatory. In order to undertake professional services, we may from time to time be required to collect and process personal data in order to fulfil regulatory, legal or ethical requirements. This may include (but is not limited to) the verification of identity of individuals.
1.1.2 What data is processed?
The data that is processed is dependent on the service that is being provided and on the recipient of this service.
- Services to businesses, and other organisations. We process the personal data of individuals associated with our clients. Personal data may include any relevant financial or non-financial information necessary for us to provide our services. As an example, this may include contact details, payroll data, employee information (including details about dismissal), lists of shareholders, customers and suppliers and any other specifically relevant data.
- Services to individuals. Personal data may include contact details and tax identifiers, information about business activities, investments, and other financial interests, payroll and other income, and any other specifically relevant data.
1.1.3 How long do we hold data for?
We retain the personal data processed by us in a live environment for as long as is considered necessary for the purpose(s) for which it was collected (including as required by applicable law or regulation, typically 6 years). We may keep data for longer to establish, exercise, or defend our legal rights and the legal rights of our clients.
In addition, personal data may be securely archived with restricted access and other appropriate safeguards where there is a need to continue to retain it.
1.2 BUSINESS CONTACTS
Personal data from our contacts, which covers both potential and prior customers, as well as potential and prior employees, are held in our customer relationship management tool (CRM tool).
This information is entered into the system after contact is made between a staff member of AFB and a business contact individual.
We use technology to profile our business contacts, so that we can assess the health of our relationship with our business contacts. We will rely on the appropriate condition for processing data.
1.2.1 Why do we process data?
Where personal data on business contacts is held, it is used for a number of purposes, as follows;
- Promote and develop our offerings.
- Communication of technical updates.
- Hosting and facilitating of events.
- Relationship management.
- Administration and management.
1.2.2 What data do we hold?
Personal data that is stored in the CRM tool includes, but is not limited to, name, email address, physical address, job title, and details of the initial meeting.
In addition, personal data may be securely archived with restricted access and other appropriate safeguards where there is a need to continue to retain it.
1.2.3 How long do we hold data for?
1.2.3.1.1 Statement
We retain the personal data processed by us for as long as is considered necessary for the purpose(s) for which it was collected.
1.3 SUPPLIERS
We collect and process personal data about our suppliers, subcontractors, and individuals associated with them. The data is held to manage our relationship, to contract and receive services from them, and in some cases to provide professional services to our clients.
1.3.1 Why do we process data?
- Receiving goods and services. We process personal data in relation to our suppliers and their staff as necessary to receive the services.
- Providing services to our clients. Where a supplier is helping us to deliver professional services to our clients, we process personal data about the individuals involved in providing the services to administer and manage our relationship with the supplier and the relevant individuals and to provide such services to our clients.
- Administering, managing and developing our businesses and services. We process personal data to run our business, including:
- managing our relationship with suppliers;
- developing our businesses and services (such as identifying client needs and improvements in service delivery);
- maintaining and using IT systems;
- hosting or facilitating the hosting of events; and
- administering and managing our website and systems and applications.
- Security, quality and risk management activities. We have security measures in place to protect our and our clients’ information (including personal data), which involve detecting, investigating and resolving security threats. Personal data may be processed as part of the security monitoring that we undertake; for example, automated scans to identify harmful emails. We have policies and procedures in place to monitor the quality of our services and manage risks in relation to our suppliers. We collect and hold personal data as part of our supplier contracting procedures. We monitor the services provided for quality purposes, which may involve processing personal data.
- Promoting our services. We may use business contact details to provide information that we think will be of interest about us and our services. For example, industry updates and insights, other services that may be relevant and invites to events.
- Complying with any requirement of law, regulation or a professional body of which we are a member. We are subject to legal, regulatory and professional obligations. We need to keep certain records to show we comply with those obligations and those records may contain personal data.
1.3.2 What data do we hold?
We will hold supplier’s names, contacts names, and contact details of suppliers.
1.3.3 How long do we hold data for?
We retain the personal data processed by us for as long as is considered necessary for the purpose for which it was collected (including as required by applicable law or regulation). Data may be held for longer periods where required by law or regulation and in order to establish, exercise or defend our legal rights.
2 PEOPLE WHO VISIT OUR OFFICES AND WAREHOUSES
We have security in place at our offices and warehouses, for the physical security of client information and for the benefit of our staff.
To hold and process visitor details and CCTV footage, we believe it is a legitimate business interest that visitors are captured and controlled in this way.
2.1 WHY DO WE PROCESS DATA?
CCTV and building access controls and may require visitors to our offices to sign in at reception and keep a record of visitors. This is retained in case of theft or other incidents and to protect the staff and information in the office.
2.2 WHAT DATA DO WE HOLD?
Personal data that may be stored on CCTV will be footage of those visiting our offices.
Our visitor book may include name, business, times and car registration.
2.3 HOW LONG DO WE HOLD DATA FOR?
Visitor records are accessed on a need to know basis only. CCTV recordings are typically overwritten after a brief period of time unless we identify an issue requiring investigation.
3 PEOPLE WHO USE OUR WEBSITE
When people visit our website, personal data is collected both through automated tracking and interacting with various forms on the website.
Personal data may be collected when individuals fill in forms on our websites or by corresponding with us by phone, e-mail or otherwise. This includes information provided when an individual registers to use our websites, subscribe to our service, make an enquiry, comment on publication and report a problem with our websites.
When individuals visit our website, certain personal data may be automatically collected. We also work closely with third parties (including, for example, business partners, sub-contractors in technical, payment and delivery services, advertising networks, analytics providers, search information providers, credit reference agencies).
Often, individuals who visit our website additionally fall into another category as listed by this privacy statement. For instance, users of our websites may be current clients, business contacts or become clients in the future. Where this is the case, data held and processed for individuals who use our website may also become data that is held and processed for another purpose.
4 SHARING PERSONAL DATA
We will only share personal data with others when we are legally permitted to do so. When we share data with others, we put contractual arrangements and security mechanisms in place to protect the data and to comply with our data protection, confidentiality and security standards.
Personal data held by us may be transferred to:
Third party organisations that provide applications/functionality, data processing or IT services to us
We use third parties to support us in providing our services and to help provide, run and manage our internal IT systems. For example, providers of information technology, cloud-based software as a service provider, identity management, website hosting and management, data analysis, data back-up, security and storage services. The servers powering and facilitating that cloud infrastructure are in secure data centres around the world, and personal data may be stored in any one of them.
Third party organisations that otherwise assist us in providing goods, services or information
Auditors and other professional advisers
Law enforcement or regulatory agencies or those required by law or regulations
Occasionally, we may receive requests from third parties with authority to obtain disclosure of personal data, such as to check that we are complying with applicable law and regulation, to investigate an alleged crime, to establish, exercise or defend legal rights. We will only fulfil requests for personal data where we are permitted to do so in accordance with applicable law or regulation.
5 LOCATIONS OF PROCESSING
Where possible, personal data resides within the UK territory but may be transferred to, and stored at, a destination within the European Economic Area (EEA.
6 INDIVIDUAL’S RIGHTS
Individuals have certain rights over their personal data and data controllers are responsible for fulfilling these rights as follows:
- Individuals may request access to their personal data held by us as a data controller.
- Individuals may request us to rectify personal data submitted to us or, where appropriate, contact us via the relevant website registration page or by amending the personal details held on relevant applications with which they registered.
- Individuals may request that we erase their personal data
- Where we process personal data based on consent, individuals may withdraw their consent at any time by contacting us or clicking on the unsubscribe link in an email received from us.
- Individuals may have other rights to restrict or object to our processing of personal data and the right to data portability.
- Individuals may request information about, or human intervention into, any automated data processing that we may undertake.
If you wish to exercise any of these rights, please send an email to data@afb.co.uk.
7 COMPLAINTS
We hope that you won’t ever need to, but if you do want to complain about our use of personal data, please send an email with the details of your complaint to data@afb.co.uk. We will investigate and respond to any complaints we receive.
You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the UK data protection regulator, the Information Commissioner's Office (“ICO”). For further information on your rights and how to complain to the ICO, please refer to the ICO website https://ico.org.uk/concerns
8 CHANGES TO OUR PRIVACY STATEMENT
Updates to this privacy statement will appear on this website. This privacy statement was last updated on 10th April 2018.
