We are committed to protecting and respecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, and protect your personal information, the conditions under which we may disclose it to others, and your rights concerning your data. By using our website, you agree to the terms outlined in this policy.

General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Compliance

Our website and internal processes comply with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the UK Data Protection Act 2018. This includes ensuring your personal data is processed lawfully, fairly, and transparently, with safeguards in place to protect your information.

How We Collect Information

We collect personal information about you when you:

Visit our website and browse its pages.

Purchase products or make donations online.

Provide content, photos, or other materials on our platforms.

Information We Collect

The types of personal data we may collect include:

Identity Data: Name, age, gender, and ethnic background.

Contact Data: Email address, postal address, and phone number.

Wellbeing Data: Responses to the Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale (WEMWBS).

Technical Data: IP address, browser type, and information about your interactions with our website.

Media Data: Photos and content you create or upload to our sites.

Transactional Data: Records of donations or purchases made via our website.

If you provide payment details, these will be processed securely by third-party payment providers and not stored on our systems.

How We Use Your Information

We use your personal information to:

Fulfil contractual obligations, such as processing orders or donations.

Provide the products, services, or updates you have requested.

Seek feedback on our services and improve user experience.

Notify you about changes to our services or policies.

Send you marketing communications, where consent has been provided.

Analyse data to detect and prevent fraud or other illegal activities.

Develop aggregated reports and anonymised insights to support our organisational objectives.

Enrol you and enable your participation in PEEL if you have opted to do so.

Legal Basis for Processing Data

Under GDPR, we rely on the following legal grounds to process your data:

Consent: For marketing communications and collecting specific personal data.

Contractual Obligation: To provide products or services you have requested.

Legal Obligation: To comply with applicable laws and regulations.

Legitimate Interests: To improve our services and manage our operations effectively.

Data Retention

We retain your personal information only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes for which it was collected, or as required by law. For example, financial transaction data will be retained for six years to comply with tax and auditing regulations.

Who We Share Your Information With

We will not sell or rent your data to third parties. However, we may share your information with:

Third-Party Service Providers: For tasks such as processing payments, sending mailings, or delivering services. These providers are contractually obligated to protect your data and use it only for the specified purpose.

Regulatory Authorities or Legal Obligations: When required to comply with legal obligations, court orders, or to prevent fraud or other crimes.

Business Transfers: In the event of a merger, acquisition, or sale of our business, your data may be transferred to the new entity, with steps taken to protect your rights.

International Data Transfers

If your data is transferred outside the UK or EU, we will ensure that adequate safeguards are in place to protect your information. These may include Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) or other mechanisms approved under GDPR.

Your Rights

Under GDPR, you have the following rights regarding your personal data:

Right to Access: Request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.

Right to Rectification: Request corrections to any inaccurate or incomplete data.

Right to Erasure: Request deletion of your data, subject to legal or contractual obligations.

Right to Restrict Processing: Limit the processing of your personal data.

Right to Data Portability: Receive your data in a structured, commonly used format.

Right to Object: Object to data processing based on legitimate interests or for marketing purposes.

Right to Withdraw Consent: Withdraw consent for data processing at any time.

To exercise any of these rights, please email us at: us@projectpeel.org

Security of Your Data

We take appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect your personal data from unauthorised access, loss, or misuse. For example:

All sensitive data is encrypted using 128-bit SSL.

Passwords are stored securely, and we encourage you to keep them confidential.

While we strive to protect your data, no transmission over the internet can be guaranteed 100% secure. Any data shared with us is done so at your own risk.

Cookies and Analytics

We use cookies to enhance your browsing experience. Cookies collect statistical data about your browsing habits and help us customise the website to your preferences.

Types of cookies we use:

Essential Cookies: Required for the functionality of the website.

Analytics Cookies: Used to gather insights into website usage.

Customisation Cookies: Enhance your experience by remembering your preferences.

You can manage or disable cookies via your browser settings.

Profiling

We may use profiling techniques to analyse your preferences and provide personalised content or recommendations. This process uses only the data you have shared with us and does not involve automated decision-making with legal or significant effects.

Protecting Children’s Privacy

We do not knowingly collect personal data from children under the age of 13 without parental or guardian consent. If you believe we have collected such information without consent, please contact us at us@projectpeel.org so we can address the issue.

Links to Other Websites

Our website may contain links to external websites. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of these sites and encourage you to read their privacy policies.

Updates to This Policy

We regularly review this Privacy Policy to ensure it remains up-to-date with legal requirements and our practices. Any significant changes will be communicated clearly. This policy was last updated in January 2025.

If you have any questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy, please contact us at: us@projectpeel.org.