How we use your information
This privacy notice tells you what to expect when the Environmental Quality Mark CIC collects personal information through websites and online tools including the main EQM website, the audit tools for Peak District EQM and Staffordshire EQM and the SBEN Carbon Tracker tool. It applies to information we collect about:
- people and companies who use our services; and
- visitors to our websites.
People and companies who use our services
The EQM CIC is a not for profit organisation, delivering the Environmental Quality Mark (EQM) award schemes across the Peak District and Staffordshire. We also offer the following services to companies and individuals:
- Carbon footprinting, including hosting Staffordshire County Council’s SBEN Carbon Tracker;
- Fair Trade and supply-chain auditing;
- workshops and networking events;
- consultancy;
- one-to-one support and mentoring; and
- opportunities for young people to gain high quality work experience.
Our mission is to inspire businesses to use sustainability to offer their customers fun and authentic experiences, leading to greater profitability through repeat business and referrals.
In order to provide the above services, we need to hold the details of the people and companies who have requested that service. However, we only use these details to provide the service and for other closely related purposes. For example, we may invite an EQM award holder to an event about EQM or send an award holder a newsletter about recent EQM activities.
If your company decides to stop working with EQM CIC, the information you provided us with will be stored for three years before being removed from our systems. You may still be contacted about upcoming events and be sent the EQM newsletter. You can request to not be in receipt of these at any time.
Specifically relating to EQM
When individuals and companies apply for the Environmental Quality Mark they submit their information on an online application form. Any personal or company information that is provided is used only for the purpose of assessing the eligibility for the award or for closely related purposes as detailed above.
At both the point of enquiry and the application phase, information submitted will be shared with third parties to enable us to follow the legal EQM award procedures set out in the Regulations Governing the Use of the Environmental Quality Mark certification mark. This will also enable the services EQM CIC offers to be carried out effectively.
These third parties are as follows:
- the proprietors of the award (for the Peak District this is the Peak District National Park Authority and in Staffordshire this is Staffordshire County Council). These parties may undertake an internal consultation to flag any issues or opportunities, which could include both historic and current planning applications and/or enforcements;
- the qualified assessor who scores the application and carries out the verification visit;
- the independent awards panel, which comprises representatives from partner organisations including Friends of the Peak District, the Staffordshire Peak District Tourism Association; Destination Staffordshire; Marketing Peak District & Derbyshire and award holder representatives.
The business contact information provided by successful EQM award applicants will be published on the Peak District National Park Authority website, the EQM CIC website, the Greentraveller.co.uk website and in a leaflet which is distributed by a third party to information points, accommodation and attractions across the Peak District, Derbyshire and Staffordshire.
Specifically relating to the SBEN Carbon Tracker
When individuals and companies complete the SBEN Carbon Tracker they submit their information on an online form. Any personal or company information provided is used by EQM CIC only for the purposes of calculating a carbon footprint.
Information submitted will be shared with Staffordshire County Council and the Staffordshire Business and Environment Network (SBEN), who are the proprietors of the SBEN Carbon Tool. They will use the information provided firstly for assessing an organisations eligibility to use the Carbon Tracker, secondly anonymised and aggregated data will be used for internal monitoring and reporting relating to Staffordshire businesses carbon reduction activities. Anonymised and aggregated data may also be used in the promotion of the SBEN Carbon Tracker.
Information may be used for closely related purposes for example signposting users of the Carbon Tracker to appropriate grant funding or to offer environment-focused business support.
Staffordshire County Council’s privacy notice may be viewed at https://www.staffordshire.gov.uk/Your-council-and-democracy/Privacy-notices/Privacy-notice.aspx.
SBEN’s privacy policy may be viewed at https://sben.co.uk/privacy-policy/.
Visitors to our websites
When someone visits www.eqm.org.uk we use a third party service, Google Analytics, to collect standard internet log information and details of visitor behaviour patterns. We do this to find out things such as the number of visitors to various parts of the site. This information is only processed in a way which does not identify anyone. We do not make any attempt to find out the identities of those visiting our website. If we do want to collect personally identifiable information through our website, we will be up front about this. We will make it clear when we collect personal information and will explain what we intend to do with it.
E-newsletter
We use a third-party provider, Mailchimp, to deliver our e-newsletters and event invitations. We gather statistics around email opening and clicks via the statistics provided by Mailchimp. For more information, please see Mailchimp's privacy notice, section 3, linked below.
Security and performance
When individuals and businesses input information online this information is stored securely on the EQM website which is hosted by a third party service. This service helps to maintain the security and performance of the EQM website. To deliver this service it processes the IP addresses of visitors to the EQM CIC website.
The software will save a cookie to your computer's hard drive in order to track and monitor your engagement and usage of the website, but will not store, save or collect personal information.
Information supplied to EQM CIC, which may include information inputted via the website, will be stored securely on the Peak District National Park Authority’s systems with access limited to EQM CIC personnel and the PDNPA I.T. support team.
People who email us
We monitor any emails sent to us, including file attachments, for viruses or malicious software.
Please be aware that you have a responsibility to ensure that any email you send is within the bounds of the law.
Contractors and suppliers
Contact information and bank details to process payments which are included on invoices sent to EQM CIC will be held on our systems for the purpose of paying the invoice only. This information, which includes scanned copies of invoices, will be held for 6 years from the end of the last financial year they relate to.
Your rights
Under the Data Protection Act 1998, you have rights as an individual which you can exercise in relation to the information we hold about you.
Access to personal information
EQM CIC tries to be as open as it can be in terms of giving people access to their personal information. Individuals can find out if we hold any personal information by making a request under the Data Protection Act 1998. If we do hold information about you we will:
- give you a description of it;
- tell you why we are holding it;
- tell you who it could be disclosed to; and
- let you have a copy of the information in an intelligible form.
To make a request to the EQM CIC for any personal information we may hold you need to put the request in writing to the address provided below.
If you agree, we will try to deal with your request informally, for example by providing you with the specific information you need over the telephone.
If we do hold information about you, you can ask us to correct any mistakes by, once again, writing to us.
Links to other websites
This privacy notice does not cover the links within this site linking to other websites. We encourage you to read the privacy statements on the other websites you visit.
Changes to this privacy notice
We review our privacy notice periodically and as required. This privacy notice was last updated on 9th September 2021.
Resources & Further Information
- Overview of the GDPR – General Data Protection Regulation
- Data Protection Act 1998
- Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations 2003
- The Guide to the PECR 2003
- Twitter Privacy Policy
- Google Privacy Policy
- Mailchimp Privacy Policy
How to contact us
If you want to request information about our privacy policy, you can email us on
faith.johnson@eqm.org.uk or write to:
EQM CIC
Ivy House Farm
Elton
Matlock
Derbyshire
DE4 2BX