Datenschutzerklärung
Privacy policy
Preamble
With the following privacy policy, we would like to inform you about what types of your personal data (hereinafter also referred to as “data”) we process, for what purposes and to what extent. The privacy policy applies to all processing of personal data carried out by us, both in the context of the provision of our services and in particular on our websites, in mobile applications and within external online presences, such as our social media profiles (hereinafter collectively referred to as “online offer”).
The terms used are not gender-specific.
Status: September 12, 2025
Table of contents
- Preamble
- Person responsible
- Overview of processing
- Relevant legal bases
- Security measures
- Transmission of personal data
- International data transfers
- General information on data storage and deletion
- Rights of the data subjects
- Business services
- Business processes and procedures
- Providers and services used in the course of business activities
- Provision of the online offer and web hosting
- Use of cookies
- Communication via Messenger
- Video conferences, online meetings, webinars and screen sharing
- Web analysis, monitoring and optimization
- Plug-ins and embedded functions and content
- Management, organization and support tools
- Processing of data in the context of employment relationships
- Application procedure
- Change and update
- Definitions of terms
Person responsible
HyproTech GmbH
Hörlbach 8
91792 Ellingen
Persons authorized to represent the company: Authorized to represent: Goldes Georg (Managing Director), Held Philipp (Managing Director), Held Simon (Managing Director), Jung Karl (Managing Director)
E-mail address: info@hyprotech.energy
Imprint: https://hyprotech.energy/impressum
Overview of processing
The following overview summarizes the types of data processed and the purposes of their processing and refers to the data subjects.
Types of data processed
- Inventory data.
- Employee data.
- Payment data.
- Location data.
- Contact details.
- Content data.
- Contract data.
- Usage data.
- Meta, communication and process data.
- Social data.
- Applicant data.
- Image and/or video recordings.
- Sound recordings.
- Protocol data.
- Performance and behavior data.
- Working time data.
- Salary data.
Special categories of data
- Health data.
- Religious or ideological beliefs.
- Trade union membership.
Categories of affected persons
- Beneficiary and client.
- Employees.
- Interested parties.
- Communication partner.
- Users.
- Applicants.
- Business and contractual partners.
- Persons depicted.
- Third parties.
Purposes of the processing
- Provision of contractual services and fulfillment of contractual obligations.
- Communication.
- Safety measures.
- Direct marketing.
- Reach measurement.
- Tracking.
- Office and organizational procedures.
- Target group formation.
- Organizational and administrative procedures.
- Application procedure.
- Marketing.
- Profiles with user-related information.
- Provision of our online services and user-friendliness.
- Establishment and implementation of employment relationships.
- Information technology infrastructure.
- Financial and payment management.
- Public relations.
- Sales promotion.
- Business processes and business management procedures.
Relevant legal bases
Relevant legal bases according to the GDPR: Below you will find an overview of the legal bases of the GDPR on the basis of which we process personal data. Please note that in addition to the provisions of the GDPR, national data protection regulations may apply in your or our country of residence or domicile. Should more specific legal bases also apply in individual cases, we will inform you of these in the privacy policy.
- Consent (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. a) GDPR) – The data subject has given their consent to the processing of their personal data for one or more specific purposes.
- Performance of a contract and pre-contractual inquiries (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. b) GDPR) – Processing is necessary for the performance of a contract to which the data subject is party or in order to take steps at the request of the data subject prior to entering into a contract.
- Legal obligation (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. c) GDPR) – Processing is necessary for compliance with a legal obligation to which the controller is subject.
- Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f) GDPR) – processing is necessary for the purposes of the legitimate interests pursued by the controller or by a third party, except where such interests are overridden by the interests or fundamental rights and freedoms of the data subject which require protection of personal data.
- Application procedure as a pre-contractual or contractual relationship (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. b) GDPR) – Insofar as special categories of personal data within the meaning of Art. 9 para. 1 GDPR are requested from applicants as part of the application procedure (e.g. health data, such as severely disabled status or ethnic origin) are requested from applicants so that the controller or the data subject can exercise their rights under labor law and social security and social protection law and fulfill their obligations in this regard, their processing is carried out in accordance with Art. 9 para. 2 lit. b. GDPR. GDPR, in the case of the protection of vital interests of applicants or other persons pursuant to Art. 9 para. 2 lit. c. GDPR or for the purposes of preventive health care or occupational medicine, for the assessment of the employee’s ability to work, for medical diagnosis, health or social care or treatment or for the management of health or social care systems and services in accordance with Art. 9 para. 2 lit. h. GDPR. In the case of communication of special categories of data based on voluntary consent, their processing is carried out on the basis of Art. 9 para. 2 lit. a. GDPR.
- Processing of special categories of personal data relating to health care, employment and social security (Art. 9 para. 2 lit. h) GDPR) – Processing is necessary for the purposes of preventive or occupational medicine, for the assessment of the working capacity of the employee, for medical diagnosis, the provision of health or social care or treatment or for the management of health or social care systems and services on the basis of Union or Member State law or on the basis of a contract with a health professional.
National data protection regulations in Germany: In addition to the data protection regulations of the GDPR, national data protection regulations apply in Germany. These include, in particular, the Act on the Protection against Misuse of Personal Data in Data Processing (Federal Data Protection Act – BDSG). In particular, the BDSG contains special regulations on the right to information, the right to erasure, the right to object, the processing of special categories of personal data, processing for other purposes and transmission as well as automated decision-making in individual cases, including profiling. The data protection laws of the individual federal states may also apply.
Note on the applicability of the GDPR and Swiss FADP: This data protection notice serves to provide information in accordance with both the Swiss FADP and the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). For this reason, please note that the terms of the GDPR are used due to the broader geographical application and comprehensibility. In particular, instead of the terms “processing” of “personal data”, “overriding interest” and “sensitive personal data” used in the Swiss DPA, the terms “processing” of “personal data”, “legitimate interest” and “special categories of data” used in the GDPR are used. However, the legal meaning of the terms will continue to be determined in accordance with the Swiss DPA within the scope of application of the Swiss DPA.
Security measures
We take appropriate technical and organizational measures in accordance with the legal requirements, taking into account the state of the art, the implementation costs and the nature, scope, circumstances and purposes of the processing as well as the different probabilities of occurrence and the extent of the threat to the rights and freedoms of natural persons, in order to ensure a level of protection appropriate to the risk.
The measures include, in particular, safeguarding the confidentiality, integrity and availability of data by controlling physical and electronic access to the data as well as the access, input, disclosure, safeguarding of availability and its separation. Furthermore, we have established procedures that ensure the exercise of data subject rights, the deletion of data and responses to data threats. Furthermore, we already take the protection of personal data into account during the development and selection of hardware, software and processes in accordance with the principle of data protection, through technology design and through data protection-friendly default settings.
Securing online connections using TLS/SSL encryption technology (HTTPS): To protect user data transmitted via our online services from unauthorized access, we use TLS/SSL encryption technology. Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) and Transport Layer Security (TLS) are the cornerstones of secure data transmission on the Internet. These technologies encrypt the information transmitted between the website or app and the user’s browser (or between two servers), protecting the data from unauthorized access. TLS, as the more advanced and secure version of SSL, ensures that all data transmissions meet the highest security standards. If a website is secured by an SSL/TLS certificate, this is signaled by the display of HTTPS in the URL. This serves as an indicator to users that their data is being transmitted securely and encrypted.
Transmission of personal data
As part of our processing of personal data, it may be transmitted to other bodies, companies, legally independent organizational units or persons or disclosed to them. The recipients of this data may include, for example, service providers commissioned with IT tasks or providers of services and content that are integrated into a website. In such cases, we observe the legal requirements and, in particular, conclude corresponding contracts or agreements with the recipients of your data that serve to protect your data.
Data transfer within the group of companies: Data transfer within the group of companies: We may transfer personal data to other companies within our group of companies or grant them access to it. This data transfer takes place on the basis of our legitimate business and commercial interests. This includes, for example, improving business processes, ensuring efficient and effective internal communication, optimizing the use of our human and technological resources and enabling us to make informed business decisions. In certain cases, the transfer of data may also be necessary in order to fulfill our contractual obligations, or it may be based on the consent of the data subject or legal permission.
Data transfer within the organization: We may transfer personal data to other departments or units within our organization or grant them access to it. If the data transfer is for administrative purposes, it is based on our legitimate business and commercial interests or takes place if it is necessary to fulfill our contractual obligations or if the consent of the data subjects or a legal permission exists.
International data transfers
Data processing in third countries: If we transfer data to a third country (i.e. outside the European Union (EU) or the European Economic Area (EEA)) or if this occurs in the context of the use of third-party services or the disclosure or transfer of data to other persons, bodies or companies (which can be recognized by the postal address of the respective provider or if the data protection declaration expressly refers to the transfer of data to third countries), this is always done in accordance with the legal requirements.
For data transfers to the USA, we rely primarily on the Data Privacy Framework (DPF), which was recognized as a secure legal framework by an adequacy decision of the EU Commission on 10.07.2023. In addition, we have concluded standard contractual clauses with the respective providers that comply with the requirements of the EU Commission and define contractual obligations to protect your data.
This dual protection ensures comprehensive protection of your data: The DPF forms the primary layer of protection, while the Standard Contractual Clauses serve as additional security. Should there be any changes to the DPF, the standard contractual clauses act as a reliable fall-back option. In this way, we ensure that your data always remains adequately protected, even in the event of any political or legal changes.
For the individual service providers, we will inform you whether they are certified in accordance with the DPF and whether standard contractual clauses are in place. Further information on the DPF and a list of certified companies can be found on the website of the US Department of Commerce at https://www.dataprivacyframework.gov/.
For data transfers to other third countries, appropriate security measures apply, in particular standard contractual clauses, explicit consent or legally required transfers. Information on third country transfers and applicable adequacy decisions can be found in the information provided by the EU Commission: https://commission.europa.eu/law/law-topic/data-protection/international-dimension-data-protection_en?prefLang=de.
General information on data storage and deletion
We delete personal data that we process in accordance with the statutory provisions as soon as the underlying consents are revoked or there is no further legal basis for the processing. This applies to cases in which the original purpose of processing no longer applies or the data is no longer required. Exceptions to this rule exist if legal obligations or special interests require longer storage or archiving of the data.
In particular, data that must be stored for commercial or tax law reasons or whose storage is necessary for legal prosecution or to protect the rights of other natural or legal persons must be archived accordingly.
Our data protection information contains additional information on the retention and deletion of data that applies specifically to certain processing operations.
If there is more than one indication of the retention period or deletion period for a date, the longest period is always decisive. We only process data that is no longer stored for the originally intended purpose, but due to legal requirements or other reasons, for the reasons that justify its storage.
Retention and deletion of data: The following general time limits apply to retention and archiving under German law:
- 10 years – Retention period for books and records, annual financial statements, inventories, management reports, opening balance sheet as well as the work instructions and other organizational documents required for their understanding (§ 147 para. 1 no. 1 in conjunction with para. 3 AO, § 14b para. Para. 3 AO, § 14b Para. 1 UStG, § 257 Para. 1 No. 1 i.V.m. para. 4 HGB).
- 8 years – Accounting documents, such as invoices and expense receipts (§ 147 para. 1 no. 4 and 4a in conjunction with para. para. 3 sentence 1 AO and § 257 para. 1 no. 4 in conjunction with para. para. 4 HGB).
- 6 years – Other business documents: commercial or business letters received, reproductions of commercial or business letters sent, other documents, insofar as they are relevant for taxation, e.g. time sheets, company accounting sheets, calculation documents, price labels, but also payroll accounting documents, insofar as they are not already accounting documents and cash register slips (Section 147 (1) nos. 2, 3, 5 in conjunction with (3) AO). Para. 3 AO, § 257 Para. 1 No. 2 and 3 in conjunction with Para. para. 4 HGB).
- 3 years – Data required to consider potential warranty and compensation claims or similar contractual claims and rights and to process related inquiries based on past business experience and standard industry practices will be stored for the duration of the regular statutory limitation period of three years (§§ 195, 199 BGB).
Period begins at the end of the year: If a period does not expressly begin on a specific date and is at least one year, it automatically begins at the end of the calendar year in which the event triggering the period occurred. In the case of ongoing contractual relationships in the context of which data is stored, the event triggering the deadline is the date on which the termination or other termination of the legal relationship takes effect.
Rights of the data subjects
Rights of data subjects under the GDPR: As a data subject, you are entitled to various rights under the GDPR, which arise in particular from Art. 15 to 21 GDPR:
- Right to object: You have the right to object, on grounds relating to your particular situation, at any time to processing of personal data concerning you which is based on point (e) or (f) of Article 6(1) GDPR, including profiling based on those provisions. If the personal data concerning you are processed for direct marketing purposes, you have the right to object at any time to the processing of personal data concerning you for such marketing, which includes profiling to the extent that it is related to such direct marketing.
- Right to withdraw consent: You have the right to withdraw your consent at any time.
- Right of access: You have the right to obtain confirmation as to whether or not personal data concerning you is being processed and to obtain information about this data as well as further information and a copy of the data in accordance with the legal requirements.
- Right to rectification: In accordance with the statutory provisions, you have the right to request the completion of data concerning you or the rectification of inaccurate data concerning you.
- Right to erasure and restriction of processing: In accordance with the statutory provisions, you have the right to demand that data concerning you be erased immediately or, alternatively, to demand that the processing of the data be restricted in accordance with the statutory provisions.
- Right to data portability: You have the right to receive the data concerning you, which you have provided to us, in a structured, commonly used and machine-readable format in accordance with the legal requirements or to request its transmission to another controller.
- Complaint to a supervisory authority: In accordance with the statutory provisions and without prejudice to any other administrative or judicial remedy, you also have the right to lodge a complaint with a data protection supervisory authority, in particular a supervisory authority in the Member State in which you are habitually resident, the supervisory authority of your place of work or the place of the alleged infringement, if you consider that the processing of personal data relating to you infringes the GDPR.
Business services
We process data of our contractual and business partners, e.g. customers and interested parties (collectively referred to as “contractual partners”), in the context of contractual and comparable legal relationships and related measures and with regard to communication with the contractual partners (or pre-contractual), for example to respond to inquiries.
We use this data to fulfill our contractual obligations. These include, in particular, the obligations to provide the agreed services, any updating obligations and remedies in the event of warranty and other service disruptions. In addition, we use the data to safeguard our rights and for the purpose of the administrative tasks associated with these obligations and the company organization. We also process the data on the basis of our legitimate interests both in the proper and efficient management of our business and in security measures to protect our contractual partners and our business operations from misuse, threats to their data, secrets, information and rights (e.g. to involve telecommunications, transport and other auxiliary services as well as subcontractors, banks, tax and legal advisors, payment service providers or tax authorities). Within the framework of applicable law, we only pass on the data of contractual partners to third parties to the extent that this is necessary for the aforementioned purposes or to fulfill legal obligations. Contractual partners will be informed about other forms of processing, such as for marketing purposes, as part of this privacy policy.
We inform the contractual partners which data is required for the aforementioned purposes before or during data collection, e.g. in online forms, by means of special marking (e.g. colors) or symbols (e.g. asterisks or similar), or in person.
We delete the data after the expiry of statutory warranty and comparable obligations, i.e. generally after four years, unless the data is stored in a customer account, e.g. as long as it must be retained for legal archiving reasons (e.g. for tax purposes, generally ten years). We delete data disclosed to us by the contractual partner as part of an order in accordance with the specifications and generally after the end of the order.
- Processed data types: inventory data (e.g. full name, residential address, contact information, customer number, etc.); payment data (e.g. bank details, invoices, payment history); contact data (e.g. postal and email addresses or telephone numbers). Contract data (e.g. subject matter of the contract, term, customer category).
- Persons concerned: Service recipients and clients; interested parties. Business and contractual partners.
- Purposes of processing: Provision of contractual services and fulfilment of contractual obligations; communication; office and organizational procedures; organizational and administrative procedures. Business processes and business management procedures.
- Storage and deletion: Deletion in accordance with the information in the section “General information on data storage and deletion”.
- Legal basis: Fulfilment of contract and pre-contractual inquiries (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. b) GDPR); Legal obligation (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. c) GDPR). Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f) GDPR).
Further information on processing operations, procedures and services:
- Consulting: We process the data of our clients as well as interested parties and other clients or contractual partners (uniformly referred to as “clients”) in order to be able to provide our services to them. The processes that are part of and for the purposes of consulting include Contacting and communicating with clients, conducting needs and requirements analyses, planning and implementing consulting projects, documenting project progress and results, collecting and managing client-specific information and data, scheduling and organizing appointments, providing consulting resources and materials, billing and payment management, post-processing and follow-up of consulting projects, quality assurance and feedback processes. The processed data, the type, scope, purpose and necessity of its processing are determined by the underlying contractual and client relationship.
If it is necessary for the performance of our contract, for the protection of vital interests or by law, or with the consent of the client, we disclose or transfer the client’s data to third parties or agents, such as authorities, subcontractors or in the field of IT, office or comparable services, in compliance with the requirements of professional law; legal basis: performance of contract and pre-contractual inquiries (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. b) GDPR). - Craft services: We process the data of our customers and clients (hereinafter uniformly referred to as “customers”) in order to enable them to select, purchase or commission the selected services or works and associated activities as well as their payment and delivery or execution or provision.
The required information is marked as such in the context of the conclusion of the order, order or comparable contract and includes the information required for delivery and billing as well as contact information in order to be able to hold any consultations; legal basis: contract fulfillment and pre-contractual inquiries (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. b) GDPR). - Technical services: We process the data of our customers and clients (hereinafter uniformly referred to as “customers”) in order to enable them to select, purchase or commission the selected services or works and related activities as well as their payment and provision or execution or performance.
The required information is marked as such in the context of the conclusion of the order, purchase order or comparable contract and includes the information required for the provision of services and billing as well as contact information in order to be able to hold any consultations. Insofar as we receive access to information from end customers, employees or other persons, we process this in accordance with the legal and contractual requirements; legal basis: contract fulfillment and pre-contractual inquiries (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. b) GDPR). - Management consulting: We process the data of our customers, clients, interested parties and other clients or contractual partners (uniformly referred to as “customers”) in order to be able to provide them with our contractual or pre-contractual services, in particular consulting services. The processed data, the type, scope, purpose and necessity of its processing are determined by the underlying contractual and business relationship.
If it is necessary for the performance of our contract or required by law, or if the customer has given their consent, we disclose or transfer the customer’s data to third parties or agents, such as authorities, courts or in the field of IT, office or comparable services, in compliance with the requirements of professional law; legal basis: performance of the contract and pre-contractual inquiries (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. b) GDPR).
Business processes and procedures
Personal data of service recipients and clients – including customers, clients or, in special cases, clients, patients or business partners as well as other third parties – are processed within the scope of contractual and comparable legal relationships and pre-contractual measures such as the initiation of business relationships. This data processing supports and facilitates business processes in areas such as customer management, sales, payment transactions, accounting and project management.
The data collected is used to fulfill contractual obligations and efficiently design operational processes. This includes the processing of business transactions, the management of customer relationships, the optimization of sales strategies and the guarantee of internal accounting and financial processes. In addition, the data supports the protection of the rights of the controller and promotes administrative tasks and the organization of the company.
Personal data may be passed on to third parties if this is necessary to fulfill the stated purposes or legal obligations. The data will be deleted after expiry of statutory retention periods or if the purpose of the processing no longer applies. This also includes data that must be stored for a longer period of time due to tax and legal obligations to provide evidence.
- Processed data types: Inventory data (e.g. full name, residential address, contact information, customer number, etc.); Payment data (e.g. bank details, invoices, payment history); Contact data (e.g. postal and email addresses or telephone numbers); Content data (e.g. text or image messages and contributions as well as the information relating to them, such as information on authorship or time of creation); contract data (e.g. subject matter of the contract, duration, customer category); log data (e.g. log files relating to logins or the retrieval of data or access times); usage data (e.g. page views and length of stay, click paths, intensity and frequency of use, device types and operating systems used, interactions with content and functions). Meta, communication and process data (e.g. IP addresses, time data, identification numbers, persons involved).
- Data subjects: Service recipients and clients; interested parties; communication partners; business and contractual partners; third parties; users (e.g. website visitors, users of online services). Employees (e.g. employees, applicants, temporary staff and other employees).
- Purposes of processing: Provision of contractual services and fulfilment of contractual obligations; office and organizational procedures; business processes and business management procedures; communication; marketing; sales promotion; public relations; financial and payment management. Information technology infrastructure (operation and provision of information systems and technical equipment (computers, servers, etc.)).
- Storage and deletion: Deletion in accordance with the information in the section “General information on data storage and deletion”.
- Legal bases: Contract performance and pre-contractual inquiries (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. b) GDPR); Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f) GDPR). Legal obligation (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. c) GDPR).
Further information on processing operations, procedures and services:
- Contact management and maintenance: Procedures required to organize, maintain and secure contact information (e.g. setting up and maintaining a central contact database, regularly updating contact information, monitoring data integrity, implementing data protection measures, ensuring access controls, performing backups and restoring contact data, training employees in the effective use of contact management software, regularly reviewing communication history and adapting contact strategies); Legal bases: Performance of a contract and pre-contractual inquiries (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. b) GDPR), Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f) GDPR).
- General payment transactions: Procedures required for the execution of payment transactions, the monitoring of bank accounts and the control of payment flows (e.g. creation and verification of transfers, processing of direct debits, checking of account statements, monitoring of incoming and outgoing payments, return debit management, account reconciliation, cash management); legal bases: Contract fulfillment and pre-contractual inquiries (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. b) GDPR), legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f) GDPR).
- Accounting, accounts payable, accounts receivable: Procedures required for recording, processing and controlling business transactions in the area of accounts payable and accounts receivable (e.g. Creation and checking of incoming and outgoing invoices, monitoring and management of open items, execution of payment transactions, processing of dunning, account reconciliation in the context of receivables and payables, accounts payable and accounts receivable); Legal basis: Contract performance and pre-contractual inquiries (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. b) GDPR), Legal obligation (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. c) GDPR), Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f) GDPR).
- Financial accounting and taxes: Procedures required for the recording, administration and control of financially relevant business transactions and for the calculation, reporting and payment of taxes (e.g. Account assignment and posting of business transactions, preparation of quarterly and annual financial statements, execution of payment transactions, processing of dunning procedures, account reconciliation, tax advice, preparation and submission of tax returns, processing of tax matters); Legal basis: Performance of a contract and pre-contractual inquiries (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. b) GDPR), Legal obligation (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. c) GDPR), Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f) GDPR).
- Marketing, advertising and sales promotion: Procedures required in the context of marketing, advertising and sales promotion (e.g. market analysis and target group determination, development of marketing strategies, planning and implementation of advertising campaigns, design and production of advertising materials, online marketing including SEO and social media campaigns, event marketing and trade fair participation, customer loyalty programs, sales promotion measures, performance measurement and optimization of marketing activities, budget management and cost control); Legal basis: Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f) GDPR).
- Public relations: Procedures required in the context of public relations (e.g. development and implementation of communication strategies, planning and implementation of PR campaigns, creation and distribution of press releases, maintenance of media contacts, monitoring and analysis of media response, organization of press conferences and public events, crisis communication, creation of content for social media and company websites, management of corporate branding); Legal basis: Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f) GDPR).
Providers and services used in the course of business activities
As part of our business activities, we use additional services, platforms, interfaces or plug-ins from third-party providers (“services” for short) in compliance with legal requirements. Their use is based on our interests in the proper, lawful and economic management of our business operations and our internal organization.
- Processed data types: inventory data (e.g. full name, residential address, contact information, customer number, etc.); payment data (e.g. bank details, invoices, payment history); contact data (e.g. postal and email addresses or telephone numbers); content data (e.g. text or image messages and contributions as well as the information relating to them, such as information on authorship or time of creation). Contract data (e.g. subject matter of the contract, term, customer category).
- Affected persons: Service recipients and clients; interested parties; business and contractual partners. Employees (e.g. employees, applicants, temporary staff and other employees).
- Purposes of processing: Provision of contractual services and fulfilment of contractual obligations; office and organizational procedures. Business processes and business management procedures.
- Storage and deletion: Deletion in accordance with the information in the section “General information on data storage and deletion”.
- Legal basis: Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f) GDPR).
Further information on processing operations, procedures and services:
- DATEV: Software for accounting, communication with tax advisors and authorities and with document storage; Service provider: DATEV eG, Paumgartnerstr. 6 – 14, 90429 Nuremberg, Germany; Legal basis: Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f) GDPR); Website: https://www.datev.de/web/de/mydatev/datev-cloud-anwendungen/; Privacy Policy: https://www.datev.de/web/de/m/ueber-datev/datenschutz/. Data processing agreement: Provided by the service provider.
Provision of the online offer and web hosting
We process users’ data in order to provide them with our online services. For this purpose, we process the user’s IP address, which is necessary to transmit the content and functions of our online services to the user’s browser or end device.
- Processed data types: Usage data (e.g. page views and length of stay, click paths, intensity and frequency of use, device types and operating systems used, interactions with content and functions); metadata, communication data and process data (e.g. IP addresses, time data, identification numbers, persons involved); log data (e.g. log files relating to logins or the retrieval of data or access times). Content data (e.g. text or image messages and contributions as well as the information relating to them, such as information on authorship or time of creation).
- Data subjects: Users (e.g. website visitors, users of online services).
- Purposes of processing: Provision of our online offer and user-friendliness; information technology infrastructure (operation and provision of information systems and technical devices (computers, servers, etc.)). Security measures.
- Storage and deletion: Deletion in accordance with the information in the section “General information on data storage and deletion”.
- Legal basis: Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f) GDPR).
Further information on processing operations, procedures and services:
- Provision of online offer on rented storage space: For the provision of our online offer, we use storage space, computing capacity and software that we rent or otherwise obtain from a corresponding server provider (also called “web host”); legal basis: Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f) GDPR).
- Collection of access data and log files: Access to our online offering is logged in the form of so-called “server log files”. The server log files may include the address and name of the web pages and files accessed, date and time of access, data volumes transferred, notification of successful access, browser type and version, the user’s operating system, referrer URL (the previously visited page) and, as a rule, IP addresses and the requesting provider. The server log files can be used for security purposes, e.g. to avoid overloading the servers (especially in the event of abusive attacks, so-called DDoS attacks), and to ensure the utilization of the servers and their stability; legal basis: Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f) GDPR). Deletion of data: Log file information is stored for a maximum of 30 days and then deleted or anonymized. Data whose further storage is required for evidentiary purposes is excluded from deletion until the respective incident has been finally clarified.
- E-mail dispatch and hosting: The web hosting services we use also include the dispatch, receipt and storage of e-mails. For these purposes, the addresses of the recipients and senders as well as other information relating to the sending of e-mails (e.g. the providers involved) and the content of the respective e-mails are processed. The aforementioned data may also be processed for the purpose of detecting SPAM. Please note that e-mails on the Internet are generally not sent in encrypted form. As a rule, emails are encrypted in transit, but not on the servers from which they are sent and received (unless an end-to-end encryption method is used). We can therefore assume no responsibility for the transmission path of the emails between the sender and receipt on our server; legal basis: Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f) GDPR).
- ALL-INKL: Services in the field of the provision of information technology infrastructure and related services (e.g. storage space and/or computing capacities); Service provider: ALL-INKL.COM – Neue Medien Münnich, Owner: René Münnich, Hauptstraße 68, 02742 Friedersdorf, Germany; Legal basis: Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f) GDPR); Website: https://all-inkl.com/; Privacy Policy: https://all-inkl.com/datenschutzinformationen/. Data processing agreement: Provided by the service provider.
Use of cookies
The term “cookies” refers to functions that store information on users’ end devices and read it from them. Cookies can also be used for various purposes, for example to ensure the functionality, security and convenience of online services and to analyze visitor flows. We use cookies in accordance with the statutory provisions. If necessary, we obtain the user’s consent in advance. If consent is not required, we rely on our legitimate interests. This applies if the storage and reading of information is essential in order to be able to provide expressly requested content and functions. This includes, for example, saving settings and ensuring the functionality and security of our online offering. Consent can be revoked at any time. We provide clear information about the scope and which cookies are used.
Information on legal bases under data protection law: Whether we process personal data using cookies depends on consent. If consent has been given, it serves as the legal basis. Without consent, we rely on our legitimate interests, which are explained above in this section and in the context of the respective services and procedures.
Storage period: With regard to the storage period, a distinction is made between the following types of cookies:
- Temporary cookies (also: session cookies): Temporary cookies are deleted at the latest after a user has left an online service and closed their end device (e.g. browser or mobile application).
- Permanent cookies: Permanent cookies remain stored even after the end device is closed. For example, the log-in status can be saved and preferred content can be displayed directly when the user visits a website again. The user data collected with the help of cookies can also be used to measure reach. If we do not provide users with explicit information on the type and storage duration of cookies (e.g. when obtaining consent), they should assume that they are permanent and that they may be stored for up to two years.
General information on revocation and objection (opt-out): Users can revoke the consents they have given at any time and also declare an objection to the processing in accordance with the legal requirements, also by means of the privacy settings of their browser.
- Processed data types: Meta, communication and process data (e.g. IP addresses, time data, identification numbers, persons involved). Usage data (e.g. page views and dwell time, click paths, usage intensity and frequency, device types and operating systems used, interactions with content and functions).
- Data subjects: Users (e.g. website visitors, users of online services).
- Purposes of processing: Provision of our online offer and user-friendliness.
- Legal bases: Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f) GDPR). Consent (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. a) GDPR).
Further information on processing operations, procedures and services:
- Processing of cookie data on the basis of consent: We use a consent management solution in which user consent is obtained for the use of cookies or for the procedures and providers mentioned in the consent management solution. This procedure is used to obtain, log, manage and revoke consent, in particular with regard to the use of cookies and comparable technologies that are used to store, read and process information on users’ end devices. As part of this procedure, user consent is obtained for the use of cookies and the associated processing of information, including the specific processing and providers mentioned in the consent management procedure. Users also have the option of managing and revoking their consent. The declarations of consent are stored in order to avoid repeated queries and to be able to provide proof of consent in accordance with legal requirements. The storage takes place on the server side and/or in a cookie (so-called opt-in cookie) or by means of comparable technologies in order to be able to assign the consent to a specific user or their device. If no specific information on the providers of consent management services is available, the following general information applies: Consent is stored for up to two years. A pseudonymous user identifier is created, which is stored together with the time of consent, information on the scope of consent (e.g. relevant categories of cookies and/or service providers) and information on the browser, the system and the end device used; legal basis: consent (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. a) GDPR).
- Cookie opt-out: In the footer of our website you will find a link that you can use to change your cookie settings and revoke your consent.
- Complianz: Consent management: Procedures for obtaining, logging, managing and revoking consent, in particular for the use of cookies and similar technologies for storing, reading and processing information on users’ end devices and their processing; Service provider: Execution on servers and/or computers under its own responsibility under data protection law; Website: https://complianz.io/; Privacy Policy: https://complianz.io/legal/. Further information: An individual user ID, language and types of consent and the time of their submission are stored on the server and in the cookie on the user’s device.
Communication via Messenger
We use messengers for communication purposes and therefore ask you to observe the following information on the functionality of the messengers, on encryption, on the use of communication metadata and on your options to object.
You can also contact us by alternative means, e.g. by telephone or e-mail. Please use the contact options provided to you or the contact options provided within our online offer.
In the case of end-to-end encryption of content (i.e. the content of your message and attachments), we would like to point out that the communication content (i.e. the content of the message and attached images) is encrypted from end to end. This means that the content of the messages cannot be viewed, not even by the messenger providers themselves. You should always use an up-to-date version of the messenger with encryption enabled to ensure that the message content is encrypted.
However, we would also like to point out to our communication partners that although the providers of the messengers cannot view the content, they can find out that and when communication partners communicate with us and process technical information about the device used by the communication partners and, depending on the settings of their device, also location information (so-called metadata).
Notes on legal bases: If we ask communication partners for permission before communicating with them via Messenger, the legal basis for our processing of their data is their consent. Otherwise, if we do not ask for consent and you contact us, for example, on your own initiative, we use Messenger in relation to our contractual partners and in the context of contract initiation as a contractual measure and, in the case of other interested parties and communication partners, on the basis of our legitimate interests in fast and efficient communication and meeting the needs of our communication partners in communication via Messenger. We would also like to point out that we will not transmit the contact data provided to us to Messenger for the first time without your consent.
Revocation, objection and deletion: You can revoke your consent at any time and object to communication with us via Messenger at any time. In the case of communication via Messenger, we delete the messages in accordance with our general deletion guidelines (i.e., for example, as described above, after the end of contractual relationships, in the context of archiving requirements, etc.) and otherwise as soon as we can assume that we have answered any information from the communication partners, if no reference to a previous conversation is to be expected and the deletion does not conflict with any statutory retention obligations.
Reservation of reference to other communication channels: To ensure your security, we ask for your understanding that we may not be able to answer inquiries via Messenger for certain reasons. This applies to situations in which, for example, contract details need to be treated with particular confidentiality or a reply via Messenger does not meet the formal requirements. In these cases, we recommend that you use more suitable communication channels.
- Processed data types: Contact data (e.g. postal and email addresses or telephone numbers); Content data (e.g. text or image messages and contributions as well as the information relating to them, such as information on authorship or time of creation); Usage data (e.g. page views and length of stay, click paths, intensity and frequency of use, device types and operating systems used, interactions with content and functions). Meta, communication and process data (e.g. IP addresses, time data, identification numbers, persons involved).
- Affected persons: Communication partner.
- Purposes of processing: Communication. Direct marketing (e.g. by e-mail or post).
- Storage and deletion: Deletion in accordance with the information in the section “General information on data storage and deletion”.
- Legal bases: Consent (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. a) GDPR); contract fulfillment and pre-contractual inquiries (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. b) GDPR). Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f) GDPR).
Further information on processing operations, procedures and services:
- Instagram: Sending messages via the social network Instagram; Service provider: Meta Platforms Ireland Limited, Merrion Road, Dublin 4, D04 X2K5, Ireland; Legal basis: Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f) GDPR); Website: https://www.instagram.com. Privacy Policy: https://privacycenter.instagram.com/policy/.
- Facebook Messenger: Send and receive text messages, make voice and video calls, create group chats, share files and media, transmit location information, synchronize contacts, encrypt messages; Service provider: Meta Platforms Ireland Limited, Merrion Road, Dublin 4, D04 X2K5, Ireland; Legal basis: Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f) GDPR); Website: https://www.facebook.com; Privacy Policy: https://www.facebook.com/privacy/policy/; Data processing agreement: https://www.facebook.com/legal/terms/dataprocessing. Basis for third country transfers: Data Privacy Framework (DPF), Standard Contractual Clauses(https://www.facebook.com/legal/EU_data_transfer_addendum).
- Microsoft Teams: Use for holding online events, conferences and communication with internal and external participants. Voice transmission, direct messages, group communication and collaboration functions are used; name, business contact details, work profile, participation and content (audio/video, voice, chat, files, voice transcription) are processed for purposes and out of interest in increasing efficiency and productivity, cost efficiency, flexibility, mobility, improved communication, IT security, use of a central platform and business processing by Microsoft. Audio signals are generally not stored unless recording is activated. Meeting and conference recordings are stored for 90 days by default, unless a different duration is specified. Chat and file content is saved according to the guidelines specified by the administrator or user; no automatic deletion is set by default. Channels must be renewed every 180 days, otherwise content will be deleted. In addition, system-generated log, diagnostic and metadata is processed and diagnostic data is collected for product stability, security and improvement; service provider: Microsoft Ireland Operations Limited, One Microsoft Place, South County Business Park, Leopardstown, Dublin 18, D18 P521, Ireland; Microsoft Corporation, One Microsoft Way, Redmond, WA 98052-6399, USA; Legal basis: Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f) GDPR); Website: https://www.microsoft.com/de-de/microsoft-365; Privacy Policy: https://privacy.microsoft.com/de-de/privacystatement, Security information: https://www.microsoft.com/de-de/trustcenter. Basis for third country transfers: Data Privacy Framework (DPF), Standard Contractual Clauses(https://www.microsoft.com/licensing/docs/view/Microsoft-Products-and-Services-Data-Protection-Addendum-DPA).
- Slack: Team communication and collaboration, real-time messaging, file and document sharing, integration with third-party tools, video and voice calls, channels for topic-specific discussions, search function for messages and files; Service provider: Slack Technologies, Inc., 500 Howard Street, San Francisco, CA 94105, USA; Legal basis: Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f) GDPR); Website: https://slack.com/intl/de-de/; Privacy Policy: https://slack.com/intl/de-de/legal; Data processing agreement: https://slack.com/intl/de-de/terms-of-service/data-processing; Basis for third country transfers: Data Privacy Framework (DPF), Standard Contractual Clauses(https://slack.com/intl/de-de/terms-of-service/data-processing). Further information: Security measures: https://slack.com/intl/de-de/security-practices.
- Telegram: Sending and receiving messages, voice calls and video calls; Creating groups and channels; Sharing files and media; Using bots for automation; End-to-end encryption for secret chats; Synchronization across multiple devices; Service provider: Representative in the European Union: European Data Protection Office (EDPO), Avenue Huart Hamoir 71, 1030 Brussels, Belgium; Legal basis: Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f) GDPR); Website: https://telegram.org/. Privacy Policy: https://telegram.org/privacy/de.
- WhatsApp: Text messages, voice and video calls, sending images, videos and documents, group chat function, end-to-end encryption for increased security; Service provider: WhatsApp Ireland Limited, Merrion Road, Dublin 4, D04 X2K5, Ireland; Legal basis: Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f) GDPR); Website: https://www.whatsapp.com/; Privacy Policy: https://www.whatsapp.com/legal. Basis for third country transfers: Data Privacy Framework (DPF).
Video conferences, online meetings, webinars and screen sharing
We use platforms and applications of other providers (hereinafter referred to as “conference platforms”) for the purpose of conducting video and audio conferences, webinars and other types of video and audio meetings (hereinafter collectively referred to as “conference”). When selecting the conference platforms and their services, we observe the legal requirements.
Data processed by conference platforms: In the context of participation in a conference, the conference platforms process the participants’ personal data listed below. The scope of the processing depends on which data is required in the context of a specific conference (e.g. specification of access data or clear names) and which optional information is provided by the participants. In addition to processing for the purpose of holding the conference, the conference platforms may also process participants’ data for security purposes or service optimization. The processed data includes personal data (first name, surname), contact information (email address, telephone number), access data (access codes or passwords), profile pictures, information on professional position/function, the IP address of the internet access, information on the participants’ end devices, their operating system, the browser and its technical and language settings, information on the content of communication processes, i.e. entries in chats as well as audio and video data, as well as the use of other available functions (e.g. surveys). The content of communications is encrypted to the extent technically provided by the conference providers. If the participants are registered as users with the conference platforms, further data may be processed in accordance with the agreement with the respective conference provider.
Logging and recordings: If text entries, participation results (e.g. from surveys) and video or audio recordings are logged, this will be communicated transparently to the participants in advance and they will be asked for their consent where necessary.
Data protection measures for participants: Please refer to the conference platforms’ data protection notices for details on the processing of your data by the conference platforms and select the optimum security and data protection settings for you in the conference platform settings. Please also ensure data and privacy protection in the background of your recording for the duration of a video conference (e.g. by informing roommates, locking doors and, if technically possible, using the function to make the background unrecognizable). Links to the conference rooms and access data must not be passed on to unauthorized third parties.
Notes on legal bases: If, in addition to the conference platforms, we also process users’ data and ask users for their consent to use the conference platforms or certain functions (e.g. consent to the recording of conferences), the legal basis for processing is this consent. Furthermore, our processing may be necessary to fulfill our contractual obligations (e.g. in participant lists, in the case of processing of conference results, etc.). Otherwise, user data is processed on the basis of our legitimate interests in efficient and secure communication with our communication partners.
- Processed data types: Inventory data (e.g. full name, residential address, contact information, customer number, etc.); Contact data (e.g. postal and email addresses or telephone numbers); Content data (e.g. text or image messages and contributions as well as the information relating to them, such as information on authorship or time of creation); usage data (e.g. page views and length of stay, click paths, intensity and frequency of use, device types and operating systems used, interactions with content and functions); image and/or video recordings (e.g. photographs or video recordings of a person); sound recordings. Log data (e.g. log files relating to logins or the retrieval of data or access times).
- Data subjects: Communication partners; users (e.g. website visitors, users of online services). Depicted persons.
- Purposes of processing: Provision of contractual services and fulfillment of contractual obligations; communication. Office and organizational procedures.
- Storage and deletion: Deletion in accordance with the information in the section “General information on data storage and deletion”.
- Legal basis: Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f) GDPR).
Further information on processing operations, procedures and services:
- Google Hangouts / Meet: Conferencing and communication software; Service provider: Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland; Legal basis: Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f) GDPR); Website: https://hangouts.google.com/; Privacy Policy: https://policies.google.com/privacy; Data processing agreement: https://cloud.google.com/terms/data-processing-addendum. Basis for third country transfers: Data Privacy Framework (DPF), Standard Contractual Clauses(https://cloud.google.com/terms/eu-model-contract-clause).
- Microsoft Teams: Use for holding online events, conferences and communication with internal and external participants. Voice transmission, direct messages, group communication and collaboration functions are used; name, business contact details, work profile, participation and content (audio/video, voice, chat, files, voice transcription) are processed for purposes and out of interest in increasing efficiency and productivity, cost efficiency, flexibility, mobility, improved communication, IT security, use of a central platform and business processing by Microsoft. Audio signals are generally not stored unless recording is activated. Meeting and conference recordings are stored for 90 days by default, unless a different duration is specified. Chat and file content is saved according to the guidelines specified by the administrator or user; no automatic deletion is set by default. Channels must be renewed every 180 days, otherwise content will be deleted. In addition, system-generated log, diagnostic and metadata is processed and diagnostic data is collected for product stability, security and improvement; service provider: Microsoft Ireland Operations Limited, One Microsoft Place, South County Business Park, Leopardstown, Dublin 18, D18 P521, Ireland; Microsoft Corporation, One Microsoft Way, Redmond, WA 98052-6399, USA; Legal basis: Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f) GDPR); Website: https://www.microsoft.com/de-de/microsoft-teams/; Privacy Policy: https://privacy.microsoft.com/de-de/privacystatement, Security information: https://www.microsoft.com/de-de/trustcenter. Basis for third country transfers: Data Privacy Framework (DPF), Standard Contractual Clauses(https://www.microsoft.com/licensing/docs/view/Microsoft-Products-and-Services-Data-Protection-Addendum-DPA).
- Slack: Messenger and conference software; Service provider: Slack Technologies Limited, Level 1, Block A Nova Atria North, Sandyford Business District, Dublin 18, Ireland; Legal basis: Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f) GDPR); Website: https://slack.com/intl/de-de/; Privacy Policy: https://slack.com/intl/de-de/legal; Data processing agreement: https://slack.com/intl/de-de/terms-of-service/data-processing. Basis for third country transfers: Data Privacy Framework (DPF), Standard Contractual Clauses(https://slack.com/intl/de-de/terms-of-service/data-processing).
- Zoom: Video conferencing, online meetings, webinars, screen sharing, optional recording of meetings, chat function, integration with calendars and other apps; Service provider: Zoom Video Communications, Inc, 55 Almaden Blvd, Suite 600, San Jose, CA 95113, USA; Legal basis: Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f) GDPR); Website: https://zoom.us; Privacy Policy: https://explore.zoom.us/de/privacy/; Data processing agreement: https://explore.zoom.us/docs/doc/Zoom_GLOBAL_DPA.pdf. Basis for third country transfers: Data Privacy Framework (DPF), Standard Contractual Clauses(https://explore.zoom.us/docs/doc/Zoom_GLOBAL_DPA.pdf).
Web analysis, monitoring and optimization
Web analysis (also referred to as “reach measurement”) is used to evaluate the flow of visitors to our online offering and may include behavior, interests or demographic information about visitors, such as age or gender, as pseudonymous values. With the help of reach analysis, we can, for example, recognize at what time our online offer or its functions or content are most frequently used, or invite visitors to reuse them. It also enables us to understand which areas require optimization.
In addition to web analysis, we may also use test procedures, for example to test and optimize different versions of our online offering or its components.
Unless otherwise stated below, profiles, i.e. data summarized for a usage process, can be created for these purposes and information can be stored in a browser or end device and then read out. The information collected includes, in particular, websites visited and the elements used there as well as technical information such as the browser used, the computer system used and information on usage times. If users have consented to the collection of their location data from us or from the providers of the services we use, it is also possible to process location data.
In addition, the IP addresses of users are stored. However, we use an IP masking procedure (i.e. pseudonymization by shortening the IP address) to protect users. In general, no clear user data (such as e-mail addresses or names) is stored in the context of web analysis, A/B testing and optimization, but pseudonyms. This means that neither we nor the providers of the software used know the actual identity of the users, but only the information stored in their profiles for the purpose of the respective process.
Notes on legal bases: If we ask users for their consent to the use of third-party providers, the legal basis for data processing is consent. Otherwise, user data is processed on the basis of our legitimate interests (i.e. interest in efficient, economical and recipient-friendly services). In this context, we would also like to draw your attention to the information on the use of cookies in this privacy policy.
- Processed data types: Usage data (e.g. page views and dwell time, click paths, intensity and frequency of use, device types and operating systems used, interactions with content and functions). Meta, communication and process data (e.g. IP addresses, time data, identification numbers, persons involved).
- Data subjects: Users (e.g. website visitors, users of online services).
- Purposes of processing: Reach measurement (e.g. access statistics, recognition of returning visitors). Profiles with user-related information (creation of user profiles).
- Storage and deletion: Deletion in accordance with the information in the section “General information on data storage and deletion”. Storage of cookies for up to 2 years (Unless otherwise stated, cookies and similar storage methods may be stored on users’ devices for a period of two years).
- Security measures: IP masking (pseudonymization of the IP address).
- Legal basis: Consent (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. a) GDPR). Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f) GDPR).
Plug-ins and embedded functions and content
We incorporate functional and content elements into our online offering that are obtained from the servers of their respective providers (hereinafter referred to as “third-party providers”). These may be, for example, graphics, videos or city maps (hereinafter uniformly referred to as “content”).
The integration always requires that the third-party providers of this content process the IP address of the user, as they would not be able to send the content to their browser without the IP address. The IP address is therefore required to display this content or function. We endeavor to only use content whose respective providers only use the IP address to deliver the content. Third-party providers may also use so-called pixel tags (invisible graphics, also known as “web beacons”) for statistical or marketing purposes. Pixel tags can be used to analyze information such as visitor traffic on the pages of this website. The pseudonymous information may also be stored in cookies on the user’s device and contain, among other things, technical information about the browser and operating system, referring websites, time of visit and other information about the use of our online offer, but may also be linked to such information from other sources.
Notes on legal bases: If we ask users for their consent to the use of third-party providers, the legal basis for data processing is permission. Otherwise, user data is processed on the basis of our legitimate interests (i.e. interest in efficient, economical and recipient-friendly services). In this context, we would also like to draw your attention to the information on the use of cookies in this privacy policy.
- Processed data types: Usage data (e.g. page views and dwell time, click paths, usage intensity and frequency, device types and operating systems used, interactions with content and functions); meta, communication and process data (e.g. IP addresses, time data, identification numbers, persons involved). Location data (information on the geographical position of a device or person).
- Data subjects: Users (e.g. website visitors, users of online services).
- Purposes of processing: Provision of our online services and user-friendliness; reach measurement (e.g. access statistics, recognition of returning visitors); tracking (e.g. interest/behavioral profiling, use of cookies); target group formation. Marketing.
- Storage and deletion: Deletion in accordance with the information in the section “General information on data storage and deletion”. Storage of cookies for up to 2 years (Unless otherwise stated, cookies and similar storage methods may be stored on users’ devices for a period of two years).
- Legal basis: Consent (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. a) GDPR). Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f) GDPR).
Further information on processing operations, procedures and services:
- Integration of third-party software, scripts or frameworks (e.g. jQuery): We integrate software into our online offering that we retrieve from servers of other providers (e.g. function libraries that we use for the purpose of displaying or user-friendliness of our online offering). The respective providers collect the IP address of the users and can process it for the purpose of transmitting the software to the user’s browser and for security purposes, as well as for the evaluation and optimization of their offer. – We integrate software into our online offering that we retrieve from servers of other providers (e.g. function libraries that we use for the purpose of displaying or user-friendliness of our online offering). The respective providers collect the IP address of the users and may process it for the purpose of transmitting the software to the user’s browser and for security purposes, as well as for the evaluation and optimization of their offer; legal basis: Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f) GDPR).
- Google Fonts (provision on own server): Provision of font files for the purpose of a user-friendly presentation of our online offer; Service provider: The Google Fonts are hosted on our server, no data is transmitted to Google; Legal basis: Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f) GDPR).
- Google Maps: We integrate the maps of the “Google Maps” service of the provider Google. The processed data may include, in particular, IP addresses and user location data; Service provider: Google Cloud EMEA Limited, 70 Sir John Rogerson’s Quay, Dublin 2, Ireland; Legal basis: Consent (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. a) GDPR); Website: https://mapsplatform.google.com/; Privacy Policy: https://policies.google.com/privacy. Basis for third country transfers: Data Privacy Framework (DPF).
- OpenStreetMap: We integrate the maps of the “OpenStreetMap” service, which are offered on the basis of the Open Data Commons Open Database License (ODbL) by the OpenStreetMap Foundation (OSMF). The user data is used by OpenStreetMap exclusively for the purpose of displaying the map functions and for caching the selected settings. This data may include, in particular, IP addresses and location data of users, which, however, are not collected without their consent (usually as part of the settings of their end devices or browsers); service provider: OpenStreetMap Foundation (OSMF); Legal basis: Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f) GDPR); Website: https://www.openstreetmap.de. Privacy Policy: https://osmfoundation.org/wiki/Privacy_Policy.
- YouTube videos: Video content; Service provider: Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland; Legal basis: Consent (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. a) GDPR); Website: https: //www.youtube.com; Privacy Policy: https: //policies.google.com/privacy; Basis for third country transfers: Data Privacy Framework (DPF). Possibility of objection (opt-out): Opt-out plug-in: https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout?hl=de; Settings for the display of advertisements: https://myadcenter.google.com/personalizationoff.
Management, organization and support tools
We use services, platforms and software from other providers (hereinafter referred to as “third-party providers”) for the purposes of organizing, managing, planning and providing our services. When selecting third-party providers and their services, we observe the legal requirements.
In this context, personal data may be processed and stored on the servers of third-party providers. This may affect various data that we process in accordance with this privacy policy. This data may include, in particular, master data and contact data of users, data on transactions, contracts, other processes and their content.
If users are referred to the third-party providers or their software or platforms in the context of communication, business or other relationships with us, the third-party providers may process usage data and metadata for security purposes, service optimization or marketing purposes. We therefore ask you to observe the data protection notices of the respective third-party providers.
- Processed data types: Content data (e.g. textual or visual messages and contributions as well as the information relating to them, such as information on authorship or time of creation); usage data (e.g. page views and length of stay, click paths, intensity and frequency of use, device types and operating systems used, interactions with content and functions). Meta, communication and process data (e.g. IP addresses, time data, identification numbers, persons involved).
- Affected persons: Communication partners. Users (e.g. website visitors, users of online services).
- Purposes of processing: Provision of contractual services and fulfillment of contractual obligations. Office and organizational procedures.
- Storage and deletion: Deletion in accordance with the information in the section “General information on data storage and deletion”.
- Legal basis: Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f) GDPR).
Processing of data in the context of employment relationships
In the context of employment relationships, personal data is processed with the aim of effectively managing the establishment, implementation and termination of such relationships. This data processing supports various operational and administrative functions that are necessary for the management of employee relations.
Data processing covers various aspects ranging from contract initiation to contract termination. This includes the organization and administration of daily working hours, the administration of access rights and authorizations as well as the handling of personnel development measures and employee appraisals. The processing is also used for payroll and the administration of wage and salary payments, which are critical aspects of contract implementation.
In addition, data processing takes into account the legitimate interests of the responsible employer, such as ensuring safety in the workplace or collecting performance data to evaluate and optimize operational processes. Furthermore, data processing includes the disclosure of employee data as part of external communication and publication processes, where this is necessary for operational or legal purposes.
This data is always processed in compliance with the applicable legal framework, whereby the aim is always to create and maintain a fair and efficient working environment. This also includes taking into account the data protection of the employees concerned, the anonymization or deletion of data after the purpose of processing has been fulfilled or in accordance with statutory retention periods.
- Processed data types: Employee data (information on employees and other persons in an employment relationship); payment data (e.g. bank details, invoices, payment history); contract data (e.g. subject matter of the contract, term, customer category); inventory data (e.g. full name, residential address, contact information, customer number, etc.); contact data (e.g. postal and e-mail addresses or telephone numbers); content data (e.g. text or image messages and contributions as well as information relating to them, such as content data (e.g. textual or visual messages and contributions and the information relating to them, such as details of authorship or time of creation); social data (data subject to social confidentiality and processed, for example, by social insurance providers, social welfare providers or pension authorities); log data (e.g. log files relating to logins or the retrieval of data or access times); performance and behavioral data (e.g. aspects of performance and behavior). e.g. performance and behavioral aspects such as performance evaluations, feedback from superiors, training participation, compliance with company guidelines, self-assessments and behavioral assessments); working time data (e.g. start of working hours, end of working hours, actual working hours, target working hours, break times, overtime, vacation days, special leave days, sick days, absences, home office days, business trips); salary data (e.g. basic salary, bonus payments, bonuses, premiums). basic salary, bonus payments, premiums, tax class information, supplements for night work/overtime, tax deductions, social security contributions, net amount paid out); image and/or video recordings (e.g. photographs or video recordings of a person); usage data (e.g. page views and length of stay, click paths, intensity and frequency of use, device types and operating systems used, interactions with content and functions). Meta, communication and process data (e.g. IP addresses, time data, identification numbers, persons involved).
- Special categories of personal data: Health data; Religious or philosophical beliefs. Trade union membership.
- Affected persons: Employees (e.g. salaried employees, applicants, temporary staff and other employees).
- Purposes of processing: Establishment and implementation of employment relationships (processing of employee data in the context of the establishment and implementation of employment relationships); business processes and business management procedures; provision of contractual services and fulfillment of contractual obligations; public relations; security measures. Office and organizational procedures.
- Legal bases: Performance of a contract and pre-contractual inquiries (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. b) GDPR); Legal obligation (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. c) GDPR); Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f) GDPR). Processing of special categories of personal data relating to health care, employment and social security (Art. 9 para. 2 lit. h) GDPR).
Further information on processing operations, procedures and services:
- Working time recording: Procedures for recording employees’ working times include both manual and automated methods, such as the use of time clocks, time recording software or mobile apps. This involves activities such as entering clock-in and clock-out times, break times, overtime and absences. Checking and validating the recorded working times includes comparing them with shift schedules, checking absences and approving overtime by supervisors. Reports and analyses are created on the basis of the recorded working hours in order to provide time sheets, overtime reports and absence statistics for management and the HR department; legal basis: performance of contract and pre-contractual requests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. b) GDPR), legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f) GDPR).
- Authorization management: Procedures required to define, manage and control access rights and user roles within a system or organization (e.g. Creation of authorization profiles, role and access-based control, review and approval of access requests, regular review of access rights, tracking and auditing of user activities, creation of security policies and procedures); Legal basis: Performance of a contract and pre-contractual requests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. b) GDPR), Legal obligation (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. c) GDPR), Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f) GDPR).
- Special categories of personal data: Special categories of personal data are processed in the context of the employment relationship or to fulfill legal obligations. The special categories of personal data processed include data relating to the health, trade union membership or religious affiliation of employees. This data may, for example, be passed on to health insurance companies or processed to assess employees’ ability to work or for occupational health management or for information to the tax office; legal bases: Contract fulfillment and pre-contractual inquiries (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. b) GDPR), Legal obligation (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. c) GDPR), Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f) GDPR).
- Sources of the processed data: Personal data obtained as part of the employee’s application and/or employment relationship is processed. In addition, if required by law, personal data is collected from other sources. These may be tax authorities for tax-relevant information, the respective health insurance company for information on incapacity for work, third parties such as employment agencies or publicly accessible sources such as professional social networks in the context of application procedures; legal bases: Legal obligation (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. c) GDPR), legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f) GDPR).
- Purposes of data processing: The personal data of employees are processed primarily for the establishment, implementation and termination of the employment relationship. In addition, the processing of this data is necessary to fulfill legal obligations in the area of tax and social security law. In addition to these primary purposes, employee data is also used to comply with regulatory and supervisory requirements, to optimize electronic data processing processes and to compile internal or cross-company data, possibly including statistical data. Furthermore, employee data may be processed for the assertion of legal claims and for defense in legal disputes; legal bases: performance of contract and pre-contractual inquiries (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. b) GDPR), legal obligation (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. c) GDPR), legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f) GDPR).
- Transfer of employee data: Employee data is only processed internally by those departments that need it to fulfill operational, contractual and legal obligations.
Data is only passed on to external recipients if this is required by law or if the employees concerned have given their consent. Possible scenarios for this could be requests for information from authorities or in the case of capital formation benefits. Furthermore, the controller may forward personal data to other recipients if this is necessary to fulfill its contractual and legal obligations as an employer. These recipients may include: a) Banks b) Health insurance funds, pension insurance providers, pension providers and other social insurance providers c) Public authorities, courts (e.g. tax authorities, labor courts, other (e.g. tax authorities, labor courts, other supervisory authorities as part of the fulfillment of reporting and information obligations) d) Tax and legal advisors e) Third-party debtors in the event of wage and salary garnishments f) Other bodies to which legally binding declarations must be made.
In addition, data may be passed on to third parties if this is necessary for communication with business partners, suppliers or other service providers. Examples of this include information in the sender area of emails or letterhead and the creation of profiles on external platforms; legal basis: contract fulfillment and pre-contractual inquiries (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. b) GDPR), legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f) GDPR). - Transfer of employee data to third countries: The transfer of employee data to third countries, i.e. countries outside the European Union (EU) and the European Economic Area (EEA), only takes place if this is necessary for the fulfillment of the employment relationship, is required by law or if employees have given their consent. Employees will be informed separately about the details, if required by law; legal basis: Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f) GDPR).
- Business trips and travel expense accounting: Procedures required for the planning, execution and accounting of business trips (e.g. booking of trips, organization of accommodation and means of transport, administration of travel expense advances, submission and verification of travel expense reports, control and accounting of costs incurred, compliance with travel guidelines, handling of travel expense management); Legal basis: Fulfilment of contract and pre-contractual inquiries (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. b) GDPR), Legal obligation (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. c) GDPR), Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f) GDPR).
- Payroll accounting and payroll accounting: Procedures required for the calculation, payment and documentation of wages, salaries and other remuneration of employees (e.g. Recording of working hours, calculation of deductions and supplements, payment of taxes and social security contributions, preparation of wage and salary statements, management of payroll accounts, reporting to the tax office and social security institutions); Legal basis: Contract fulfillment and pre-contractual inquiries (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. b) GDPR), Legal obligation (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. c) GDPR).
- Deletion of employee data: Employee data is deleted in accordance with German law if it is not required for the purpose for which it was collected, unless it must be retained or archived due to legal obligations or the interests of the employer. The following retention and archiving obligations are observed:
- General personnel documents – General personnel documents (such as employment contract, reference letter, supplementary agreements) are kept for up to three years after termination of the employment relationship (§ 195 BGB).
Tax-relevant documents – Tax-relevant documents in the personnel file are kept for six years (§ 147 AO, § 257 HGB).
Information on wages and hours worked – Information on wages and hours worked for (accident) insured persons with proof of wages is kept for five years (§ 165 I 1, IV 2 SGB VII). - Salary lists including lists for special payments – Salary lists including lists for special payments, if an accounting document is available, are kept for ten years (§ 147 AO, § 257 HGB).
- Payroll lists for interim, final and special payments – Payroll lists for interim, final and special payments are kept for six years (§ 147 AO, § 257 HGB).
- Employee insurance documents – Employee insurance documents, if accounting records are available, are kept for ten years (§ 147 AO, § 257 HGB).
- Contribution statements to social insurance institutions – Contribution statements to social insurance institutions are kept for ten years (§ 165 SGB VII).
Payroll accounts – Payroll accounts are kept for six years (§ 41 I 9 EStG). - Applicant data – Retained for a maximum of six months from receipt of the rejection.
- Working time records (for more than 8 hours on working days) – Are kept for two years (§ 16 II Working Hours Act (ArbZG)).
- Application documents (after online job advertisement) – Will be kept for three to a maximum of six months after receipt of the rejection (§ 26
- Federal Data Protection Act (BDSG) new version, Section 15 IV General Equal Treatment Act (AGG)).
- Certificates of incapacity for work (AU) – Are kept for up to five years (Section 6 I of the Act on the Equalization of Expenses (AAG)).
- Documents relating to company pension schemes – are kept for 30 years (Section 18a of the German Act on the Improvement of Company Pension Schemes (BetrAVG)).
- Employee sickness data – Retained for twelve months after the start of the illness if the absences do not exceed six weeks in a year.
- Maternity protection documents – are kept for two years (§ 27 para. 5 MuSchG).
- General personnel documents – General personnel documents (such as employment contract, reference letter, supplementary agreements) are kept for up to three years after termination of the employment relationship (§ 195 BGB).
- Personnel file management: Procedures required for the organization, updating and management of employee data and documents (e.g. recording of personnel master data, storage of employment contracts, references and certificates, updating of data in the event of changes, compilation of documents for employee appraisals, archiving of personnel files, compliance with data protection regulations); Legal basis: Fulfilment of contract and pre-contractual inquiries (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. b) GDPR), Legal obligation (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. c) GDPR), Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f) GDPR), Processing of special categories of personal data relating to health care, employment and social security (Art. 9 para. 2 lit. h) GDPR).
- Personnel development, performance evaluation and employee appraisals: Procedures that are necessary in the area of employee promotion and development as well as in the evaluation of their performance and in the context of employee appraisals (e.g. needs analysis for further training, planning and implementation of training measures, preparation of performance evaluations, implementation of target agreement and feedback discussions, career planning and talent management, succession planning); Legal basis: Contract fulfillment and pre-contractual inquiries (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. b) GDPR), Legal obligation (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. c) GDPR), Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f) GDPR), Processing of special categories of personal data relating to health, professional and social security (Art. 9 para. 2 lit. h) GDPR).
- Obligation to provide data: The controller shall inform employees that the provision of their data is required. This is generally the case if the data is required for the establishment and performance of the employment relationship or if its collection is required by law. It may also be necessary to provide data if employees assert claims or if employees are entitled to claims. The implementation of these measures or fulfillment of services is dependent on the provision of this data (for example, the provision of data for the purpose of receiving wages); legal basis: Contract fulfillment and pre-contractual inquiries (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. b) GDPR), Legal obligation (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. c) GDPR), Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f) GDPR).
- Publication and disclosure of employee data: Employee data is only published or disclosed to third parties if this is necessary for the performance of work tasks in accordance with the employment contract. This applies, for example, if employees are named as contact persons in correspondence, on the website or in public registers following consultation or an agreed job description, or if the area of responsibility includes representative functions. This may also be the case if a presentation or communication with the public takes place as part of the performance of duties, such as photographs taken as part of public relations work. Otherwise, employees’ data will only be published with their consent or on the basis of the employer’s legitimate interests, for example in the case of stage or group photos taken as part of a public event; legal basis: performance of contract and pre-contractual inquiries (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. b) GDPR), legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f) GDPR).
Application procedure
The application process requires applicants to provide us with the data necessary for their assessment and selection. The information required can be found in the job description or, in the case of online forms, in the details provided there.
In principle, the required information includes personal details such as name, address, contact details and proof of the qualifications required for the position. On request, we will be happy to provide additional information on what details are required.
If available, applicants are welcome to submit their applications via our online form, which is encrypted using state-of-the-art technology. Alternatively, it is also possible to send us applications by e-mail. However, we would like to point out that e-mails sent via the Internet are generally not encrypted. Although e-mails are generally encrypted in transit, this is not done on the servers from which they are sent and received. We can therefore accept no responsibility for the security of the application during transmission between the sender and our server.
For the purposes of searching for applicants, submitting applications and selecting applicants, we may use applicant management or recruitment software and platforms and services from third-party providers in compliance with legal requirements.
Applicants are welcome to contact us about how to submit their application or send it to us by post.
Processing of special categories of data: Insofar as special categories of personal data (Art. 9 para. 1 GDPR, e.g. health data, such as severely disabled status or ethnic origin) are requested from applicants or communicated by them as part of the application procedure, their processing is carried out so that the controller or the data subject can exercise the rights arising from labor law and social security and social protection law and fulfill his or her obligations in this regard. In the case of the protection of vital interests of applicants or other persons or for the purposes of preventive health care or occupational medicine, for the assessment of the employee’s fitness for work, for medical diagnosis, for the provision of health or social care or treatment or for the management of health or social care systems and services.
Deletion of data: The data provided by applicants may be further processed by us for the purposes of the employment relationship in the event of a successful application. Otherwise, if the application for a job offer is not successful, the applicant’s data will be deleted. Applicants’ data will also be deleted if an application is withdrawn, which applicants are entitled to do at any time. Subject to a justified withdrawal by the applicant, the deletion will take place after a period of six months at the latest, so that we can answer any follow-up questions about the application and meet our obligations to provide evidence under the regulations on equal treatment of applicants. Invoices for any reimbursement of travel expenses will be archived in accordance with tax regulations.
Inclusion in an applicant pool: Inclusion in an applicant pool, if offered, is based on consent. Applicants are informed that their consent to inclusion in the talent pool is voluntary, has no influence on the ongoing application process and that they can revoke their consent at any time for the future.
Duration of data retention in the applicant pool in months: 12 months
- Processed data types: inventory data (e.g. full name, residential address, contact information, customer number, etc.); contact data (e.g. postal and email addresses or telephone numbers); content data (e.g. text or image messages and contributions as well as the information relating to them, such as information on authorship or time of creation). Applicant data (e.g. personal details, postal and contact addresses, the documents belonging to the application and the information contained therein, such as cover letter, CV, certificates and other personal or qualification information provided by applicants with regard to a specific position or voluntarily).
- Persons concerned: Applicants.
- Purposes of processing: Application procedure (justification and possible subsequent implementation and possible subsequent termination of the employment relationship).
- Storage and deletion: Deletion in accordance with the information in the section “General information on data storage and deletion”.
- Legal basis: Application procedure as a pre-contractual or contractual relationship (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. b) GDPR).
Change and update
We ask you to inform yourself regularly about the content of our privacy policy. We will adapt the privacy policy as soon as changes to the data processing carried out by us make this necessary. We will inform you as soon as the changes require an act of cooperation on your part (e.g. consent) or other individual notification.
If we provide addresses and contact information of companies and organizations in this privacy policy, please note that the addresses may change over time and please check the information before contacting us.
Definitions of terms
This section provides you with an overview of the terms used in this privacy policy. Insofar as the terms are defined by law, their legal definitions apply. The following explanations, on the other hand, are primarily intended to aid understanding.
- Employees: Employees are defined as persons who are in an employment relationship, whether as staff, employees or in similar positions. An employment relationship is a legal relationship between an employer and an employee that is defined by an employment contract or agreement. It involves the employer’s obligation to pay remuneration to the employee while the employee performs work. The employment relationship comprises various phases, including the establishment, in which the employment contract is concluded, the performance, in which the employee performs his or her work activities, and the termination, when the employment relationship ends, whether by notice, termination agreement or otherwise. Employee data is all information relating to these persons and in the context of their employment. This includes aspects such as personal identification data, identification numbers, salary and bank details, working hours, vacation entitlements, health data and performance appraisals.
- Inventory data: Inventory data includes essential information that is necessary for the identification and management of contractual partners, user accounts, profiles and similar assignments. This data may include personal and demographic information such as names, contact information (addresses, telephone numbers, e-mail addresses), dates of birth and specific identifiers (user IDs). Inventory data forms the basis for any formal interaction between people and services, facilities or systems by enabling clear assignment and communication.
- Content data: Content data includes information generated in the course of creating, editing and publishing content of all kinds. This category of data can include text, images, videos, audio files and other multimedia content published on various platforms and media. Content data is not limited to the actual content, but also includes metadata that provides information about the content itself, such as tags, descriptions, author information and publication dates
- Contact details: Contact data is essential information that enables communication with individuals or organizations. It includes telephone numbers, postal addresses and email addresses, as well as communication tools such as social media handles and instant messaging identifiers.
- Performance and behavioral data: Performance and behavioral data refers to information related to how individuals perform tasks or behave in a particular context, such as an educational, work or social environment. This data can include metrics such as productivity, efficiency, quality of work, attendance and compliance with policies or procedures. Behavioral data could include interactions with colleagues, communication styles, decision-making processes and reactions to different situations. These types of data are often used for performance evaluations, training and development, and decision making within organizations.
- Meta, communication and procedural data: Meta, communication and procedural data are categories that contain information about the way in which data is processed, transmitted and managed. Meta data, also known as data about data, includes information that describes the context, origin and structure of other data. It can include information on file size, creation date, the author of a document and change histories. Communication data records the exchange of information between users via various channels, such as e-mail traffic, call logs, messages in social networks and chat histories, including the persons involved, time stamps and transmission paths. Procedural data describes the processes and procedures within systems or organizations, including workflow documentation, logs of transactions and activities, and audit logs used to track and review operations.
- Usage data: Usage data refers to information that captures how users interact with digital products, services or platforms. This data includes a wide range of information that shows how users use applications, which functions they prefer, how long they stay on certain pages and which paths they navigate through an application. Usage data can also include frequency of use, timestamps of activities, IP addresses, device information and location data. It is particularly valuable for analysing user behaviour, optimizing user experiences, personalizing content and improving products or services. In addition, usage data plays a crucial role in identifying trends, preferences and potential problem areas within digital offerings
- Personal data: “Personal data” means any information relating to an identified or identifiable natural person (hereinafter referred to as “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 (e.g. a cookie) or to one or more factors specific to the physical, physiological, genetic, mental, economic, cultural or social identity of that natural person.
- Profiles with user-related information: The processing of “profiles with user-related information”, or “profiles” for short, includes any type of automated processing of personal data that consists of using this personal data to analyze, evaluate or predict certain personal aspects relating to a natural person (depending on the type of profiling, this may include various information relating to demographics, behavior and interests, such as interaction with websites and their content, etc.) (e.g. interests in certain content or products, click behavior on a website or location). Cookies and web beacons are often used for profiling purposes.
- Log data: Log data is information about events or activities that have been logged on a system or network. This data typically contains information such as timestamps, IP addresses, user actions, error messages and other details about the use or operation of a system. Log data is often used to analyze system problems, for security monitoring or to create performance reports.
- Reach measurement: Reach measurement (also known as web analytics) is used to evaluate the flow of visitors to an online offering and can include the behavior or interests of visitors in certain information, such as website content. With the help of reach analysis, operators of online offers can, for example, recognize at what time users visit their websites and what content they are interested in. This allows them to better adapt the content of their websites to the needs of their visitors, for example. For the purposes of reach analysis, pseudonymous cookies and web beacons are often used to recognize returning visitors and thus obtain more precise analyses of the use of an online offer.
- Location data: Location data is generated when a mobile device (or another device with the technical requirements for location determination) connects to a radio cell, a WLAN or similar technical means and functions of location determination. Location data is used to indicate the geographically determinable position on earth at which the respective device is located. Location data can be used, for example, to display map functions or other location-dependent information.
- Tracking: The term “tracking” is used when the behavior of users can be tracked across several online offerings. As a rule, behavioral and interest information is stored in cookies or on the servers of the providers of the tracking technologies with regard to the online offers used (so-called profiling). This information can then be used, for example, to display advertisements to users that are likely to correspond to their interests.
- Controller: The “controller” is the natural or legal person, public authority, agency or other body which, alone or jointly with others, determines the purposes and means of the processing of personal data.
- Processing: “Processing” means any operation or set of operations which is performed on personal data, whether or not by automated means. The term is broad and covers practically every handling of data, be it collection, analysis, storage, transmission or deletion.
- Contract data: Contract data is specific information that relates to the formalization of an agreement between two or more parties. It documents the conditions under which services or products are provided, exchanged or sold. This category of data is essential for the management and fulfillment of contractual obligations and includes both the identification of the contracting parties and the specific terms and conditions of the agreement. Contract data may include start and end dates of the contract, the type of services or products agreed, price agreements, payment terms, termination rights, renewal options and special terms or clauses. They serve as the legal basis for the relationship between the parties and are crucial for the clarification of rights and obligations, the enforcement of claims and the resolution of disputes.
- Payment data: Payment data includes all information needed to process payment transactions between buyers and sellers. This data is crucial for e-commerce, online banking and any other form of financial transaction. It includes details such as credit card numbers, bank details, payment amounts, transaction dates, verification numbers and billing information. Payment data can also include information about payment status, chargebacks, authorizations and fees.
- Target group formation: Target group formation (custom audiences) is the term used when target groups are determined for advertising purposes, e.g. the display of advertisements. For example, based on a user’s interest in certain products or topics on the Internet, it can be concluded that this user is interested in advertisements for similar products or the online store in which they viewed the products. In turn, “lookalike audiences” (or similar target groups) are when the content deemed suitable is displayed to users whose profiles or interests presumably correspond to the users for whom the profiles were created. Cookies and web beacons are generally used for the purpose of creating custom audiences and lookalike audiences.
