Privacy Policy
1) Information on the collection of personal data and the contact details of the data controller
1.1 We are delighted that you are visiting our website and thank you for your interest. Below, we provide information on how we handle your personal data when you use our website. Personal data refers to any data that can be used to identify you personally.
1.2 The data controller for this website within the meaning of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is Noah Rügamer, Rügamer & Steiner Consulting GmbH, Tußmannstraße 61, 40477 Düsseldorf, Tel.: 0152 09703658, email: kontakt@ruegamer-steiner.de. The data controller is the natural or legal person who, alone or jointly with others, determines the purposes and means of the processing of personal data.
1.3 For security reasons and to protect the transmission of personal data and other confidential content (e.g. orders or enquiries to the data controller), this website uses SSL or TLS encryption. You can recognise an encrypted connection by the string ‘https://’ and the padlock icon in your browser address bar.
2) Data collection when visiting our website
When using our website for information purposes only – that is, if you do not register or otherwise provide us with information – we only collect data that your browser transmits to our server (so-called ‘server log files’). When you visit our website, we collect the following data, which is technically necessary for us to display the website to you:
- Website accessed
- Date and time at the time of access
- Amount of data sent in bytes
- Source/link from which you arrived at the page
- Browser used
- Operating system used
- IP address used (if applicable: in anonymised form)
Processing is carried out in accordance with Article 6(1)(f) of the GDPR on the basis of our legitimate interest in improving the stability and functionality of our website. The data will not be disclosed or used for any other purpose. We do, however, reserve the right to review the server log files retrospectively should there be concrete indications of unlawful use.
3) Cookies
To make visiting our website an enjoyable experience and to enable the use of certain functions, we use so-called cookies on various pages. These are small text files that are stored on your device. Some of the cookies we use are deleted at the end of the browser session, i.e. once you close your browser (so-called session cookies). Other cookies remain on your device and enable us to recognise your browser the next time you visit (so-called persistent cookies). When cookies are set, they collect and process certain user information to a specific extent, such as browser and location data, as well as IP addresses. Persistent cookies are automatically deleted after a predefined period, which may vary depending on the cookie. You can find the duration for which each cookie is stored in the overview of your web browser’s cookie settings. In some cases, cookies are used to simplify the ordering process by storing settings (e.g. remembering the contents of a virtual shopping basket for a later visit to the website). Where personal data is also processed by individual cookies we use, such processing is carried out in accordance with Article 6(1)(b) of the GDPR either for the performance of a contract, in accordance with Article 6(1)(a) of the GDPR where consent has been given, or in accordance with Article 6(1)(f) of the GDPR to safeguard our legitimate interests in ensuring the best possible functionality of the website and a customer-friendly and effective user experience. Please note that you can configure your browser so that you are informed when cookies are set and can decide on a case-by-case basis whether to accept them, or you can block the acceptance of cookies in specific cases or generally. Each browser differs in the way it manages cookie settings. This is described in the help menu of each browser, which explains how you can change your cookie settings. You can find these for the respective browsers via the following links: Internet Explorer: https://support.microsoft.com/de-de/help/17442/windows-internet-explorer-delete-manage-cookies Firefox: https://support.mozilla.org/de/kb/cookies-erlauben-und-ablehnen Chrome: https://support.google.com/chrome/answer/95647?hl=de&hlrm=en Safari: https://support.apple.com/de-de/guide/safari/sfri11471/mac Opera: https://help.opera.com/de/latest/web-preferences/#cookies Please note that if you do not accept cookies, the functionality of our website may be restricted.
4) Contact us
Personal data is collected when you contact us (e.g. via the contact form or by email). The data collected when using a contact form is specified on the relevant contact form. This data is stored and used exclusively for the purpose of responding to your enquiry or for establishing contact and the associated technical administration. The legal basis for the processing of this data is our legitimate interest in responding to your enquiry in accordance with Article 6(1)(f) of the GDPR. If your enquiry is aimed at concluding a contract, the additional legal basis for processing is Article 6(1)(b) of the GDPR. Your data will be deleted once your enquiry has been fully processed. This is the case when it is clear from the circumstances that the matter in question has been conclusively resolved and provided that there are no statutory retention obligations to the contrary.
5) Online appointment booking
Dedicated online appointment booking function We process your personal data as part of the online appointment booking service provided. You can see which data we collect for the online appointment booking from the relevant input form or the appointment enquiry form. Where certain data is necessary to complete an online appointment booking, we will indicate this accordingly in the input form or in the appointment enquiry. If we provide a free-text field in the input form, you can use it to describe your enquiry in more detail. You can then also decide for yourself what additional data you wish to enter. The data you provide will be stored and used exclusively for the purpose of booking an appointment. Where personal data is processed that is necessary for the performance of a contract with you (this also applies to processing operations necessary for the implementation of pre-contractual measures), Article 6(1)(b) of the GDPR serves as the legal basis. If you have given us your consent to process your data, the processing is carried out on the basis of Article 6(1)(a) of the GDPR. Any consent given may be withdrawn at any time by sending a message to the data controller named at the beginning of this statement. Calendly This website uses the ‘Calendly’ software provided by Calendly, LLC, BB&T Tower, 271 17th St NW, Atlanta, GA 30363, USA, to provide an online appointment booking function. For the purpose of booking appointments, your first name, surname and email address (and, where applicable, your telephone number, if a telephone appointment is requested) are collected and, in accordance with Article 6(1)(f) of the GDPR, based on our legitimate interest in effective customer management and efficient appointment administration, transmitted to Calendly and stored there for the purpose of organising the appointment. This may also involve the transfer of data to the servers of Calendly, LLC, in the USA. Once the appointment has taken place or the agreed appointment period has expired, your data will be deleted by Calendly. We have entered into a data processing agreement with Calendly, in which we oblige Calendly to protect our customers’ data in accordance with legal requirements. Details of Calendly’s privacy policy can be found here: https://calendly.com/de/pages/privacy
6) Data processing when opening a customer account and for the purpose of contract fulfilment
In accordance with Article 6(1)(b) of the GDPR, personal data will continue to be collected and processed if you provide it to us for the purpose of performing a contract or when opening a customer account. The data collected is specified in the relevant input forms. You may delete your customer account at any time by sending a message to the above-mentioned address of the data controller. We store and use the data you have provided for the purpose of contract fulfilment. Once the contract has been fully fulfilled or your customer account has been deleted, your data will be blocked in accordance with retention periods under tax and commercial law and deleted once these periods have expired, unless you have expressly consented to the further use of your data or we have reserved the right to further use your data as permitted by law.
7) Use of customer data for direct marketing
7.1 Subscription to our email newsletter If you subscribe to our email newsletter, we will send you regular updates on our offers. The only mandatory information required to receive the newsletter is your email address. Providing any further details is voluntary and is used to enable us to address you personally. We use the so-called ‘double opt-in’ procedure to send the newsletter. This means that we will only send you an email newsletter once you have expressly confirmed that you consent to receiving it. We will then send you a confirmation email asking you to click on a link to confirm that you wish to receive the newsletter in future. By activating the confirmation link, you give us your consent to the use of your personal data in accordance with Article 6(1)(a) of the GDPR. When you subscribe to the newsletter, we store your IP address as provided by your Internet Service Provider (ISP), as well as the date and time of your subscription, so that we can trace any potential misuse of your email address at a later date. The data we collect when you subscribe to the newsletter is used exclusively for the purpose of sending you promotional communications via the newsletter. You can unsubscribe from the newsletter at any time via the link provided in the newsletter or by sending a message to the data controller named at the beginning of this notice. Once you have unsubscribed, your email address will be deleted immediately from our newsletter distribution list, unless you have expressly consented to the continued use of your data or we reserve the right to use your data for other purposes that are permitted by law and about which we inform you in this statement.
7.2 Sending the email newsletter to existing customers If you have provided us with your email address when purchasing goods or services, we reserve the right to send you regular offers by email for goods or services from our range that are similar to those you have already purchased. In accordance with Section 7(3) of the German Unfair Commercial Practices Act (UWG), we are not required to obtain your separate consent for this. Data processing in this regard is carried out solely on the basis of our legitimate interest in personalised direct marketing in accordance with Article 6(1)(f) of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). If you initially objected to the use of your email address for this purpose, we will not send you any emails. You are entitled to object to the use of your email address for the aforementioned advertising purposes at any time, with effect for the future, by notifying the data controller named at the beginning of this notice. You will only incur transmission costs in accordance with standard rates. Upon receipt of your objection, the use of your email address for marketing purposes will be discontinued immediately.
7.3 Newsletter distribution via ActiveCampaign Our email newsletters are distributed via the technical service provider ActiveCampaign, LLC, 150 N. Michigan Ave Suite 1230, Chicago, IL, US, USA (‘ActiveCampaign’), to whom we pass on the data you provided when you subscribed to the newsletter. This transfer takes place in accordance with Article 6(1)(f) of the GDPR and serves our legitimate interest in using an effective, secure and user-friendly newsletter system. The data you enter for the purpose of subscribing to the newsletter (e.g. email address) is stored on ActiveCampaign’s servers in the USA. ActiveCampaign uses this information to send out and statistically analyse the newsletters on our behalf. For the purposes of analysis, the emails sent contain so-called web beacons or tracking pixels, which are single-pixel image files stored on our website. This makes it possible to determine whether a newsletter message has been opened and, where applicable, which links have been clicked. With the help of so-called conversion tracking, it is also possible to analyse whether a predefined action (e.g. the purchase of a product on our website) took place after clicking a link in the newsletter. Technical information is also collected (e.g. time of access, IP address, browser type and operating system). The data is collected exclusively in pseudonymised form and is not linked to your other personal data; direct personal identification is ruled out. This data is used solely for the statistical analysis of newsletter campaigns. The results of these analyses may be used to better tailor future newsletters to the interests of recipients. If you wish to object to the analysis of your data for statistical purposes, you must unsubscribe from the newsletter. We have entered into a data processing agreement with ActiveCampaign, under which we oblige ActiveCampaign to protect our customers’ data and not to disclose it to third parties. You can view ActiveCampaign’s privacy policy here: https://www.activecampaign.com/privacy-policy
7.4 Newsletter distribution via Klaviyo Our email newsletters are distributed via the technical service provider ‘Klaviyo’, 225 Franklin St, Boston, MA 02110, USA (http://www.klaviyo.com/), to whom we pass on the data you provided when subscribing to the newsletter. This transfer takes place in accordance with Article 6(1)(f) of the GDPR and serves our legitimate interest in using an effective, secure and user-friendly newsletter system. Please note that your data is generally transferred to a Klaviyo server in the USA and stored there. Klaviyo uses this information to send out the newsletters on our behalf. Klaviyo does not use the data of our newsletter recipients to contact them directly or to pass it on to third parties. To protect your data in the USA, we have entered into a Data Processing Agreement with Klaviyo, in which Klaviyo undertakes to protect our users’ data, to process it on our behalf in accordance with its privacy policy and, in particular, not to disclose it to third parties. You can view Klaviyo’s privacy policy here: https://www.klaviyo.com/privacy
7.5 Advertising by post On the basis of our legitimate interest in personalised direct marketing, we reserve the right to store your first name and surname, your postal address and – insofar as we have received this additional information from you within the framework of the contractual relationship – your title, academic qualification, year of birth and your professional, sector or business title in accordance with Article 6(1)(f) of the GDPR, and to use this information to send you interesting offers and information about our products by post. You may object to the storage and use of your data for this purpose at any time by sending a corresponding message to the data controller.
8) Data processing for order fulfilment
8.1 To process your order, we work with the service providers listed below, who assist us, either in full or in part, with the fulfilment of concluded contracts. Certain personal data is transferred to these service providers in accordance with the following information. The personal data we collect is passed on to the transport company commissioned to carry out the delivery as part of the contract fulfilment, insofar as this is necessary for the delivery of the goods. We pass on your payment details to the commissioned bank as part of the payment processing, insofar as this is necessary for the payment to be processed. Where payment service providers are used, we will inform you of this explicitly below. The legal basis for the transfer of data is Article 6(1)(b) of the GDPR.
8.2 Disclosure of personal data to delivery service providers – Deutsche Post If the goods are delivered by Deutsche Post (Deutsche Post AG, Charles-de-Gaulle-Straße 20, 53113 Bonn), we will pass on your email address to Deutsche Post in accordance with Article 6(1)(a) of the GDPR prior to the delivery of the goods, for the purpose of arranging a delivery date or notifying you of the delivery, provided that you have given your explicit consent to this during the ordering process. Otherwise, for the purpose of delivery in accordance with Article 6(1)(b) of the GDPR, we will only pass on the recipient’s name and the delivery address to Deutsche Post. This information is only disclosed to the extent necessary for the delivery of the goods. In this case, it is not possible to arrange a delivery date in advance with Deutsche Post or to receive a delivery notification. Consent may be withdrawn at any time with future effect by contacting the data controller named above or Deutsche Post. – DHL If the goods are delivered by the transport service provider DHL (DHL Paket GmbH, Sträßchensweg 10, 53113 Bonn), we will pass on your email address to DHL in accordance with Article 6(1)(a) of the GDPR prior to delivery of the goods for the purpose of arranging a delivery date or providing a delivery notification, provided that you have given your express consent to this during the ordering process. Otherwise, for the purpose of delivery in accordance with Article 6(1)(b) of the GDPR, we will only pass on the recipient’s name and the delivery address to DHL. This information is only disclosed to the extent necessary for the delivery of the goods. In this case, it is not possible to arrange a delivery date with DHL in advance or to receive a delivery notification. Consent may be withdrawn at any time with future effect by contacting the data controller named above or the transport service provider DHL. – DPD If the goods are delivered by the transport service provider DPD (DPD Deutschland GmbH, Wailandtstraße 1, 63741 Aschaffenburg), we will pass on your email address and telephone number to DPD prior to delivery of the goods, in accordance with Article 6(1)(a) of the GDPR, for the purpose of arranging a delivery date or providing a delivery notification, provided that you have given your explicit consent to this during the ordering process. Otherwise, for the purpose of delivery in accordance with Article 6(1)(b) of the GDPR, we will only pass on the recipient’s name and the delivery address to DPD. This information is only disclosed to the extent necessary for the delivery of the goods. In this case, it is not possible to arrange a delivery date with DPD in advance or to receive a delivery notification. Consent may be withdrawn at any time with future effect by contacting the data controller named above or the transport service provider DPD. – GLS If the goods are delivered by the transport service provider GLS (General Logistics Systems Germany GmbH & Co. OHG, GLS Germany-Straße 1–7, 36286 Neuenstein), we will pass on your email address to GLS in accordance with Article 6(1)(a) of the GDPR prior to delivery of the goods for the purpose of arranging a delivery time or providing a delivery notification, provided that you have given your explicit consent to this during the ordering process. Otherwise, for the purpose of delivery in accordance with Article 6(1)(b) of the GDPR, we will only pass on the recipient’s name and the delivery address to GLS. This information will only be passed on to the extent necessary for the delivery of the goods. In this case, it will not be possible to arrange a delivery date with GLS in advance or to receive updates on the status of the delivery. You may withdraw your consent at any time with future effect by contacting the data controller named above or the transport service provider GLS.
8.3 Use of payment service providers – giropay When paying via ‘giropay’, payment processing is handled by giropay GmbH, An der Welle 4, 60322 Frankfurt am Main, to whom we pass on the information you provide during the ordering process, together with details of your order. The transfer of your data takes place in accordance with Article 6(1)(b) of the GDPR exclusively for the purpose of payment processing and only to the extent necessary for this purpose. Further information on giropay GmbH’s privacy policy is available at the following web address: https://www.giropay.de/rechtliches/datenschutzerklaerung
9) Contact regarding review reminders
Our own review reminder (not sent via a customer review system) We use your email address to send you a one-off reminder to submit a review of your order via the review system we use, provided that you have given us your explicit consent to do so during or after your order in accordance with Article 6(1)(a) of the GDPR. You may withdraw your consent at any time by sending a message to the data controller. Review reminder via Trustpilot Provided you have given us your explicit consent for this during or after your order in accordance with Article 6(1)(a) of the GDPR, we will forward your email address to the Trustpilot review platform operated by Trustpilot A/S, Pilestræde 58, 1112 Copenhagen K, Denmark (www.trustpilot.com), so that they can send you a review reminder by email. You may withdraw your consent at any time by sending a message to the data controller or directly to the review platform.
10) Use of rating and quality mark graphics
Provenexpert widget We use the Provenexpert seal on our website, a widget provided by Expert Systems AG, Quedlinburger Straße 1, 10589 Berlin (‘Provenexpert’). When you visit our website, dynamic content (current shop rating, certificate, etc.) is loaded into the widget from Provenexpert’s servers. In doing so, information about the website you previously visited, the date and time of the request, the volume of data transferred, the type of browser used, the operating system you are using and the requesting provider (referrer data) may be transmitted to Provenexpert’s servers. Where this also includes personal data, processing is carried out on the basis of our overriding legitimate interest in optimising our services in accordance with Article 6(1)(f) of the GDPR. Further information on data protection at Provenexpert can be found at: https://www.provenexpert.com/de-de/datenschutzbestimmungen/
11) Use of social media: social plugins
11.1 AddThis bookmarking as a standard plugin Our website uses so-called social plugins (‘plugins’) from the AddThis bookmarking service, which is operated by AddThis LLC, Inc., 8000 Westpark Drive, Suite 625, McLean, VA 2210, USA (‘AddThis’) as part of Oracle Corporation. The plugins are usually identified by an AddThis logo, for example in the form of a white plus sign on an orange background. An overview of the AddThis plugins and their appearance can be found here: https://www.addthis.com/get/sharing When you visit a page on our website that contains such a plugin, your browser establishes a direct connection to AddThis’s servers. The content of the plugin is transmitted directly from AddThis to your browser and integrated into the page. As a result of this integration, AddThis stores a cookie on your device and thereby collects your IP address, as well as the information that your browser has accessed the relevant page on our website. This information (including your IP address) is transmitted directly from your browser to an AddThis server in the USA and stored there. If you interact with the plugins, the relevant information is also transmitted directly to a server operated by the provider and stored there. The data processing operations described are carried out in accordance with Article 6(1)(f) of the GDPR on the basis of AddThis’s legitimate interests in displaying personalised advertising, to inform other users of the social network about your activities on our website, and to tailor the AddThis service to your needs. If you wish to object to data collection by AddThis in future, you can set a so-called opt-out cookie, which you can download via the following link: https://www.addthis.com/privacy/opt-out You can also completely prevent the AddThis plugins from loading by using browser add-ons, e.g. the script blocker ‘NoScript’ (https://noscript.net/). For information on the purpose and scope of data collection, as well as the further processing and use of data by AddThis, and your rights in this regard and the settings available to protect your privacy, please refer to AddThis’s privacy policy: https://www.addthis.com/privacy/privacy-policy
11.2 AddThis Bookmarking Plugins with the Shariff Solution Our website uses so-called social plugins (‘plugins’) from the AddThis bookmarking service, which is operated by AddThis LLC, Inc., 8000 Westpark Drive, Suite 625, McLean, VA 2210, USA (‘AddThis’) as part of the Oracle Corporation. To enhance the protection of your data when visiting our website, these buttons are not integrated as plugins without restriction, but are incorporated into the page solely via an HTML link. This method of integration ensures that, when you access a page on our website containing such buttons, no connection is yet established with AddThis’s servers. When you click on the button, a new browser window opens and loads the AddThis page, where you can interact with the plugins there (after entering your login details, if necessary). You can withdraw your consent at any time by deactivating the plugin by clicking on it again. However, this withdrawal has no effect on data that has already been transmitted to AddThis. For information on the purpose and scope of data collection, as well as the further processing and use of data by AddThis, and your rights and privacy settings in this regard, please refer to AddThis’s privacy policy: https://www.addthis.com/privacy/privacy-policy
11.3 Facebook as a standard plugin Our website uses so-called social plugins (‘plugins’) from the social network Facebook, which is operated by Facebook Ireland Ltd, 4 Grand Canal Square, Grand Canal Harbour, Dublin 2, Ireland (‘Facebook’). The plugins are identified by a Facebook logo or the words ‘Social plugin by Facebook’ or ‘Facebook Social Plugin’. An overview of the Facebook plugins and their appearance can be found here: https://developers.facebook.com/docs/plugins When you visit a page on our website that contains such a plugin, your browser establishes a direct connection to Facebook’s servers. The content of the plugin is transmitted directly from Facebook to your browser and integrated into the page. Through this integration, Facebook receives the information that your browser has accessed the relevant page of our website, even if you do not have a Facebook profile or are not currently logged in to Facebook. This information (including your IP address) is transmitted directly from your browser to a server operated by Facebook Inc. in the USA and stored there. If you are logged in to Facebook, Facebook can directly associate your visit to our website with your Facebook profile. If you interact with the plugins – for example, by clicking the ‘Like’ button or posting a comment – this information is also transmitted directly to a Facebook server and stored there. The information is also published on your Facebook profile and displayed to your Facebook friends. The data processing operations described are carried out in accordance with Article 6(1)(f) of the GDPR on the basis of Facebook’s legitimate interests in displaying personalised advertising, to inform other users of the social network about your activities on our website, and to tailor the Facebook service to your needs. If you do not wish Facebook to directly associate the data collected via our website with your Facebook profile, you must log out of Facebook before visiting our website. You can also prevent the Facebook plugins from loading – and thus the data processing operations described above – in future by using browser add-ons, e.g. the script blocker ‘NoScript’ (http://noscript.net/). For information on the purpose and scope of data collection, as well as the further processing and use of data by Facebook, and your rights in this regard and the settings available to protect your privacy, please refer to Facebook’s privacy policy: https://www.facebook.com/policy.php
11.4 Facebook Plugins with a ‘2-click’ solution Our website uses so-called social plugins (‘plugins’) from the social network Facebook, which is operated by Facebook Ireland Ltd., 4 Grand Canal Square, Grand Canal Harbour, Dublin 2, Ireland (‘Facebook’). To enhance the protection of your data when you visit our website, the plugins are initially deactivated and integrated into the page via a so-called ‘2-click’ solution. You can recognise deactivated plugins by the fact that they are greyed out. This integration ensures that, when you access a page on our website that contains such plugins, no connection is yet established with Facebook’s servers. Only when you activate the plugins and thereby give your consent to the data transfer in accordance with Article 6(1)(a) of the GDPR does your browser establish a direct connection to Facebook’s servers. The content of the relevant plugin is transmitted directly to your browser and integrated into the page. The plugin then transmits data (including your IP address) to Facebook. We have no influence over the scope of the data that Facebook collects via the plugins. To the best of our knowledge, Facebook receives information about which of our web pages you are currently viewing and which you have previously visited. Through the integration of the plugins, Facebook also receives information that your browser has accessed the relevant page of our website, even if you do not have a Facebook profile or are not currently logged in. The information collected (including your IP address) is transmitted directly from your browser to a server operated by Facebook Inc. in the USA and stored there. If you interact with the plugins, the relevant information is also transmitted directly to a Facebook server and stored there. The information is also published on Facebook and displayed there to your contacts. You can withdraw your consent at any time by deactivating the activated plugin by clicking on it again. However, this withdrawal has no effect on data that has already been transferred to Facebook. For details of the purpose and scope of data collection, as well as the further processing and use of the data by Facebook, and your rights in this regard and the settings available to protect your privacy, please refer to Facebook’s privacy policy: https://www.facebook.com/policy.php
11.5 Facebook plugins with the Shariff solution Our website uses so-called social plugins (‘plugins’) from the social network Facebook, which is operated by Facebook Ireland Ltd, 4 Grand Canal Square, Grand Canal Harbour, Dublin 2, Ireland (‘Facebook’). To enhance the protection of your data when you visit our website, these buttons are not integrated as plugins without restriction, but are incorporated into the page solely via an HTML link. This method of integration ensures that, when you access a page on our website containing such buttons, no connection is yet established with Facebook’s servers. If you click on the button, a new browser window will open and load the Facebook page, where you can interact with the plugins there (after entering your login details, if necessary). For information on the purpose and scope of data collection, as well as the further processing and use of the data by Facebook, and your rights in this regard and the settings available to protect your privacy, please refer to Facebook’s privacy policy: https://www.facebook.com/policy.php
11.6 Instagram as a standard plugin Our website uses so-called social plugins (‘plugins’) from the online service Instagram, which is operated by Facebook Ireland Ltd, 4 Grand Canal Square, Grand Canal Harbour, Dublin 2, Ireland (‘Facebook’). The plugins are identified by an Instagram logo, for example in the form of an ‘Instagram camera’. An overview of the Instagram plugins and their appearance can be found here: http://blog.instagram.com/post/36222022872/introducing-instagram-badges. When you visit a page on our website that contains such a plugin, your browser establishes a direct connection to Instagram’s servers. The content of the plugin is transmitted directly from Instagram to your browser and integrated into the page. Through this integration, Instagram receives the information that your browser has accessed the relevant page of our website, even if you do not have an Instagram profile or are not currently logged in to Instagram. This information (including your IP address) is transmitted directly from your browser to a server operated by Facebook Inc. in the USA and stored there. If you are logged in to Instagram, Instagram can directly associate your visit to our website with your Instagram account. If you interact with the plugins – for example, by clicking the ‘Instagram Camera’ button – this information is also transmitted directly to an Instagram server and stored there. The information is also published on your Instagram account and displayed there to your contacts. The data processing operations described are carried out in accordance with Article 6(1)(f) of the GDPR on the basis of Instagram’s legitimate interests in displaying personalised advertising, to inform other users of the social network about your activities on our website, and to tailor the Instagram service to your needs. If you do not wish Instagram to directly associate the data collected via our website with your Instagram account, you must log out of Instagram before visiting our website. You can also prevent the Instagram plugins from loading – and thus the data processing operations described above – in future by using browser add-ons, e.g. the script blocker ‘NoScript’ (http://noscript.net/). For information on the purpose and scope of data collection, as well as the further processing and use of data by Instagram, and your rights in this regard and the settings available to protect your privacy, please refer to Instagram’s privacy policy: https://help.instagram.com/155833707900388/
11.7 Instagram plugin as a Shariff solution Our website uses so-called social plugins (‘plugins’) from the online service Instagram, which is operated by Facebook Ireland Ltd., 4 Grand Canal Square, Grand Canal Harbour, Dublin 2, Ireland (‘Facebook’). To enhance the protection of your data when you visit our website, these buttons are not integrated as plugins without restriction, but are incorporated into the page solely via an HTML link. This method of integration ensures that, when you access a page on our website containing such buttons, no connection is yet established with Instagram’s servers. When you click on the button, a new browser window opens and loads the Instagram page, where you can interact with the plugins there (after entering your login details, if necessary). For information on the purpose and scope of data collection, as well as the further processing and use of data by Instagram, and your rights in this regard and the settings available to protect your privacy, please refer to Instagram’s privacy policy: https://help.instagram.com/155833707900388/
11.8 LinkedIn as a standard plugin Our website uses so-called social plugins (‘plugins’) from the online service LinkedIn, which is operated by LinkedIn Ireland Unlimited Company, Wilton Place, Dublin 2, Ireland (‘LinkedIn’). You can recognise the LinkedIn plugins by the LinkedIn logo or the ‘Recommend’ button on our website. When you visit a page on our website that contains such a plugin, your browser establishes a direct connection to LinkedIn’s servers. The content of the plugin is transmitted directly from LinkedIn to your browser and integrated into the page. Through this integration, LinkedIn receives the information that your browser has accessed the relevant page of our website, even if you do not have a LinkedIn profile or are not currently logged in to LinkedIn. This information (including your IP address) is transmitted directly from your browser to a LinkedIn server in the USA and stored there. If you are logged in to LinkedIn, LinkedIn can directly associate your visit to our website with your LinkedIn account. If you interact with the plugins, this information is also transmitted directly to a LinkedIn server and stored there. The information is also published on your LinkedIn account and displayed there to your contacts. The data processing operations described are carried out in accordance with Article 6(1)(f) of the GDPR on the basis of LinkedIn’s legitimate interests in displaying personalised advertising, in order to inform other users of the social network about your activities on our website and to tailor the LinkedIn service to meet your needs. If you do not wish LinkedIn to directly associate the data collected via our website with your LinkedIn account, you must log out of LinkedIn before visiting our website. You can also prevent the LinkedIn plugins from loading – and thus the data processing operations described above – in future by using browser add-ons, e.g. the script blocker ‘NoScript’ (http://noscript.net/). For information on the purpose and scope of data collection, as well as the further processing and use of data by LinkedIn, and your rights and settings options regarding the protection of your privacy, please refer to LinkedIn’s privacy policy: https://www.linkedin.com/legal/privacy-policy
11.9 LinkedIn plugin as a Shariff solution Our website uses so-called social plugins (‘plugins’) from the online service LinkedIn, which is operated by LinkedIn Ireland Unlimited Company, Wilton Place, Dublin 2, Ireland (‘LinkedIn’). To enhance the protection of your data when you visit our website, these buttons are not integrated as plugins without restriction, but are incorporated into the page solely via an HTML link. This method of integration ensures that, when you access a page on our website containing such buttons, no connection is yet established with LinkedIn’s servers. When you click on the button, a new browser window opens and loads the LinkedIn page, where you can interact with the plugins there (after entering your login details, if necessary). For information on the purpose and scope of data collection, as well as the further processing and use of data by LinkedIn, and your rights and privacy settings in this regard, please refer to LinkedIn’s privacy policy: https://www.linkedin.com/legal/privacy-policy
11.10 Twitter as a standard plugin Our website uses so-called social plugins (‘plugins’) from the microblogging service Twitter, which is operated by Twitter International Company, One Cumberland Place, Fenian Street, Dublin 2, D02 AX07 Ireland (‘Twitter’). The plugins are identified by a Twitter logo, for example in the form of a blue ‘Twitter bird’. An overview of the Twitter plugins and their appearance can be found here: https://about.twitter.com/de/resources/buttons When you visit a page on our website that contains such a plugin, your browser establishes a direct connection to Twitter’s servers. The content of the plugin is transmitted directly from Twitter to your browser and integrated into the page. As a result of this integration, Twitter receives the information that your browser has accessed the relevant page of our website, even if you do not have a Twitter profile or are not currently logged in to Twitter. This information (including your IP address) is transmitted directly from your browser to a server operated by Twitter Inc. in the USA and stored there. If you are logged in to Twitter, Twitter can directly associate your visit to our website with your Twitter account. If you interact with the plugins – for example, by clicking the ‘Tweet’ button – the relevant information is also transmitted directly to a Twitter server and stored there. The information is also published on your Twitter account and displayed there to your contacts. The data processing operations described are carried out in accordance with Article 6(1)(f) of the GDPR on the basis of Twitter’s legitimate interests in displaying personalised advertising, to inform other users of the social network about your activities on our website and to tailor the Twitter service to your needs. If you are a member of the Twitter social network and wish to restrict the collection of data via our website, as well as the merging of your user data with the data stored about you on the Twitter social network, you should log out of Twitter before visiting our website. You can also prevent the Twitter plugins from loading – and thus the data processing operations described above – in future by using browser add-ons, e.g. the script blocker ‘NoScript’ (https://noscript.net/). For information on the purpose and scope of data collection, as well as the further processing and use of data by Twitter, and your rights in this regard and the settings available to protect your privacy, please refer to Twitter’s privacy policy: https://twitter.com/privacy
11.11 Twitter plugins with a ‘2-click’ solution Our website uses so-called social plugins (‘plugins’) from the microblogging service Twitter, which is operated by Twitter International Company, One Cumberland Place, Fenian Street, Dublin 2, D02 AX07 Ireland (‘Twitter’). To enhance the protection of your data when visiting our website, the plugins are initially deactivated and integrated into the page via a so-called ‘2-click’ solution. You can recognise deactivated plugins by the fact that they are greyed out. This integration ensures that, when you access a page on our website that contains such plugins, no connection is yet established with Twitter’s servers. Only when you activate the plugins and thereby give your consent to the data transfer in accordance with Article 6(1)(a) of the GDPR does your browser establish a direct connection to Twitter’s servers. The content of the relevant plugin is transmitted directly to your browser and integrated into the page. The plugin then transmits data (including your IP address) to Twitter. We have no influence over the scope of the data that Twitter collects via the plugins. To the best of our knowledge, Twitter receives information about which of our web pages you are currently viewing and which you have previously visited. Through the integration of the plugins, Twitter also receives information that your browser has accessed the relevant page of our website, even if you do not have a Twitter profile or are not currently logged in. The information collected (including your IP address) is transmitted directly from your browser to a server operated by Twitter Inc. in the USA, where it is stored. If you interact with the plugins, the relevant information is also transmitted directly to a Twitter server and stored there. The information is also published on Twitter and displayed there to your contacts. You can withdraw your consent at any time by deactivating the plugin by clicking on it again. However, this withdrawal has no effect on data that has already been transferred to Twitter. For details of the purpose and scope of data collection, as well as the further processing and use of the data by Twitter, and your rights in this regard and the settings available to protect your privacy, please refer to Twitter’s privacy policy: https://twitter.com/privacy
11.12 Twitter plugin as a Shariff solution Our website uses so-called social plugins (‘plugins’) from the microblogging service Twitter, which is operated by Twitter International Company, One Cumberland Place, Fenian Street, Dublin 2, D02 AX07 Ireland (‘Twitter’). To enhance the protection of your data when you visit our website, these buttons are not integrated as plugins without restriction, but are incorporated into the page solely via an HTML link. This method of integration ensures that, when you access a page on our website containing such buttons, no connection is yet established with Twitter’s servers. If you click on the button, a new browser window will open and load the Twitter page, where you can interact with the plugins there (after entering your login details, if necessary). Please note that any information collected whilst interacting with the plugin (including your IP address) is transmitted directly from your browser to a server operated by Twitter Inc. in the USA and stored there. For details of the purpose and scope of data collection, as well as the further processing and use of the data by Twitter, and your rights in this regard and the settings available to protect your privacy, please refer to Twitter’s privacy policy: https://twitter.com/privacy
12) Use of social media: videos
12.1 Use of Vimeo videos Our website incorporates plugins from the video portal Vimeo, operated by Vimeo, LLC, 555 West 18th Street, New York, New York 10011, USA. When you visit a page on our website that contains such a plugin, your browser establishes a direct connection to Vimeo’s servers. The content of the plugin is transmitted directly from Vimeo to your browser and integrated into the page. Through this integration, Vimeo receives the information that your browser has accessed the relevant page of our website, even if you do not have a Vimeo account or are not currently logged in to Vimeo. This information (including your IP address) is transmitted directly from your browser to a Vimeo server in the USA and stored there. If you are logged in to Vimeo, Vimeo can directly associate your visit to our website with your Vimeo account. If you interact with the plugins (such as by pressing the play button on a video), this information is also transmitted directly to a Vimeo server and stored there. The data processing operations described are carried out in accordance with Article 6(1)(f) of the GDPR on the basis of Vimeo’s legitimate interest in market research and the needs-based design of the Vimeo service. If you do not wish Vimeo to link the data collected via our website directly to your Vimeo account, you must log out of Vimeo before visiting our website. For information on the purpose and scope of data collection, as well as the further processing and use of the data by Vimeo, and your rights in this regard and the settings available to protect your privacy, please refer to Vimeo’s privacy policy: https://vimeo.com/privacy For Vimeo videos embedded on our site, the Google Analytics tracking tool provided by Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, 4 Barrow St, Dublin, D04 E5W5, Ireland, is automatically integrated. This is Vimeo’s own tracking system, to which we have no access and which cannot be influenced by our site. Google Analytics uses so-called ‘cookies’ for tracking; these are text files that are stored on your computer and enable an analysis of your use of the website. The information generated by the cookie regarding your use of this website is usually transmitted to a Google server and stored there; this may also involve transmission to the servers of Google LLC in the USA. This processing is carried out in accordance with Article 6(1)(f) of the GDPR on the basis of Vimeo’s legitimate interest in the statistical analysis of user behaviour for optimisation and marketing purposes. Where legally required, we have obtained your consent to the processing of your data as described above in accordance with Article 6(1)(a) of the GDPR. You may withdraw your consent at any time with effect for the future. To exercise your right to withdraw consent, please deactivate this service using the ‘Cookie Consent Tool’ provided on the website.
12.2 Use of YouTube videos This website uses the YouTube embedding function to display and play videos from the provider ‘YouTube’, which is part of Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, 4 Barrow St, Dublin, D04 E5W5, Ireland (‘Google’). The enhanced privacy mode is used here, which, according to the provider, only initiates the storage of user information once the video(s) is/are played. When playback of embedded YouTube videos is started, the provider ‘YouTube’ uses cookies to collect information about user behaviour. According to information provided by ‘YouTube’, these serve, amongst other things, to compile video statistics, improve user-friendliness and prevent abusive behaviour. If you are logged in to Google, your data will be directly associated with your account when you click on a video. If you do not wish your data to be associated with your YouTube profile, you must log out before clicking the button. Google stores your data (even for users who are not logged in) as usage profiles and analyses them. Such analysis is carried out in particular in accordance with Article 6(1)(f) of the GDPR on the basis of Google’s legitimate interests in displaying personalised advertising, conducting market research and/or tailoring its website to users’ needs. You have the right to object to the creation of these user profiles; to exercise this right, you must contact YouTube. When using YouTube, personal data may also be transferred to the servers of Google LLC in the USA. Regardless of whether the embedded videos are played, a connection to the Google network is established every time this website is accessed, which may trigger further data processing operations beyond our control. Further information on data protection on ‘YouTube’ can be found in the YouTube Terms of Service at https://www.youtube.com/static?template=terms as well as in Google’s privacy policy at https://www.google.de/intl/de/policies/privacy. Where legally required, we have obtained your consent to the processing of your data as described above in accordance with Article 6(1)(a) of the GDPR. You may withdraw your consent at any time with future effect. To exercise your right to withdraw consent, please deactivate this service using the ‘Cookie Consent Tool’ provided on the website.
13) Use of audio plug-ins for music playback
- Spotify This website incorporates plugins from the music service Spotify, a service provided by Spotify AB, Birger Jarlsgatan 61, 113 56 Stockholm, Sweden (‘Spotify’), for the playback of music tracks. You can recognise the Spotify plugins by the green logo on our site. An overview of the Spotify plugins can be found at: https://developer.spotify.com. When you visit this page, the plugin may establish a direct connection between your browser and Spotify’s servers, even if you do not have a Spotify account or are not logged in to one. This informs Spotify that you have visited our site. The information collected in this way (including your IP address) is transmitted directly from your browser to a Spotify server and stored there. However, the information is not used to identify you personally and is not passed on to third parties. If you click on the Spotify button whilst logged into your Spotify account, Spotify may associate your visit to our site with your user account. The data processing described above is carried out in accordance with Article 6(1)(f) of the GDPR on the basis of our legitimate interest in providing an engaging audio experience for visitors to our website. If you do not wish Spotify to be able to associate your visit to our site with your Spotify user account, please log out of your Spotify user account. You can also prevent the Spotify plugin from loading – and thus the data processing operations described above – in future by using browser add-ons, e.g. the script blocker ‘NoScript’ (http://noscript.net/). Further information on this can be found in Spotify’s Privacy Policy at https://www.spotify.com/de/legal/privacy-policy/.
14) Online marketing
14.1 Facebook Pixel for creating Custom Audiences with extended data matching (with cookie consent tool) Within our online offering, the so-called ‘Facebook Pixel’ of the social network Facebook is used in extended data matching mode, which is operated by Facebook Ireland Limited, 4 Grand Canal Square, Dublin 2, Ireland (‘Facebook’). On the basis of the user’s explicit consent, when a user clicks on an advert placed by us and displayed on Facebook, the Facebook Pixel appends a suffix to the URL of our linked page. This URL parameter is then stored in the user’s browser via a cookie – which is set by our linked page itself – following redirection. In addition, this cookie records specific customer data – such as the email address – which we collect on our website linked to the Facebook advert during processes such as purchase transactions, account logins or registrations (advanced data matching). The cookie is then read by the Facebook Pixel, enabling the data – including the specific customer data – to be forwarded to Facebook. With the help of the Facebook Pixel with extended data matching, Facebook is able, on the one hand, to precisely identify visitors to our online service as a target group for the display of adverts (so-called ‘Facebook Ads’). Accordingly, we use the Facebook Pixel with extended data matching to ensure that the Facebook Ads we place are shown only to those Facebook users who have demonstrated an interest in our online offering or who exhibit certain characteristics (e.g. interests in specific topics or products, determined on the basis of the web pages visited), which we transmit to Facebook (so-called ‘Custom Audiences’). With the help of the Facebook Pixel with extended data matching, we also aim to ensure that our Facebook adverts correspond to users’ potential interests and do not come across as intrusive. This enables us to further evaluate the effectiveness of Facebook adverts for statistical and market research purposes by tracking whether users were redirected to our website after clicking on a Facebook advert (known as a ‘conversion’). Compared to the standard version of the Facebook Pixel, the extended data matching feature helps us to better measure the effectiveness of our advertising campaigns by tracking more attributed conversions. All data transmitted is stored and processed by Facebook, enabling a link to be established with the relevant user profile and allowing Facebook to use the data for its own advertising purposes, in accordance with the Facebook Data Use Policy (https://www.facebook.com/about/privacy/). The data may enable Facebook and its partners to display advertisements on and outside Facebook. These processing operations take place only with explicit consent under Article 6(1)(a) of the GDPR. Consent to use the Facebook Pixel may only be given by users aged 16 or over. If you are younger, please ask your parents or guardians for permission. The information generated by Facebook is usually transferred to and stored on a Facebook server; this may also involve transfer to servers of Facebook Inc. in the USA. You may withdraw your consent at any time with future effect by deselecting the “Facebook Pixel” option in the website’s “Cookie Consent Tool”.
14.2 Google AdSense This website uses Google AdSense, a web advertising service provided by Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, 4 Barrow St, Dublin, D04 E5W5, Ireland (‘Google’). Google AdSense uses so-called ‘cookies’, which are text files stored on your computer that enable an analysis of your use of the website. In addition, Google AdSense also uses so-called ‘web beacons’ (small invisible graphics) to collect information; these can be used to record, collect and analyse simple actions such as visitor traffic on the website. The information generated by the cookie and/or web beacon (including your IP address) regarding your use of this website is usually transmitted to a Google server and stored there. This may also involve transmission to the servers of Google LLC in the USA. Google uses the information obtained in this way to analyse your usage behaviour in relation to AdSense adverts. The IP address transmitted by your browser as part of Google AdSense is not combined with other data held by Google. The information collected by Google may be transferred to third parties where required by law and/or where third parties process this data on Google’s behalf. The processing of data described above is carried out in accordance with Article 6(1)(f) of the GDPR for the purpose of targeted advertising to the user by third-party advertisers, whose adverts are displayed on this website based on the analysed user behaviour. This processing also serves our financial interest in realising the economic potential of our website through the paid display of personalised third-party advertising content. You can find further information about Google’s privacy policy at the following web address: https://www.google.de/policies/privacy/ You can permanently disable cookies for advertising purposes by adjusting the settings in your browser software, or you can download and install the browser plug-in available via the following link: https://www.google.com/settings/ads/plugin?hl=de Please note that certain functions of this website may not be available, or may only be available to a limited extent, if you have disabled the use of cookies. Where legally required, we have obtained your consent to the processing of your data as described above in accordance with Article 6(1)(a) of the GDPR. You may withdraw your consent at any time with effect for the future. To exercise your right to withdraw consent, please follow the procedure for lodging an objection as described above.
14.3 Use of Google Ads conversion tracking This website uses the online advertising programme ‘Google Ads’ and, as part of Google Ads, the conversion tracking service provided by Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, 4 Barrow St, Dublin, D04 E5W5, Ireland (‘Google’). We use the Google Ads service to draw attention to our attractive offers on external websites by means of advertising (known as Google AdWords). We can use the data from the advertising campaigns to determine how successful the individual advertising measures are. Our aim is to show you adverts that are of interest to you, to make our website more interesting for you, and to ensure a fair calculation of the advertising costs incurred. The conversion tracking cookie is set when a user clicks on a Google Ads advertisement. Cookies are small text files that are stored on your device. These cookies generally expire after 30 days and are not used for personal identification. If the user visits certain pages on this website and the cookie has not yet expired, Google and we can recognise that the user clicked on the advert and was redirected to that page. Each Google Ads customer is assigned a different cookie. Cookies cannot therefore be tracked across the websites of Google Ads customers. The information collected via the conversion cookie is used to generate conversion statistics for Google Ads customers who have opted in to conversion tracking. Clients are informed of the total number of users who have clicked on their advert and been redirected to a page tagged with a conversion tracking tag. However, they do not receive any information that can be used to personally identify users. If you do not wish to participate in tracking, you can block this functionality by disabling the Google conversion tracking cookie via your web browser under ‘User settings’. You will then not be included in the conversion tracking statistics. We use Google Ads on the basis of our legitimate interest in targeted advertising in accordance with Article 6(1)(f) of the GDPR. When using Google Ads, personal data may also be transferred to the servers of Google LLC in the USA. You can find further information about Google’s privacy policy at the following web address: https://www.google.de/policies/privacy/ You can permanently opt out of Google Ads conversion tracking by downloading and installing the Google browser plug-in available via the following link: https://www.google.com/settings/ads/plugin?hl=de Please note that certain functions of this website may not be available, or may only be available to a limited extent, if you have disabled the use of cookies. Where legally required, we have obtained your consent to the processing of your data as described above in accordance with Article 6(1)(a) of the GDPR. You may withdraw your consent at any time with effect for the future. To exercise your right to withdraw consent, disable this service using the ‘Cookie Consent Tool’ provided on the website or, alternatively, follow the procedure described above for lodging an objection.
14.4 Google Marketing Platform This website uses the online marketing tool Google Marketing Platform, operated by Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, 4 Barrow St, Dublin, D04 E5W5, Ireland (‘GMP’). GMP uses cookies to display adverts relevant to users, to improve campaign performance reports, or to prevent a user from seeing the same adverts multiple times. Using a cookie ID, Google records which adverts are displayed in which browser and can thus prevent them from being shown multiple times. This processing is carried out on the basis of our legitimate interest in the optimal marketing of our website in accordance with Article 6(1)(f) of the GDPR. Furthermore, GMP can use cookie IDs to track so-called ‘conversions’ relating to ad requests. This is the case, for example, when a user sees a GMP advert and later, whilst using the same browser, visits the advertiser’s website and makes a purchase via that website. According to Google, GMP cookies do not contain any personal information. Due to the marketing tools used, your browser automatically establishes a direct connection to Google’s server. We have no influence over the scope and further use of the data collected by Google through the use of this tool and therefore inform you as follows, to the best of our knowledge: Through the integration of GMP, Google receives the information that you have accessed the relevant part of our website or clicked on one of our adverts. If you are registered with a Google service, Google may associate the visit with your account. Even if you are not registered with Google or are not logged in, it is possible that the provider may obtain and store your IP address. When using GMP, personal data may also be transferred to the servers of Google LLC in the USA. If you wish to opt out of this tracking process, you can disable conversion tracking cookies by configuring your browser to block cookies from the domain www.googleadservices.com (see https://www.google.de/settings/ads), although this setting will be deleted if you disable your cookies. Alternatively, you can find out more about the use of cookies from the Digital Advertising Alliance at www.aboutads.info and configure your preferred settings. Finally, you can configure your browser so that you are notified when cookies are set and can decide on a case-by-case basis whether to accept them, or you can block the acceptance of cookies in specific cases or generally. If you do not accept cookies, the functionality of our website may be restricted. You can find further information about GMP in Google’s privacy policy at the following web address: https://www.google.de/policies/privacy/ Where legally required, we have obtained your consent to the processing of your data as described above in accordance with Article 6(1)(a) of the GDPR. You may withdraw your consent at any time with effect for the future. To exercise your right to withdraw consent, please follow the procedure for lodging an objection as described above.
14.5 HubSpot This website uses the services of HubSpot, a software-based marketing service provided by HubSpot Ireland Ltd., 2nd Floor, 30 North Wall Quay, Dublin 1, Ireland. With the help of HubSpot, various customer service and customer management functions can be digitally synchronised and handled via a central user interface. HubSpot thus enables lead generation, centralised email and newsletter marketing, contact management via the categorisation of user groups using CRM, and the administration of contact forms. To fulfil these various functions, HubSpot uses cookies – small text files that are stored locally in your web browser’s cache on your device – which enable us to analyse your use of the website. In doing so, the cookies collect certain information, such as the IP address, location, the time the page was accessed, and other details. Information collected via HubSpot is stored on HubSpot’s servers and analysed on our behalf. Where personal data is processed in this context, the data processing is carried out for the statistical analysis of user behaviour for optimisation and marketing purposes in accordance with Article 6(1)(f) of the GDPR. Other legal bases for data processing that apply in the context of specific HubSpot services (such as the requirement for explicit consent in accordance with Article 6(1)(a) of the GDPR when sending newsletters) remain unaffected by this. We have entered into a data processing agreement with HubSpot, under which we oblige HubSpot to protect our customers’ data and not to disclose it to third parties. You can permanently object to HubSpot collecting data via cookies and to the setting of cookies by preventing the storage of cookies through your browser settings. Further information on HubSpot’s privacy policy is available at the following web address: https://legal.hubspot.com/de/datenschutz Where legally required, we have obtained your consent to the processing of your data as described above in accordance with Article 6(1)(a) of the GDPR. You may withdraw your consent at any time with effect for the future. To exercise your right to withdraw consent, please follow the procedure for lodging an objection as described above.
14.6 LinkedIn Insight This website uses the retargeting and conversion tool provided by LinkedIn Ireland Unlimited Company, Wilton Place, Dublin 2, Ireland, which enables personalised advertisements to be displayed to visitors to this website on the ‘LinkedIn’ platform. To this end, when you visit our website, a cookie – a small text file – is placed on your device’s browser; this cookie expires after 120 days. If the user visits certain pages on this website whilst logged into their LinkedIn account, a connection is established with LinkedIn’s servers, enabling interest-based advertising to be displayed on the platform. At the same time, the cookie enables the creation of anonymous reports on the performance of adverts on LinkedIn, as well as information on website interaction, which is made available to us and to LinkedIn. Advertisements will not be displayed and statistical reports will not be generated if the user is not logged into their LinkedIn account whilst visiting this website. The information collected via the cookie never allows the individual user to be personally identified. The transfer of information takes place in accordance with Article 6(1)(f) of the GDPR on the basis of our legitimate interest in targeted advertising and the statistical analysis of the success of product advertisements on LinkedIn, and thus serves to optimise our online offering. You can disable the LinkedIn Insight Tool and the display of interest-based advertising on LinkedIn by setting an opt-out cookie via the following link: https://www.linkedin.com/psettings/guest-controls/retargeting-opt-out This opt-out cookie only works in this browser and only for this domain. If you clear your cookies in this browser, you will need to click the link above again. You can find further information about LinkedIn’s privacy policy at the following web address: https://www.linkedin.com/legal/privacy-policy#choices-oblig Where legally required, we have obtained your consent to the processing of your data as described above in accordance with Article 6(1)(a) of the GDPR. You may withdraw your consent at any time with effect for the future. To exercise your right to withdraw consent, please follow the procedure for lodging an objection as described above.
14.7 LinkedIn Marketing Solutions We use ‘LinkedIn Marketing Solutions’ on our website, a service provided by LinkedIn Ireland Unlimited Company, Wilton Plaza, Wilton Place, Dublin 2, Ireland (hereinafter ‘LinkedIn’). This enables us to direct visitors to our website to further content of our own, based on their usage behaviour on the LinkedIn social network, which is likely to correspond to the respective user’s interests. This content is displayed on the basis of a cookie-based analysis of previous usage behaviour; however, no personal data is stored. For this interest-based content selection, cookies – i.e. small text files – are stored on your computer or mobile device to collect pseudonymised data about your browsing behaviour and thus tailor the content individually to the stored information. Where the information collected and analysed relates to an individual, processing is carried out in accordance with Article 6(1)(f) of the GDPR on the basis of our legitimate interest in displaying personalised page content and in conducting market research. The information may be linked to the user as an individual with the aid of further information that LinkedIn has stored about the user, for example, on the basis of their ownership of an account on the ‘LinkedIn’ social network. LinkedIn analyses browsing behaviour using an algorithm and can subsequently display targeted product recommendations as personalised advertising banners on the user’s LinkedIn account. LinkedIn may also combine the information collected via cookies with other information that LinkedIn has collected via other websites and/or in connection with the use of the ‘LinkedIn’ social network, thereby creating pseudonymised user profiles. Under no circumstances, however, can the information collected be used to personally identify visitors to this website. You can prevent LinkedIn from collecting the aforementioned information by setting an opt-out cookie on one of the websites linked below: https://www.linkedin.com/psettings/guest-controls Where legally required, we have obtained your consent to the processing of your data as described above in accordance with Article 6(1)(a) of the GDPR. You may withdraw your consent at any time with future effect by deactivating this service in the ‘Cookie Consent Tool’ integrated into this website. Further information on LinkedIn’s privacy policy can be found on the following webpage: https://www.linkedin.com/legal/privacy-policy
15) Web analytics services
15.1 1&1 IONOS WebAnalytics This website uses ‘1&1 IONOS WebAnalytics’, a web analytics service provided by 1&1 IONOS Internet SE, Elgendorfer Str. 57, 56410 Montabaur (‘1&1 IONOS’), to track and analyse certain user actions. To this end, a JavaScript-based tracking pixel has been implemented on our website; as a single-pixel file, it can track user actions through interaction with 1&1 IONOS. The tracking pixel collects certain user information in anonymised form, transmits it to 1&1 IONOS, where it is analysed. This anonymised information includes, amongst other things, the user’s IP address, referrer codes for previously visited websites, the type of device used, the browser type used, the operating system used and the timestamp of the visit. Where the information processed in this way comprises personal user data, the processing is carried out in accordance with Article 6(1)(f) of the GDPR on the basis of our legitimate interest in the statistical analysis of user behaviour for optimisation and marketing purposes. If you do not wish 1&1 IONOS to process information in future, you can prevent this by disabling JavaScript in your browser. Alternatively, you can prevent JavaScript code from running by installing a JavaScript blocker (e.g. https://noscript.net/ or https://www.ghostery.com). However, it is very likely that you will not be able to make full use of all the website’s functions. Where legally required, we have obtained your consent to the processing of your data as described above in accordance with Article 6(1)(a) of the GDPR. You may withdraw your consent at any time with effect for the future. To exercise your right to withdraw consent, please follow the procedure for lodging an objection as described above.
15.2 Google (Universal) Analytics with Google Signals This website uses Google (Universal) Analytics, a web analytics service provided by Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, 4 Barrow St, Dublin, D04 E5W5, Ireland (‘Google’). Google (Universal) Analytics uses so-called ‘cookies’, which are text files stored on your device that enable an analysis of your use of the website. The information generated by the cookie about your use of this website (including the truncated IP address) is usually transmitted to a Google server and stored there; this may also involve transmission to the servers of Google LLC in the USA. This website uses Google (Universal) Analytics exclusively with the ‘_anonymizeIp()’ extension, which ensures that the IP address is anonymised by truncation and precludes direct personal identification. This extension causes Google to truncate your IP address beforehand within Member States of the European Union or in other signatory states to the Agreement on the European Economic Area. Only in exceptional cases is the full IP address transmitted to a server operated by Google LLC in the USA and truncated there. On our behalf, Google will use this information to evaluate your use of the website, to compile reports on website activity and to provide us with other services relating to website and internet usage. The IP address transmitted by your browser as part of Google (Universal) Analytics is not combined with other data held by Google. Google Analytics also enables the creation of statistics providing insights into the age, gender and interests of website visitors via a special feature known as ‘demographic characteristics’, based on an analysis of interest-based advertising and using information from third-party providers. This allows user groups on the website to be defined and differentiated for the purpose of tailoring marketing measures to specific target groups. However, data records collected via ‘demographic characteristics’ cannot be attributed to any specific individual. All processing described above, in particular the setting of Google Analytics cookies to read information from the device you are using, will only take place if you have given us your explicit consent in accordance with Article 6(1)(a) of the GDPR. Without this consent, Google Analytics will not be used during your visit to the website. You may withdraw your consent at any time with future effect. To exercise your right to withdraw consent, please deactivate this service using the ‘Cookie Consent Tool’ provided on the website. We have entered into a data processing agreement with Google for the use of Google Analytics, which obliges Google to protect the data of our website visitors and not to pass it on to third parties. With regard to the transfer of data from the EU to the USA, Google relies on the European Commission’s so-called Standard Data Protection Clauses, which are intended to ensure compliance with European data protection standards in the USA. Further information on Google (Universal) Analytics can be found here: https://policies.google.com/privacy?hl=de&gl=de This website also uses the Google Signals service as an extension of Google Analytics. Google Signals enables us to generate cross-device reports via Google (known as ‘cross-device tracking’). Provided that you have enabled ‘personalised adverts’ in your Google Account settings and have linked your internet-enabled devices to your Google Account, Google may, subject to your consent to the use of Google Analytics in accordance with Article 6(1)(a) of the GDPR (see above), analyse usage behaviour across devices and create database models on that basis. This takes into account the logins and device types of all site visitors who were signed in to a Google Account and carried out a conversion. Among other things, the data shows on which device you first clicked on an advert and on which device the associated conversion took place. We do not receive any personal data from Google in this context, but only statistics generated on the basis of Google Signals. You have the option to disable the ‘personalised ads’ feature in your Google Account settings, thereby stopping cross-device analysis. To do so, follow the instructions on this page: https://support.google.com/ads/answer/2662922?hl=de You can read further information about Google Signals here: https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/7532985?hl=de
15.3 Google (Universal) Analytics without cookies using Google Signals This website uses Google (Universal) Analytics, a web analytics service provided by Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, 4 Barrow St, Dublin, D04 E5W5, Ireland (‘Google’). This website uses Google (Universal) Analytics exclusively without the use of cookies, which means that the service does not set any cookies on your device at any time. Instead, your browser’s local storage is used to store an individual ID assigned by Google (Universal) Analytics, which enables an analysis of your use of the website. To this end, certain user information is processed via this ID. The information generated by the ID regarding your use of this website (including the truncated IP address) is usually transmitted to a Google server and stored there; this may also involve transmission to the servers of Google LLC in the USA. This website uses Google (Universal) Analytics exclusively with the ‘_anonymizeIp()’ extension, which ensures that the IP address is anonymised by truncation and precludes direct personal identification. This extension ensures that your IP address is truncated by Google within Member States of the European Union or in other signatory states to the Agreement on the European Economic Area. Only in exceptional cases is the full IP address transmitted to a server operated by Google LLC in the USA and truncated there. Only in exceptional cases is the full IP address transmitted to a Google LLC server in the USA and truncated there. On our behalf, Google will use this information to evaluate your use of the website, to compile reports on website activity and to provide us with other services relating to website and internet usage. In doing so, the IP address transmitted by your browser as part of Google (Universal) Analytics is not combined with other data held by Google. Google Analytics also enables the creation of statistics providing insights into the age, gender and interests of website visitors via a special feature known as ‘demographic characteristics’, based on an analysis of interest-based advertising and using information from third-party providers. This allows us to define and differentiate between user groups on the website for the purpose of tailoring marketing measures to specific target audiences. However, data records collected via ‘demographic characteristics’ cannot be attributed to any specific individual. All the processing operations described above will only be carried out if you have given us your explicit consent in accordance with Article 6(1)(a) of the GDPR. Without this consent, Google Analytics will not be used during your visit to the site. You may withdraw your consent at any time with future effect. To exercise your right to withdraw consent, you can download and install the browser plug-in available via the following link: https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout?hl=de As an alternative to the browser plug-in or within browsers on mobile devices, you can withdraw your consent by clicking on the following link to set an opt-out cookie, which will prevent Google Analytics from collecting data on this website in future (this opt-out cookie only works in this browser and only for this domain. If you clear your cookies in this browser, you will need to click this link again): Disable Google Analytics We have entered into a data processing agreement with Google for the use of Google Analytics, which obliges Google to protect the data of our website visitors and not to pass it on to third parties. For the transfer of data from the EU to the USA, Google relies on the European Commission’s so-called Standard Data Protection Clauses, which are intended to ensure compliance with European data protection standards in the USA. Further information on Google (Universal) Analytics can be found here: https://policies.google.com/privacy?hl=de&gl=de This website also uses the Google Signals service as an extension of Google Analytics. Google Signals enables us to generate cross-device reports via Google (known as ‘cross-device tracking’). Provided that you have enabled ‘personalised adverts’ in your Google Account settings and have linked your internet-enabled devices to your Google Account, Google may, subject to your consent to the use of Google Analytics in accordance with Article 6(1)(a) of the GDPR (see above), analyse usage behaviour across devices and create database models on that basis. This takes into account the logins and device types of all site visitors who were signed in to a Google Account and carried out a conversion. Among other things, the data shows on which device you first clicked on an advert and on which device the associated conversion took place. We do not receive any personal data from Google in this context, but only statistics generated on the basis of Google Signals. You have the option to disable the ‘personalised ads’ feature in your Google Account settings, thereby stopping cross-device analysis. To do so, follow the instructions on this page: https://support.google.com/ads/answer/2662922?hl=de You can read further information about Google Signals here: https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/7532985?hl=de
16) Retargeting/Remarketing/Referral marketing
Google Ads Remarketing Our website uses Google Ads Remarketing features; we use these to advertise this website in Google search results and on third-party websites. The provider is Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, 4 Barrow St, Dublin, D04 E5W5, Ireland (“Google”). For this purpose, Google places a cookie in the browser of your device, which automatically enables interest-based advertising by means of a pseudonymous cookie ID and on the basis of the pages you have visited. Processing is carried out on the basis of our legitimate interest in the optimal marketing of our website in accordance with Article 6(1)(f) of the GDPR. Any further data processing takes place only if you have given your consent to Google to link your internet and app browsing history to your Google Account and to use information from your Google Account to personalise the adverts you see on the web. In this case, if you are logged in to Google whilst visiting our website, Google will use your data in conjunction with Google Analytics data to create and define audience lists for cross-device remarketing. To this end, your personal data is temporarily linked by Google with Google Analytics data to form target groups. As part of the use of Google Ads Remarketing, personal data may also be transferred to the servers of Google LLC in the USA. You can permanently opt out of Google Ads Remarketing setting cookies by downloading and installing the Google browser plug-in available via the following link: https://www.google.com/settings/ads/onweb/ Further information and the privacy policy regarding advertising and Google can be viewed here: https://www.google.com/policies/technologies/ads/ Where legally required, we have obtained your consent to the processing of your data as described above in accordance with Article 6(1)(a) of the GDPR. You may withdraw your consent at any time with effect for the future. To exercise your right to withdraw consent, please deactivate this service via the ‘Cookie Consent Tool’ provided on the website or, alternatively, follow the procedure described above for lodging an objection. Outbrain This website uses retargeting technology provided by Outbrain Inc., 39 W 13th Street, New York, NY 10011, USA (‘Outbrain’). This technology enables us to show visitors to our website targeted content – in the form of banners – from our own or third-party sources, based on their browsing behaviour, which is likely to match their interests. This content is displayed on the basis of a cookie-based analysis of previous browsing behaviour; however, no personal data is stored. For this interest-based content selection, a cookie is stored on your computer or mobile device to collect pseudonymised data about your browsing behaviour and thus tailor the content individually to the stored information. Where the information collected and analysed is personally identifiable, processing is carried out in accordance with Article 6(1)(f) of the GDPR on the basis of our legitimate interest in displaying personalised page content and conducting market research. To disable the use of cookies on your device in general, you can configure your web browser so that no further cookies can be stored on your device in future, or so that cookies already stored are deleted. Disabling all cookies may mean that some functions on our website can no longer be used. You can also permanently object to the setting of cookies for advertising purposes by Outbrain by using the option to set an opt-out cookie provided on the page linked below: https://www.outbrain.com/de/legal/privacy You will also find further information on Outbrain’s data protection policy via the link provided. Where legally required, we have obtained your consent to the processing of your data as described above in accordance with Article 6(1)(a) of the GDPR. You may withdraw your consent at any time with effect for the future. To exercise your right to withdraw consent, please follow the procedure for lodging an objection as described above. Outbrain Pixel Within our online service, we use the ‘Outbrain Pixel’ provided by Outbrain, Inc., 39 W 13th St, New York 10011, USA (‘Outbrain’).The Outbrain Pixel sets a cookie on your computer if you have accessed our website via an advert or other campaign. Cookies are small text files that are stored on your device. If the user visits certain pages on this website, we can recognise that the user has clicked on the advert and been redirected to that page (conversion page). Where personal data is processed in this context, this is done in accordance with Article 6(1)(f) of the GDPR on the basis of our legitimate interest in effective marketing. The information collected using the conversion cookie is used to compile conversion statistics, i.e. to record how many users are directed to a conversion page after clicking on an advert. This enables us to determine the total number of users who clicked on our advert and were redirected to a page tagged with a conversion tracking tag. However, we do not receive any information that can be used to personally identify users. If you do not wish to participate in tracking, you can opt out by disabling the Outbrain Pixel cookie via your web browser’s user settings. You can also check whether Outbrain advertising cookies have been set in your browser and disable them. Where legally required, we have obtained your consent to the processing of your data as described above in accordance with Article 6(1)(a) of the GDPR. You may withdraw your consent at any time with future effect. To exercise your right to withdraw consent, please follow the procedure for objecting described above or use the deactivation options in the cookie settings on this website. Further information on Outbrain’s privacy policy can be found at https://www.outbrain.com/de/legal/privacy. Taboola This website uses retargeting technology provided by Taboola Inc., 16 Madison Square West, 7th Floor, New York, NY 10010, USA (‘Taboola’). This technology enables us to display targeted banners to visitors to our website, based on their usage behaviour, featuring further content – either our own or from third parties – that is likely to be of interest to the respective user. The display of this content is based on a cookie-based analysis of previous usage behaviour; however, no personal data is stored. For this interest-based content selection, a cookie is stored on your computer or mobile device to collect pseudonymised data about your browsing behaviour and thus tailor the content individually to the stored information. Where the information collected and analysed is personally identifiable, processing is carried out in accordance with Article 6(1)(f) of the GDPR on the basis of our legitimate interest in displaying personalised page content and conducting market research. To disable the use of cookies on your device in general, you can configure your web browser so that no further cookies can be stored on your device in future, or so that cookies already stored are deleted. Disabling all cookies may mean that some functions on our website can no longer be used. You can also permanently object to the setting of cookies for advertising purposes by Taboola by using the option to set an opt-out cookie provided on the page linked below: https://www.taboola.com/privacy-policy#optout You can find further information on Taboola’s data protection policy here: https://www.taboola.com/privacy-policy Where legally required, we have obtained your consent to the processing of your data as described above in accordance with Article 6(1)(a) of the GDPR. You may withdraw your consent at any time with effect for the future. To exercise your right to withdraw consent, please follow the procedure for lodging an objection as described above.
17) Tools and Miscellaneous
17.1 – Debitoor We use the cloud-based accounting software provided by Debitoor GmbH, Grunerstr. 13, 10179 Berlin (‘Debitoor’) to carry out our bookkeeping. Debitoor processes incoming and outgoing invoices and, where applicable, our company’s bank transactions in order to automatically record invoices, match them to the relevant transactions and, through a semi-automated process, generate the financial accounts. Where personal data is also processed in this context, such processing is carried out in accordance with Article 6(1)(f) of the GDPR on the basis of our legitimate interest in the efficient organisation and documentation of our business processes. Further information on Debitoor, the automated processing of data and the data protection provisions can be found at https://debitoor.de/datenschutz
17.2 Cookie consent tool based on Usercentrics technology This website uses a cookie consent tool based on technology from Usercentrics GmbH, Rosental 4, 80331 Munich (hereinafter ‘Usercentrics’). By embedding the relevant JavaScript code, a banner is displayed to users when they visit the page, allowing them to grant consent for specific cookies and/or cookie-based applications by ticking the relevant boxes. The tool blocks the setting of all cookies requiring consent until the user in question grants the relevant consent by ticking the boxes. This ensures that such cookies are only set on the user’s device once consent has been given. To enable the Cookie Consent Tool to uniquely assign page views to individual users and to record the consent settings selected by the user individually, log them and store them for the duration of a session, certain user information (including the IP address) is collected by the Cookie Consent Tool when our website is accessed, transmitted to Usercentrics’ servers and stored there. This data processing is carried out in accordance with Article 6(1)(f) of the GDPR on the basis of our legitimate interest in legally compliant, user-specific and user-friendly consent management for cookies and, consequently, in the legally compliant design of our website. A further legal basis for the data processing described is Article 6(1)(c) of the GDPR. As the data controller, we are subject to the legal obligation to make the use of technically non-essential cookies conditional upon the user’s consent. We have entered into a data processing agreement with Usercentrics, under which we oblige Usercentrics to protect the data of visitors to our website and not to disclose it to third parties. Further information on the use of data by Usercentrics can be found in the Usercentrics Privacy Policy at https://usercentrics.com/privacy-policy/
17.3 Google Customer Reviews (formerly the Google Certified Retailer Programme) We work with Google as part of the ‘Google Customer Reviews’ programme. The provider is Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, 4 Barrow St, Dublin, D04 E5W5, Ireland (“Google”). This programme enables us to collect customer reviews from users of our website. After making a purchase on our website, you will be asked whether you would like to take part in an email survey from Google. If you give your consent in accordance with Article 6(1)(a) of the GDPR, we will pass on your email address to Google. You will receive an email from Google Customer Reviews asking you to rate your shopping experience on our website. The review you submit will then be aggregated with our other reviews and displayed in our Google Customer Reviews logo and on our Merchant Centre dashboard. Your review will also be used for Google Merchant Reviews. When using Google Customer Reviews, personal data may also be transferred to the servers of Google LLC in the USA. You may withdraw your consent at any time by contacting the data controller or Google directly. Further information on Google’s data protection practices in connection with the Google Customer Reviews programme can be found via the link below: https://support.google.com/merchants/answer/7188525?hl=de You can find further information on data protection relating to Google Seller Reviews via this link: https://support.google.com/google-ads/answer/2375474
17.4 Google Translate This page uses the ‘Google Translate’ translation service provided by Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, 4 Barrow St, Dublin, D04 E5W5, Ireland (‘Google’) via an API integration. To ensure that the translation into your chosen language is displayed automatically, the browser you are using connects to Google’s servers. In doing so, Google uses so-called ‘cookies’, which are text files stored on your computer that enable an analysis of your use of the website. The information generated by the cookie regarding your use of this website (including your truncated IP address) is usually transmitted to a Google server and stored there; this may also involve transmission to the servers of Google LLC in the USA. Where personal data is processed, this is done in accordance with Article 6(1)(f) of the GDPR on the basis of our legitimate interest in ensuring that our website is accessible to all. Further information on Google Translate and Google’s privacy policy can be found at: https://www.google.com/policies/privacy/ Where legally required, we have obtained your consent to the processing of your data as described above in accordance with Article 6(1)(a) of the GDPR. You may withdraw your consent at any time with future effect. To exercise your right to withdraw consent, please deactivate this service using the ‘Cookie Consent Tool’ provided on the website.
17.5 Applications for job vacancies by email On our website, we publish a separate section listing current vacancies, for which interested candidates can apply by email to the contact address provided. In order to be included in the application process, applicants must provide us, together with their application by email, with all the personal data required for a sound and informed assessment and selection. The required details include general personal information (name, address, telephone or email contact details) as well as evidence of the qualifications necessary for the post. Where applicable, health-related information may also be required, which, in the interests of social protection, must be given special consideration under labour and social security law with regard to the applicant. The specific components that an application must contain in each individual case to be considered, and the format in which these components must be submitted by email, can be found in the relevant job advertisement. Upon receipt of the application sent using the specified email contact address, we will store the applicant’s data and process it solely for the purpose of processing the application. Should any queries arise during the processing of the application, we shall, at our discretion, use either the email address provided by the applicant with their application or a telephone number supplied. The legal basis for this processing, including contacting the applicant for queries, is generally Article 6(1)(b) of the GDPR (for processing in Germany in conjunction with Section 26(1) of the Federal Data Protection Act (BDSG)), under which the application process is deemed to constitute the initiation of an employment contract. Insofar as, as part of the application process, special categories of personal data within the meaning of Article 9(1) of the GDPR (e.g. health data such as information regarding severe disability status) are requested from applicants, the processing is carried out in accordance with Article 9(2)(b) GDPR, so that we may exercise the rights arising from labour law and the law on social security and social protection and fulfil our obligations in this regard. Cumulatively or alternatively, the processing of special categories of data may also be based on Article 9(1)(h) of the GDPR if it is carried out for the purposes of preventive healthcare or occupational medicine, for the assessment of the applicant’s fitness for work, for medical diagnosis, care or treatment in the health or social sector, or for the administration of systems and services in the health or social sector. If, following the assessment described above, the applicant is not selected or if an applicant withdraws their application prematurely, their data submitted by email, as well as all electronic correspondence, including the original application email, will be deleted no later than six months after notification has been given. This period is determined on the basis of our legitimate interest in answering any follow-up questions regarding the application and, where necessary, in being able to fulfil our obligations to provide evidence under the regulations on the equal treatment of applicants. In the event of a successful application, the data provided will be further processed on the basis of Article 6(1)(b) of the GDPR (in the case of processing in Germany, in conjunction with Section 26(1) of the Federal Data Protection Act (BDSG)) for the purposes of administering the employment relationship.
17.6 Online applications via a form
The application form for the Content Creator role is hosted via Cloudflare. We use Cloudflare Turnstile to protect against automated submissions. The contact details you submit, your voluntarily provided date of birth, your answers and any voluntary attachments will be transmitted via Google Workspace to an internal Slack channel used by our recruitment team. The recipient’s address and login details are not included in the publicly available form. Your details are not permanently stored in the browser via the application form. To prevent duplicate submissions, a technical receipt reference with a checksum is stored. This technical record contains neither your answers nor your documents. References that are more than seven days old will be cleared when the next application is received.
On our website, we offer job seekers the opportunity to apply online via a dedicated form. In order to be included in the application process, applicants must provide us, via the form, with all the personal data required for a sound and informed assessment and selection. The required details include general personal information (name, address, telephone number or email address) as well as evidence of the qualifications necessary for the post. Where applicable, health-related information may also be required, which, in the interests of social protection, must be given special consideration under labour and social security law in relation to the applicant. When the form is submitted, the applicant’s data is transmitted to us in encrypted form using state-of-the-art technology, stored by us and processed exclusively for the purpose of processing the application. The legal basis for this processing is, in principle, Article 6(1)(b) of the GDPR (in the case of processing in Germany, in conjunction with Section 26(1) of the Federal Data Protection Act (BDSG)), under which the application process is regarded as the initiation of an employment contract. Where, as part of the application process, special categories of personal data within the meaning of Article 9(1) of the GDPR (e.g. health data such as information regarding severe disability status) are requested from applicants, the processing is carried out in accordance with Article 9(2)(b) of the GDPR, so that we may exercise the rights arising from labour law and the law on social security and social protection, and fulfil our obligations in this regard. Cumulatively or alternatively, the processing of special categories of data may also be based on Article 9(1)(h) of the GDPR if it is carried out for the purposes of preventive healthcare or occupational medicine, for the assessment of the applicant’s fitness for work, for medical diagnosis, care or treatment in the health or social sector, or for the administration of systems and services in the health or social sector. If, following the assessment described above, the applicant is not selected or if an applicant withdraws their application prematurely, the data submitted via the form will be deleted no later than 6 months after the applicant has been notified accordingly. This period is based on our legitimate interest in answering any follow-up questions regarding the application and, where necessary, in being able to fulfil our obligations to provide evidence under the regulations on the equal treatment of applicants. In the event of a successful application, the data provided will be further processed on the basis of Article 6(1)(b) of the GDPR (in the case of processing in Germany, in conjunction with Section 26(1) of the Federal Data Protection Act (BDSG)) for the purposes of administering the employment relationship.
17.7 – Google Maps On our website, we use Google Maps (API) provided by Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, 4 Barrow St, Dublin, D04 E5W5, Ireland (“Google”). Google Maps is a web service for displaying interactive (map) charts to present geographical information visually. By using this service, our location is displayed to you, making it easier for you to find your way here. As soon as you access any subpages on which the Google Maps map is embedded, information about your use of our website (such as your IP address) is transmitted to Google’s servers and stored there; this may also involve transmission to the servers of Google LLC in the USA. This occurs regardless of whether Google provides a user account through which you are logged in or whether a user account exists. If you are logged in to Google, your data will be directly associated with your account. If you do not wish your data to be associated with your Google profile, you must log out before clicking the button. Google stores your data (even for users who are not logged in) as usage profiles and analyses them. The collection, storage and analysis are carried out in accordance with Article 6(1)(f) of the GDPR on the basis of Google’s legitimate interest in displaying personalised advertising, conducting market research and/or tailoring Google websites to user needs. You have the right to object to the creation of these user profiles; to exercise this right, you must contact Google. If you do not consent to your data being transferred to Google in future whilst using Google Maps, you also have the option of completely disabling the Google Maps web service by disabling JavaScript in your browser. Google Maps, and therefore the map display on this website, will then no longer be available for use. You can view Google’s Terms of Service at https://www.google.de/intl/de/policies/terms/regional.html; the additional terms of use for Google Maps can be found at https://www.google.com/intl/de_US/help/terms_maps.html Detailed information on data protection in connection with the use of Google Maps can be found on Google’s website (‘Google Privacy Policy’): https://www.google.de/intl/de/policies/privacy/ Where legally required, we have obtained your consent to the processing of your data as described above in accordance with Article 6(1)(a) of the GDPR. You may withdraw your consent at any time with effect for the future. To exercise your right to withdraw consent, please follow the procedure for lodging an objection as described above.
17.8 – Zenloop This website cooperates with zenloop GmbH, Pappelallee 78/79, 10437 Berlin (‘zenloop’). Zenloop is a business-to-business Software-as-a-Service platform that enables us to collect and analyse feedback from our customers via various channels. This allows us to tailor and improve our services to meet our customers’ needs. Zenloop can be used to create specific surveys regarding our services and send them to customers (respondents) by email. Surveys are sent only with the customer’s explicit consent in accordance with Article 6(1)(a) of the GDPR. To evaluate the survey, zenloop collects the respondent’s email address, provided that the respondent has given their consent in accordance with Article 6(1)(a) of the GDPR. This consent may be withdrawn at any time with future effect. Furthermore, zenloop collects and stores any responses from respondents, which, depending on the survey, may also contain personal data such as first names and surnames, and evaluates these on our behalf. Where survey responses contain personal data, processing is carried out in accordance with Article 6(1)(f) of the GDPR on the basis of our legitimate interest in the statistical analysis of user satisfaction and the subsequent optimisation of our online offering. We have entered into a data processing agreement with zenloop, under which we oblige zenloop to protect the data of visitors to our website and not to disclose it to third parties. Further information on zenloop’s use of data can be found in the zenloop privacy policy at https://www.zenloop.com/de/legal/privacy.
17.9 – Net Reviews S.A.S. for the verification and publication of customer reviews For the verification and publication of customer reviews, we use the services of Net Reviews S.A.S., 18–20 Avenue Robert Schuman, 13002, Marseille, France (‘Net Reviews’), operating in Germany under the name ‘Echte Bewertungen by NetReviews’. If you submit a review on our website, your first name and surname, your email address, order date and number, as well as the product name and international product identifiers (GTIN/ISDNF) will be collected, transmitted to Net Reviews and analysed there to determine the legitimacy of a customer review in relation to a specific order. This processing is carried out in accordance with Article 6(1)(f) of the GDPR on the basis of our legitimate interest in ensuring the authenticity of customer reviews by verifying that they relate to a specific transaction and by preventing misuse of the review system. Once the review has been verified and approved, the data is deleted by Net Reviews. Further information on data protection at Net Reviews can be found at https://www.echte-bewertungen.com/index.php?page=mod_protectiondonnees
17.10 – Google Meet We use the ‘Google Meet’ service provided by Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, 4 Barrow St, Dublin, D04 E5W5, Ireland (hereinafter ‘Google Meet’), to conduct online meetings, video conferences and/or webinars. When using Google Meet, various types of data are processed. The scope of the data processed depends on what information you provide before or during your participation in an online meeting, video conference or webinar. When using Google Meet, data relating to the participants in the communication is processed and stored on Google’s servers. This data may include, in particular, your login details (name, email address, telephone number (optional) and password) and meeting details (subject, participant’s IP address, device information, description (optional)). In addition, participants’ visual and audio contributions, as well as text entered in chats, may be processed. This may also involve the transfer of data to the servers of Google LLC in the USA. Where personal data is processed to fulfil a contract with you (this also applies to processing operations necessary to carry out pre-contractual measures), Article 6(1)(b) of the GDPR serves as the legal basis. If you have given us your consent to the processing of your data, the processing is carried out on the basis of Article 6(1)(a) of the GDPR. Consent that has been given may be withdrawn at any time with effect for the future. Furthermore, the legal basis for data processing when conducting online meetings, video conferences or webinars is our legitimate interest, in accordance with Article 6(1)(f) of the GDPR, in the effective conduct of the online meeting, webinar or video conference. Further information on data use by Google Meet can be found in Google’s privacy policy at https://www.google.de/policies/privacy/ – Microsoft Teams We use the ‘Microsoft Teams’ service provided by Microsoft Corporation, One Microsoft Way, Redmond, WA 98052-6399, USA (hereinafter ‘Microsoft Teams’) to conduct online meetings, video conferences and/or webinars. When using Microsoft Teams, various types of data are processed. The scope of the data processed depends on what information you provide before or during your participation in an online meeting, video conference or webinar. When using Microsoft Teams, data relating to the participants in the communication is processed and stored on Microsoft Teams’ servers. This data may include, in particular, your login details (name, email address, telephone number (optional) and password) and meeting data (topic, participant’s IP address, device information, description (optional)). In addition, participants’ visual and audio contributions, as well as text entered in chats, may be processed. Where personal data is processed that is necessary for the performance of a contract with you (this also applies to processing operations necessary for the implementation of pre-contractual measures), Article 6(1)(b) of the GDPR serves as the legal basis. If you have given us your consent to the processing of your data, the processing is carried out on the basis of Article 6(1)(a) of the GDPR. Consent that has been given may be withdrawn at any time with effect for the future. Furthermore, the legal basis for data processing when conducting online meetings, video conferences or webinars is our legitimate interest, in accordance with Article 6(1)(f) of the GDPR, in the effective conduct of the online meeting, webinar or video conference. Further information on data use by Microsoft Teams can be found in the Microsoft Teams Privacy Statement at https://privacy.microsoft.com/de-de/privacystatement – Zoom We use the ‘Zoom’ service provided by Zoom Video Communications Inc., 55 Almaden Blvd, Suite 600, San Jose, CA 95113, USA (hereinafter ‘Zoom’) to conduct online meetings, video conferences and/or webinars. When using Zoom, various types of data are processed. The scope of the data processed depends on what information you provide before or during your participation in an online meeting, video conference or webinar. When using Zoom, data relating to the participants in the communication is processed and stored on Zoom’s servers. This data may include, in particular, your login details (name, email address, telephone number (optional) and password) and meeting data (topic, participant’s IP address, device information, description (optional)). In addition, participants’ visual and audio contributions, as well as text entered in chats, may be processed. Where personal data is processed that is necessary for the performance of a contract with you (this also applies to processing operations necessary for the implementation of pre-contractual measures), Article 6(1)(b) of the GDPR serves as the legal basis. If you have given us your consent to the processing of your data, the processing is carried out on the basis of Article 6(1)(a) of the GDPR. Consent that has been given may be withdrawn at any time with effect for the future. Furthermore, the legal basis for data processing when conducting online meetings, video conferences or webinars is our legitimate interest, in accordance with Article 6(1)(f) of the GDPR, in the effective conduct of the online meeting, webinar or video conference. Further information on Zoom’s use of data can be found in Zoom’s privacy policy at https://zoom.us/docs/de-de/privacy-and-legal.html
18) Rights of the data subject
18.1 The applicable data protection legislation grants you comprehensive data subject rights (rights of access and intervention) vis-à-vis the data controller with regard to the processing of your personal data; we set out these rights below:
- Right of access pursuant to Article 15 of the GDPR: In particular, you have the right to obtain information regarding your personal data processed by us, the purposes of processing, the categories of personal data processed, the recipients or categories of recipients to whom your data has been or will be disclosed, the intended storage period or the criteria for determining the storage period, the existence of a right to rectification, erasure, restriction of processing, objection to processing, to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority, the origin of your data if it was not collected from you by us, the existence of automated decision-making, including profiling, and, where applicable, meaningful information about the logic involved, the implications for you and the intended effects of such processing, as well as your right to be informed of the safeguards in place pursuant to Article 46 of the GDPR when your data is transferred to third countries;
- Right to rectification under Article 16 of the GDPR: You have the right to have inaccurate personal data concerning you rectified without delay and/or to have incomplete personal data stored by us completed;
- Right to erasure under Article 17 of the GDPR: You have the right to request the erasure of your personal data where the conditions set out in Article 17(1) of the GDPR are met. However, this right does not apply, in particular, where processing is necessary for the exercise of the right to freedom of expression and information, for compliance with a legal obligation, for reasons of public interest, or for the establishment, exercise or defence of legal claims;
- Right to restriction of processing pursuant to Article 18 of the GDPR: You have the right to request the restriction of the processing of your personal data whilst the accuracy of your data, which you have contested, is being verified; if you object to the erasure of your data on the grounds of unlawful processing and instead request the restriction of the processing of your data; if you require your data to establish, exercise or defend legal claims, after we no longer require this data once the purpose has been fulfilled, or if you have objected on grounds relating to your particular situation, whilst it remains to be determined whether our legitimate grounds override yours;
- Right to be informed pursuant to Article 19 of the GDPR: If you have exercised your right to rectification, erasure or restriction of processing against the controller, the controller is obliged to notify all recipients to whom your personal data has been disclosed of this rectification, erasure or restriction of processing, unless this proves impossible or involves a disproportionate effort. You have the right to be informed of these recipients.
- Right to data portability pursuant to Article 20 of the GDPR: You have the right to receive the personal data you have provided to us in a structured, commonly used and machine-readable format, or to request that it be transmitted to another controller, insofar as this is technically feasible;
- Right to withdraw consent pursuant to Article 7(3) of the GDPR: You have the right to withdraw your consent to the processing of data at any time, with effect for the future. In the event of withdrawal, we will delete the relevant data without delay, provided that further processing cannot be based on a legal basis for processing without consent. The withdrawal of consent does not affect the lawfulness of processing carried out on the basis of that consent prior to its withdrawal;
- Right to lodge a complaint under Article 77 of the GDPR: If you believe that the processing of your personal data infringes the GDPR, you have
- without prejudice to any other administrative or judicial remedy
- the right to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority, in particular in the Member State of your habitual residence, your place of work or the place where the alleged infringement occurred.
18.2 RIGHT TO OBJECT WHERE, AS PART OF A BALANCING OF INTERESTS, WE PROCESS YOUR PERSONAL DATA ON THE BASIS OF OUR OVERRIDING LEGITIMATE INTEREST, YOU HAVE THE RIGHT AT ANY TIME, ON GROUNDS RELATING TO YOUR PARTICULAR SITUATION, to object to such processing with effect for the future. IF YOU EXERCISE YOUR RIGHT TO OBJECT, WE WILL CEASE PROCESSING THE DATA IN QUESTION. HOWEVER, WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO CONTINUE PROCESSING IF WE CAN DEMONSTRATE COMPELLING LEGITIMATE GROUNDS FOR THE PROCESSING WHICH OVERRIDE YOUR INTERESTS, FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS, OR IF THE PROCESSING IS NECESSARY FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT, EXERCISE OR DEFENCE OF LEGAL CLAIMS. IF WE PROCESS YOUR PERSONAL DATA FOR DIRECT MARKETING PURPOSES, YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO OBJECT AT ANY TIME TO THE PROCESSING OF YOUR PERSONAL DATA FOR THE PURPOSE OF SUCH MARKETING. YOU MAY EXERCISE YOUR RIGHT TO OBJECT AS DESCRIBED ABOVE. IF YOU EXERCISE YOUR RIGHT TO OBJECT, WE WILL CEASE PROCESSING THE RELEVANT DATA FOR DIRECT MARKETING PURPOSES.
19) Retention period for personal data
The duration for which personal data is stored is determined by the relevant legal basis, the purpose of processing and – where applicable – additionally by the relevant statutory retention period (e.g. retention periods under commercial and tax law). Where personal data is processed on the basis of explicit consent pursuant to Article 6(1)(a) of the GDPR, such data shall be retained until the data subject withdraws their consent. Where statutory retention periods apply to data processed in the context of contractual or quasi-contractual obligations on the basis of Article 6(1)(b) of the GDPR, such data is routinely deleted upon expiry of the retention periods, provided that it is no longer required for the performance of a contract or for entering into a contract and/or we no longer have a legitimate interest in continuing to store it. Where personal data is processed on the basis of Article 6(1)(f) of the GDPR, such data is stored until the data subject exercises their right to object under Article 21(1) of the GDPR, unless we can demonstrate compelling legitimate grounds for the processing which override the interests, rights and freedoms of the data subject, or the processing serves to establish, exercise or defend legal claims. Where personal data is processed for the purposes of direct marketing on the basis of Article 6(1)(f) of the GDPR, such data shall be stored until the data subject exercises their right to object under Article 21(2) of the GDPR. Unless otherwise specified in the other information contained in this statement regarding specific processing situations, stored personal data will otherwise be erased when it is no longer necessary for the purposes for which it was collected or otherwise processed.
20) Leadinfo
We use the lead generation service provided by Leadinfo B.V., Rotterdam, the Netherlands. This service identifies visits to our website by businesses via IP addresses and displays publicly available information to us, such as company names or addresses. In addition, Leadinfo sets two first-party cookies to analyse user behaviour on our website and processes domains from form submissions (e.g. ‘leadinfo.com’) in order to correlate IP addresses with companies and improve its services. Further information can be found at www.leadinfo.com. You can opt out on this page: www.leadinfo.com/en/opt-out. If you opt out, your data will no longer be collected by Leadinfo.