PRIVACY & COOKIE POLICY

Mark Deeks values your privacy and cares about the way in which your personal information is treated.

This policy describes:

1. What personal information we collect about you

2. How we obtain your personal information

3. How we use your personal information

4. Use of the Mark Deeks website

5. Cookies

6. Marketing and other emails

7. On what basis we use your personal information

8. How long we keep your personal information

9. Who we share your personal information with

10. Social Media Policy and Usage

11. How we protect your personal information

12. Which countries we transfer your personal information to

13. Your rights regarding your personal information

14. How you can stop the use of your personal data for marketing use

15. How to contact the regulator

16. Further Questions

1. What personal information we collect about you 

We may collect personal information from you in the course of our business, including through your use of our website, when you contact or request information from us, when you engage our services or as a result of your relationship with one or more of our staff and clients.

The personal information that we process includes:

  • Basic information, such as your name (including name prefix or title), your title or position and your relationship to a person.
  • Contact information, such as your postal address, email address and phone number(s).
  • Financial information, such as payment-related information.
  • Technical information, such as information from your visits to our website or applications or in relation to materials and communications we send to you electronically.
  • Information you provide to us for the purposes of attending classes or receiving treatment.
  • Identification and background information provided by you or collected as part of our business acceptance processes.
  • Personal information provided to us by or on behalf of our clients or generated by us in the course or providing services to them, which may include special categories of data.
  •  Any other information relating to you that you may provide to us.

2. How we obtain your personal information

We collect information from you as part of our business acceptance processes and about you and others as necessary in the course of providing our services.

We collect your personal information while monitoring our technology tools and services, including our websites and email communications sent to and from Mark Deeks.

We gather information about you when you provide it to us, or interact with us directly, for instance engaging with us.

We may collect or receive information about you from other sources, such as keeping the contact details we already hold for you accurate and up to date using publicly available sources.

We wish to provide an optimal customer experience. One way for us to achieve this is to combine the data we have about you.

We use this to offer you promotions, products and services that may be of interest to you.

Data privacy law allows this as part of our legitimate interest in understanding our customers and providing an effective service.

If you wish to change how we use your data, you can find details in the ‘Your rights regarding your personal information’ section below.

If you have chosen not to share your personal data with us, or refuse certain contact permissions, we may not be able to provide the services you have asked for.

For example, if you have requested that we contact you when certain programs start, we cannot do that if you have withdrawn your consent to hear from us.

3. How we use your personal information

Mark Deeks collects and processes personal information about you in a number of ways, including through your use of our website and in the provision of services by us.

We use that information:

  • To provide and improve this website, including auditing and monitoring its use.
  • To provide and improve our services to you and to our clients, including handling the personal information of others on behalf of our clients.
  • To provide information requested by you.
  • To promote our services, including sending offers and updates, publications and details of events.
  • To manage and administer our relationship with you and our clients.
  • To fulfil our legal, regulatory and risk management obligations, including establishing, exercising or defending legal claims.
  • For the purposes of recruitment.

4. Use of the Mark Deeks website

A number of facilities on our website invite you to provide us with personal information, such as the contact page section of our website and our email queries facilities.  The purpose of these facilities is apparent at the point that you provide your personal information and we only use that information for those purposes.

 Our website uses Google Analytics, a web-based analytics tool that tracks and reports on the manner in which the website is used to help us to improve it. Google Analytics does this by placing small text files called ‘cookies’ on your device. The information that the cookies collect, such as the number of visitors to the site, the pages visited and the length of time spent on the site, is aggregated and therefore anonymous.  Please also see ‘Marketing and other emails’ below.

5. Cookies

By using our website (through any device) you agree that this use of cookies applies to that use in addition to any other terms and conditions which may apply.

This website uses cookies and may be subject to change. Any changes will appear here and become effective immediately. Your continued use of our websites and apps is taken as meaning that you agree to any changes.

What is a Cookie?
Cookies are small files that are sent to and stored on your computer, smartphone, tablet or other device for accessing the internet, whenever you visit a website or use our apps.

Cookies are used to maintain the integrity of your browsing activities when you visit a website and can also be used to customise and so improve the individual customer experience.

Cookies do not in any way compromise the security of your computer. You can continue to use this website with no loss of functionality if you choose to disable cookies on your computer. However, use of our website and applications requires cookies to be enabled in order for our services to function securely and correctly.

More general information on cookies can be found on https://allaboutcookies.org/ This includes information on how to disable cookies.

How we use Cookies
This website uses cookies to monitor our website traffic, to ensure better service levels, and to enable us provide you with additional features such as customised delivery of service to you.

To achieve this, there are different types of cookies in use. They all work in the same way, but have minor differences which are explained below.

Session Cookies
Session cookies last only for the duration of your visit and are deleted when you close your browser. They are essential for secure user navigation through the site and enable the delivery of basic functionality.

Specifically they ensure the security and integrity of your session, preventing fraudulent use and keeping you signed in while you move between pages and service your account.

Persistent Cookies
Persistent cookies last after you have closed your browser, and allow us to remember your actions and website preferences.

This website uses persistent cookies to analyse customer visits to our sites. These cookies help us to understand how customers arrive at and use our sites so we can improve the overall on-line experience.

Analytics Cookies
Finally, we use analytics cookies to help us make our websites even better for those who visit them regularly. This type of cookie helps us to further understand how individual visitors use our on-line services and allows us to improve the overall service and products offered to you.

Our website has the Facebook pixel installed which we use to create marketing profiles of the kind of clients we love the most.

You may refuse the use of cookies or withdraw your consent at any time by selecting the appropriate settings on your browser but please note that this may affect your use and experience of our website. By continuing to use our website without changing your privacy settings, you are agreeing to our use of cookies.  To find out more about cookies, including how to manage and delete them, visit: https://allaboutcookies.org/ 

6. Marketing and other emails

We operate an email mailing list program, used to inform subscribers about products, services and/or news we supply/publish. Users can subscribe through an online automated process where they have given their explicit permission. Subscriber personal details are collected, processed, managed and stored in accordance with the regulations named above. Subscribers can unsubscribe at any time through an automated online service, or if not available, other means as detailed in the footer of sent marketing messages (or unsubscribe from all MailChimp lists). The type and content of marketing messages subscribers receive, and if it may contain third party content, is clearly outlined at the point of subscription.

You can view MailChimp’s privacy policy here: https://mailchimp.com/legal/

7. On what basis we use your personal information

We use your personal information on the following basis:

  • To perform a contract, such as engaging with an individual to provide our services.
  •  To comply with legal and regulatory obligations.
  •  For legitimate business purposes. Please see ‘How we use your personal information’ for more detail.

8. How long we keep your personal information

Whenever we collect or process your personal data, we will only retain it for as long as is necessary for the purpose for which it was collected.

At the end of the retention period, your personal data will be erased completely or anonymised, for example by aggregation with other data so that it can be used in a non-identifiable way for analysis.

9. Who we share your personal information with

We are a UK based website and company and we operate within the UK as well as the EU and globally and any information that you provide to us is used only by and shared with Mark Deeks employees and support partners.

We may also share your personal information with certain trusted third parties in accordance with contractual arrangements in place with them, including:

  • Our professional advisers and auditors.
  • Suppliers to whom we outsource certain support services such as website hosting, backup and security, and admin.
  • IT service providers.

Where necessary, or for the reasons set out in this policy, personal information may also be shared with regulatory authorities, courts, tribunals, government agencies and law enforcement agencies.  While it is unlikely, we may be required to disclose your information to comply with legal or regulatory requirements. We will use reasonable endeavours to notify you before we do this, unless we are legally restricted from doing so.

We would never sell, rent or otherwise make personal information commercially available to any third party, except with your prior permission.

10. Social Media Policy and Usage

We adopt a Social Media Policy to ensure our business and our staff conducts themselves accordingly online. While we may have official profiles on social media platforms users are advised to verify the authenticity of such profiles before engaging with, or sharing information with such profiles. We will never ask for user passwords or personal details on social media platforms. Users are advised to conduct themselves appropriately when engaging with us on social media.

There may be instances where our website features social sharing buttons, which help share web content directly from web pages to the respective social media platforms. You use social sharing buttons at your own discretion and accept that doing so may publish content to your social media profile feed or page. You can find further information about some social media privacy and usage policies in the resources section below.

11. How we protect your personal information

We use a variety of technical and organisational measures to help protect your personal information from unauthorised access, use, disclosure, alteration or destruction consistent with applicable data protection laws.

We secure access to all areas of our website via secure socket layers (SSL) which displays as ‘https’ in your web browser.

12. Which countries we transfer your personal information to

In order to provide our services, we may need to transfer your personal information to locations outside the jurisdiction in which you provide it or where you are viewing this website for the purposes set out in this privacy policy. This may entail a transfer of your information from a location within the European Economic Area (the “EEA”) to outside the EEA, or from outside the EEA to a location within the EEA. Please see ‘Who we share your personal information with’ for more detail on who the information may be shared with.

13. Your rights regarding your personal information

The European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation and other applicable data protection laws provide certain rights for data subjects.

You are entitled to request details of the information we hold about you and how we process it.  You may also have a right in accordance with applicable data protection law to have it rectified or deleted, to restrict our processing of that information, to stop unauthorised transfers of your personal information to a third party and, in some circumstances, to have personal information relating to you transferred to another organisation. You may also have the right to lodge a complaint in relation to our processing of your personal information with a local supervisory authority.

If you object to the processing of your personal information, or if you have provided your consent to processing and you later choose to withdraw it, we will respect that choice in accordance with our legal obligations.

Your objection (or withdrawal of any previously given consent) could mean that we are unable to perform the actions necessary to achieve the purposes set out above (see ‘How we use your personal information’) or that you may not be able to make use of the services and products offered by us. Please note that even after you have chosen to withdraw your consent we may be able to continue to process your personal information to the extent required or otherwise permitted by law, in particular in connection with exercising and defending our legal rights or meeting our legal and regulatory obligations.

An overview of your different rights

You have the right to request the following:

  • Access to the personal data we hold about you, which is free of charge in most cases.
  • That we stop using your personal data for direct marketing (either through specific channels, or all channels).
  • To correct your personal data when incorrect, out of date or incomplete.
  • For example, when you withdraw consent, or object and we have no legitimate overriding interest, or once the purpose for which we hold the data has come to an end (such as the end of a warranty).
  • That we cease any consent-based processing of your personal data after you have withdrawn your consent.

You have the right to request a copy of any information about you that Mark Deeks holds at any time, and also to have that information corrected if it is inaccurate. To ask for your information, please use our website Contact Form

If we choose not to action your request we will explain to you the reasons for our refusal.

Your right to withdraw consent
Whenever you have given us your consent to use your personal data, you have the right to change your mind at any time and withdraw that consent.

Where we rely on our legitimate interest
In cases where we are processing your personal data on the basis of our legitimate interest, you can ask us to stop for reasons connected to your individual situation. We must then do so unless we believe we have a legitimate overriding reason to continue processing your personal data.

Direct marketing
You have the right to stop the use of your personal data for direct marketing activity through all channels, or selected channels. We must always comply with your request.

Checking your identity
To protect the confidentiality of your information, we will ask you to verify your identity before proceeding with any request you make under this privacy policy. If you have authorised a third party to submit a request on your behalf, we will ask them to prove they have your permission to act.

14. How you can stop the use of your personal data for marketing use

There are a few ways you can stop direct marketing communications from us:

  • Clicking the ‘unsubscribe’ link in any automated email communication that we send you. We will stop any further marketing emails.
  • Write to us using our website Contact Form

Please note that you may continue to receive email communications for a short time after modifying your preferences while our systems are updated.

15. How to contact the regulator

If you believe that your data has not been handled correctly, or you are unhappy with our response to any requests you have made to us regarding the use of your personal data, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner’s Office.

You can contact them by calling +44 (0)303 123 1113.

Or go online to www.ico.org.uk/concerns (opens in a new window; please note we cannot be responsible for the content of external websites)

16. Further Questions

We hope that our privacy policy has been helpful in setting out the way we handle your personal data and your rights to control it.

If you have any questions that have not been covered here, please contact us using our Contact Form.

ORGANISATIONS MARK HAS WORKED WITH