25 May 2018
This privacy notice tells you what to expect when Uptake Strategies collects personal information. It applies to information we collect about:
1. Visitors to our websites;
2. People who use our services (eg who subscribe to our newsletter or request a publication from us);
3. Job applicants and our current and former employees; and
4. Suppliers (eg printers, digital companies, advertising agencies, taxi firms, accountants, airlines, marketing agencies/contractors).
1. Visitors to our websites
When someone visits www.uptakestrategies.com we use a third-party service, Google Analytics, to collect standard internet log information and details of visitor behaviour patterns. We do this to find out things such as the number of visitors to the various parts of the site. This information is only processed in a way which does not identify anyone. We do not make, and do not allow Google to make, any attempt to find out the identities of those visiting our website. If we do want to collect personally identifiable information through our website, we will be up front about this. We will make it clear when we collect personal information and will explain what we intend to do with it.
Use of cookies by us
Our website uses cookies to distinguish you from other users of our website. This helps us to provide you with a good experience when you browse our website and also allows us to improve our site.
A cookie is a small file of letters and numbers that we store on your browser or the hard drive of your computer if you agree. Cookies contain information that is transferred to your computer’s hard drive.
For more information see our Cookie Policy.
2. People who use our services
In some cases, we will ask for your consent to process your personal data. This is the legal basis by which we process your data. You may indicate your consent by ticking a box (or equivalent action) when:
(i) providing us with your personal data through our services or a form; or
(ii) registering or creating an account with us.
You may at any time withdraw your consent without affecting the lawfulness of processing of your personal data based on the consent you provided before you withdrew it.
Search engine
Our website search queries and results are logged anonymously by Google Analytics to help us improve our website and search functionality. No user-specific data is collected by either Uptake Strategies or any third party.
Contacting us via our website
When you fill in and submit the contact form on the Uptake Strategies website, the data is sent via email directly to our inbox and a hard opt-in, labelled ‘Subscribe’, is available to select. You will not be added to our marketing list if this option is left unchecked.
Signing up to our enewsletter
We use a secure third-party cloud database, MailChimp, to store the data (email address, first and last name) of anyone signing up to our newsletter, and to deliver it.
We gather statistics around email opening and clicks using industry standard technologies including clear gifs to help us monitor and improve our enewsletter. Your data will only be used for the purposes of Uptake Strategies marketing.
For more information, please see Mailchimp’s privacy notice.
People who email us
We use Transport Layer Security (TLS) to encrypt and protect email traffic. If your email service does not support TLS, you should be aware that any emails we send or receive may not be protected in transit.
We will also monitor any emails sent to us, including file attachments, for viruses or malicious software. Please be aware that you have a responsibility to ensure that any email you send is within the bounds of the law.
People who make a complaint to us
If we receive a complaint from a person we will make up a file containing the details of the complaint. This normally will contain the identity of the complainant and any other individuals involved in the complaint.
We will only use the personal information we collect to process the complaint and to check on the level of service we provide. We will usually have to disclose the complainant’s identity to whoever the complaint is about. If a complainant doesn’t want information identifying him or her to be disclosed, we will try to respect that. However, it may not be possible to handle a complaint on an anonymous basis.
We will keep personal information contained in complaint files for two years from closure. It will be retained in a secure environment and access to it will be restricted according to the ‘need to know’ principle.
Similarly, where enquiries are submitted to us we will only use the information supplied to us to deal with the enquiry and any subsequent issues and to check on the level of service we provide.
Usually we will not identify any complainants unless the details have already been made public.
3. Job applicants, current and former Uptake Strategies employees
Uptake Strategies is the data controller for the information you provide during the recruitment process unless otherwise stated. The legal basis by which we process your data is to fulfil our contractual obligations to you. If you have any queries about the process or how we handle your information please contact us at office@uptakestrategies.com.
What will we do with the information you provide to us?
All of the information you provide during the recruitment process will only be used for the purpose of progressing your application, or to fulfil legal or regulatory requirements if necessary.
We will not share any of the information you provide during the recruitment process with any third parties for marketing purposes or store any of your information outside of the European Economic Area. The information you provide will be held securely by us and/or our data processors whether the information is in electronic or physical format.
We will use the contact details you provide to us to contact you to progress your application. We will use the other information you provide to assess your suitability for the role you have applied for.
What information do we ask for, and why?
We do not collect more information than we need to fulfil our stated purposes and will not retain it for longer than is necessary.
The information we ask for is used to assess your suitability for employment. You don’t have to provide what we ask for but it might affect your application if you don’t.
Application stage
We ask you for your personal details including name and contact details. We will also ask you about your previous experience, education, referees and for answers to questions relevant to the role you have applied for. Our recruitment team will have access to all of this information.
Indeed
For some vacancies, we advertise through the Indeed website. Indeed will collect the application information and might ask you to complete a work preference questionnaire which is used to assess your suitability for the role you have applied for, the results of which are assessed by recruiters.
For more information please see Indeed’s privacy notice.
Shortlisting
Our recruitment team shortlist applications for interview.
Assessments
We might ask you to participate in assessment days; complete tests or occupational personality profile questionnaires; and/or to attend an interview – or a combination of these. Information will be generated by you and by us. For example, you might complete a written test or we might take interview notes. This information is held by Uptake Strategies.
If you are unsuccessful following assessment for the position you have applied for, we may ask if you would like your details to be retained by us for a period of six months. If you say yes, we would proactively contact you should any further suitable vacancies arise.
Conditional offer
If we make a conditional offer of employment we will ask you for information so that we can carry out pre-employment checks. You must successfully complete pre-employment checks to progress to a final offer. We are required to confirm the identity of our staff, their right to work in the United Kingdom and seek assurance as to their trustworthiness, integrity and reliability.
You will therefore be required to provide:
• Proof of your identity – you will be asked to attend our office with original documents, we will take copies.
• Proof of your qualifications – you will be asked to attend our office with original documents, we will take copies.
You will be asked to declare any unspent criminal convictions prior to accepting any offer of employment.
We will contact your referees, using the details you provide in your application, directly to obtain references.
If we make a final offer, we will also ask you for the following:
• Bank details – to process salary payments
• Emergency contact details – so we know who to contact in case you have an emergency at work
Post start date
Our Code of Conduct requires all staff to declare if they have any potential conflicts of interest. If you complete a declaration, the information will be held on your personnel file.
How long is the information retained for?
If you are successful, the information you provide during the application process will be retained by us as part of your employee file for the duration of your employment plus 6 years following the end of your employment. This includes your criminal records declaration and records of any security checks and references.
If you are unsuccessful at any stage of the process, the information you have provided until that point will be retained for 6 months from the closure of the campaign.
Information generated throughout the assessment process, for example interview notes, is retained by us for 6 months following the closure of the campaign.
How we make decisions about recruitment
Final recruitment decisions are made by the recruitment team. All of the information gathered during the application process is taken into account.
You are able to ask about decisions made about your application by speaking to your contact within our recruitment team or by emailing office@uptakestrategies.com.
It will be retained for the duration of your employment plus 6 years following the end of your employment.
4. Suppliers (eg consultants, printers, digital companies, advertising agencies, taxi firms, accountants, airlines, marketing agencies/contractors).
Trusted, expert external consultants supply services to Uptake Strategies, in order to fulfil our clients’ requirements under long term consulting service contracts. For the purposes of our trading agreement between the external consultants and Uptake Strategies (and for example to be able to book flights for company business) the details we need to retain are as follows:
• Full name;
• Company address;
• Mobile phone/ contact details;
• Passport details; and
• Bank account details.
Where relevant we will also retain the home address of the consultant, if this also operates as the company address:
a) for the purposes of posting documents and other relevant items ahead of company business, as required; and
b) for the booking of flights for company business.
Use of data processors
Data processors are third parties who provide elements of our recruitment service for us. We have contracts in place with our data processors. This means that they cannot do anything with your personal information unless we have instructed them to do it. They will not share your personal information with any organisation apart from us. They will hold it securely and retain it for the period we instruct.
Kirk Rice
If you are employed by Uptake Strategies, relevant details about you will be provided to Kirk Rice who provide payroll services to Uptake Strategies. This will include your name, address, date of birth, National Insurance Number, bank details and salary.
Likewise, your details will be provided to Kirk Rice who are also the administrators of the Pension Scheme, of which Uptake Strategies is a member organisation. You will be auto-enrolled into the pension scheme and details provided to Kirk Rice will be your name, date of birth, National Insurance number and salary. You can choose to opt-out of the scheme if you want to.
For more information, see Kirk Rice’s privacy notice.
Your rights
Under the Data Protection Act 1998, you have rights as an individual which you can exercise in relation to the information we hold about you.
Complaints or queries
Uptake Strategies tries to meet the highest standards when collecting and using personal information. For this reason, we take any complaints we receive about this very seriously. We encourage people to bring it to our attention if they think that our collection or use of information is unfair, misleading or inappropriate. We would also welcome any suggestions for improving our procedures.
This privacy notice was drafted with brevity and clarity in mind. It does not provide exhaustive detail of all aspects of Uptake Strategies’ collection and use of personal information. However, we are happy to provide any additional information or explanation needed. Any requests for this should be sent to the address below.
If you want to make a complaint about the way we have processed your personal information, you can contact ICO, the statutory body which oversees data protection law, there is a link to the relevant section of their website here.
Access to personal information
Uptake Strategies tries to be as open as it can be in terms of giving people access to their personal information. Individuals can find out if we hold any personal information by making a ‘subject access request’ under the Data Protection Act 1998. If we do hold information about you we will:
• give you a description of it;
• tell you why we are holding it;
• tell you who it could be disclosed to; and
• let you have a copy of the information in an intelligible form.
To make a request to Uptake Strategies for any personal information we may hold you need to put the request in writing, sending it to us at the address provided below.
If you agree, we will try to deal with your request informally, for example by providing you with the specific information you need over the telephone.
If we do hold information about you, you can ask us to correct any mistakes, if necessary.
Disclosure of personal information
In many circumstances we will not disclose personal data without consent. However when we investigate a complaint, for example, we will need to share personal information with the organisation concerned and with other relevant bodies.
You can also get further information from us on:
• agreements we have with other organisations for sharing information;
• circumstances where we can pass on personal data without consent for example, to prevent and detect crime and to produce anonymised statistics;
• our instructions to staff on how to collect, use and delete personal data; and
• how we check that the information we hold is accurate and up to date.
Links to other websites
This privacy notice does not cover the links within this site linking to other websites. We encourage you to read the privacy statements on the other websites you visit.
Changes to this privacy notice
We keep our privacy notice under regular review. This privacy notice was last updated on 25 May 2018.
How to contact us
If you want to request information about our privacy policy you can email us or write to:
Uptake Strategies
Index House
St George’s Lane
Ascot
Berkshire
SL5 7ET
United Kingdom