Introduction

This policy sets out the different areas where user privacy is concerned and outlines the obligations and requirements of the users, the website and website owners. Furthermore, the way this website processes, stores and protects user data and information will also be detailed within this policy.

 

The website

This website and its owners take a proactive approach to user privacy and ensure the necessary steps are taken to protect the privacy of its users throughout their visiting experience. This website complies with all UK national laws and requirements for user privacy.

 

Use of cookies

What are cookies?

Cookies are small files saved to the user computer’s hard drive that track, save and store information about the user interactions and usage of the website. This allows the website, through its server to provide the users with a tailored experience within this website.

What do we use cookies for?

We may use cookies to remember personal settings you have chosen at our website. In no other context do we use cookies to collect information that identifies you personally. Most of the cookies we set are automatically deleted from your computer when you leave our website or shortly afterwards.

We use anonymous session cookies (short-term cookies that disappear when you close your browser) to help you navigate the website and make the most of the features  

This website uses tracking software to monitor its visitors to better understand how they use it. This software is provided by Google Analytics which uses cookies to track visitor usage. The software will save a cookie to your computer’s hard drive in order to track and monitor your engagement and usage of the website, but will not store, save or collect personal information. 

Should users wish to deny the use and saving of cookies from this website onto their computer hard drive, they should take necessary steps within their web browser security settings to block all cookies from this website and its external serving vendors.

 

Personal information

Whilst using our website, software applications or services, you may be required to provide personal information (name, address, telephone numbers, email, account details, etc.).  We will use this information to administer our website, applications, client databases and marketing material.  We will ensure that all personal information supplied is held securely in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation (EU) 2016/679, as adopted into law of the United Kingdom in the Data Protection Act 2018.  Further, by providing telephone and email details, you consent to ARCO2 Architecture Ltd (ARCO2) contacting you using that method. You have the right at any time to request a copy of the personal information we hold on you. Should you wish to receive a copy of this, or would like to be removed from our database, please contact us at office@arco2.co.uk.

 

Information collection and use

How do we collect information?

ARCO2 collects information in two possible ways:

a.            When you directly give it to us (“Directly Provided Data”)

This Policy only relates to personal information collected by us when you commission our services or communicate with us by phone, email, post or website 

We may use your information in a number of ways and for a number of purposes including: 

  • To provide you with information on services that you have requested from us or that we feel may be of interest to you where you have consented to being contacted
  • To provide you with information about our work or our activities where you have consented to receive communications from us
  • For internal record keeping relating to any feedback or complaints
  • To contact you where you have been identified as a contact person for an organisation and we will only use them to contact you in your capacity as a representative of that organisation
  • To analyse and improve the operation of our website
  • To comply with legal and regulatory requirements

 

b.            When you give us permission to obtain from other accounts (“User Authorised Data”)

Depending on your settings or the privacy policies for other online services, you may give us permission to obtain information from your account with those other services. For example, this can be via social media or by choosing to send us your location data when accessing our website from your smartphone.  

This Privacy Policy does not apply to personal information provided to us via any other website. Users should be aware that if they access other websites, using the links provided, these are outside our control. If you provide personal information to other companies, the privacy polices of those companies determine how the information is used and our Privacy Policy will no longer apply.

This Privacy Policy should be read alongside, and in addition our terms and conditions. Please read this Privacy Policy carefully.

How long do we keep your data for?

ARCO2 will not retain your personal information longer than necessary. We will hold onto the information you provide either while your account is in existence, or as needed to be able to provide the Services to you, or for as long as is necessary to provide support-related reporting and trend analysis only.

If legally required or if it is reasonably necessary to meet regulatory requirements, resolve disputes, prevent fraud and abuse, or enforce our Terms and Conditions, we may also retain some of your information for a limited period of time as required, even after you have closed your account or it is no longer needed to provide the Services to you.

 

Marketing

We may use the information you have provided us with to contact you for marketing purposes by email if you have specifically provided your consent to for us to do so. We may also send you service communications via email.

We promise to make all reasonable efforts to keep your details secure and as required by law, we will never share your details with other organisations to use for their own or marketing purposes.

As of 25 May 2018, ARCO2 will operate a consent-based approach to marketing activities.  From this date, you will be specifically asked whether you consent to our contacting you for marketing and information services. If you decline to consent we will no longer contact you for this purpose.

You can withdraw your consent to be contacted by ARCO2 at any time should you wish to change your communication preferences.

 

Sharing of your information

ARCO2 does not share or sell personal information about any Client with third parties for the purposes of marketing.

ARCO2 requires all suppliers with access to personal information collected or maintained by ARCO2 to demonstrate compliance with the relevant legislation.  This applies if we are under a duty to disclose or share your information in order to comply with any legal obligation, or in order to enforce or apply our Terms and other agreements; or to protect our rights, property, or safety, our users, or others. This includes exchanging information with other companies and organisations for the purposes of fraud protection and credit risk reduction.

 

Consent

By giving us your personal information, you consent to us collecting and using that information in the ways that we describe in this privacy policy and/or that you have specifically consented to. Where we need your consent, we will always ensure that you are as fully informed as possible at the time on what we do with your information, with whom it may be shared and how long we will keep it. This is in line with the requirements of the relevant legislation. You can alter your preferences or withdraw your consent at any time as described below. 

 

Your rights and accessing your personal data held by ARCO2

You have a right to ask us to stop processing your personal information and, if it is not necessary for the purpose for which you provided it, you have a right to ask for copies of the personal information we hold about you, and details of how we use that information. If there are any discrepancies in the information we provide, please let us know and we will correct them.

You have a right to be ‘forgotten’ by ARCO2 Architecture Ltd.  This will involve us identifying and deleting all data held about you by us and any other company we use to provide services to you as long as it does not affect ARCO2 ‘s ability to comply with relevant legal, tax or accounting requirements.

If you wish to exercise your rights please email us initially via office@arco2.co.uk outlining your specific request so that we can advise on the process.  However, we should advise that, as a minimum, we shall require proof of your identity to ensure that we only provide personal information to the right person.

We reserve the right to charge a fee for unfounded and excessive requests.

You have a right to complain to a data protection authority about our collection and use of your personal information. For more information, please contact your local data protection authority.

Please note, we are constantly reviewing how we process and protect data. Therefore, changes to our policy may occur at any time. We will endeavour to publicise any changes.