Solid Ground is committed to protecting your privacy and security.  This policy explains how and why we use your personal data, to ensure you remain informed and in control of your information.

Our Privacy Policy has changed due to a change to the rules which govern how we can communicate with you and a new regulation on personal data (the General Data Protection Regulation) coming into force in May 2018. Therefore, we are introducing a new approach that relies on you providing your consent and details of how we can contact you.  This means you’ll have the choice as to whether you want to receive these messages and be able to select how you want to receive them (email, post, phone or text).

You can decide not to receive communications or change how we contact you at any time.  If you wish to do so please contact us by emailing info@thissolidground.com

We will never sell your personal data, and will only ever share it with organisations we work with where necessary and if it’s privacy and security are guaranteed.

Questions?

Any questions you have in relation to this policy or how we use your personal data should be sent to info@thissolidground.com

About Us

Your personal data (ie any information which identifies you, or which can be identified as relating to you personally) will be collected and used by The Solid Ground Ltd a private limited company with registration number 10157837.

Solid Ground Ltd is based at 44 Edge Street, Manchester M4 1HN

For the purposes of data protection law, Solid Ground will be the controller.

What information we collect

Personal data you provide

We collect data that you provide us.  This includes information you give when enquiring about our services, donating, registering for an event, or communicating with us.  For example:

• personal details (name, date of birth, email, address, telephone etc.) when you join as a client or supplier.
• Financial information for making payments
• details of your interests and preferences (such as campaigns, the ways you support us or types of events you have attended).

Information created by your involvement with Solid Ground

Your activities and involvement with Solid Ground will result in personal data being created.  This could include details of how you’ve helped us by volunteering and attendance or participation in our events.

Information we generate

We conduct research and analysis on the information we hold, which can in turn generate personal data.  For example, by analysing your interests and involvement with our work we may be able to build a profile which helps us decide which of our communications are likely to interest you.  Section 6 (Research and profiling) contains more information about how we use information for profiling and targeted advertising.

Information from third parties

We may collect information from social media where you have given us permission to do so, or if you post on one of our social media pages.  Occasionally, we may collect information about certain supporters (eg particularly well known or influential people) from public sources.  This could include public databases (such as Companies House), news or other media.  We do not do this for everyone, and it is the exception not the rule.

Sensitive personal data

We do not collect or store sensitive personal data (such as information relating to health, beliefs or political affiliation).

Accidents or incidents

If an accident or incident occurs on our property, at one of our events or involving one of our staff (including volunteers) then we’ll keep a record of this (which may include personal data and sensitive personal data).

Volunteer

If you are a volunteer (whether for Solid Ground, or if you are helping us for other reasons, for example you work for another organisation which is running an event with us) then we may collect extra information about you (eg references, criminal records checks, details of emergency contacts, medical conditions etc).  This information will be retained for legal reasons, to protect us (including in the event of an insurance or legal claim) and for safeguarding purposes.

How we use your information.

We only ever use your personal data with your consent, or where it is necessary in order to:

• enter into, or perform, a contract with you;
• comply with a legal duty;
• protect your vital interests;
• for our own (or a third party, when legally required) lawful interests, provided your rights don’t override the these.

In any event, we’ll only use your information for the purpose or purposes it was collected for (or else for closely related purposes).

Marketing

We use personal data to communicate with people, to promote Solid Ground and organisations Solid Ground works on behalf of. This includes keeping you up-to-date with news, updates and event information.  

Administration

We use personal data for administrative purposes (ie to carry out our work). This includes:

• maintaining databases of our clients, suppliers, customers.
• fulfilling enquiries.

Research and profiling

We evaluate, categorise and profile personal data in order to tailor materials, services and communications (including targeted advertising) and prevent unwanted material from filling up your inbox.  This also helps us understand our followers, improve our organisation and carry out research.  

Disclosing and sharing data

We will never sell your personal data.  If you have opted-in to marketing, we will contact you with information about our partners, or third-party products and services, but these communications will always come from Solid Ground or the organisations it represents and are usually incorporated into our own marketing materials (eg advertisements in our newsletters).

We may share personal data with subcontractors or suppliers who provide us with services.  For example, if you need something delivered from Solid Ground, your name and address will be shared with the delivery company.  However, these activities will be carried out under a contract which imposes strict requirements on our supplier to keep your information confidential and secure.

Occasionally, where we partner with other organisations, we may also share information with them (for example, if you register to attend an event being jointly organised by us and a company).  We will only share information when necessary and we’ll make sure to notify you first.

Marketing

From January 2018, Solid Ground will ask its supporters to ‘opt-in’ for communications.  This includes all our marketing communications.

This means you will have the choice as to whether you want to receive these messages and be able to select how you want to receive them (email, post, phone or text).

 You can decide not to receive communications or change how we contact you at any time.  If you wish to do so please contact us by emailing info@thissolidground.com 

What does ‘marketing’ mean?

Marketing does not just mean offering things for sale, but also includes news and information about:

• the organisations we represent, their news and updates
• information on careers and volunteering opportunities
• our events, activities and local groups;
• products, services and offers (of third parties which may interest you);

When you receive a communication, we may collect information about how you respond to or interact with that communication, and this may affect how we communicate with you in future.

Newsletters 

We use Mailchimp to manage email newsletters, this includes storage of your personal information.  You can choose to unsubscribe from Newsletters at any time.  All of our Mailchimp databases are Opt In only.

Anonymised data

We may aggregate and anonymise personal data so that it can no longer be linked to any particular person.  This information can be used or to identify trends or patterns within our existing database.  This information helps inform our actions and improve our campaigns, products/services and materials.

How we protect our data

We employ a variety of physical and technical measures to keep your data safe and to prevent unauthorised access to, or use or disclosure of your personal information.  Electronic data and databases are stored on secure computer systems and we control who has access to information (using both physical and electronic means).  Our staff receive data protection training and we have a set of detailed data protection procedures which personnel are required to follow when handling personal data.

Where we store information

Solid Ground ’s operations are based in the UK and we store our data within the European Union.  Some organisations which provide services to us may transfer personal data outside of the EEA, but we’ll only allow them to do so if your data is adequately protected.

For example, some of our systems use Microsoft products.  As a US company, it may be that using their products result in personal data being transferred to or accessible from the US.  However, we’ll allow this as we are certain personal data will still be adequately protected (as Microsoft is certified under the USA’s Privacy Shield scheme)

How long we store information

We will only use and store information for so long as it is required for the purposes it was collected for.  How long information will be stored for depends on the information in question and what it is being used for.  For example, if you ask us not to send you marketing emails, we will stop storing your emails for marketing purposes (though we’ll keep a record of your preference not to be emailed). We continually review the information we hold and we ensure that when information is no longer required we thoroughly delete it.  We never store payment card information.

Keeping you in control

We want to ensure you remain in control of your personal data.  Part of this is making sure you understand your legal rights, which are as follows:

• the right to confirmation as to whether or not we have your personal data and, if we do, to obtain a copy of the personal information we hold (this is known as subject access request);
• the right to have your data erased (though this will not apply where it is necessary for us to continue to use the data for a lawful reason);
• the right to have inaccurate data rectified;
• the right to object to your data being used for marketing or profiling; and
• where technically feasible, you have the right to personal data you have provided to us which we process automatically on the basis of your consent or the performance of a contract. This information will be provided in a common electronic format.

Please keep in mind that there are exceptions to the rights above and, although we will always try to respond to your satisfaction, there may be situations where we are unable to do so. 

If you would like further information on your rights or wish to exercise them, please email info@thissolidground.com

Complaints

You can complain to Solid Ground directly by contacting info@thissolidground.com  If you wish to make a complaint (which does not directly relate to your data protection and privacy rights, you can do so in accordance with our Complaint Policy.

If you are not happy with our response, or you believe that your data protection or privacy rights have been infringed, you can complain to the UK Information Commissioner’s Office which regulates and enforces data protection law in the UK.  Details of how to do this can be found at www.ico.org.uk.

Cookies

Our website uses local storage (such as cookies) to provide you with the best possible experience and to allow you to make use of certain functionality.

• Cookies are files that store information on your hard drive or browser that means that we can recognise that you have visited the site before. They make it easier for you to maintain your preferences on the site, and by seeing how you use the site, we can tailor the site around your preferences and measure usability of the site.
• You can, should you choose, disable the cookies from your browser and delete all cookies currently stored on your computer. On Microsoft Internet Explorer, this can be done by selecting “Tools/Internet Options” and reviewing your privacy settings or selecting “delete cookies”. This may, however, prevent you from taking full advantage of this site. You can find out how to do this for your particular browser by clicking “help” on your browser’s menu or by visiting http://www.allaboutcookies.org/manage-cookies/index.html
• This site uses Google Analytics to collect data. To provide our website visitors with more choice on how their data is collected you can now block Google Analytics across all websites by clicking here and opting-out.

Our policy on cookies is that we do not pass on, or sell on, details to any other company. Your details are completely confidential.

Links to other sites

Our website contains hyperlinks to many other websites.  We are not responsible for the content or functionality of any of those external websites (but please let us know if a link is not working by emailing us at info@thissolidground.com

If an external website requests personal information from you (eg in connection with an order for goods or services), the information you provide will not be covered by Solid Ground ‘s Privacy Policy.  We suggest you read the privacy policy of any website before providing any personal information.

When purchasing goods or services from any of the businesses that our site links to, you will be entering into a contract with them (agreeing to their terms and conditions) and not with Solid Ground .

Review

We will review this Privacy Policy annually to ensure it remains up-to-date and accurately reflects how and why we use your personal data.  The current version of our Privacy Policy will always be posted on our website.