skip to Main Content

Data protection declaration

This data protection declaration clarifies the type, scope and purpose of the processing of personal data (hereinafter referred to as “data”) within our online offer and the associated websites, functions and content as well as external online presences, such as our social media profile (hereinafter referred to collectively as “online offer”). With regard to the terms used, such as “processing” or “controller”, we refer to the definitions in Art. 4 of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

Controller

Landstrasse 15, FL-9496 Balzers

office(at)suninvestag.com

 +42 338 001 00

Types of data processed:

– Inventory data (for example, names, addresses).

– Contact data (e.g. e-mail, telephone numbers).

– Content data (e.g., text input, photographs, videos).

– Usage data (e.g., websites visited, interest in content, access times).

– Meta/communication data (e.g., device information, IP addresses).

Categories of data subjects

Visitors and users of the online offer (hereinafter referred to collectively as “users”).

Purpose of processing

– Provision of the online offer, its functions and contents.

– Answer contact requests and communicate with users.

– Security measures.

– Reach measurement/Marketing

Terms used

“personal data” means any information relating to an identified or identifiable natural person (hereinafter “data subject”); a natural person who can be identified, directly or indirectly, in particular by reference to an identifier such as a name, an identification number, location data, online identifier (e.g. a cookie) or to one or more specific characteristics which express the physical, physiological, genetic, mental, economic, cultural or social identity of that natural person, is regarded as identifiable.

“processing’ means any operation or set of operations which is carried out with or without the aid of automated processes and which involves personal data. The term reaches far and covers practically every handling of data.

“pseudonymisation’ means the processing of personal data in such a way that the personal data can no longer be attributed to a specific data subject without the provision of additional information, provided that such additional information is kept separately and is subject to technical and organisational measures ensuring that the personal data are not attributed to an identified or identifiable natural person.

“profiling” means any automated processing of personal data consisting of the use of such personal data to evaluate certain personal aspects relating to a natural person, in particular to analyse or predict aspects relating to the work performance, economic situation, health, personal preferences, interests, reliability, conduct, whereabouts or movements of that natural person.

„controller” means any natural or legal person, public authority, agency or body which alone or jointly with others determines the purposes and means of the processing of personal data.

“processor’ means a natural or legal person, public authority, agency or other body which processes personal data on behalf of the controller.

Applicable legal bases

In accordance with Art. 13 GDPR we inform you about the legal basis of our data processing. If the legal basis is not mentioned in the privacy statement, the following applies: The legal basis for obtaining consent is Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a and Art. 7 GDPR, the legal basis for processing in order to fulfil our services and carry out contractual measures as well as answer inquiries is Art. 6 para. 1 lit. b GDPR, the legal basis for processing in order to fulfil our legal obligations is Art. 6 para. 1 lit. c GDPR, and the legal basis for processing in order to safeguard our legitimate interests is Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR. In the event that vital interests of the data subject or another natural person necessitate the processing of personal data, Art. 6 para. 1 lit. d GDPR serves as the legal basis.

safety precautions

In accordance with Art. 32 GDPR, we take appropriate technical and organisational measures to ensure a level of protection appropriate to the risk, taking into account the state of the art, the implementation costs and the nature, extent, circumstances and purposes of the processing as well as the different probability of occurrence and severity of the risk to the rights and freedoms of natural persons.

Measures shall include, in particular, ensuring the confidentiality, integrity and availability of data by controlling physical access to, access to, inputting, disclosure, securing and separation of data. In addition, we have established procedures to ensure that data subjects’ rights are exercised, that data is deleted and that we react to data threats. Furthermore, we take the protection of personal data into account as early as the development or selection of hardware, software and processes, in accordance with the principle of data protection through technology design and through data protection-friendly default settings (Art. 25 GDPR).

Cooperation with contract processors and third parties

Insofar as we disclose data to other persons and companies (contract processors or third parties) within the scope of our processing, transfer them to them or otherwise grant them access to the data, this shall only take place on the basis of legal permission (e.g. if a transfer of the data to third parties, such as payment service providers, pursuant to Art. 6 Para. 1 lit. b GDPR is necessary for the performance of the contract), if you have consented to this, if a legal obligation provides for this or on the basis of our legitimate interests (e.g. when using agents, web hosts, etc.).

If we commission third parties with the processing of data on the basis of a so-called “order processing contract”, this is done on the basis of Art. 28 GDPR.

Transfers to third countries

If we process data in a third country (i.e. outside the European Union (EU) or the European Economic Area (EEA)) or if this is done in the context of the use of third-party services or disclosure or transfer of data to third parties, this will only occur if it is done to fulfil our (pre)contractual obligations, on the basis of your consent, a legal obligation or on the basis of our legitimate interests. We process or allow the data to be processed in a third country only if the special requirements of Art. 44 ff. GDPR are met. This means that the processing takes place, for example, on the basis of special guarantees, such as the officially recognised determination of a data protection level corresponding to the EU (e.g. for the USA through the “Privacy Shield”) or the observance of officially recognised special contractual obligations (so-called “standard contractual clauses”).

Rights of data subjects

You have the right to request confirmation as to whether the data in question will be processed and to be informed of this data and to receive further information and a copy of the data in accordance with Art. 15 GDPR.

You have accordingly to Art. 16 GDPR the right to request the completion of data concerning you or the correction of incorrect data concerning you.

Pursuant to Art. 17 GDPR, you have the right to demand that the relevant data be deleted immediately or, alternatively, to demand a restriction on the processing of the data pursuant to Art. 18 GDPR.

You have the right to demand that we submit the data concerning you that you have provided to us in accordance with Art. 20 GDPR and to demand that it be transferred to other responsible parties.

Pursuant to Art. 77 GDPR, you also have the right to file a complaint with the competent supervisory authority.

right of withdrawal

You have the right to revoke consents granted pursuant to Art. 7 para. 3 GDPR with effect for the future.

right of objection

You may object at any time to the future processing of the data concerning you in accordance with Art. 21 GDPR. The objection may in particular be lodged against processing for the purposes of direct marketing.

Cookies and right to object to direct advertising

Cookies” are small files that are stored on the user’s computer. Different data can be stored within the cookies. A cookie is primarily used to store information about a user (or the device on which the cookie is stored) during or after the user’s visit to an online service.
Temporary cookies, or “session cookies” or “transient cookies”, are cookies that are deleted after a user leaves an online offer and closes his browser. The content of a shopping cart in an online shop or a login status, for example, can be stored in such a cookie. Cookies are referred to as “permanent” or “persistent” and remain stored even after the browser is closed. For example, the login status can be saved if users visit it after several days. The interests of the users can also be stored in such a cookie, which are used for range measurement or marketing purposes. Third-Party-Cookie” are cookies that are offered by other providers than the responsible person who operates the online service (otherwise, if they are only their cookies, one speaks of “First-Party Cookies”).

We may use temporary and permanent cookies and explain this in our privacy policy.

If users do not wish cookies to be stored on their computer, they are asked to deactivate the corresponding option in the system settings of their browser. Stored cookies can be deleted in the system settings of the browser. The exclusion of cookies can lead to functional restrictions of this online offer.

A general objection to the use of cookies for online marketing purposes can be raised for a large number of services, especially in the case of tracking, via the US website http://www.aboutads.info/choices/ or the EU website http://www.youronlinechoices.com/ . Furthermore, the storage of cookies can be achieved by switching them off in the browser settings. Please note that in this case not all functions of this online offer can be used.

Deletion of data

The data processed by us will be deleted or their processing restricted in accordance with Art. 17 and 18 GDPR. Unless expressly stated in this data protection declaration, the data stored by us will be deleted as soon as they are no longer required for their intended purpose and there are no legal obligations to retain them. If the data are not deleted because they are required for other and legally permissible purposes, their processing will be restricted. This means that the data will be blocked and not processed for other purposes. This applies, for example, to data that must be stored for commercial or tax reasons.

According to legal requirements in Austria, the storage is carried out in particular for 7 years in accordance with § 132 para 1 BAO (accounting documents, receipts/invoices, accounts, receipts, business papers, list of income and expenses, etc.), for 22 years in connection with real estate and for 10 years for documents in connection with electronically provided services, telecommunications, radio and television services which are provided to non-entrepreneurs in EU member states and for which the Mini One Stop Shop (MOSS) is used.

Administration, financial accounting, office organisation, contact management

We process data in the context of administrative tasks as well as the organisation of our business, financial accounting and compliance with legal obligations, such as archiving. Here we process the same data that we process within the framework of the provision of our contractual services. The processing bases are Art. 6 para. 1 lit. c. GDPR, Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f. GDPR. Customers, interested parties, business partners and website visitors are affected by the processing. The purpose and our interest in the processing lies in the administration, financial accounting, office organization, archiving of data, i.e. tasks which serve the maintenance of our business activities, performance of our tasks and provision of our services.

The cancellation of the data with regard to contractual services and contractual communication corresponds to the data specified in these processing activities.

We disclose or transmit data to the tax authorities, consultants, such as tax consultants or auditors, as well as other fee offices and payment service providers.

Furthermore, on the basis of our business interests, we store information on suppliers, organisers and other business partners, e.g. for the purpose of establishing contact at a later date. This data, which is mainly company-related, is stored permanently.

Economic analyses and market research

In order to run our business economically, to be able to recognise market trends, wishes of our contractual partners and users, we analyse the data available to us on business transactions, contracts, enquiries, etc., in order to identify the most suitable and appropriate solutions for your needs. We process inventory data, communication data, contract data, payment data, usage data, metadata on the basis of Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f. GDPR, whereby the persons concerned include contractual partners, interested parties, customers, visitors and users of our online service.

The analyses are carried out for the purpose of economic evaluations, marketing and market research. We can take into account the profiles of registered users with information, e.g. on the services they have used. The analyses help us to increase user-friendliness, to optimise our range of products and services and to improve business efficiency. The analyses serve us alone and are not disclosed externally unless they are anonymous analyses with summarized values.

If these analyses or profiles are person-related, they will be deleted or anonymised upon termination by the user, otherwise after two years from the conclusion of the contract. In addition, macroeconomic analyses and general trends are prepared anonymously wherever possible.

Data protection information in the application process

We process the applicant data only for the purpose and within the framework of the application procedure in accordance with the legal requirements. The processing of applicant data is carried out to fulfil our (pre)contractual obligations within the scope of the application procedure as defined by Art. 6 Para. 1 lit. b. GDPR and Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f. GDPR if the data processing e.g. in the context of legal proceedings for us becomes necessary.

The application procedure requires that applicants provide us with the applicant data. If we offer an online form, the necessary applicant data are marked, otherwise they result from the job descriptions and basically include personal details, postal and contact addresses and the documents belonging to the application, such as cover letter, curriculum vitae and certificates. In addition, applicants may voluntarily provide us with additional information.

By submitting their application to us, applicants consent to the processing of their data for the purposes of the application procedure in accordance with the type and scope set out in this Privacy Policy.

Insofar as special categories of personal data within the meaning of Art. 9 para. 1 GDPR are voluntarily disclosed in the application process, their processing is also carried out in accordance with Art. 9 para. 2 lit. b GDPR (e.g. health data, such as severely disabled status or ethnic origin). Insofar as special categories of personal data within the meaning of Art. 9 para. 1 GDPR are requested from applicants as part of the application procedure, their processing is additionally carried out in accordance with Art. 9 para. 2 lit. a GDPR (e.g. health data, if these are necessary for the exercise of the profession).

Where made available, applicants may submit their applications via an online form on our website. The data will be transmitted to us encrypted according to the state of the art.

Applicants can also send us their applications by e-mail. Please note, however, that e-mails are generally not sent in encrypted form and the applicants themselves must ensure that they are encrypted. We therefore cannot assume any responsibility for the transmission path of the application between the sender and reception on our server and therefore recommend using an online form or postal dispatch. Instead of applying via the online form and e-mail, applicants still have the option of sending their application by post.

In the event of a successful application, the data provided by the applicants may be further processed by us for the purposes of the employment relationship. Otherwise, if the application for a job offer is not successful, the applicant’s data will be deleted. Applicants’ data will also be deleted if an application is withdrawn, to which applicants are entitled at any time.

Subject to a justified revocation by the applicant, deletion will take place after a period of six months so that we can answer any follow-up questions regarding the application and meet our obligations to provide evidence under the Equal Treatment Act. Invoices for any reimbursement of travel expenses are archived in accordance with tax regulations.

talent pool

As part of the application process, we offer applicants the opportunity to be included in our “talent pool” for a period of two years on the basis of consent as defined in Art. 6 Para. 1 lit. b. and Art. 7 GDPR.

The application documents in the talent pool will be processed solely within the framework of future job advertisements and the employee search and will be destroyed at the latest after the deadline. Applicants are informed that their consent to their inclusion in the Talent Pool is voluntary, has no influence on the current application procedure and that they can revoke this consent at any time for the future and declare objections within the meaning of Art. 21 GDPR.

Akismet Anti-Spam Testing

Our online service uses the “Akismet” service provided by Automattic Inc, 60 29th Street #343, San Francisco, CA 94110, USA. The use is based on our legitimate interests within the meaning of Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR. This service distinguishes real people’s comments from spam comments. All comments are sent to a server in the USA, where they are analyzed and stored for four days for comparison purposes. If a comment has been classified as spam, the data will be stored beyond that time. This information includes the name entered, the e-mail address, the IP address, the comment content, the referrer, information about the browser used, the computer system and the time of the entry.

For more information on Akismet’s collection and use of data, please refer to Automattic’s privacy policy: https://automattic.com/privacy/.

Users are welcome to use pseudonyms, or to refrain from entering their name or email address. You can completely prevent the transmission of data by not using our comment system. That would be a shame, but unfortunately we do not see any other alternatives that are just as effective.

Retrieval of profile pictures from Gravatar

We use the service Gravatar of Automattic Inc., 60 29th Street #343, San Francisco, CA 94110, USA, within our online offer and especially in the blog.

Gravatar is a service where users can register and store profile pictures and their e-mail addresses. If users leave contributions or comments with the respective e-mail address on other online presences (especially in blogs), their profile pictures can be displayed next to the contributions or comments. For this purpose, the e-mail address provided by the users is transmitted to Gravatar in encrypted form for the purpose of checking whether a profile is stored for it. This is the only purpose of transmitting the email address and it will not be used for other purposes, but deleted thereafter.

Gravatar is used on the basis of our legitimate interests within the meaning of Art. 6 Para. 1 lit. f GDPR, as we use Gravatar to offer authors of contributions and comments the opportunity to personalise their contributions with a profile picture.

By displaying the images, Gravatar knows the IP address of the user, as this is necessary for communication between a browser and an online service. Further information on the collection and use of data by Gravatar can be found in Automattic’s privacy policy: https://automattic.com/privacy/.

If users do not want a user image linked to their e-mail address to appear in the comments at Gravatar, they should use an e-mail address which is not stored at Gravatar for commenting. We would also like to point out that it is also possible to use an anonymous e-mail address or no e-mail address at all if users do not wish their own e-mail address to be sent to Gravatar. Users can completely prevent the transmission of data by not using our comment system.

Emojis and smilies retrieval

Within our WordPress blog, graphic emojis (or smilies), i.e. small graphic files that express feelings, are used that are obtained from external servers. Here the providers of the servers collect the IP addresses of the users. This is necessary so that the Emojie files can be transmitted to the browsers of the users. The Emojie service is offered by Automattic Inc., 60 29th Street #343, San Francisco, CA 94110, USA. Automattic’s privacy policy: https://automattic.com/privacy/. The server domains used are s.w.org and twemoji.maxcdn.com, which, to the best of our knowledge, are so-called content delivery networks, i.e. servers that only serve to transmit files quickly and securely and which delete users’ personal data after transmission.

The use of the Emojis is based on our legitimate interests, i.e. interest in an attractive design of our online offer according to Art. 6 Para. 1 lit. f GDPR.

Contact us

When contacting us (e.g. via contact form, e-mail, telephone or via social media), the user’s details will be processed for the purpose of processing the contact enquiry and processing it in accordance with Art. 6 Para. 1 lit. b GDPR. The user data can be stored in a customer relationship management system (“CRM system”) or comparable inquiry organization.

We will delete the requests if they are no longer necessary. We review the necessity every two years; furthermore, the statutory archiving obligations apply.

Newsletter

With the following information we inform you about the contents of our newsletter as well as the registration, dispatch and statistical evaluation procedures and your rights of objection. By subscribing to our newsletter, you agree to the receipt and procedures described.

Content of the newsletter: We send newsletters, e-mails and other electronic notifications containing advertising information (hereinafter “newsletter”) only with the consent of the recipient or a legal permission. Insofar as the contents of the newsletter are specifically described within the framework of registration, they are decisive for the consent of the user. In addition, our newsletters contain information about our products and information accompanying them (e.g. safety instructions), offers, promotions and our company.

Double-Opt-In and logging: The registration to our newsletter takes place in a so-called Double-Opt-In procedure. This means that you will receive an e-mail after registration asking you to confirm your registration. This confirmation is necessary so that no one can register with external e-mail addresses. The registrations for the newsletter are logged in order to be able to prove the registration process according to the legal requirements. This includes storing the login and confirmation times as well as the IP address. Likewise the changes of your data stored with the dispatch service provider are logged.

Registration data: To subscribe to the newsletter, it is sufficient to enter your e-mail address. Optionally we ask you to enter a name in the newsletter in order to address you personally.

The dispatch of the newsletter and the performance measurement associated with it is based on the consent of the recipients pursuant to Art. 6 Par. 1 lit. a, Art. 7 GDPR in conjunction with § 107 Par. 2 TKG or on legal permission pursuant to § 107 Par. 2 and 3 TKG.

The registration procedure is recorded on the basis of our legitimate interests pursuant to Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR. We are interested in using a user-friendly and secure newsletter system that serves our business interests, meets users’ expectations, and allows us to provide evidence of consent.

Cancellation/revocation – You can cancel the receipt of our newsletter at any time, i.e. revoke your consent. You will find a link to cancel the newsletter at the end of each newsletter. We may store the unsubscribed email addresses for up to three years based on our legitimate interests before deleting them to provide evidence of prior consent.

The processing of these data is limited to the purpose of a possible defense against claims. An individual deletion request is possible at any time, provided that the former existence of a consent is confirmed at the same time.

Newsletter – Mailchimp

The newsletters are sent by the mail service “MailChimp”, a newsletter dispatch platform of the US provider Rocket Science Group, LLC, 675 Ponce De Leon Ave NE #5000, Atlanta, GA 30308, USA. You can view the privacy policy of the shipping service provider here: https://mailchimp.com/legal/privacy/. The Rocket Science Group LLC d/b/a MailChimp is certified under the Privacy Shield Agreement, thereby providing a guarantee of compliance with the European Privacy Level (https://www.privacyshield.gov/participant?id=a2zt0000000TO6hAAG&status=Active). The shipping service provider is appointed on the basis of our legitimate interests pursuant to Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR and a contract processing agreement pursuant to Art. 28 para. 3 sentence 1 GDPR.

The dispatch service provider can use the data of the recipients in pseudonymous form, i.e. without allocation to a user, to optimise or improve its own services, e.g. for technical optimisation of the dispatch and presentation of the newsletter or for statistical purposes. However, the shipping service provider does not use the data of our newsletter recipients to write to them itself or to pass the data on to third parties.

Newsletter – Newsletter2Go

The dispatch of the newsletter takes place via the dispatch service Newsletter2Go GmbH, Nürnberger Straße 8, 10787 Berlin, Germany. You can view the privacy policy of the shipping service provider here: https://www.newsletter2go.de/datenschutz/. The shipping service provider is appointed on the basis of our legitimate interests pursuant to Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR and a contract processing agreement pursuant to Art. 28 para. 3 sentence 1 GDPR.

The dispatch service provider can use the data of the recipients in pseudonymous form, i.e. without allocation to a user, to optimise or improve its own services, e.g. for technical optimisation of the dispatch and presentation of the newsletter or for statistical purposes. However, the shipping service provider does not use the data of our newsletter recipients to write to them itself or to pass the data on to third parties.

Newsletter – Success Measurement

The newsletters contain a so-called “web-beacon”, i.e. a file the size of a pixel, which is retrieved from our server when the newsletter is opened or, if we use a dispatch service provider, from its server. Within the scope of this retrieval, technical information such as information about the browser and your system, as well as your IP address and time of retrieval are first collected.

This information is used for the technical improvement of the services on the basis of technical data or target groups and their reading behaviour on the basis of their retrieval points (which can be determined with the help of the IP address) or access times. Statistical surveys also include determining whether newsletters are opened, when they are opened and which links are clicked. For technical reasons, this information can be assigned to the individual newsletter recipients. It is, however, neither our endeavour nor, if used, that of the shipping service provider to observe individual users. The evaluations serve us much more to recognize the reading habits of our users and to adapt our content to them or to send different content according to the interests of our users.

Hosting

The hosting services used by us serve the provision of the following services: Infrastructure and platform services, computing capacity, storage space and database services, security services and technical maintenance services which we use for the purpose of operating this online service.

Here we, or our hosting provider, process inventory data, contact data, content data, contract data, usage data, meta data and communication data of customers, interested parties and visitors to this online service on the basis of our legitimate interests in the efficient and secure provision of this online service in accordance with Art. 6 Para. 1 lit. f GDPR in conjunction with Art. 28 GDPR (conclusion of contract processing agreement).

Collection of access data and log files

We, and/or our Hostinganbieter, raise on basis of our entitled interests in the sense of the art. 6 Abs. 1 lit. f. GDPR Data about each access to the server on which this service is located (so-called server log files). The access data includes the name of the website accessed, file, date and time of access, amount of data transferred, notification of successful access, browser type and version, the user’s operating system, referrer URL (the previously visited page), IP address and the requesting provider.

Log file information is stored for security reasons (e.g. for the clarification of abuse or fraud actions) for the duration of maximally 7 days and deleted afterwards. Data, the further storage of which is necessary for evidence purposes, are excluded from deletion until the respective incident has been finally clarified.

Google Tag Manager

Google Tag Manager is a solution with which we can manage so-called website tags via an interface (and thus integrate Google Analytics and other Google marketing services into our online offering). The Tag Manager itself (which implements the tags) does not process any personal user data. With regard to the processing of users’ personal data, reference is made to the following information on Google services. Terms of use: https://www.google.com/intl/de/tagmanager/use-policy.html.

Google Analytics

On the basis of our legitimate interests (i.e. interest in the analysis, optimisation and economic operation of our online offer in the sense of Art. 6 Para. 1 lit. f GDPR), we act in accordance with the following principles. Google Analytics is a web analysis service of Google LLC (“Google”). Google uses cookies. The information generated by the cookie about the use of the online offer by the user is usually transferred to a Google server in the USA and stored there.

Google is certified under the Privacy Shield Agreement, providing a guarantee of compliance with European privacy laws (https://www.privacyshield.gov/participant?id=a2zt000000001L5AAI&status=Active).

Google will use this information on our behalf to evaluate the use of our online services by users, to compile reports on the activities within this online service and to provide us with other services associated with the use of this online service and the Internet. Pseudonymous user profiles of the users can be created from the processed data.

We only use Google Analytics with IP anonymization enabled. This means that the IP address of the user is shortened by Google within member states of the European Union or in other contracting states of the Agreement on the European Economic Area. Only in exceptional cases is the full IP address transmitted to a Google server in the USA and shortened there.

The IP address transmitted by the user’s browser is not merged with other Google data. Users may refuse the use of cookies by selecting the appropriate settings on their browser, they may also refuse the use of cookies by selecting the appropriate settings on their browser, they may refuse the collection of information by Google regarding the use of cookies and the processing of such information by Google by selecting the appropriate settings on their browser, and they may refuse the use of cookies by selecting the appropriate settings on their browser, and they may refuse the use of cookies by selecting the appropriate settings on their browser, and by downloading and installing the browser plug-in available at the following link: http://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout?hl=en.

Further information on the use of data by Google, setting and objection options can be found in Google’s data protection declaration (https://policies.google.com/technologies/ads) and in the settings for the display of advertising by Google (https://adssettings.google.com/authenticated).

The personal data of the users will be deleted or anonymized after 14 months.

Google Universal Analytics

We use Google Analytics in the form of “universal analytics”. “Universal Analytics” refers to a Google Analytics process in which user analysis is performed on the basis of a pseudonymous user ID, thereby creating a pseudonymous profile of the user with information from the use of various devices (so-called “cross-device tracking”).

Target group formation with Google Analytics

We use Google Analytics to display ads placed by Google and its partners within our advertising services only to users who have shown an interest in our online services or who have specific characteristics (e.g. interests in specific topics or products determined on the basis of the websites visited) that we transmit to Google (so-called “remarketing” or “Google Analytics Audiences”). With the help of remarketing audiences, we also want to ensure that our ads match the potential interest of users.

Google Adsense with personalized ads

On the basis of our legitimate interests (i.e. interest in the analysis, optimisation and economic operation of our online offer in the sense of Art. 6 Para. 1 lit. f GDPR), we make use of the information provided on this website the services of Google LLC, 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, USA, (“Google”).

Google is certified under the Privacy Shield Agreement and thereby offers a guarantee of compliance with European privacy laws (https://www.privacyshield.gov/participant?id=a2zt000000001L5AAI&status=Active
).

We use the AdSense service to display ads on our website and receive a fee for displaying or otherwise using them. For these purposes, usage data such as the click on an advertisement and the IP address of the user are processed, whereby the IP address is shortened by the last two digits. Therefore, the processing of user data is pseudonymised.

We use Adsense with personalized ads. Google uses the websites or apps users visit and the user profiles they create to determine their interests. Advertisers use this information to tailor their campaigns to these interests, which is beneficial for users and advertisers alike. For Google, ads are personalized when data collected or known determines or influences the selection of ads. This includes, but is not limited to, previous searches, activities, website visits, use of apps, demographic and location information. Specifically, this includes demographic targeting, targeting to interest categories, remarketing and targeting to match lists and target audience lists uploaded to DoubleClick Bid Manager or Campaign Manager.

Further information on the use of data by Google, setting and objection options can be found in Google’s data protection declaration (https://policies.google.com/technologies/ads) and in the settings for the display of advertising by Google (https://adssettings.google.com/authenticated).

Google Adsense with non-personalized ads

On the basis of our legitimate interests (i.e. interest in the analysis, optimisation and economic operation of our online offer in the sense of Art. 6 Para. 1 lit. f GDPR), we make use of the information provided on this website).

Google is certified under the Privacy Shield Agreement, providing a guarantee of compliance with European data protection law (https://www.privacyshield.gov/participant?id=a2zt000000001L5AAI&status=Active).

We use the AdSense service to display ads on our website and receive a fee for displaying or otherwise using them. For these purposes, usage data such as the click on an advertisement and the IP address of the user are processed, whereby the IP address is shortened by the last two digits. Therefore, the processing of user data is pseudonymised.

We use Adsense with non-personalized displays. The ads are not displayed on the basis of user profiles. Non-personalized ads are not based on past user behavior. Targeting uses contextual information, including rough (e.g., local) geographic targeting based on current location, content on the current website or app, and current keywords. Google prohibits any personalized targeting, including demographic targeting and targeting based on user lists.

Further information on the use of data by Google, setting and objection options can be found in Google’s data protection declaration (https://policies.google.com/technologies/ads) and in the settings for the display of advertising by Google (https://adssettings.google.com/authenticated).

Google AdWords and Conversion Measurement

On the basis of our legitimate interests (i.e. interest in the analysis, optimisation and economic operation of our online offer in the sense of Art. 6 Para. 1 lit. f GDPR), we make use of the information provided on this website.

Google is certified under the Privacy Shield Agreement and thus offers a guarantee of compliance with European data protection law (https://www.privacyshield.gov/participant?id=a2zt000000001L5AAI&status=Active).

We use the Google “AdWords” online marketing method to place ads on the Google advertising network (e.g., in search results, videos, websites, etc.) so that they are displayed to users who have an alleged interest in the ads. This allows us to display ads for and within our online offering in a more targeted manner in order to present users only with ads that potentially match their interests. If, for example, a user is shown ads for products in which he is interested on other online offers, this is referred to as “remarketing”. For these purposes, when you visit our and other websites on which the Google Advertising Network is active, Google executes a Google code directly and incorporates (re)marketing tags (invisible graphics or code, also known as “web beacons”) into the website. With their help, an individual cookie, i.e. a small file, is stored on the user’s device (comparable technologies can also be used instead of cookies).

In this file it is noted which websites the user visits, which contents he is interested in and which offers the user has clicked, furthermore technical information about the browser and operating system, referring websites, visiting time as well as further information about the use of the online offer.

Furthermore we receive an individual “Conversion-Cookie”. The information collected with the help of cookies is used by Google to compile conversion statistics for us. However, we only know the anonymous total number of users who clicked on our ad and were redirected to a page with a conversion tracking tag. However, we do not receive information that personally identifies users.

User data is processed pseudonymously within the Google advertising network. I.e. Google does not store and process the name or e-mail address of the user, but processes the relevant data cookie-related within pseudonymous user profiles. This means that, from Google’s point of view, the ads are not administered and displayed for a specifically identified person, but for the cookie holder, regardless of who this cookie holder is. This does not apply if a user has expressly permitted Google to process the data without this pseudonymisation. The information collected about users is transmitted to Google and stored on Google’s servers in the United States.

Further information on the use of data by Google, setting and objection options can be found in Google’s data protection declaration (https://policies.google.com/technologies/ads) and in the settings for the display of advertising by Google (https://adssettings.google.com/authenticated).

Google Doubleclick

On the basis of our legitimate interests (i.e. interest in the analysis, optimisation and economic operation of our online offer in the sense of Art. 6 Para. 1 lit. f GDPR), we make use of the information provided on this website).

Google is certified under the Privacy Shield Agreement, providing a guarantee of compliance with European privacy laws (https://www.privacyshield.gov/participant?id=a2zt000000001L5AAI&status=Active).

We use the online marketing method Google “Doubleclick” to place ads in the Google advertising network (e.g., in search results, in videos, on websites, etc.). Double Click is characterised by the fact that ads are displayed in real time according to the presumed interests of the users. This allows us to display ads for and within our online offering in a more targeted manner in order to present users only with ads that potentially match their interests. If, for example, a user is shown ads for products in which he is interested on other online offers, this is referred to as “remarketing”.

For these purposes, when you visit our and other websites on which the Google Advertising Network is active, Google executes a Google code directly and incorporates (re)marketing tags (invisible graphics or code, also known as “web beacons”) into the website. With their help, an individual cookie, i.e. a small file, is stored on the user’s device (comparable technologies can also be used instead of cookies). In this file it is noted which websites the user visits, which contents he is interested in and which offers the user has clicked, furthermore technical information about the browser and operating system, referring websites, visiting time as well as further information about the use of the online offer.

The IP address of the user is also recorded, whereby this is shortened within member states of the European Union or in other contracting states of the Agreement on the European Economic Area and only in exceptional cases is it transmitted in full to a Google server in the USA and shortened there. Google may also link the above information to such information from other sources. If the user subsequently visits other websites, advertisements tailored to the user’s profile can be displayed according to the user’s presumed interests.

User data is processed pseudonymously within the Google advertising network. I.e. Google does not store and process the name or e-mail address of the user, but processes the relevant data cookie-related within pseudonymous user profiles. This means that, from Google’s point of view, the ads are not administered and displayed for a specifically identified person, but for the cookie holder, regardless of who this cookie holder is. This does not apply if a user has expressly permitted Google to process the data without this pseudonymisation. The information Google Marketing Services collects about users is transmitted to Google and stored on Google’s servers in the United States.

Further information on the use of data by Google, setting and objection options can be found in Google’s data protection declaration (https://policies.google.com/technologies/ads) and in the settings for the display of advertising by Google (https://adssettings.google.com/authenticated).

Jetpack (WordPress Stats)

On the basis of our legitimate interests (i.e. interest in the analysis, optimisation and economic operation of our online offer in the sense of Art. 6 Para. 1 lit. f GDPR), we make use of the information provided on this website. The Plugin Jetpack (here the subfunction “WordPress Stats”), which includes a tool for statistical evaluation of visitor access, is provided from Automattic Inc., 60 29th Street #343, San Francisco, CA 94110, USA. Jetpack uses “cookies”, which are text files placed on your computer, to help the website analyze how users use the site.

The information generated by the cookie about your use of this online service is stored on a server in the USA. User profiles of the users can be created from the processed data, whereby these are only used for analysis and not for advertising purposes. For more information, see Automattic’s privacy policy at https://automattic.com/privacy/ and Jetpack cookie information at https://jetpack.com/support/cookies/.

Facebook Pixel, Custom Audiences and Facebook Conversion

Due to our legitimate interests in the analysis, optimisation and economic operation of our online service, the so-called “Facebook pixel” of the social network Facebook, which is operated by Facebook Inc., 1 Hacker Way, Menlo Park, CA 94025, USA, or if you are resident in the EU, Facebook Ireland Ltd., 4 Grand Canal Square, Grand Canal Harbour, Dublin 2, Ireland (“Facebook”), is used within our online service.

Facebook is certified under the Privacy Shield Agreement and thus offers a guarantee of compliance with European data protection law (https://www.privacyshield.gov/participant?id=a2zt0000000GnywAAC&status=Active).

With the help of the Facebook pixel, Facebook is on the one hand able to determine the visitors of our online offer as a target group for the presentation of ads (so-called “Facebook ads”).

Accordingly, we use Facebook pixels to display Facebook ads placed by us only to Facebook users who have shown an interest in our online offering or who have certain features (e.g., interests in certain topics or products that are determined on the basis of the websites visited) that we transmit to Facebook (so-called “custom audiences”). With the help of Facebook pixels, we also want to ensure that our Facebook ads correspond to the potential interest of users and do not appear annoying. The Facebook pixel also enables us to track the effectiveness of Facebook ads for statistical and market research purposes by showing whether users were referred to our website after clicking on a Facebook ad (known as “conversion”).

Facebook processes the data in accordance with the Facebook Data Usage Policy. Accordingly, general information about the presentation of Facebook ads in the Facebook Data Usage Policy: https://www.facebook.com/policy.php. Special information and details about Facebook pixels and how they work can be found in the Facebook help section: https://www.facebook.com/business/help/651294705016616.

You may opt out of Facebook pixel collection and use of your information to display Facebook ads. To set what types of ads you see within Facebook, you can go to the page set up by Facebook and follow the instructions on the settings for usage-based ads: https://www.facebook.com/settings?tab=ads. The settings are platform-independent, i.e. they are adopted for all devices, such as desktop computers or mobile devices.

You may also opt out of the use of cookies to measure reach and for advertising purposes via the Network Advertising Initiative’s opt-out page (http://optout.networkadvertising.org/) and the US website (http://www.aboutads.info/choices) or the European website (http://www.youronlinechoices.com/uk/your-ad-choices/).

Online presences in social media

We maintain online presences within social networks and platforms in order to be able to communicate with customers, interested parties and users active there and to inform them about our services. When calling up the respective networks and platforms, the terms and conditions and the data processing guidelines of their respective operators apply.

Unless otherwise stated in our data protection declaration, we process the data of users who communicate with us within social networks and platforms, e.g. post articles on our online presence or send us messages.

Integration of third-party services and content

Within the scope of our online offer, we act on the basis of our legitimate interests (i.e. interest in the analysis, optimisation and economic operation of our online offer within the meaning of Art. 6 Para. 1 lit. f GDPR) in using content or service offers from third parties in order to integrate their content and services, such as videos or fonts (hereinafter uniformly referred to as “content”).

This always presupposes that the third-party providers of this content perceive the IP address of the user, since they would not be able to send the content to their browser without the IP address. The IP address is therefore required for the presentation of these contents. We strive to use only those contents, whose respective offerers use the IP address only for the distribution of the contents. Third parties may also use so-called pixel tags (invisible graphics, also known as “web beacons”) for statistical or marketing purposes. The “pixel tags” can be used to evaluate information such as visitor traffic on the pages of this website. The pseudonymous information may also be stored in cookies on the user’s device and may include technical information about the browser and operating system, referring websites, visit times and other information about the use of our website, as well as may be linked to such information from other sources.

Vimeo

We can integrate the videos of the platform “Vimeo” of the provider Vimeo Inc., Attention: Legal Department, 555 West 18th Street New York, New York 10011, USA. Privacy policy: https://vimeo.com/privacy. We would like to point out that Vimeo may use Google Analytics and refer to the privacy policy (https://www.google.com/policies/privacy) as well as opt-out options for Google Analytics (http://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout?hl=en) or Google’s settings for data use for marketing purposes (https://adssettings.google.com/).

Youtube

We integrate the videos of the platform “YouTube” of the provider Google LLC, 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, USA. Privacy Policy: https://www.google.com/policies/privacy/, Opt-Out: https://adssettings.google.com/authenticated.

Google Fonts

We integrate the fonts (“Google Fonts”) of the provider Google LLC, 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, USA. Privacy Policy: https://www.google.com/policies/privacy/, Opt-Out: https://adssettings.google.com/authenticated.

Google ReCaptcha

We integrate the function for recognition of bots, e.g. for entries in online forms (“ReCaptcha”) of the provider Google LLC, 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, USA. Privacy Policy: https://www.google.com/policies/privacy/, Opt-Out: https://adssettings.google.com/authenticated.

Google Maps

We integrate the maps of the service “Google Maps” of the provider Google LLC, 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, USA. The data processed may include, in particular, IP addresses and location data of users, which are not collected without their consent (usually within the framework of the settings of their mobile devices). The data can be processed in the USA. Privacy Policy: https://www.google.com/policies/privacy/, Opt-Out: https://adssettings.google.com/authenticated.

Typekit fonts from Adobe

On the basis of our legitimate interests (i.e. interest in the analysis, optimisation and economic operation of our online offer in the sense of Art. 6 Para. 1 lit. f GDPR), we use external “Typekit” fonts from Adobe Systems Software Ireland Limited, 4-6 Riverwalk, Citywest Business Campus, Dublin 24, Republic of Ireland. Adobe is certified under the Privacy Shield Agreement, which guarantees compliance with European privacy laws (https://www.privacyshield.gov/participant?id=a2zt0000000TNo9AAG&status=Active).

Using Facebook Social Plugins

On the basis of our legitimate interests (i.e. interest in the analysis, optimisation and economic operation of our online offer in the sense of Art. 6 Para. 1 lit. f GDPR), we make use of Social Plugins (“Plugins”) of the social network facebook.com, which is operated by Facebook Ireland Ltd., 4 Grand Canal Square, Grand Canal Harbour, Dublin 2, Ireland (“Facebook”). The plugins can display interaction elements or content (e.g. videos, graphics or text contributions) and are recognizable by one of the Facebook logos (white “f” on a blue tile, the terms “like”, “like” or a “thumbs up” sign) or are marked with the addition “Facebook Social Plugin”. The list and appearance of the Facebook Social Plugins can be seen here: https://developers.facebook.com/docs/plugins/.

Facebook is certified under the Privacy Shield Agreement and thus offers a guarantee of compliance with European data protection law (https://www.privacyshield.gov/participant?id=a2zt0000000GnywAAC&status=Active).

When a user calls a function of this online service that contains such a plugin, his device establishes a direct connection with the Facebook servers. The content of the plugin is transmitted directly from Facebook to the user’s device and integrated into the online offer by the user. User profiles can be created from the processed data. We therefore have no influence on the extent of the data that Facebook collects with the help of this plugin and therefore inform the user according to our state of knowledge.

By integrating the plugins, Facebook receives the information that a user has called up the corresponding page of the online offer. If the user is logged in to Facebook, Facebook can assign the visit to his Facebook account. When users interact with the plugins, e.g. by clicking the Like button or commenting, the corresponding information is transferred directly from your device to Facebook and stored there. If a user is not a member of Facebook, it is still possible for Facebook to know and store their IP address. According to Facebook, only an anonymous IP address is stored in Germany.

The purpose and scope of the data collection and the further processing and use of the data by Facebook as well as the related rights and setting options to protect the privacy of users can be found in Facebook’s data protection information: https://www.facebook.com/about/privacy/.

If a user is a Facebook member and does not want Facebook to collect information about him or her via this online service and link it to his or her Facebook member data, he or she must log out of Facebook and delete cookies before using our online service. Further settings and objections to the use of data for advertising purposes are possible within the Facebook profile settings: https://www.facebook.com/settings?tab=ads or via the US page http://www.aboutads.info/choices/ or the EU page http://www.youronlinechoices.com/. The settings are platform-independent, i.e. they are adopted for all devices, such as desktop computers or mobile devices.