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Privacy and Cookie policies

PRIVACY POLICY

INTRODUCTION

PAGES - Past Global Changes -   International Project Office (together referred to as "PAGES"), Hochschulstrasse 4, 3012 Bern, Switzerland, operates the platforms of pastglobalchanges.org, passbolt.pastglobalchanges.org, nextcloud.pastglobalchanges.org and pages-osm.org. PAGES determines the purposes for which, and the manner in which, any personal data is to be collected and processed.

If you provide us with personal data of other persons (e.g. family members, data of work colleagues), please make sure that these persons are aware of this privacy policy and only share their personal data with us if you are allowed to do so and if this personal data is correct.

This Privacy Policy is designed to comply with the requirements of the EU General Data Protection Regulation ("GDPR") and the Swiss Data Protection Act ("FADP"). However, whether and to what extent these laws are applicable depends on the individual case.

Personal data shall mean any information that relates to an identified or identifiable living natural person.

Responsible for the data processing activities we describe here is Past Global Changes International Project Office, Hochschulstrasse 4, 3012 Bern, Switzerland, tel: +41 31 6845610, email: pages@pages.unibe.ch. 

Our representative in the EEA under Article 27 of the GDPR is: Future Earth French Hub, B.P. 241,  4, Place Jussieu, 75252 Paris Cedex 05, France, tel: +33 1 44 27 61 33, email: France@futureearth.org

 

CATEGORIES OF DATA SUBJECTS

This Privacy Notice applies to the personal data of all individuals with whom we interact through various channels, including online, in person, and through communication tools. It applies to both existing and future data collection. Our data processing may include

  • Website Visitors
  • Account users
  • Branch visitors
  • Service users or contacts
  • App users
  • Correspondents
  • Newsletter recipients
  • Event attendees
  • Survey respondents
  • Business and institutional contacts
  • Job applicants

For details on processing for specific services, please refer to the specific terms and conditions (e.g. General Terms and Conditions, Terms of Use, or Conditions of Participation).

CATEGORIES OF PERSONAL DATA 

The categories of personal data that we collect and process is including, but not limited to:

  • Master Data: Your basic details such as name, contact information, date of birth, and any information provided during account creation, event registration, or newsletter sign-up.
  • Contract Data: Details surrounding contract initiation and execution, including transaction data related to our services or employment applications.
  • Communication Data: Information from interactions with us, such as emails, calls, and proof of identity required for verification.
  • Transactional and behavioral Data: Usage data when you engage with our services, attend events, or interact with our websites and apps.
  • Preference Data: Information on your interests to customize our services.
  • Technical Data: Technical identifiers like IP address or device ID, and usage logs, often collected via cookies.
  • Image and Sound Recordings: Recordings from events or security footage, and any related behavioral information.

WHY WE COLLECT PERSONAL DATA

Our approach to processing personal data varies depending on the purpose and is based on several legal bases. For example, we process personal data for the performance of contracts, to protect legitimate business interests, with consent and to comply with legal obligations.

At PAGES, we process personal data to foster a robust scientific community and to deliver our services effectively, ensuring adherence to the GDPR and FADP. Our objectives for data processing include:

  • Community Engagement: We aim to support, connect, and inform our members for a collaborative scientific environment.

  • Communication: Efficient and responsive interaction with you is key, whether it's for inquiries, updates, or IT support.

  • Personalization: We use various types of data to ensure that messages and news are relevant to your interests and to enhance the user experience with customized content.

  • Contract Management: We use data to prepare, execute, and close contracts, ensuring smooth transactions.

  • Personalized Experience: You receive tailored messages based on your preferences, with full control to opt-out at any time.

  • Security and Prevention: We process personal information to ensure security and prevent misuse, including IT security and deterrence of theft and fraud. This includes the handling of various types of data, in particular transaction details and audiovisual recordings.

  • Regulatory Compliance: Data analytics is critical to meeting legal obligations, handling complaints, cooperating with government agencies, and protecting rights.

  • Preservation of Rights: We process personal information to establish and defend legal claims, both in and out of court, in Switzerland and internationally. This includes managing disputes, protecting against claims, clarifying legal or business issues, and participating in legal proceedings, where we may produce or disclose relevant data as required. 

  • Internal Operations: We use data internally for IT, accounting, training and general administration within the framework of the University of Bern's privacy policy.

  • Informed Services: We're committed to keeping you informed and providing the information you request in an efficient manner.

  • Administration and Support: For the internal efficiency of PAGES, we manage personal data in several areas. This includes IT administration, financial accounting, data archiving, staff training and centralized data management in collaboration with the University of Bern. We also focus on optimizing internal workflows and effectively directing requests to the appropriate departments.

More specifically, in line with applicable law, personal data may be used for the following purposes and for other purposes compatible with the purposes described above:

  • PAGES Magazines: Provide access to magazines and content, handle submissions, manage memberships, and facilitate communication.
  • Working Groups: To enhance paleoscience collaboration and knowledge sharing by integrating multidisciplinary studies, provide socially relevant insights, and support the coordination, dialogue, and publication of research results.
  • Early Career Network (ECN): Promotes networking and event engagement for early career researchers, and offers participation in ECN-specific initiatives.
  • Job Opportunities: Providing a platform for job postings and ensuring a secure experience for posting jobs in the paleosciences.
  • People Database: Provides profile management and networking opportunities within the scientific community.
  • Apply for support: Processing of support requests, from financial support to recognition of working groups.
  • Upcoming Events: Facilitate participation in events and provide timely information about PAGES-related events.
  • Improved user experience: Optimizing the platform for user satisfaction, incorporating feedback for continuous improvement, and enhancing overall functionality for a seamless experience.

COLLECTING PERSONAL DATA

At PAGES, we primarily obtain your personal data directly from you, such as when you create a user account, attend events, or sign up for our newsletter. While sharing this information is largely voluntary, certain essential data is required for contractual or legal purposes, ensuring our services' effective delivery. If you're providing data about someone else, we trust you've received appropriate permissions and they are aware of our privacy practices.

Beyond your direct inputs, our digital platforms, like our website or apps, automatically collect data about your interactions. We analyze these insights to tailor our offerings to your preferences, aiming to offer you a personalized experience.

Furthermore, we might receive data about you from our partners, including entities like your employer, financial institutions, and even public offices. This collaboration enriches our understanding and allows us to serve you better, always ensuring GDPR compliance.

STORING PERSONAL DATA

We store your personal data for varying durations, depending on the purpose of its processing. Generally, data is retained as long as necessary for the intended processing purpose, such as during the duration of a contractual relationship. Moreover, we keep data if we have a legitimate interest, such as for legal claims, archival reasons, or to ensure IT security. Additionally, some of our retention periods are governed by legal requirements, which can vary.

Here are specific examples of our retention durations:

  • User Accounts: Data is retained as long as the account is active and is deleted within 30 days of a deletion request.

  • Contracts: Master and contract data are typically stored for ten years, as is transaction data related to contracts.

  • Technical Data: The retention period for cookies ranges from a few days up to two years.

  • Communication Data: Communication tools like emails or written correspondence are usually kept for ten years.

  • Job Applications: Application data is generally deleted six months after the conclusion of the application process, unless there is consent to retain it longer.

After these periods have passed, your data is either deleted or anonymized.

WHO WE SHARE PERSONAL INFORMATION WITH

We disclose your personal data within PAGES to the University of Bern for administrative purposes and to support the University's processing activities. Data may be combined with other information by the University departments as needed. Examples of such disclosures include personal data for the administration and processing of contracts and security-related information. 

Outside of PAGES, we share your data with service providers who process data on our behalf, like contract processors for IT and management services. Sometimes, we may share data with third parties for their own use, such as with your consent, for legal compliance, or with authorities for legal proceedings. External recipients who PAGES shares personal data routinely are corporate management services, hosting providers, cloud providers, advisory services. We choose external recipients carefully and bind them contractually to ensure data protection, comply with this privacy notice and to process personal data securely and exclusively for the purposes allowed by PAGES.

The transfer of personal data is predominantly transferred within Switzerland and the EEA, but in some cases also to recipients who are located or process date outside of this area. In instances where personal data must be sent to countries without comprehensive data protection laws, we will enact appropriate safeguards. This includes the use of standard contractual clauses and model contracts for data transfers acknowledged by the Swiss Federal Data Protection and Information Commissioner. These measures are put in place to ensure adherence to our Privacy Notice and the applicable laws. 

AUTOMATED DATA DECISIONS

Automated data decisions are decisions affecting data subjects that are fully automated (i.e without human influence). We generally do not do this but will inform you separately, should we opt to utilize automated individual decision-making in individual cases.

YOUR RIGHTS

Under data protection laws, you are entitled to certain rights in relation to the personal data we process to ensure that the processing is lawful. In particular, you have the right to:

  • request information about your personal data processed by us

  • request a copy of the personal data PAGES holds on you in a structured, commonly used and machine-readable format

  • restrict processing and/or object to the processing of personal data, in which case we may, however, no longer be able to provide related services or fulfill our contractual obligations. 

  • request that your personal data be deleted if there is no compelling reason for its continued processing.

  • request changes to your personal data if it is inaccurate or incomplete.

If you've given us permission to use your personal data, you have the right to take back that permission whenever you choose. Doing so won't affect any data processing that was done legally before you withdrew your consent.

Please note that your rights under this section may be limited to protect the predominant interests of PAGES or third parties or if there are doubts about the identity.

You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the applicable data protection authority. The competent data protection authority in Switzerland is the Federal Data Protection and Information Commissioner (http://www.edoeb.admin.ch).

WEBSITE ANALYTICS

We have integrated the "AddToAny" plugin on our website to enable you to easily share content across various social media platforms, blogs, and other services. When you choose to share content using AddToAny, it may collect your IP address and establish a connection to its servers to facilitate the sharing feature. The data processing by AddToAny is conducted in accordance with their privacy policy, which you can review at https://www.addtoany.com/privacy. Data is retained only as long as necessary to provide the service.

WEBSITE LINKS

This website may contain links to other websites. Please be aware that PAGES is not responsible for the privacy practices of such other sites. We encourage our users to be aware when they leave our site and to read the privacy statements of each and every website that collects personally identifiable information.

USE OF COOKIES

What are cookies and why do we use them?

Our website uses cookies. Cookies are data records that are stored on your device's operating system with the help of your browser when you visit our website. Cookies do not harm your computer and do not contain viruses.

Why may we use cookies?

We use cookies so that we can make our website more user-friendly, effective and secure. The use of cookies and the processing of your data in this regard is based on our legitimate interests in the stated purposes

Types of cookies and their purposes:

  • Essential cookies: necessary for the operation of the site.

  • Performance cookies: collect information about the use of our website in order to optimize it.

  • Functionality cookies: these allow the website to store information already provided (such as usernames, language selection) and to offer users improved, more personalized functions.

  • Targeting cookies or advertising cookies: these are used to show you relevant advertisements and to control the frequency of ads, as well as to evaluate the effectiveness of promotions.

Your choices and consent:

You have full control over the use of cookies. When you first visit our website, a cookie banner will appear where you can give your consent to the different cookie categories - apart from the strictly necessary cookies required to use the site. Your consent is voluntary and can be revoked at any time via the cookie settings on our website. We will not set performance, functionality or targeting cookies without your explicit consent.

How to manage and delete cookies?

Your browser settings allow you to block or delete cookies. For more information on how to adjust these settings, please refer to your browser's help or the official websites of the browser providers. You can change or withdraw your consent to cookie use at any time. Please note that some of our services may not function properly if you disable cookies.

SOCIAL MEDIA

We are present on social media platforms and other online platforms in order to communicate with interested persons and to inform them about us and our offer. In doing so, personal data may also be processed outside of Switzerland and the European Economic Area (EEA).

The General Terms and Conditions (GTC) and Terms of Use as well as data protection declarations and other provisions of the individual operators of such online platforms also apply in each case. These provisions inform in particular about the rights of data subjects, which include in particular the right to information.

YOUTUBE

Our site uses the provider YouTube LLC , 901 Cherry Avenue, San Bruno, CA 94066, USA, represented by Google Inc., 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, USA, for the integration of videos. 

Normally, when you call up a page with embedded videos, your IP address is already sent to YouTube and cookies are installed on your computer. However, we have embedded our YouTube videos with the extended data protection mode (in this case, YouTube still contacts Google's Double Klick service, but personal data is not evaluated in the process, according to Google's privacy policy). This means that YouTube no longer stores information about visitors unless they watch the video. If you click on the video, your IP address is transmitted to YouTube and YouTube learns that you have watched the video. If you are logged in to YouTube, this information is also assigned to your user account (you can prevent this by logging out of YouTube before viewing the video).

Of the then possible collection and use of your data by YouTube, we have no knowledge and no influence on it. You can find more information in YouTube's privacy policy at www.google.de/intl/de/policies/privacy/. 

In addition, we refer to our general presentation in this privacy policy for the general handling and deactivation of cookies.

NEWSLETTER

If you subscribe to our newsletter, we will use your e-mail address and other contact details to send you the newsletter. You can subscribe to the newsletter with your consent. Mandatory data for sending the newsletter are your full name and your e-mail address, which we store after your registration. The legal basis for the processing of your data in connection with our newsletter is your consent to the sending of the newsletter. You can revoke this consent at any time and unsubscribe from the newsletter.

CONTACT

If you have any questions about this privacy statement or data processing, please contact us at 

PAGES - International Project Office

Hochschulstrasse 4, 3012 Bern, Switzerland

Email: pages@pages.unibe.ch

PRIVACY NOTICE UPDATES

We may revise this notice to reflect changes in data processing or in the law. Significant updates will be communicated to those whose data we hold, where reasonably possible. The version in force at the time of data processing will apply.

Last updated: 08/11/2023