ScienceMamasHQ Research Privacy and Consent Policy

Effective Date: 07 January 2025

ScienceMamasHQ Research ("we," "our," or "us") is committed to safeguarding the personal data of our supporters, donors, and community members. This Privacy and Consent Policy explains how we collect, use, store, and manage your personal data in compliance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and relevant UK/EU laws.

1. Organisation Details and Data Controller Role

ScienceMamasHQ Research is a registered charitable incorporated organisation (CIO) in the UK, dedicated to advancing maternal-child health research. For the purposes of this notice, ScienceMamasHQ Research is a “data controller” as defined under GDPR.

2. How We Approach Privacy

We take your privacy seriously and respect any information you share with us. We are committed to ensuring your data is protected and used transparently. We will never sell or rent your data to third parties and will not share it without your prior knowledge and explicit consent unless required by law.

3. How We Collect Information

We collect personal data relevant to your relationship with us. Information may be collected through the following means:

Direct interactions, such as:

Newsletter sign-ups.
Participation in surveys, research projects, or events.
Donations and funding applications.
Correspondence with us via email, phone, or social media.

Publicly available sources, such as:

Professional profiles.
Charity Commission records.
Organisation websites.

Services like Experian for data cleansing to ensure accuracy and update contact details.

4. Types of Data We Collect

The personal information we may collect includes:

Contact details: Name, email address, phone number, and postal address.
Donation records: Details of contributions made.
Correspondence: Records of your interactions with us.
Funding applications: Full content of your application and funding decisions.
Financial information: Bank or payment details for processing donations or grants.
Monitoring and evaluation reports related to funded projects.

We will never collect or retain sensitive personal data without your explicit consent.

5. Lawful Basis for Processing

We process your data under the following lawful bases:

Consent: For activities like sending newsletters or collecting non-essential cookies.
Legitimate Interest: For processing necessary to achieve our charitable objectives, such as evaluating funding applications or donor research.
Contract: For processing data required to fulfil agreements, such as grant payments.

6. How We Use Your Data

We use your personal data for the following purposes:

To administer funding applications, including due diligence and monitoring.
To process donations and issue acknowledgements.
To send newsletters and updates about our work.
To conduct surveys and research to advance our mission.
To comply with legal obligations, such as reporting to regulatory bodies.
To respond to queries or complaints.
To personalise communication based on your stated preferences, past interactions, and donation history to make our messages more relevant to you.
To group donors by activity or support levels, allowing us to tailor communication and interaction appropriately.

We do not engage in marketing activities, profiling, or mailing list segmentation without your explicit consent.

7. Data Sharing

We only share your data in the following circumstances:

To comply with legal obligations or court orders.
To fulfil regulatory requirements (e.g., Charity Commission).
With your explicit consent, such as sharing your project details with relevant organisations.
For joint campaigns with partner organisations, where data sharing is required to achieve the campaign’s objectives. Consent will be obtained for each instance of such data sharing.

We do not sell or rent your data to third parties.

8. Social Media Interactions

If you interact with us on social media platforms, such as liking our page or following us, we may use this information to deliver relevant content and advertisements or measure the effectiveness of our social media campaigns. We do not share sensitive data through social media channels and recommend using secure communication methods for sharing personal information. If you provide data via social media platforms, you do so at your own risk.

9. How We Protect and Store Your Data

We take the protection of your data seriously and employ the following measures:

Encryption: All stored data is encrypted.
Access control: Data is accessible only to authorised staff, trustees, or consultants.
Secure storage: Data is stored within the European Economic Area (EEA) or other GDPR-compliant locations.

10. Data Retention

We retain data in line with statutory guidelines and only as long as necessary for the purposes outlined in this policy. Once the retention period is met, data is securely deleted or anonymised. A summary of our retention policy is available upon request.

11. Data Breach Protocols

We have established procedures to handle personal data breaches. In the event of a breach, we will:

Notify the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) within 72 hours if legally required.
Inform affected individuals promptly, outlining the nature of the breach and any steps they should take to protect themselves.
Take corrective measures to prevent future breaches.

12. Keeping Data Accurate and Up to Date

To ensure your personal data is accurate, we encourage you to notify us of any changes, such as a new address or email. From time to time, we may contact you to confirm that your information remains up to date. You can update your information by contacting us at privacy@sciencemamashq-research.co.uk or writing to ScienceMamasHQ Research Flat 218, Indigo Point, Cattle Market Road, Peterborough, PE1 1WX, UK.

13. Your Rights Under GDPR

You have the following rights regarding your data:

Right to Access: Request details of the personal data we hold about you.
Right to Rectification: Request corrections to inaccurate or incomplete data.
Right to Erasure: Request deletion of your data (“right to be forgotten”).
Right to Restriction: Temporarily or permanently stop processing your data.
Right to Data Portability: Receive a copy of your data in a portable format.
Right to Object: Refuse certain types of data processing.

To exercise your rights, contact us at privacy@sciencemamashq-research.co.uk. For Subject Access Requests (SARs), please include a description of the information you are requesting and proof of identity. Requests will be processed within 30 days unless extensions are necessary, in which case you will be notified.

14. International Data Transfers

We may transfer your data to trusted third parties outside the EEA, ensuring they adhere to GDPR standards. All international data transfers are conducted under legally approved mechanisms, such as standard contractual clauses. Third parties are permitted to process your data only per our instructions and are required to protect it with the same level of security as we do.

15. Handling Complaints

We are committed to addressing any complaints about our handling of personal data. If you have concerns, please contact us at complaints@sciencemamashq-research.co.uk. If we cannot resolve your issue, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO):

https://ico.org.ukWebsite:
Phone: 0303 123 1113

We encourage you to contact us first to resolve any concerns directly.

16. Withdrawing Consent

You may withdraw your consent for data processing at any time. To do so:

Email us at privacy@sciencemamashq-research.co.uk

Upon receiving your request, we will stop processing your data for the specified purposes and confirm this action.

17. Cookies and Website Tracking

Our website uses cookies to enhance functionality and analyse usage. Non-essential cookies are used only with your explicit consent. You can manage cookie preferences through our Cookie Consent Banner.

18. Modern Privacy Tools for Users

We encourage you to take advantage of tools to manage your privacy, such as:

Using private browsing modes to restrict cookie storage.
Deleting cookies and adjusting browser settings for better privacy control.
Managing mobile device permissions to limit access to personal data.

19. Notification of Policy Updates

We will update this policy as needed to reflect changes in regulations or our practices. Significant updates will be communicated via email or website notifications. Continued use of our services after updates indicates your acceptance of the revised policy.

20. Policy Review
This policy is reviewed annually to ensure compliance with GDPR and other relevant regulations. The last review was conducted on 07 January 2025

Contact Information
For further inquiries, please contact us at:

Email: hello@sciencemamashq-research.co.uk