Privacy policy

• Processed data types: Usage data (e.g. websites visited, interest in content, access times); meta, communication and procedural data (e.g. IP addresses, time data, identification numbers, consent status); content data (e.g. entries in online forms).
• Data subjects: Users (e.g. website visitors, users of online services).
• Purposes of processing: Provision of our online offer and user-friendliness; information technology infrastructure (operation and provision of information systems and technical devices (computers, servers, etc.)). Security measures.
• Legal basis: Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f) GDPR).

Further information on processing operations, procedures and services:

• Provision of online offer on rented storage space: For the provision of our online offer, we use storage space, computing capacity and software that we rent or otherwise obtain from a corresponding server provider (also called “web host”); Legal basis: Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f) GDPR).
• Collection of access data and log files: Access to our online offering is logged in the form of so-called “server log files”. The server log files may include the address and name of the web pages and files accessed, date and time of access, data volumes transferred, notification of successful access, browser type and version, the user’s operating system, referrer URL (the previously visited page) and, as a rule, IP addresses and the requesting provider. The server log files may be used for security purposes, e.g. to avoid overloading the servers (especially in the event of abusive attacks, so-called DDoS attacks) and to ensure the utilisation of the servers and their stability; legal basis: Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f) GDPR). Deletion of data: Log file information is stored for a maximum of 30 days and then deleted or anonymised. Data whose further storage is required for evidentiary purposes is excluded from erasure until the respective incident has been finally clarified.
• WordPress.com: Hosting and software for the creation, provision and operation of websites, blogs and other online offers; Service provider: Aut O’Mattic A8C Ireland Ltd, Grand Canal Dock, 25 Herbert Pl, Dublin, D02 AY86, Ireland; Legal basis: Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f) GDPR); Website: https://wordpress.com; Privacy Policy: https://automattic.com/de/privacy/; Data Processing Agreement: https://wordpress.com/support/data-processing-agreements/. Basis for third country transfers: Data Privacy Framework (DPF).
• Hetzner: Services in the field of the provision of information technology infrastructure and related services (e.g. storage space and/or computing capacities); Service provider: Hetzner Online GmbH, Industriestr. 25, 91710 Gunzenhausen, Germany; Legal basis: Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f) GDPR); Website: https://www.hetzner.com; Privacy Policy: https://www.hetzner.com/de/rechtliches/datenschutz. Data processing agreement: https://docs.hetzner.com/de/general/general-terms-and-conditions/data-privacy-faq/.

Contact and enquiry management

When contacting us (e.g. by post, contact form, email, telephone or via social media) and in the context of existing user and business relationships, the data of the enquiring persons are processed insofar as this is necessary to answer the contact enquiries and any requested measures.

• Processed data types: Contact data (e.g. e-mail, telephone numbers); Content data (e.g. entries in online forms); Usage data (e.g. websites visited, interest in content, access times); Meta, communication and process data (e.g. IP addresses, time data, identification numbers, consent status).
• Affected persons: Communication partner.
• Purposes of processing: Contact requests and communication; managing and responding to requests; feedback (e.g. collecting feedback via online form). Provision of our online services and user-friendliness.
• Legal bases: Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f) GDPR). Contract fulfilment and pre-contractual enquiries (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. b) GDPR).

Further information on processing operations, procedures and services:

• Contact form: If users contact us via our contact form, e-mail or other communication channels, we process the data provided to us in this context to process the communicated request; legal basis: fulfilment of contract and pre-contractual enquiries (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. b) GDPR), legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f) GDPR).
• HubSpot: Customer management as well as process and sales support with personalised customer care with multi-channel communication, i.e. management of customer enquiries from different channels as well as analysis and feedback functions; Service provider: HubSpot, Inc., 25 First St., 2nd floor, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02141, USA; Legal basis: Contract fulfilment and pre-contractual enquiries (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. b) GDPR), Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f) GDPR); Website: https://www.hubspot.de; Privacy Policy: https://legal.hubspot.com/de/privacy-policy; Data processing agreement: https://legal.hubspot.com/dpa. Basis for third country transfers: Data Privacy Framework (DPF).

Advertising communication via e-mail, post, fax or telephone

We process personal data for the purposes of advertising communication, which may take place via various channels, such as e-mail, telephone, post or fax, in accordance with legal requirements.

Recipients have the right to withdraw their consent at any time or to object to advertising communication at any time.

After revocation or objection, we store the data required to prove the previous authorisation for contacting or sending up to three years after the end of the year of revocation or objection on the basis of our legitimate interests. The processing of this data is limited to the purpose of a possible defence against claims. On the basis of the legitimate interest in permanently observing the revocation or objection of the user, we also store the data required to avoid renewed contact (e.g. depending on the communication channel, the e-mail address, telephone number, name).

• Processed data types: Inventory data (e.g. names, addresses); Contact data (e.g. e-mail, telephone numbers).
• Affected persons: Communication partner.
• Purposes of processing: Direct marketing (e.g. by e-mail or post).
• Legal basis: Consent (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. a) GDPR). Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f) GDPR).

Web analysis, monitoring and optimisation

Web analysis (also referred to as “reach measurement”) is used to evaluate the flow of visitors to our online offering and may include behaviour, interests or demographic information about visitors, such as age or gender, as pseudonymous values. With the help of reach analysis, we can, for example, recognise at what time our online offering or its functions or content are most frequently used or invite visitors to reuse them. We can also understand which areas require optimisation. 

In addition to web analysis, we may also use test procedures, e.g. to test and optimise different versions of our online offering or its components.

Unless otherwise stated below, profiles, i.e. data summarised for a usage process, can be created for these purposes and information can be stored in a browser or in an end device and read out from it. The information collected includes, in particular, websites visited and the elements used there as well as technical information such as the browser used, the computer system used and information on usage times. If users have consented to the collection of their location data from us or from the providers of the services we use, location data may also be processed.

The IP addresses of users are also stored. However, we use an IP masking procedure (i.e. pseudonymisation by shortening the IP address) to protect users. In general, no clear user data (such as email addresses or names) is stored in the context of web analysis, A/B testing and optimisation, but pseudonyms. This means that we and the providers of the software used do not know the actual identity of the users, but only the information stored in their profiles for the purposes of the respective processes.

• Processed data types: Usage data (e.g. websites visited, interest in content, access times); meta, communication and procedural data (e.g. IP addresses, time data, identification numbers, consent status).
• Data subjects: Users (e.g. website visitors, users of online services).
• Purposes of processing: Reach measurement (e.g. access statistics, recognition of returning visitors). Profiles with user-related information (creation of user profiles).
• Security measures: IP masking (pseudonymisation of the IP address).
• Legal basis: Consent (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. a) GDPR).

Further information on processing operations, procedures and services:

• fathom: Web analysis and reach measurement (no use of cookies, measurement is limited to our online offering, use of data protection-friendly pseudonymisation procedures, see https://usefathom.com/data); Service provider: Conva Ventures Inc. BOX 37058 Millstream PO, Victoria, BC, V9B 0E8, Canada; Legal basis: Consent (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. a) GDPR); Website: https://usefathom.com/; Privacy Policy: https://usefathom.com/privacy. Basis for third country transfers: Adequacy decision (Canada).
• HubSpot: Marketing software for lead generation, marketing automation and analysis; Service provider: HubSpot, Inc., 25 First St., 2nd floor, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02141, USA; Legal basis: Consent (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. a) GDPR); Website: https://www.hubspot.de; Privacy Policy: https://legal.hubspot.com/de/privacy-policy; Data processing agreement: https://legal.hubspot.com/dpa. Basis for transfers to third countries: Data Privacy Framework (DPF).

Presence in social networks (social media)

We maintain online presences within social networks and process user data in this context in order to communicate with the users active there or to offer information about us.

We would like to point out that user data may be processed outside the European Union. This may result in risks for users because, for example, it could make it more difficult to enforce users’ rights.

Furthermore, user data within social networks is generally processed for market research and advertising purposes. For example, user profiles can be created based on user behaviour and the resulting interests of users. The user profiles can in turn be used, for example, to place adverts within and outside the networks that presumably correspond to the interests of the users. For these purposes, cookies are usually stored on the user’s computer, in which the user’s usage behaviour and interests are stored. Furthermore, data can also be stored in the user profiles independently of the devices used by the users (especially if the users are members of the respective platforms and are logged in to them).

For a detailed description of the respective forms of processing and the opt-out options, please refer to the data protection declarations and information provided by the operators of the respective networks.

In the case of requests for information and the assertion of data subject rights, we would also like to point out that these can be asserted most effectively with the providers. Only the providers have access to the user’s data and can take appropriate measures and provide information directly. If you still need help, you can contact us.

• Processed data types: Contact data (e.g. e-mail, telephone numbers); Content data (e.g. entries in online forms); Usage data (e.g. websites visited, interest in content, access times); Meta, communication and process data (e.g. IP addresses, time data, identification numbers, consent status).
• Data subjects: Users (e.g. website visitors, users of online services).
• Purposes of processing: Contact requests and communication; feedback (e.g. collecting feedback via online form). Marketing.
• Legal basis: Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f) GDPR).

Further information on processing operations, procedures and services:

• LinkedIn: Social network; Service provider: LinkedIn Ireland Unlimited Company, Wilton Place, Dublin 2, Ireland; Legal basis: Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f) GDPR); Website: https://www.linkedin.com; Privacy Policy: https://www.linkedin.com/legal/privacy-policy; Basis for third country transfers: Data Privacy Framework (DPF); Opt-Out: https://www.linkedin.com/psettings/guest-controls/retargeting-opt-out; Further information: We are jointly responsible with LinkedIn Ireland Unlimited Company for the collection (but not the further processing) of visitor data for the purpose of creating the “page insights” (statistics) of our LinkedIn profiles. 

This data includes information about the types of content users view or interact with, or the actions they take, as well as information about the devices used by users (e.g. IP addresses, operating system, browser type, language settings, cookie data) and information from the user’s profile, such as job function, country, industry, hierarchy level, company size and employment status. Data protection information on the processing of user data by LinkedIn can be found in LinkedIn’s data protection information: https://www.linkedin.com/legal/privacy-policy 

We have concluded a special agreement with LinkedIn Ireland (“Page Insights Joint Controller Addendum (the ‘Addendum’)”, https://legal.linkedin.com/pages-joint-controller-addendum), which regulates in particular which security measures LinkedIn must observe and in which LinkedIn has agreed to fulfil the rights of data subjects (i.e. users can, for example, send information or deletion requests directly to LinkedIn). The rights of users (in particular to information, deletion, objection and complaint to the competent supervisory authority) are not restricted by the agreements with LinkedIn. The joint responsibility is limited to the collection of data by and transfer to Ireland Unlimited Company, a company based in the EU. Further processing of the data is the sole responsibility of Ireland Unlimited Company, which relates in particular to the transfer of data to the parent company LinkedIn Corporation in the USA.

Amendment and updating of the privacy policy

We ask you to inform yourself regularly about the content of our privacy policy. We will adapt the privacy policy as soon as changes to the data processing carried out by us make this necessary. We will inform you as soon as the changes require your cooperation (e.g. consent) or other individual notification.

If we provide addresses and contact information of companies and organisations in this privacy policy, please note that the addresses may change over time and please check the information before contacting us.