Privacy Policy

1. Privacy policy at a glance

General information

The following information provides a simple overview of what happens to your personal data when you visit this website. Personal data is all data that can be used to identify you personally. Detailed information on data protection can be found in our privacy policy listed below this text.

Data collection on this website

Data processing on this website is carried out by the website operator. You can find their contact details in the "Information on the Responsible Party" section of this privacy policy.

How do we collect your data?

Your data is collected, on the one hand, when you provide it to us. This may, for example, be data you enter into a contact form. Other data is collected by our IT systems automatically or with your consent when you visit the website. This primarily includes technical data (e.g., internet browser, operating system, or time of page access). This data is collected automatically as soon as you enter this website.

What do we use your data for?

Some of the data is collected to ensure the error-free provision of the website. Other data may be used to analyze your user behavior.

What rights do you have regarding your data?

You have the right to obtain information about the origin, recipient, and purpose of your stored personal data free of charge at any time. You also have the right to request the correction or deletion of this data. If you have given your consent to data processing, you can revoke this consent at any time with effect for the future. Furthermore, you have the right to request the restriction of the processing of your personal data under certain circumstances. Furthermore, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the responsible supervisory authority. You can contact us at any time regarding this and other questions regarding data protection.

Analysis tools and third-party tools

When you visit this website, your browsing behavior may be statistically analyzed. This is primarily done using so-called analysis programs. Detailed information about these analysis programs can be found in the following privacy policy.

2. Hosting and Content Delivery Networks (CDN)

External hosting

This website is hosted by an external service provider (hoster). The personal data collected on this website is stored on the hoster's servers. This may include, in particular, IP addresses, contact requests, meta and communication data, contract data, contact details, names, website accesses, and other data generated via a website. The hoster is used for the purpose of fulfilling the contract with our potential and existing customers (Art. 6 (1) (b) GDPR) and in the interest of a secure, fast, and efficient provision of our online offering by a professional provider (Art. 6 (1) (f) GDPR). Our hoster will only process your data to the extent necessary to fulfill its service obligations and will follow our instructions regarding this data.

Conclusion of a contract for order processing

To ensure data protection-compliant processing, we have concluded a contract for order processing with our host.

3. General information and mandatory information

The operators of these pages take the protection of your personal data very seriously. We treat your personal data confidentially and in accordance with statutory data protection regulations and this privacy policy. When you use this website, various personal data is collected. Personal data is data with which you can be personally identified. This privacy policy explains which data we collect and what we use it for. It also explains how and for what purpose this happens. We point out that data transmission over the internet (e.g., when communicating by email) can have security gaps. Complete protection of data against access by third parties is not possible.

Note on the responsible body

The responsible body for data processing on this website is:
Athereon GRC GmbH
Innovationsring 7-9
66115 Saarbrücken
Phone: +49 (0) 681 9697 297
Email: grc@athereon.de

The responsible body is the natural or legal person who alone or jointly with others decides on the purposes and means of processing personal data (e.g. names, e-mail addresses, etc.).

Storage period

Unless a more specific retention period has been specified in this privacy policy, your personal data will remain with us until the purpose for data processing no longer applies. If you assert a legitimate request for deletion or revoke your consent to data processing, your data will be deleted unless we have other legally permissible reasons for storing your personal data (e.g., retention periods under tax or commercial law); in the latter case, deletion will occur once these reasons no longer apply.

Note on data transfer to the USA

Revocation of your consent to data processing

Many data processing operations are only possible with your express consent. You can revoke your consent at any time. The legality of the data processing carried out up to the time of revocation remains unaffected.

Right to object to data collection in special cases and to direct marketing (Art. 21 GDPR)

If data processing is carried out on the basis of Art. 6 (1) (e) or (f) GDPR, you have the right to object at any time to the processing of your personal data for reasons arising from your particular situation; this also applies to profiling based on these provisions. The respective legal basis on which processing is based can be found in this data protection declaration. If you object, we will no longer process your personal data unless we can demonstrate compelling legitimate grounds for the processing which outweigh your interests, rights and freedoms or the processing serves to assert, exercise or defend legal claims (objection pursuant to Art. 21 (1) GDPR). If your personal data is processed in order to conduct direct advertising, you have the right to object at any time to the processing of personal data concerning you for the purpose of such advertising; this also applies to profiling insofar as it is associated with such direct advertising. If you object, your personal data will subsequently no longer be used for direct marketing purposes (objection according to Art. 21 Para. 2 GDPR).

Right to lodge a complaint with the competent supervisory authority

In the event of violations of the GDPR, data subjects have the right to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority, in particular in the Member State of their habitual residence, place of work, or place of the alleged violation. This right of complaint is without prejudice to other administrative or judicial remedies.

Right to data portability

You have the right to have data that we process automatically based on your consent or in fulfillment of a contract handed over to you or to a third party in a common, machine-readable format. If you request the direct transfer of the data to another controller, this will only be done if technically feasible.

SSL or TLS encryption

This site uses SSL or TLS encryption for security reasons and to protect the transmission of confidential content, such as orders or inquiries that you send to us as the site operator. You can recognize an encrypted connection by the browser's address line changing from "http://" to "https://" and by the lock symbol in your browser's address bar. When SSL or TLS encryption is activated, the data you transmit to us cannot be read by third parties.

Information, deletion and correction

Within the scope of applicable legal provisions, you have the right at any time to obtain free information about your stored personal data, its origin and recipient, and the purpose of data processing, as well as the right to have this data corrected or deleted. You can contact us at any time regarding this and other questions regarding personal data.

Right to restriction of processing

You have the right to request that the processing of your personal data be restricted. You can contact us at any time to do so. The right to restriction of processing exists in the following cases: If you dispute the accuracy of the personal data stored by us, we generally need time to verify this. For the duration of the review, you have the right to request that the processing of your personal data be restricted. If the processing of your personal data was/is unlawful, you can request that its processing be restricted instead of erasure. If we no longer need your personal data, but you need it to exercise, defend or assert legal claims, you have the right to request that the processing of your personal data be restricted instead of erasure. If you have lodged an objection pursuant to Art. 21 (1) GDPR, your interests must be weighed against ours. As long as it has not yet been determined whose interests prevail, you have the right to request that the processing of your personal data be restricted. If you have restricted the processing of your personal data, this data may – with the exception of its storage – only be processed with your consent or for the establishment, exercise or defense of legal claims or to protect the rights of another natural or legal person or for reasons of important public interest of the European Union or a Member State.

4. Data collection on this website

Cookies

Unsere Internetseiten verwenden so genannte „Cookies“. Cookies sind kleine Textdateien und richten auf Ihrem Endgerät keinen Schaden an. Sie werden entweder vorübergehend für die Dauer einer Sitzung (Session-Cookies) oder dauerhaft (permanente Cookies) auf Ihrem Endgerät gespeichert. Session-Cookies werden nach Ende Ihres Besuchs automatisch gelöscht. Permanente Cookies bleiben auf Ihrem Endgerät gespeichert, bis Sie diese selbst löschen oder eine automatische Löschung durch Ihren Webbrowser erfolgt. Teilweise können auch Cookies von Drittunternehmen auf Ihrem Endgerät gespeichert werden, wenn Sie unsere Seite betreten (Third-Party-Cookies). Diese ermöglichen uns oder Ihnen die Nutzung bestimmter Dienstleistungen des Drittunternehmens (z.B. Cookies zur Abwicklung von Zahlungsdienstleistungen).Cookies haben verschiedene Funktionen. Zahlreiche Cookies sind technisch notwendig, da bestimmte Websitefunktionen ohne diese nicht funktionieren würden (z.B. die Warenkorbfunktion oder die Anzeige von Videos). Andere Cookies dienen dazu, das Nutzerverhalten auszuwerten oder Werbung anzuzeigen. Cookies, die zur Durchführung des elektronischen Kommunikationsvorgangs (notwendige Cookies) oder zur Bereitstellung bestimmter, von Ihnen erwünschter Funktionen (funktionale Cookies, z. B. für die Warenkorbfunktion) oder zur Optimierung der Website (z.B. Cookies zur Messung des Webpublikums) erforderlich sind, werden auf Grundlage von Art. 6 Abs. 1 lit. f DSGVO gespeichert, sofern keine andere Rechtsgrundlage angegeben wird. Der Websitebetreiber hat ein berechtigtes Interesse an der Speicherung von Cookies zur technisch fehlerfreien und optimierten Bereitstellung seiner Dienste. Sofern eine Einwilligung zur Speicherung von Cookies abgefragt wurde, erfolgt die Speicherung der betreffenden Cookies ausschließlich auf Grundlage dieser Einwilligung (Art. 6 Abs. 1 lit. a DSGVO); die Einwilligung ist jederzeit widerrufbar. Sie können Ihren Browser so einstellen, dass Sie über das Setzen von Cookies informiert werden und Cookies nur im Einzelfall erlauben, die Annahme von Cookies für bestimmte Fälle oder generell ausschließen sowie das automatische Löschen der Cookies beim Schließen des Browsers aktivieren. Bei der Deaktivierung von Cookies kann die Funktionalität dieser Website eingeschränkt sein. Soweit Cookies von Drittunternehmen oder zu Analysezwecken eingesetzt werden, werden wir Sie hierüber im Rahmen dieser Datenschutzerklärung gesondert informieren und ggf. eine Einwilligung abfragen. Zur Verwaltung der eingesetzten Cookies und ähnlichen Technologien (Tracking-Pixel, Web-Beacons etc.) und diesbezüglicher Einwilligungen setzen wir das Consent Tool „Real Cookie Banner“ ein. Details zur Funktionsweise von „Real Cookie Banner“ finden Sie unter https://devowl.io/rcb/data-processing/.Rechtsgrundlagen für die Verarbeitung von personenbezogenen Daten in diesem Zusammenhang sind Art. 6 Abs. 1 lit. c DS-GVO und Art. 6 Abs. 1 lit. f DS-GVO. Unser berechtigtes Interesse ist die Verwaltung der eingesetzten Cookies und ähnlichen Technologien und der diesbezüglichen Einwilligungen. Die Bereitstellung der personenbezogenen Daten ist weder vertraglich vorgeschrieben noch für den Abschluss eines Vertrages notwendig. Sie sind nicht verpflichtet die personenbezogenen Daten bereitzustellen. Wenn Sie die personenbezogenen Daten nicht bereitstellen, können wir Ihre Einwilligungen nicht verwalten.

Contact form

If you send us inquiries via the contact form, your details from the inquiry form, including the contact details you provided there, will be stored by us for the purpose of processing the inquiry and in the event of follow-up questions. We will not pass this data on without your consent. This data is processed on the basis of Art. 6 (1) (b) GDPR if your inquiry is related to the fulfillment of a contract or is necessary to carry out pre-contractual measures. In all other cases, the processing is based on our legitimate interest in the effective processing of the inquiries addressed to us (Art. 6 (1) (f) GDPR) or on your consent (Art. 6 (1) (a) GDPR) if this was requested. The data you enter in the contact form will remain with us until you request us to delete it, revoke your consent to storage or the purpose for storing the data no longer applies (e.g. after your inquiry has been processed). Mandatory statutory provisions - in particular retention periods - remain unaffected.

Inquiry by email, telephone or fax

If you contact us by email, telephone, or fax, your inquiry, including all personal data resulting from it (name, inquiry), will be stored and processed by us for the purpose of processing your request. We will not disclose this data without your consent. This data will be processed on the basis of Art. 6 (1) (b) GDPR if your inquiry is related to the fulfillment of a contract or is necessary to carry out pre-contractual measures. In all other cases, the processing is based on our legitimate interest in the effective processing of the inquiries addressed to us (Art. 6 (1) (f) GDPR) or on your consent (Art. 6 (1) (a) GDPR), if this was requested. The data you send to us via contact inquiries will remain with us until you request deletion, revoke your consent to storage, or the purpose for storing the data no longer applies (e.g., after your request has been processed). Mandatory statutory provisions – in particular statutory retention periods – remain unaffected.

5. Analysis tools and advertising

Google Tag Manager

We use Google Tag Manager. The provider is Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland. Google Tag Manager is a tool that enables us to integrate tracking or statistical tools and other technologies on our website. Google Tag Manager itself does not create user profiles, does not store cookies, and does not perform any independent analyses. It is only used to manage and display the tools integrated through it. However, Google Tag Manager records your IP address, which may also be transmitted to Google's parent company in the United States. Google Tag Manager is used on the basis of Art. 6 (1) (f) GDPR. The website operator has a legitimate interest in the quick and uncomplicated integration and management of various tools on its website. If corresponding consent has been requested, processing is carried out exclusively on the basis of Art. 6 (1) (a) GDPR; consent can be revoked at any time.

Google Analytics

This website uses functions of the web analysis service Google Analytics. Provider is Google Ireland Limited ("Google"), Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland. Google Analytics enables the website operator to analyze the behavior of website visitors. This provides the website operator with various usage data, such as page views, length of stay, operating systems used and user origin. Google may compile this data into a profile assigned to the respective user or their device. Google Analytics uses technologies that enable user recognition for the purpose of analyzing user behavior (e.g. cookies or device fingerprinting). The information collected by Google about the use of this website is usually transferred to a Google server in the USA and stored there. The use of this analysis tool is based on Art. 6 (1) (f) GDPR. The website operator has a legitimate interest in analyzing user behavior in order to optimize both its website and its advertising. If consent has been requested (e.g., consent to the storage of cookies), processing will be carried out exclusively on the basis of Art. 6 (1) (a) GDPR; consent can be revoked at any time. Data transfer to the USA is based on the EU Commission's standard contractual clauses. Details can be found here: https://privacy.google.com/businesses/controllerterms/mccs/.

Hotjar

We use Hotjar to better understand the needs of our users and to optimize the offering and experience on this website. With the help of Hotjar's technology, we gain a better understanding of our users' experiences (e.g. how much time users spend on which pages, which links they click, what they like and what they don't like, etc.) and this helps us to tailor our offering to our users' feedback. Hotjar uses cookies and other technologies to collect data about the behavior of our users and their devices, in particular the device's IP address (only recorded and stored in an anonymized form during your use of the website), screen size, device type (Unique Device Identifiers), information about the browser used, location (country only), and preferred language for displaying our website. Hotjar stores this information on our behalf in a pseudonymized user profile. Hotjar is contractually prohibited from selling the data collected on our behalf.

For more information, see the 'about Hotjar' section on Hotjar's help page.

IP anonymization

We have activated the IP anonymization function on this website. This means that your IP address will be shortened by Google within member states of the European Union or in other contracting states to the Agreement on the European Economic Area before being transmitted to the USA. Only in exceptional cases will the full IP address be transmitted to a Google server in the USA and shortened there. On behalf of the operator of this website, Google will use this information to evaluate your use of the website, to compile reports on website activity and to provide the website operator with other services relating to website activity and internet usage. The IP address transmitted by your browser as part of Google Analytics will not be merged with other Google data.

Browser plugin

You can prevent Google from collecting and processing your data by downloading and installing the browser plug-in available under the following link: https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout?hl=de. More information on how Google Analytics handles user data can be found in Google's privacy policy: https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/6004245?hl=de.

Order processing

We have concluded a data processing agreement with Google and fully implement the strict requirements of the German data protection authorities when using Google Analytics.

Storage period

User- and event-level data stored by Google that is linked to cookies, user IDs (e.g., User ID), or advertising IDs (e.g., DoubleClick cookies, Android advertising ID) is anonymized or deleted after 14 months. Details can be found at the following link: https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/7667196?hl=de

Google Ads

The website operator uses Google Ads. Google Ads is an online advertising program of Google Ireland Limited ("Google"), Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland. Google Ads enables us to display advertisements in the Google search engine or on third-party websites when the user enters certain search terms into Google (keyword targeting). Furthermore, targeted advertisements can be displayed based on user data available to Google (e.g. location data and interests) (target group targeting). We as the website operator can evaluate this data quantitatively, for example by analyzing which search terms led to the display of our advertisements and how many ads led to corresponding clicks. The use of Google Ads is based on Art. 6 (1) (f) GDPR. The website operator has a legitimate interest in marketing its services and products as effectively as possible. Data transfer to the USA is based on the standard contractual clauses of the EU Commission. Details can be found here: https://policies.google.com/privacy/frameworks and https://privacy.google.com/businesses/controllerterms/mccs/.

6. Newsletter

Newsletter data

If you would like to subscribe to the newsletter offered on the website, we need an email address from you as well as information that allows us to verify that you are the owner of the specified email address and that you agree to receive the newsletter. Further data will not be collected or will only be collected on a voluntary basis. We use this data solely to send the requested information and do not pass it on to third parties. The data entered into the newsletter registration form is processed exclusively on the basis of your consent (Art. 6 (1) (a) GDPR). You can revoke your consent to the storage of the data, the email address and their use for sending the newsletter at any time, for example via the "unsubscribe" link in the newsletter. The legality of the data processing operations already carried out remains unaffected by the revocation. The data you have provided to us for the purpose of subscribing to the newsletter will be stored by us or the newsletter service provider until you unsubscribe from the newsletter and will be deleted from the newsletter distribution list after you unsubscribe from the newsletter or when the purpose no longer applies. We reserve the right to delete or block email addresses from our newsletter distribution list at our own discretion within the scope of our legitimate interest pursuant to Art. 6 (1) (f) GDPR. After you are removed from the newsletter distribution list, your email address may be stored on a blacklist by us or the newsletter service provider to prevent future mailings. The data from the blacklist will only be used for this purpose and will not be merged with other data. This serves both your interest and our interest in complying with legal requirements when sending newsletters (legitimate interest within the meaning of Art. 6 (1) (f) GDPR). Storage on the blacklist is not time-limited. You can object to storage if your interests outweigh our legitimate interest.

7. Plugins and tools

YouTube with enhanced privacy

This website embeds videos from YouTube. The site is operated by Google Ireland Limited ("Google"), Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland. We use YouTube in extended privacy mode. According to YouTube, this mode means that YouTube does not store any information about visitors to this website before they watch the video. However, the extended privacy mode does not necessarily prevent data from being passed on to YouTube partners. Regardless of whether you watch a video, YouTube establishes a connection to the Google DoubleClick network. As soon as you start a YouTube video on this website, a connection is established to the YouTube servers. This tells the YouTube server which of our pages you have visited. If you are logged into your YouTube account, you allow YouTube to assign your surfing behavior directly to your personal profile. You can prevent this by logging out of your YouTube account. Furthermore, after you start a video, YouTube can store various cookies on your device or use similar recognition technologies (e.g. device fingerprinting). In this way, YouTube can receive information about visitors to this website. This information is used, among other things, to collect video statistics, improve user-friendliness and prevent fraud attempts. After starting a YouTube video, further data processing operations may be triggered over which we have no control. YouTube is used in the interest of an appealing presentation of our online offerings. This represents a legitimate interest within the meaning of Art. 6 (1) (f) GDPR. If corresponding consent has been requested, processing is carried out exclusively on the basis of Art. 6 (1) (a) GDPR; consent can be revoked at any time. Further information about data protection at YouTube can be found in their privacy policy at: https://policies.google.com/privacy?hl=de.

8. Audio and video conferences

Data processing

To communicate with our customers, we use online conference tools, among others. The specific tools we use are listed below. If you communicate with us via video or audio conference over the internet, your personal data will be collected and processed by us and the provider of the respective conference tool. The conference tools collect all data you provide/use to use the tools (email address and/or your telephone number). Furthermore, the conference tools process the duration of the conference, the start and end (time) of participation in the conference, the number of participants, and other "context information" related to the communication process (metadata). Furthermore, the provider of the tool processes all technical data necessary to process online communication. This includes, in particular, IP addresses, MAC addresses, device IDs, device type, operating system type and version, client version, camera type, microphone or speakers, and the type of connection. If content is exchanged, uploaded, or otherwise provided within the tool, this data will also be stored on the servers of the tool providers. Such content includes, in particular, cloud recordings, chat/instant messages, voicemails, uploaded photos and videos, files, whiteboards, and other information shared while using the service. Please note that we do not have full control over the data processing practices of the tools used. Our options depend largely on the company policies of the respective provider. Further information on data processing by the conference tools can be found in the privacy policies of the respective tools used, which we have listed below this text.

Purpose and legal basis

The conference tools are used to communicate with prospective or existing contractual partners or to offer certain services to our customers (Art. 6 (1) (b) GDPR). Furthermore, the use of the tools serves to generally simplify and accelerate communication with us or our company (legitimate interest within the meaning of Art. 6 (1) (f) GDPR). If consent has been requested, the use of the relevant tools is based on this consent; this consent can be revoked at any time with future effect.

Storage period

The data we collect directly via the video and conference tools will be deleted from our systems as soon as you request deletion, revoke your consent to storage, or the purpose for storing the data no longer applies. Stored cookies remain on your device until you delete them. Mandatory statutory retention periods remain unaffected. We have no influence on the storage period of your data, which is stored by the operators of the conference tools for their own purposes. For details, please contact the operators of the conference tools directly.

Conference tools used:

Microsoft Teams

We use Microsoft Teams. The provider is Microsoft Corporation, One Microsoft Way, Redmond, WA 98052-6399, USA. Details on data processing can be found in the Microsoft Teams privacy policy: https://privacy.microsoft.com/de-de/privacystatement.

Conclusion of a contract for order processing

We have concluded a contract for order processing with the provider of Microsoft Teams and fully implement the strict requirements of the German data protection authorities when using Microsoft Teams.