Data Protection Policy

The SER Group (referred to hereafter as "SER"; you can find more information about SER here: (/en/) would like to thank you for visiting our website. We believe in the importance of ensuring that your data is safe and protected while you are using our website. We would therefore like to take this opportunity to tell you which of your personal data we collect while you are using the website and explain the purposes for which we process your data.

We may be required to revise this Data Protection Policy in light of changes in the law or to our internal corporate processes. We therefore ask that you read through this policy on a regular basis.

You can access, save or print this Data Protection Policy at any time under /en/data-protection-policy.html.

§ 1 Data controller and scope

The controller according to the EU General Data Protection Policy (referred to hereafter as “GDPR”) and other domestic data protection laws of EU member states, including any other data protection regulations, is:

SERgroup Holding International GmbH
Joseph-Schumpeter-Allee 19
53227 Bonn
Germany
Tel.: +49 (0)228 90896 0
Email: info@sergroup.com
Website: /de/

This Data Protection Policy applies to the online presence of the subsidiaries of the SER Group which are the websites available under the domains /en/, /de/, and all other subdomains (referred to hereafter as “our website”).

§ 2 Data protection officer

The external data protection officer* of the SER Group is:

External data protection officer of SERgroup Holding International GmbH
Dr. Karsten Kinast, LL.M.
KINAST Rechtsanwaltsgesellschaft mbH
Hohenzollernring 54
D-50672 Cologne
Tel.: +49 (0)221 222 183 0
Email: mail@kinast.eu
Website: www.kinast.eu

§ 3 Principles of data processing

Personal data is all information that relates to an identified or identifiable natural person. This includes, for example, information such as your name, age, address, telephone number, date of birth, email address, IP address or user behavior. If we are unable to draw any conclusions about such circumstances or if we require a disproportionate amount of time and effort to do so (e.g. because your data has been made anonymous), the data is not classified as personal data. The processing of personal data (which includes collecting, requesting, using, storing or transferring) always requires a legal basis or your consent. Processed personal data will be deleted as soon as the purpose of processing has been fulfilled and legal retention obligations no longer need to be observed.

If we process your personal data in order to provide you with a specific offer, we will inform you about the concrete processes, the scope and purpose of data processing, the legal basis for processing, and the retention period.

All mandatory fields are marked with the symbol *. Any sections of the website that require you to enter data will provide you with further information about precisely how your data is collected.

§ 4 Individual data processing

1. Website

a. Purpose and scope of data processing
When accessing and using our website, we only collect personal data that your browser automatically transmits to our server. This information is temporarily stored in a log file. When you use our website, we collect the following data which we require for technical reasons in order to display our website to you and to ensure stability and security:

• IP address of the computer being used
• The country in which you are located
• The date and duration of access
• The name and URL of the retrieved file
• The website from which you are accessing (referrer URL)
• The search term you used to get to our page, if a search machine was used
• The browser used and, potentially, the operating system of your computer
• The name of your access provider
• The website pages of SER that you visit
• The files that you have downloaded from our website (e.g. PDF documents)

This data is analyzed by SER. It enables us to optimize our offers and to provide more personalized content for you — for example, to recognize if you are a new visitor to our website. If you have an existing data set, in many cases the new data will be assigned to this set.

b. Legal basis
Article 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR serves as the legal basis for data processing as discussed here. To provide a website, the data mentioned here must be processed and thus serves the legitimate interests of our company.

c. Deletion and retention period
As soon as the aforementioned data required to show you the website is no longer needed, it will be deleted. The collection of data to provide a website and the storage of data in log files are absolutely necessary for the operation of an internet site. Consequently, the user has no possibility to object. Longer storage may occur in single cases if this is required by law.

2. Registration/user account

a. Purpose and scope of data processing
On our website, we give you the option of registering by providing personal data.

Using the data we have collected, we create a personalized user account with which you can access certain content and services, such as brochures, product fact sheets, best practice reports or registrations to events on our website. We ask for and use your email address to send you your access data should you forget it. Furthermore, we also use your email address to send you information in the form of case studies and best practices about our customers, product brochures or guides.

The following overview shows you which personal data we collect and process during registration:

• Title
• First and last name
• Email address
• Company
• Department
• Address (street, postal code, city)
• Telephone number

b. Legal basis
The processing of personal data (cf. § 4 2. a.) according to article 6 (1) lit. a GDPR is based on the voluntary declaration of consent that you provide:

Declaration of consent

I consent to SER using my data when registering for a user account (SER +Account). This will allow me to log in on future visits with my user name and password without having to re-enter my data. I have read and accept the current Data Protection Policy. I can withdraw my consent for the future at any time by writing an email to unsubscribe@ser.de.

Declaration of consent for information to be sent per email
I consent to SER using my data for promotional purposes when registering for a user account (SER +Account) and to SER sending me information per email. I have read and accept the current Data Protection Policy. I can retract my consent for the future at any time by writing an email to unsubscribe@ser.de.

c. Retention period
As soon as the registration onto our website is terminated or changed, the data from the registration process is deleted. Longer storage may occur in single cases if this is required by law.

d. Termination of registration
Users always have the option of terminating their registration. You also can modify the data stored in the user account at any time. To delete the account, please contact unsubscribe@ser.de.

If the processed data is required to uphold a contract or to complete pre-contractual measures, it is only possible to prematurely delete data if the contractual or legal obligations allow this.

3. Newsletters

a. Purpose and scope of data processing
On our website, it is possible to subscribe to free newsletters. In order to regularly send you newsletters, we need the following data from you:

• First and last name
• Email address

Your personal data will not be given to any third parties in the process of sending newsletters.

To send newsletters, we use the double opt-in procedure. This means that we will only send you the newsletter once you have confirmed that you wish to receive it in a link sent to your email address, which you provide when registering. This way, we can make sure that you only you, the owner of the given email address, can register to read the newsletter. Your confirmation must take place quickly after receiving the confirmation email, otherwise your newsletter registration will be automatically deleted from our database.

b. Legal basis
The processing of personal data (cf. § 4 2. a.) according to article 6 (1) lit. a GDPR is based on the voluntary declaration of consent that you provide:

Declaration of consent:

By entering my data and by pressing the "Send" button, I consent to my email being processed for the purpose of regularly sending me a newsletter. I can unsubscribe to the newsletter service at any time by clicking on the link given at the end of the newsletter.

I can withdraw my consent to the collection of my personal data during the registration procedure at any time by writing an email to unsubscribe@ser.de.

c. Retention period
Your email address will be saved for the duration of your newsletter subscription. Upon canceling your subscription to the newsletter, your email address will be deleted. Longer storage may occur in single cases if this is required by law.

4. Registration for and participation in webinars, events, training seminars and their related promotional information

a. Type and scope of data processing
You can register to webinars, events and training seminars on our website. Registration takes place either through a form you fill out after you have registered for a user account on our website or through a form you receive for the specific event. We use your data to complete the registration for the specific event.

After you have participated in an event, we ask you in the form of a survey for your feedback on the event. Based on the answers you give, we will send you related information and reading material either by email or mail. Information collected this way is used to enhance the services we offer.

It is also possible to participate in webinars, events and training seminars at SER without taking part in the survey. You may also take part in the survey without having to receive reading material afterwards.

The following overview shows you which personal data we collect and process during registration and participation in webinars, events and training seminars, as well as for promotional purposes:

• Title
• First and last name
• Email address
• Company
• Department
• Address (street, postal code, city)
• Telephone number

b. Legal basis
The processing of personal data (see paragraph 4 4 a) according to Article 6, Paragraph 1 of the GDPR is based on the voluntary declaration of consent that you provide:

Declaration of consent for the registration to an event
I consent to SER using my data when registering for webinars, events and training seminars. I can sign up for events of my choosing through this manner. I have read and accept the current Data Protection Policy. I can retract my consent for the future at any time by writing an email to unsubscribe@ser.de.

Declaration of consent for a feedback survey to be sent
I consent to SER using my data that I provide when participating in a survey in the form of a feedback form. This is a way for me to communicate my views to SER regarding the events that I took part in, which helps SER to improve the services offered to me. I have read and accept the current Data Protection Policy. I can retract my consent for the future at any time by writing an email to unsubscribe@ser.de.

Declaration of consent for information to be sent per email
I consent to SER using my data that I provide when participating in a survey in the form of a feedback form. I also consent to SER sending me either per email or mail reading material and information according to my statements. This means that I can receive reading material and information tailored to my individual needs. I have read and accept the current Data Protection Policy. I can retract my consent for the future at any time by writing an email to unsubscribe@ser.de.

c. Retention period
As soon as the event has concluded that you took part in, or when the survey is completed and reading material has been sent, the personal data we collected in the registration form and the feedback survey will be deleted. Longer storage may occur in single cases if this is required by law.

5. Contact form

a. Purpose and scope of data processing
On our website, we give you the opportunity to contact us via a special contact form. When you send us a message via the contact form, we will refer you to our Data Protection Policy and ask for your consent. If you use our contact form, the following personal data will collected and processed:

• Email address
• Further contact data, if entered:
  • Company/organization
  • Telephone number

By giving your email address, we can assign your inquiry and answer you. Your personal data will not be given to any third parties when using the contact form.

b. Legal basis
The processing of personal data for contact purposes (cf. § 4 5. a.) takes place according to Article 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR based on the voluntary declaration of consent that you provide:

Declaration of consent:

By entering my data and by pressing the "Send" button, I consent to my email being processed for the purpose of responding to my inquiry.

I can withdraw my consent to the use of my personal data for the contact form procedure at any time by writing an email to unsubscribe@ser.de.

c. Retention period
As soon as your inquiry has been handled and the matter clarified, the personal data you provided via the contact form will be deleted. Longer storage may occur in single cases if this is required by law.

§ 5 Passing on data

We only pass on your data to third parties if:

• you have given your explicit consent pursuant to Article 6 (1) sentence 1 lit. a GDPR.
• this is legally permissible and required to uphold contract terms in accordance with Article 6 (1) sentence 1 lit. b GDPR.
• according to Article 6 (1) sentence 1 lit. c GDPR, the transmission of personal data is legally required or
• according to Article 6 (1) sentence 1 lit. f GDPR, the transmission of personal data is necessary to safeguard legitimate company interests and to assert, exercise or defend legal claims and there is no reason to assume that you have an overriding interest worthy of protection in not disclosing your data