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Data protection

Privacy policy of the company Georg Utz AG

Version 3.00 valid from 1 May 2024 until revoked

1. Introduction

Thank you for your interest in our company and our services. We take the protection of your personal data and data security very seriously.

With the following privacy policy, we would like to inform you about what personal data is collected when you visit and use our website, how and for what purposes it is used, on what basis it is processed and how it is shared with third parties. We process personal data in accordance with the applicable data protection law. Please read the privacy policy carefully before proceeding or sharing information with us. We also refer to our separate terms of use (https://www.utzgroup.ch/terms-of-use/) for the website.

2. Responsible entity

Georg Utz AG
Augraben 4
5620 Bremgarten AG
Switzerland
Data protection advisor: data-protection.ch@utzgroup.com
+41 56 648 77 11

3. Processing of personal data

When you use our website, various personal data is collected and processed. This is data with which you can be personally identified.

Personal data that we process about you includes:

  • Technical data: IP address of the terminal device and other technical data (browser used, date, time, etc.)
  • Name, form of address, title, company, department, contact details (e.g. name, postal address, country, telephone number, fax number, e-mail address, VAT number)
  • Payment data: Information about your payment method
  • Information about the company you work for, your position, your title
  • Customer account details: E-mail address, account information, contact details
  • Behavioural and preference data: Navigation on website (time, duration, number of visits, use forms, search settings)
  • Data on the product you have purchased (model, serial number)
  • Identification and background information
  • Communication data: Contact data, marginal data of communication, your comments and feedback
  • Information in connection with seminars and events, meetings

We therefore primarily process personal data that you disclose to us yourself when you contact us via the website. We collect other data while operating the website and its applications. It is also necessary to process certain technical data when you use the website.

The personal data you transmit to us in connection with your visit to our website mainly depends on your browser and its settings. If your settings allow, we may use cookies and similar tools.

Our website features a contact form that can be used for automated communication. If you make use of this option, the personal data entered in the input mask (such as name, e-mail address, postal address, telephone number, etc.) will be transmitted to us and stored on our systems. The data is used, for example, to contact you. The transmission of personal data from the contact forms is encrypted. At the time of dispatch, additional information such as the IP address and the time of dispatch are transmitted.

You can also contact us by using the e-mail addresses provided. Information that is sent by e-mail in unencrypted form can be read, altered or otherwise manipulated by unauthorised third parties. It may also be lost, deleted, arrive late or incomplete and contain viruses. There is also a risk of misattribution or third parties attempting to ascertain who is exchanging information with whom. Communication by e-mail is therefore neither secure nor confidential. Anyone who contacts us by e-mail therefore expressly accepts any associated loss of security and confidentiality involved. If you contact us by e-mail, you agree that e-mails that you send to us will also be answered in this way.

4. Purpose of processing

We use the personal data we collect for the following purposes:

  • Personalised service
  • Answering enquiries via the contact form and making contact
  • Processing of the contractual relationship (operation of an online shop)
  • Operating a customer account on our website
  • Further development of our offers, services and websites as well as other platforms on which we are present
  • Advertising and marketing (including the organisation of events)
  • Ensuring our operations, in particular IT, our website and other platforms
  • Compliance with our legal obligations, including the assertion, enforcement and defence of legal claims.

If we ask for your consent for certain processing (e.g. to set certain cookies), we will inform you separately about the corresponding purposes of the processing. You may revoke your consent at any time with effect for the future.

5. Fundamentals of data processing

Where we ask you for your consent to a particular processing operation, this processing will be based on your consent. Where we do not ask for your consent for processing, we will base the processing of your personal data on the fact that we have a legitimate interest in pursuing the purposes and objectives described above. In particular we have a legitimate interest in operating a website on which interested parties can obtain information about what we offer and what information and offers are of most interest to them. This allows us to present you with an optimised offer. The processing of your personal data also includes measures that we take at your request before we conclude a potential contract with you or that are necessary for the fulfilment of the contract. Our legitimate interests also include compliance with legal requirements. We also have a legitimate interest in protecting our website and organisation from misuse and other unauthorised use of this website.

6. Sharing of information

We only share the personal data collected by us within the scope of the above-mentioned purposes and only if the involvement of third parties is necessary for the fulfilment of our tasks (e.g. specialists for technical support, IT service providers, service providers for marketing, service providers for the execution of enquiries and communication, other service providers) or due to a legal obligation (e.g. authorities, official bodies, courts) or if you have given your consent. These third parties will have access to the data, but only to the extent necessary.

This may result in the transfer of collected data to countries that do not provide an adequate level of data protection from the perspective of Switzerland or the country from which you have transferred your personal data. If this is the case, we have implemented appropriate safeguards (e.g. by using the standard contractual clauses for the processing of personal data in accordance with the EU Commission‘s model clauses) to ensure adequate protection of personal data.

7. Retention period

We will retain personal data for as long as is necessary to fulfil our contractual and legal obligations (in particular our retention obligations) or otherwise for the purposes pursued with the processing. We will take all reasonable steps to ensure that your personal data is only processed for the minimum period necessary for the purposes set out in this Privacy Policy. Once your personal data is no longer required for the above-mentioned purposes, it will be deleted or anonymised to the greatest possible extent.

8. Data protection

We and our service providers apply both technical and organisational security measures to protect personal data we have stored against accidental or intentional manipulation, loss, destruction or against unauthorised access by third parties. Our data processing procedures and security measures are continually improved in line with technological developments.

9. Cookies and Tools

9.1. Cookies

In order to make your visit to our website more attractive and to enable you to use certain functions, we use so-called cookies on various pages. Cookies are small text files that are stored on your end device. The cookie settings you have made and an explanation of the individual cookies (name, provider, purpose, duration, type) can be found under the following link: https://www.utzgroup.ch/cookie-settings/    

When you visit our website, cookies or tracking technologies from third-party providers whose services we use may also be stored.

You can change your cookie preferences here: https://www.utzgroup.ch/cookie-settings/ or you can allow or block cookies – including web tracking cookies – via the settings of your Internet browser. You can either set your browser to block all cookies or to display a message whenever a cookie is set. Please note, however, that you may not be able to use all the services on our website if you have disabled cookies in your browser. Click on the links below for information on blocking or allowing cookies in the most common Internet browsers:

9.2. Pixels

Tracking pixels are small images that are automatically loaded when a website is visited and can be used to track user behaviour. The following services integrated into our website use pixels:

  • Cookiebot
  • Google
  • HubSpot
  • LinkedIn

Data transmission via pixels can be prevented as follows:

  • Block the loading of external images in your browser settings
  • Apply anonymous surfing
  • Apply specialised data protection plugins for your browser.

9.3. Google Maps

This website uses the Google Maps map service via an API. The provider is Google Ireland (based in Ireland). Google Ireland relies on Google LLC (based in the USA) as its processor. To use the functions of Google Maps, it is necessary to save your IP address. This information is usually transferred to and stored on a Google server in the USA. We have no influence on this data transfer. We use Google Maps to help us present our online content in attractive manner and to make it easier for you to find the locations we refer to on our website. Further information on the handling of user data can be found in Google‘s privacy policy: https://policies.google.com/privacy?hl=en&gl=en.

9.4. Google-Analytics

This website uses Google web analytics services. Google Ireland (based in Ireland) is the provider of the ‘Google Analytics’ service. Google Ireland relies on Google LLC (based in the USA) as its processor (both ‘Google’).

Google‘s web analysis services use so-called ‘cookies’, text files that are stored on your computer and enable your use of the website to be analysed. The information generated by the cookies about your use of this website is usually transmitted to and stored on a Google server in the USA. However, if IP anonymisation is activated on this website, your IP address will be truncated by Google beforehand. We have deactivated the ‘Data transfer’ and ‘Signals’ settings. We would like to point out that on this website Google Analytics has been extended by the code ‘anonymi-zeIp();’ to ensure anonymised collection of IP addresses (so-called IP masking).

If you agree to the use of Google Analytics, you explicitly consent to such processing, which also includes the transfer of personal data to the USA and other countries.

Only in exceptional cases will the full IP address be transmitted to and truncated on a Google server in the USA. Google will use this information on behalf of the operator of this website to analyse 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. Google may also transfer this information to third parties where required to do so by law, or where such third parties process the information on Google‘s behalf.

We use Google Analytics to analyse and continuously improve the use of our website. We use the statistics obtained to improve our content and make it more interesting for you. We also receive information about the functionality of our website.

The IP address transmitted by your browser as part of Google Analytics will not be merged with other Google data. Please note that although you may refuse the use of cookies by selecting the appropriate settings on your browser, you may not be able to use the full functionality of this website.

To prevent Google from collecting the data generated by the cookie and relating to your use of the website (including your IP address) and from processing this data by Google, you can also download and install the browser plug-in available under the following link: Download browser plugin (https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout?hl=en).

You can also prevent Google Analytics from collecting data by clicking on the following link. An opt-out cookie will be set to prevent future collection of your data when you visit this website: Deactivate Google Analytics (https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout?hl=en).

Further information on terms of use and data protection can be found at https://marketingplatform.google.com/about/analytics/terms/us/  resp. at https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/6004245?hl=en.

9.5. HubSpot

Our website uses the HubSpot service provided by HubSpot Inc, 25 First Street, 2nd Floor, Cambridge, MA 02141, USA. HubSpot is an integrated software solution that can be used for a variety of online marketing activities. These include our website content management, e-mail marketing, social media publishing & reporting, contact management and the provision of any landing pages and contact forms.

HubSpot also processes your data in the USA, among other places.

Although the data is stored on servers in the EU, we have no control over this data transfer. Further information on the handling of user data can be found in HubSpot‘s privacy policy: https://legal.hubspot.com/privacy-policy.

9.6. Social Media Plugins

Social media plug-ins are activated on our pages (Facebook, Twitter / X, YouTube, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Instagram). The social media plug-ins are labelled with the logo of the corresponding provider. Social media plug-ins allow websites to integrate social media functions to optimise user experience. These social media plug-ins are independent extensions of the providers of the respective social media network. We use the so-called ‘Shariff’ solution. With the help of Shariff, you can decide whether and when data is transmitted to the operators of the social networks. Therefore, when you visit our websites, no data is automatically transmitted to social networks such as Facebook, Twitter / X, YouTube, LinkedIn, Pinterest. Only when you actively click on the respective button will your internet browser establish a connection to the servers of the respective social networking sites. By clicking on the respective social network button, you consent to your Internet browser establishing a connection to the servers of the respective social network and transmitting usage data to the respective operator of the social network. We have no influence on the type and scope of data collected by these social media plug-ins and stored by their providers. When you use social media plug-ins, you send identifiable information to the respective social media platform. To object to the processing, you must contact the respective plug-in providers. Further information can be found in the privacy policies of the respective plug-in providers.

10. Your rights

In certain circumstances, applicable data protection law may grant you the right to object to the processing of your data. Depending on the applicable data protection law, you also have the following rights in relation to our data processing:

  • the right to request information from us as to whether and which of your data we process
  • the right to have incorrect data corrected
  • the right to request the deletion of data
  • the right to request that we disclose certain personal data
  • the right to withdraw consent where our processing is based on your consent
  • the right to disclosure for the purpose of transfer to another organisation
  • the right to request further information necessary to exercise these rights.

Where data processing on our website is based on your consent, you may revoke this consent at any time for the future without giving reasons.

For a right of access, disclosure or rectification, please contact us at:

Georg Utz AG
Augraben 4
5620 Bremgarten AG
Switzerland
data-protection.ch@utzgroup.com
+41 56 648 77 11

In addition, each person has the right to lodge a complaint with the competent supervisory authority in their country. In Switzerland, for example, this is the Federal Data Protection and Information Commissioner (https://www.edoeb.admin.ch/edoeb/en/home/deredoeb/kontakt.html). A list of EU data protection authorities can be found here: https://edpb.europa.eu/about-edpb/about-edpb/members_en. You can reach the supervisory authority of the United Kingdom here: https://ico.org.uk/global/contact-us/.

11. Amendments

As the content of this privacy policy must be adapted and updated from time to time, we reserve the right to make changes at any time without prior notice. The updated and amended version will be published on the website. The current version published on our website applies. We recommend that you read the data protection declaration each time you visit our website.

Privacy Policy (PDF, 470KB)