1. General information on the collection of personal data
a) The protection of your privacy while you use our websites is very important to us – accordingly, we use your personal data in conformity with the legal regulations on data protection. Personal data means all data relating to you personally, e.g. name, address, email address, user behaviour. The following shall inform you on how we are handling your personal data.
b) If you are under 16 years of age, please obtain permission of a parent/legal guardian prior to making personal data available to us.
2. Collection of personal data when visiting our website
a) In principle, you may visit our website without disclosing to us who you are. As is standard for virtually all other websites, the server on which our website is hosted (in the following, called “web server“) automatically collects information from you when you visit us online. These data are required for us for technical reasons and ensure the website’s stability and safety.
The web server automatically recognizes certain personal data – for example, your IP address, the date and time of day that you are on our website; the pages you visited on our site; the last website you visited before; the browser you are using (e.g. Internet Explorer, Firefox, Safari); the operating system you are using (e.g. Windows, Linux, MAC OS) as well as the domain name and the address of your internet provider (e.g. 1&1, Telekom, Unitymedia). If our website uses cookies (as explained below), the web server stores this information as well (its legal basis is Art. 6 subsection 1 sentence 1 f GDPR).
We regularly analyse such server protocols anonymously for statistical purposes (click stream analyses) so that we can see how our websites are used. Based on these findings, we will then optimise our online presence.
We can additionally use such information in case of a system misuse to determine the originator of such misuse in collaboration with your internet provider and/or local authorities.
b) In addition to the aforementioned data, cookies will be stored on your computer when you use our website. Cookies are small text files that are saved to your hard drive in connection with the browser you are using and by means of which the site issuing these cookies (in this case, our site) receives specific information. Cookies cannot run programs or infect your computer with a virus. They are used to enhance the overall user-friendliness and efficiency of an online presence.
aa) This website uses the following types of cookies, the scope and functionality of which will be explained below:
- Transient cookies (see bb)
- Persistent cookies (see cc).
bb)Transient cookies are automatically deleted upon closing the browser. This especially includes session cookies. They save a so-called session ID which is used to attribute different requests from your browser to the joint session. Your computer can thus be recognized, should you return to our website. Session cookies are deleted when you log off or close the browser.
cc) Persistent cookies are deleted automatically after a pre-set period of time which may differ depending on the cookie. You may delete the cookies anytime using your browser’s security settings.
dd) You may configure your browser settings according to your preference and thus decline, for example, the acceptance of third-party cookies or all cookies. Please note that, in this case, you might possibly be unable to use all functions of this website.
c) Third-party cookies on our websites
We allow third parties to place cookies on your computer via these websites.
(1) Our website uses Google Analytics, a web analytics service provided by Google Inc. (“Google“). Google Analytics uses so-called “cookies”, text files saved to your computer and which allow an analysis of your usage of the website. The information generated by the cookie about your use of the website will generally be transmitted to and stored by Google on a server in the U.S.A. However, if IP anonymization is activated on this website within the area of Member States of the European Union or other contract states to the Agreement on the European Economic Area, your IP address will be truncated by Google beforehand. Only in exceptional cases will the full IP address be transmitted to a Google server in the U.S.A. and truncated there. On behalf of the operator of this website, Google will use this information for the purpose of evaluating your usage of the website, compiling reports on website activities and providing other services relating to website and internet usage for the operator of the website.
(2) The IP address transmitted by your browser through Google Analytics will not be associated with other data from Google.
(3) You may prevent the saving of cookies by selecting the appropriate settings on your browser software; however, please note that if you do this you might possibly be unable to use the full functionality of this website. In addition, you can prevent data generated by the cookie and relating to your usage of the website (including your IP address) from being collected and processed by Google, by downloading and installing the browser plug-in available via the following link: https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout?hl=de.
(4) This website uses Google Analytics with the add-on “_anonymizeIp()”. As a result, IP addresses are being processed in truncated form, thus excluding references to personal data. Insofar as the data collected on you shows reference to personal data, this will be excluded immediately and the personal data will thus be immediately deleted.
(5) We use Google Analytics in order to analyse the use of our website and enhance it regularly. The statistics obtained allow us to improve our service and make it more interesting for you as a user. Concerning exceptional cases in which personal data are transmitted to the U.S.A., Google has submitted itself to the EU-US Privacy Shield Framework, https://www.privacyshield.gov/EU-US-Framework. Legal basis for the use of Google Analytics is Art. 6 subsection 1 sentence 1 letter f GDPR.
(6) Information of the third party: Google Dublin, Google Ireland Ltd., Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland, fax: +353 (1) 436 1001. Terms of use: https://www.google.com/analytics/terms/de.html, overview on data protection:
https://www.google.com/intl/de/analytics/learn/privacy.html, as well as the privacy: https://www.google.de/intl/de/policies/privacy.
d)Use of social media plug-ins
We do not use any social media plug-ins. In some places, we merely provide links to Linkedin and Twitter.
e) ) Embedding YouTube videos
(1) We have embedded YouTube videos into our online presence, which are hosted at https://www.YouTube.com and can be played directly on our website.
(2) When you visit the website, YouTube receives the information that you have accessed the respective subpage of our website. The data specified in item 2 of this statement will be transmitted additionally. This is done regardless of whether YouTube provides a user account in which you are logged in or if such a user account is non-existent. If you are logged into Google, your data will be attributed directly to your account. If you do not want the allocation to your YouTube profile, you must log off from YouTube before activating the button. YouTube stores your data as use profiles and utilizes them for purposes of advertising, market research and/or the needs-based design of its website. Such an analysis is done especially (even for users not logged in) to provide needs-based advertisement and to inform other users of the social network about your activities on our website. You have the right to object concerning the creation of such user profiles, and you must assert such right vis-à-vis YouTube.
(3) You may obtain further information on the purpose and scope of the collection of data and their processing by YouTube through YouTube’s privacy statement. You will there also obtain further information regarding your rights and regarding configuration options to secure your privacy.
f) Embedding Google Maps
(1) We are using Google Maps’ services on this website. We can thus show you interactive maps directly on the website and allow you the convenient use of the map function.
(2) When you visit the website, Google will obtain the information that you accessed the respective subpage of our website. The data specified in item 2 of this statement will be transmitted additionally. This is done regardless of whether Google provides a user account in which you are logged in or if such a user account is non-existent. If you are logged into Google, your data will be attributed directly to your account. If you do not want the allocation to your Google profile, you must log off before activating the button. Google stores your data as use profiles and utilizes them for purposes of advertising, market research and/or the needs-based design of its website. Such an analysis is done especially (even for users not logged in) to provide needs-based advertisement and to inform other users of the social network about your activities on our website. You have the right to object concerning the creation of such user profiles, and you must assert such right vis-à-vis Google.
(3) You may obtain further information on the purpose and scope of the collection of data and their processing by the plug-in provider through the provider’s privacy statements. You will there also obtain further information regarding your rights in this respect and regarding configuration options to secure your privacy: https://www.google.de/intl/de/policies/privacy. Google also processes your personal data in the U.S.A. and has subjected itself to the EU-US Privacy Shield Framework: https://www.privacyshield.gov/EU-US-Framework.
g) Contact
If you contact us via email or a contact form, we will save the data provided by you (your email address; if necessary, your name and your telephone number) so that we can answer your questions. Data collected in this context will be deleted by us once storage is no longer necessary, or we will restrict the processing if statutory storage periods exist.
3. Legal basis of processing
We process your personal data on the basis of Art. 6 I letter f GDPR. Your personal data are processed so that we can make our internet presence available to you and inform you about our company, as well as our products, events and job offers. Moreover, our website enables contacts with interested parties.
With our internet presence, we have a legitimate interest of making available an information and communications platform for all visitors to our website.
If you have given us your consent, we will process and use your email address to send you our newsletter.
You may revoke your consent to receive our newsletter at any time effective for the future by clicking on the corresponding link in the footer of the newsletter or by sending us a corresponding email to the email address indicated under item 1. b).
Art. 6 subsection 1 letter a GDPR is the legal basis for processing and using these personal data.
You are principally not obligated to provide us with your data. Please note, however, that it may be necessary to process your personal data so that you can visit our web presence or use the services we offer.
There will not be any automatic decision-making implemented which is exclusively based on automated processing, including profiling, and which produces a legal impact or adversely affects you in a similar manner.
4. Storage period
The personal data collected and stored are held only for as long as the collection purpose requires.
5. Data processing location
We process your data both within the EU and outside the EU in some cases as well. Due to the global nature of our company, we may also transmit your personal data to the U.S.A. and other countries, whose data protection legislation might possibly be less comprehensive than that of the EU. In such cases, access to your personal data shall be limited to natural persons who must have knowledge of such data for the purposes described in this data protection guideline.
6. Security measures
As far as we transmit data to our service providers within the scope of the services described here, such service providers are not only bound by mandatory legal provisions but also, in addition, by our contractual requirements on the subject of data protection.
We use security measures which we will optimise continuously in accordance with technical and legal developments to protect your data, in the best possible manner, against accidental or intentional manipulation, loss, destruction or access by unauthorised third parties.
7. Links to other websites
Our online presence contains links to other websites. This data protection statement does not cover other providers.
We have no influence on their operator’s compliance with the data protection regulations and we therefore also do not assume any liability for the correctness, topicality and completeness of the information provided there.
Our website may contain hyperlinks to websites that are owned and operated by third parties. These third-party websites have their own data protection guidelines and will probably also use cookies, and we advise you to check them. The guidelines of these websites govern the use of personal data transmitted by you upon visiting the respective website, and they may also be collected by cookies. We do not assume any liability for such third-party websites, and we ask you to please note that your use of such websites will be at your own risk.
8. Contact
The rapid development of the internet makes adjustments to our data protection regulations necessary from time to time. You will be informed about any new features or amendments at this point.
