This privacy policy explains what personal information Workforce Information Council collects when you use workforceinfocouncil.org, why we collect it, how long we keep it and the rights you have. We have written it to meet the requirements of the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR), the Data Protection Act 2018 and the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations (PECR).
Who we are
This website is operated by Workforce Information Council, an independent information publisher (referred to here as “we” or “us”). We are the controller of the personal information described in this policy. You can contact us about privacy through our contact page.
The information we collect
We keep the personal information we collect to a minimum.
- Messages you send us. When you use our contact or feedback form, we collect your name, email address and the content of your message.
- Website usage information. When you visit the site, Google Analytics collects information about how the site is used, such as the pages you view, how you arrived, the type of device and browser you use and your approximate location derived from your IP address. This information is used in aggregate and is not used by us to identify you.
- Server logs. Like most websites, our hosting provider automatically records technical information about requests to the site, including IP addresses, browser type and the pages requested, to keep the site secure and working.
We do not ask for, and ask you not to send us, special category information such as details of your health, ethnicity, religion or trade union membership unless it is essential to your message.
How and why we use your information
| Purpose | Information used | Lawful basis |
|---|---|---|
| Replying to your message, correction request or feedback | Name, email address, message | Legitimate interests in responding to people who contact us |
| Understanding how the site is used so we can improve it | Analytics data | Consent, where analytics cookies require it |
| Keeping the site secure and preventing abuse | Server logs | Legitimate interests in operating a secure website |
| Meeting legal obligations | Any of the above, where required | Legal obligation |
We do not sell your personal information and we do not use it for automated decision-making that has legal or similarly significant effects on you.
Cookies and similar technologies
Cookies are small text files placed on your device. We use:
- Analytics cookies set by Google Analytics (for example
_gaand_ga_followed by an identifier), which distinguish visitors and sessions so we can count visits and see which pages are used. These cookies can last up to two years. - Strictly necessary cookies set by WordPress only when someone logs in to manage the site. Ordinary readers do not log in.
You can block or delete cookies through your browser settings, and you can opt out of Google Analytics across all websites using the Google Analytics opt-out browser add-on (external site). Blocking cookies will not stop you reading the site.
Who we share information with
We share personal information only with service providers who help us run the site, and only as far as necessary:
- our web hosting provider, which stores the website and its data;
- Google, which provides Google Analytics. Google’s use of this data is described in Google’s privacy policy (external site);
- email providers that carry messages sent through our forms.
Where we embed content from other websites, such as videos or social media posts, those websites may collect information about you in the same way as if you had visited them directly.
We may also disclose information where the law requires it, or to protect our rights or the safety of others.
International transfers
Some of our service providers, including Google, may process information outside the UK. Where this happens, we rely on the safeguards provided for under UK data protection law, such as adequacy regulations or standard contractual clauses.
How long we keep information
- Messages sent through our forms are kept for as long as needed to deal with them and any follow-up, and are then deleted. We aim not to keep them for more than two years.
- Analytics data is kept in line with the retention period set in our Google Analytics account.
- Server logs are kept by our hosting provider for a limited period for security purposes.
Your rights
Under UK data protection law you have the right to:
- ask for a copy of the personal information we hold about you;
- ask us to correct information that is wrong or incomplete;
- ask us to delete your information;
- ask us to restrict how we use your information;
- object to our use of your information where we rely on legitimate interests;
- ask for information you gave us to be transferred to another organisation, where this applies;
- withdraw consent at any time where we rely on consent.
To use any of these rights, please contact us. We will respond within one month, as the law requires, and we may ask you to confirm your identity first.
Complaints
If you are unhappy with how we have handled your information, please contact us first so we can try to put it right. You also have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), the UK data protection regulator, at ico.org.uk (external site) or on 0303 123 1113.
Children
This website is intended for a general adult audience and is not directed at children. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children.
Links to other websites
Our articles link to other websites. This policy does not cover those sites, and we encourage you to read their privacy policies.
Changes to this policy
We may update this policy when our practices or the law change. The latest version will always be on this page.