Privacy policy

It is important to us that you understand why and how we collect and use your personal information.

Here, we set out our policies on the collection and use of your data, and your rights under data protection legislation in the United Kingdom. Please always feel free to give us a bell or drop us an email if you want to chat it through.

In a nutshell, Engender works on the basis that it has a legitimate interest to use the data provided by its members to support our work. Members can choose at any time what they share with us and how we communicate with them.

The privacy and security of personal data is very important to us and we take the responsibility seriously.

 

About us

We are Scotland’s feminist membership organisation. We have a vision for a Scotland in which women and men have equal opportunities in life, equal access to resources and power, and are equally safe and secure from harm.

We work to advance equality between women and men, producing research, lobbying decision makers and empowering women to campaign for change.

Engender (the data controller) is a registered charity, no SC029053. Any reference to ‘us', ‘we', ‘our', ‘data controller' is in reference to Engender.

If you have any Data Protection concerns you can email or call us anytime.

 

What personal data do we collect and where from?

This Privacy Policy applies if you're a member, volunteer, supporter, employee or use any of our services, visit our online facilities such as websites, email, call or write to us.

We will never sell your data and will only share it with companies when it is necessary, there is a legitimate interest, or where explicit consent has been given and the privacy and security of the data is assured.

We collect personal data in connection with specific activities such as registration or membership requests, booking onto an event, conducting research, employment etc.

Personal Data collected may comprise:

• Your title
• Your name
• Your contact details which include email, postal address and telephone number
• Your payment details where necessary

Personal data provided by you

This is information you give when interacting with us, for example when joining as a member or registering for an event, applying for a job, taking part in research on our website or through other social media functions, entering a competition, promotion or survey, or by corresponding with us (by phone, email or post).

We will only ask for relevant information to enable us to fulfil our obligation to you or provide the service requested. The exact type and quantity of information we collect and how we use it depends on why you are providing it.

For members, we only ask for information relevant to our work.

We may automatically collect technical information about you and your visit when you visit our website.

Sensitive Personal Data

This includes, but is not limited to, racial or ethnic origin, sexual orientation. At times we’ll collect sensitive personal data for Equal Opportunities monitoring but this is only ever analysed at an aggregate level.

 

How do we use your personal data?

Personal data provided to us will be used for the purpose or purposes at the time of collection or registration where appropriate, in conjunction with any preferences you express. If asked by the police, or any other regulatory or government authority investigating suspected illegal activities, we may need to provide your personal data.

Prospective Engender Members

When we receive an application, an online membership profile is created and this normally contains the identity of the applicant. We will only use the information we collect to process the application and to provide further information about subscriptions. Prospective members can cancel their membership application at any time by emailing info@engender.org.uk.

Current Engender Members

Current members have an online membership profile which can be edited at any time by emailing us. We will use the information we collect to administer members and process payments, to provide services and to keep members informed of Engender news and related matters, not limited to but including:

• Welcome email
• Any required information about payment notifications
• Weekly newsletter containing Engender related news, events and updates
• Relevant update emails based around specific areas of Engender work
• Renewal notices and administration to do with membership, including any changes to the terms and conditions of membership e.g. price changes
• Information we are obligated to sending such as information related to our Annual General Meeting
• Research and surveys related to membership experience and updates on benefits
• We will occasionally send out information, via email or post, related to our news, events, campaigns or issues we feel our members may be interested in

Members can opt out at any time of any or all communications from the Engender, except those required for administering your membership, by clicking the unsubscribe button on emails or by emailing info@engender.org.uk.

 

Non-members who use Engender products, services and activities

We have to hold the details of the people who have requested a service in order to provide it. However, we only use these details to provide the service the person has requested and for other closely related purposes.

For example, we might send information about people who have registered for an event to the venue for the event so they know who is at the venue in case of an emergency.

When people do subscribe to our services or register for our events, they can cancel their subscription or registration at any time and are provided with an easy way of doing this.

The Engender Online Membership Database

The Engender Online Organisation Membership Database (“Database”) is a central, online resource of our members.

The purpose of this Database is to publicly list Engender’s organisational members, website, and some contact details. Consent for this information to be shared publicly can be given, amended and taken away at any time. You may also opt out of appearing in this Database altogether.

Recruitment and employment

In order to comply with our contractual, statutory, and management obligations and responsibilities, we process personal data, including ‘sensitive’ personal data, from job applicants and employees (see Sensitive Data section above). In certain circumstances, we may process personal data or sensitive personal data without explicit consent.

 

What is the legal basis for processing your data?

In order to process information we must have a lawful reason for doing so. The four most common reasons why we process data are as follows;

• Contractual
• Legitimate interest
• Consent
• Legal Obligation

We will only use your personal data on the relevant lawful grounds as detailed above.

Below are the main uses of your data which depend on the type of relationship we have with you and how you interact with our services, websites and activities.

Members

Engender relies upon Legitimate Interest to help us provide the services linked to your membership and to keep you abreast of information and events pertaining to your membership.

Each communication channel has a clear Opt Out option and preferences can also be updated by emailing us.

Single Issue Use

We may request your personal data in order for us to provide you with a single use service. This may include, but is not limited to, information about an event or campaign.

We will contact you about this specific use and may send you reasonable further communications about this single issue. We may also request explicit consent for other items such as contacting you about membership or other products.

Communications (non-members)

Subscribers to our newsletter will only be contacted with relevant Engender content such as, but not limited to, campaigns, events, news and member benefits. We will never pass your personal data, outside of contracted services, to any third party outside of Engender.

 

Who do we share your data with?

In most cases, personal data will not be disclosed without consent, except where it is in the interests of the data subject and other situations as required by law e.g. the prevention and detection of crime.

We may be required to pass your data on to a third party to carry out a service, for example our newsletter platform, but we will only do this when necessary and the security of your data can be guaranteed.

 

How do you keep your information up to date?

You can update your personal data at any time. This includes the right to withdraw your consent to any of our member communications, apart from those required to administer your application, and to any of your membership details being displayed on our website in the Database.

If you want to update or amend your personal data or marketing preferences you can do so in the following ways:

• Email: Write to info@engender.org.uk. We will store this email on your member record as proof of consent for any amendments to your record.
• Call us: 07923236488 (Office opening hours Monday to Thursday, 9am to 5.00pm). We can amend your contact details. Communication preferences must be done in writing or by yourself online.

 

How do we keep your data secure?

Information system and data security is imperative to us to ensure that we are keeping our members, employees and those we work with, safe. Your membership is managed by Engender staff only and your data transferred to third parties for processing only when necessary to fulfil membership or service requirements.

Certain necessary personal information that we collect from our members or service users will be transferred to, and stored at, third parties outside the UK (such as our newsletter provider Mailchimp). This is necessary to supply our service to you and is only retained as long as is necessary for the membership or service.

We will keep your personal information for limited and appropriate periods of time and as long as is required by applicable law/contractual obligations.

 

Changes to this privacy policy

We will amend this Privacy Policy from time to time to ensure that it remains up to date and reflects clearly how we use your personal data. Please visit our website to keep up to date with any changes. We will not amend anything that will affect your rights. The current version will always be posted on our website.

This Privacy Policy was last updated in August 2023.