Privacy Policy

Personal data (hereinafter mostly referred to as just “data”) is only processed by us to the extent necessary and for the purpose of providing a functional and user-friendly website, including its content and the services offered there.

According to Art. 4 No. 1 of Regulation (EU) 2016/679, the General Data Protection Regulation (hereinafter only referred to as “GDPR”), “processing” means any operation or set of operations which is performed on personal data or on sets of personal data, whether or not by automated means, such as collection, recording, organisation, structuring, storage, adaptation or alteration, retrieval, consultation, use, disclosure by transmission, dissemination or otherwise making available, alignment or combination, restriction, erasure or destruction.

With the following privacy policy, we inform you in particular about the type, scope, purpose, duration and legal basis of the processing of personal data, insofar as we decide on the purposes and means of processing either alone or jointly with others. In addition, we will inform you below about the third-party components we use for optimisation purposes and to increase the quality of use, insofar as this results in third parties processing data under their own responsibility.

Information about us as the responsible party can be found on the ‘Imprint’ page

Our privacy policy is structured as follows:

I. Rights of users and data subjects

II. Information on data processing

I. Rights of users and data subjects

With regard to the data processing described in more detail below, users and data subjects have the right

to confirmation as to whether data concerning them is being processed, to information about the data processed, to further information about the data processing and to copies of the data (see also Art. 15 GDPR);
to rectification or completion of incorrect or incomplete data (see also Art. 16 GDPR);
to the immediate erasure of data concerning them (see also Art. 17 GDPR), or, alternatively, if further processing is necessary pursuant to Art. 17 para. 3 GDPR, to restriction of processing in accordance with Art. 18 GDPR;
to receive the data concerning them that they have provided and to transmit this data to other providers/controllers (see also Art. 20 GDPR);
to lodge a complaint with the supervisory authority if they are of the opinion that the data concerning them is being processed by the provider in violation of data protection regulations (see also Art. 77 GDPR).

In addition, the provider is obliged to inform all recipients to whom data has been disclosed by the provider of any correction or deletion of data or restriction of processing that takes place on the basis of Articles 16, 17 para. 1, 18 GDPR. However, this obligation does not apply if this notification is impossible or involves disproportionate effort. Notwithstanding this, the user has a right to information about these recipients.

Users and data subjects also have the right under Art. 21 GDPR to object to the future processing of data concerning them, provided that the data is processed by the provider in accordance with Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f) GDPR. In particular, an objection to data processing for the purpose of direct advertising is permissible.

II. Information on data processing

Your data processed when using our website will be deleted or blocked as soon as the purpose of storage no longer applies, the deletion of the data does not conflict with any statutory retention requirements and no other information is subsequently provided for individual processing procedures.

Server data

For technical reasons, in particular to ensure a secure and stable website, data is transmitted by your internet browser to us or to our web space provider. These so-called server log files include the type and version of your internet browser, the operating system, the website from which you switched to our website (referrer URL), the website(s) of our website that you visit, the date and time of the respective access and the IP address of the internet connection from which our website is used.

The data collected in this way is temporarily stored, but not together with other data from you.

This storage takes place on the legal basis of Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f) GDPR. Our legitimate interest lies in improving the stability, functionality and security of our website.

The data will be deleted after seven days at the latest, unless further retention is required for evidentiary purposes. Otherwise, the data will be wholly or partially excluded from deletion until the final clarification of an incident.

Cookies

a) Session cookies

We use cookies on our website. Cookies are small text files or other storage technologies that are stored on your device by the internet browser you use. These cookies process certain information from you to an individual extent, such as your browser or location data or your IP address.

This processing makes our website more user-friendly, effective and secure, as the processing enables, for example, the display of our website in different languages or the offer of a shopping cart function.

The legal basis for this processing is Art. 6 para. 1 lit b.) GDPR, provided that these cookies process data for the initiation or execution of a contract.

If the processing does not serve to initiate or execute a contract, our legitimate interest lies in improving the functionality of our website. The legal basis is then Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f) GDPR.

These session cookies are deleted when you close your internet browser.

b) Third-party cookies

Our website may also use cookies from partner companies with whom we cooperate for the purpose of advertising, analysis or the functionalities of our website.

Please refer to the following information for details on this, in particular on the purposes and legal bases for processing such third-party cookies.

c) Removal option

You can prevent or restrict the installation of cookies by setting your internet browser accordingly. You can also delete cookies that have already been saved at any time. However, the steps and measures required for this depend on the specific internet browser you are using. If you have any questions, please use the help function or documentation of your internet browser or contact its manufacturer or support. With so-called flash cookies, however, the processing cannot be prevented via the settings of the browser. Instead, you have to change the setting of your flash player. The steps and measures required for this also depend on the specific flash player you are using. If you have any questions, please use the help function or documentation of your flash player or contact the manufacturer or user support.

If you prevent or restrict the installation of cookies, this may mean that not all functions of our website can be used to their full extent.

Newsletter

If you subscribe to our free newsletter, the data requested from you for this purpose, i.e. your email address and – optionally – your name and address, will be transmitted to us. At the same time, we save the IP address of the internet connection from which you access our website and the date and time of your registration. As part of the further registration process, we will obtain your consent to the sending of the newsletter, describe the content in detail and refer to this privacy policy. We use the data collected in this way exclusively for sending the newsletter – it will therefore not be passed on to third parties in particular.

The legal basis for this is Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a) GDPR.

You can revoke your consent to receive the newsletter at any time with effect for the future in accordance with Art. 7 para. 3 GDPR. To do this, you only need to inform us of your revocation or click on the unsubscribe link contained in each newsletter.

Twitter

We maintain an online presence on Twitter to present our company and our services and to communicate with customers/interested parties. Twitter is a service of Twitter Inc., 1355 Market Street, Suite 900, San Francisco, CA 94103, USA.

In this respect, we would like to point out that there is a possibility that user data may be processed outside the European Union, in particular in the USA. This may result in increased risks for users, as, for example, subsequent access to user data may be made more difficult. We also have no access to this user data. The possibility of access lies exclusively with Twitter.

The privacy policy of Twitter can be found at

https://twitter.com/de/privacy

LinkedIn

We maintain an online presence on LinkedIn to present our company and our services and to communicate with customers/interested parties. LinkedIn is a service of LinkedIn Ireland Unlimited Company, Wilton Plaza, Wilton Place, Dublin 2, Ireland, a subsidiary of LinkedIn Corporation, 1000 W. Maude Avenue, Sunnyvale, CA 94085, USA.

The privacy policy of LinkedIn can be found at

https://www.linkedin.com/legal/privacy-policy

Instagram

We operate a company presence on the Instagram platform to promote our products and services and to communicate with interested parties or customers.

On this social media platform, we are jointly responsible with Facebook Ireland Ltd., 4 Grand Canal Square, Grand Canal Harbour, Dublin 2 Ireland.

The data protection officer of Instagram can be reached via a contact form:

https://www.facebook.com/help/contact/540977946302970

We have regulated the joint responsibility in an agreement regarding the respective obligations within the meaning of the GDPR. This agreement, from which the mutual obligations arise, can be accessed under the following link:

https://www.facebook.com/legal/terms/page_controller_addendum

The legal basis for the processing of personal data that takes place as a result and is reproduced below is Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR. Our legitimate interest lies in the analysis, communication, sales and promotion of our products and services.

The legal basis may also be the user’s consent pursuant to Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR to the platform operator. The user can revoke their consent at any time for the future by sending a message to the platform operator in accordance with Art. 7 para. 3 GDPR.

When our online presence is accessed on the Instagram platform, data from the user (e.g. personal information, IP address, etc.) is processed by Facebook Ireland Ltd. as the operator of the platform in the EU.

This user data is used for statistical information about the use of our company presence on Instagram. Facebook Ireland Ltd. uses this data for market research and advertising purposes and for creating user profiles. Based on these profiles, Facebook Ireland Ltd. is able, for example, to advertise to users within and outside of Instagram in a way that is relevant to their interests. If the user is logged into their account on Instagram at the time of access, Facebook Ireland Ltd. can also link the data with the respective user account.

If the user makes contact via Instagram, the personal data entered by the user on this occasion will be used to process the request. The user’s data will be deleted by us if the user’s request has been answered conclusively and there are no statutory retention obligations, such as in the case of subsequent contract processing, to the contrary.

Cookies may also be set by Facebook Ireland Ltd. to process the data.

If the user does not agree with this processing, there is the option of preventing the installation of cookies by setting the browser accordingly. Cookies that have already been saved can also be deleted at any time. The settings for this depend on the respective browser. With flash cookies, the processing cannot be prevented via the settings of the browser, but rather by the corresponding setting of the flash player. If the user prevents or restricts the installation of cookies, this may mean that not all functions of Facebook can be used to their full extent.

Further details on the processing activities, their prevention and the deletion of the data processed by Instagram can be found in Instagram’s data policy:

https://help.instagram.com/519522125107875

It cannot be ruled out that the processing by Facebook Ireland Ltd. also takes place via Facebook Inc., 1601 Willow Road, Menlo Park, California 94025 in the USA.

Linking social media via graphic or text link

We also advertise presences on the social networks listed below on our website. The integration takes place via a linked graphic of the respective network. The use of this linked graphic prevents a connection from being automatically established to the respective server of the social network when a website that has social media advertising is accessed in order to display a graphic of the respective network itself. Only by clicking on the corresponding graphic is the user redirected to the service of the respective social network.

After the user has been redirected, the respective network collects information about the user. It cannot be ruled out that the data collected in this way will be processed in the USA.

This initially includes data such as IP address, date, time and page visited. If the user is logged into their user account on the respective network at the same time, the network operator may be able to assign the collected information about the specific visit of the user to the user’s personal account. If the user interacts via a “Share” button of the respective network, this information can be stored in the user’s personal user account and, if necessary, published. If the user wants to prevent the collected information from being directly assigned to their user account, they must log out before clicking on the graphic. In addition, it is possible to configure the respective user account accordingly.

The following social networks are integrated into our site by linking:

Facebook

Facebook Ireland Limited, 4 Grand Canal Square, Dublin 2, Ireland, a subsidiary of Facebook Inc., 1601 S. California Ave., Palo Alto, CA 94304, USA.

Twitter

Twitter Inc., 795 Folsom St., Suite 600, San Francisco, CA 94107, USA

LinkedIn

LinkedIn Ireland Unlimited Company, Wilton Plaza, Wilton Place, Dublin 2, Ireland, a subsidiary of LinkedIn Corporation, 1000 W. Maude Avenue, Sunnyvale, CA 94085 USA.

Instagram

Facebook Ireland Limited, 4 Grand Canal Square, Dublin 2, Ireland, a subsidiary of Facebook Inc., 1601 S. California Ave., Palo Alto, CA 94304, USA.

Google Analytics

We use Google Analytics on our website. This is a web analysis service provided by Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland, hereinafter referred to as “Google”.

The Google Analytics service is used to analyse the usage behaviour of our website. The legal basis is Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f) GDPR. Our legitimate interest lies in the analysis, optimisation and economic operation of our website.

Usage and user-related information, such as IP address, location, time or frequency of visits to our website, are transferred to a Google server in the USA and stored there. However, we use Google Analytics with the so-called anonymisation function. This function allows Google to shorten the IP address within the EU or the EEA.

The data collected in this way is in turn used by Google to provide us with an evaluation of visits to our website and of the usage activities there. This data can also be used to provide further services related to the use of our website and the use of the internet.

Google states that it does not connect your IP address with other data. In addition, Google provides information on

https://www.google.com/intl/de/policies/privacy/partners

further data protection information for you, such as on the options for preventing data use.

Google also offers information at

https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout?hl=de

a so-called deactivation add-on along with further information on this. This add-on can be installed with the common Internet browsers and offers you further control over the data that Google collects when you access our website. The add-on tells the JavaScript (ga.js) of Google Analytics that information about the visit to our website should not be transmitted to Google Analytics. However, this does not prevent information from being transmitted to us or to other web analysis services. Whether and which other web analysis services are used by us, you will of course also find out in this privacy policy.

MailChimp – Newsletter

We offer you the possibility to register for our free newsletter via our website.

For sending the newsletter, we use MailChimp, a service of The Rocket Science Group, LLC, 512 Means Street, Suite 404, Atlanta, GA 30318, USA, hereinafter referred to as “The Rocket Science Group”.

The Rocket Science Group also offers further data protection information at

http://mailchimp.com/legal/privacy/

further data protection information.

If you subscribe to our newsletter, the data requested during the registration process, such as your e-mail address and, optionally, your name and address, will be processed by The Rocket Science Group. In addition, your IP address and the date and time of your registration will be stored. As part of the further registration process, your consent to the sending of the newsletter will be obtained, the content will be specifically described and reference will be made to this data protection declaration.

The newsletter subsequently sent via The Rocket Science Group also contains a so-called tracking pixel, also called web beacon. With the help of this tracking pixel, we can evaluate whether and when you have read our newsletter and whether you have followed the further links contained in the newsletter. In addition to other technical data, such as the data of your computer system and your IP address, the data processed in this way is stored so that we can optimize our newsletter offer and respond to the wishes of the readers. The data is therefore used to increase the quality and attractiveness of our newsletter offer.

The legal basis for sending the newsletter and the analysis is Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a.) GDPR.