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1. Data protection
at a glance

General information

The following provides a simple overview of what happens to your personal data when you visit this website. Personal data is any data by which you can be personally identified. For detailed information on the subject of data protection, please refer to our privacy policy which is set out under this text.

Data collection on this website

Who is responsible for data collection on this website?

Data processing on this website is carried out by the website operator. You can find the contact details of the website operator in the "Information about the responsible body" section of this privacy policy.

How do we collect your data?

On the one hand, your data is collected when you provide it to us. This may, for example, be data that you enter in a contact form.

Other data is collected automatically or with your consent by our IT systems when you visit the website. This is mainly technical data (e.g. internet browser, operating system or time of page access). This data is collected automatically as soon as you enter the website.

What do we use your data for?

Some of the data is collected in order to ensure the error-free provision of the website. Other data may be used to analyse your user behaviour.

What rights do you have regarding your data?

You have the right to obtain information free of charge at any time about the origin, recipient and purpose of your stored personal data. You also have the right to request that this data be corrected or deleted. If you have given your consent to data processing, you can revoke this consent at any time for the future. Furthermore, you also have the right to request the restriction of the processing of your personal data under certain circumstances. Pursuant to Art. 17 GDPR, deletion may only be requested insofar as such processing is not necessary for the exercise of the right to freedom of expression and information, for compliance with a legal obligation, for reasons of public interest or for the establishment, exercise or defence of legal claims.

Furthermore, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the competent supervisory authority.

You can contact us at any time about this and other questions on the subject of data protection.

Analysis tools and third-party tools

When visiting this website, your surfing behaviour may be statistically analysed. This is mainly done with so-called analysis programmes.
Detailed information on these analysis programmes can be found in the following privacy policy.

 

2.
Hosting

External hosting

This website is hosted by an external service provider (host). The personal data collected on this website is stored on the servers of the host. This may specifically include IP addresses, contact requests, metadata and communication data, contractual data, contact details, names, website accesses and other data generated via a website.

The host is used for the purpose of contract fulfilment vis-à-vis our potential and existing customers (Art. 6 para. 1 lit. b GDPR) and in the interest of a secure, fast and efficient provision of our online offer by a professional provider (Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR). If corresponding consent has been requested, processing is carried out exclusively in accordance with Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR and Section 25 para. 1 of the German Telecommunications-Telemedia Data Protection Act TTDSG, insofar as the consent includes the storage of cookies or access to information in the user's terminal device (e.g. device fingerprinting) in accordance with the German Telecommunications-Telemedia Data Protection Act TTDSG.

This consent can be revoked at any time.

Our host will only process your data insofar as this is necessary for the fulfilment of its performance obligations and will follow our instructions with regard to this data.

We use the following host:
pehle/reineck UG (limited liability) & Co. KG, Milser Straße 37, 33729 Bielefeld, Germany

Data processing

We have concluded a data processing agreement (DPA) according to Section 28 of the GDPR with the above-mentioned provider. This is a contract required by data protection law, which ensures that the provider only processes the personal data of our website visitors according to our instructions and in compliance with the GDPR.

 

3. General notes and
obligatory information

Data protection

The operators of this website take the protection of your personal data very seriously. We will treat your personal data confidentially and in accordance with the statutory data protection regulations and this privacy policy.
When you use this website, various personal data is collected. Personal data is data by which you can be personally identified. This privacy policy explains which data we collect and what we use it for. It also explains how and for what purpose this is done.
We would like to point out that data transmission on the Internet (e.g. when communicating by e-mail) may have security gaps. Complete protection of data against access by third parties is not possible.

Note on the responsible party

The party responsible for data processing on this website is:
BKS Rechtsanwälte Wirtschaftsprüfer Steuerberater
Elsa-Brändström-Str. 7
33602 Bielefeld
Germany
Phone: +49 (0)521 | 2993-200
E-mail: info@bks-rechtsanwaelte.de

The responsible party is the natural person or legal entity that alone or jointly with others determines the purposes and means of the processing of personal data (e.g. names, e-mail addresses, etc.).

Storage period

Unless a more specific retention period is stated within this privacy policy, your personal data will remain with us until the purpose for processing the data no longer applies. If you assert a legitimate request for deletion or revoke your consent to data processing, your data will be deleted unless we have other legally permissible reasons for storing your personal data (e.g. retention periods under tax or commercial law); in the latter case, the data will be deleted once these reasons no longer apply.

General information on the legal basis for data processing on this website

If your data is required for the performance of a contract or for the execution of pre-contractual measures, we will process your data in accordance with Art. 6 para. 1 lit. b GDPR. Furthermore, if this data is necessary for the fulfilment of a legal obligation, we will process it in accordance with Art. 6 para. 1 lit. c GDPR. Data processing may also be carried out on the basis of our legitimate interest according to Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR.

If we obtain your consent for the processing of your personal data, we will process your personal data in accordance with Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR or Art. 9 para. 2 lit. a GDPR insofar as special categories of data are processed according to Art. 9 para.1 GDPR. This consent can be revoked at any time.

Information on the relevant legal basis in each individual case is provided in the following paragraphs of this privacy policy.

Data protection officer

We have appointed a data protection officer for our company.
BKS Rechtsanwälte Wirtschaftsprüfer Steuerberater
Elsa-Brändström-Str. 7
33602 Bielefeld
Germany
Phone: +49 (0)521 | 2993-200
E-mail: datenschutz@bks-rechtsanwaelte.de

Revocation of your consent to data processing

If your consent has been obtained for data processing operations, you can revoke any consent you have already given at any time. The legality of the data processing carried out until such revocation remains shall unaffected by the revocation.

Right to object to data collection in special cases and to direct marketing (Art. 21 GDPR)

If data processing is carried out in accordance with Art. 6 para. 1 lit. e or f GDPR, you have the right to object to the processing of your personal data at any time for reasons arising from your particular situation; this also applies to profiling based on these provisions. The respective legal basis on which the processing is based can be found in this privacy statement.

If you object, we will no longer process your personal data concerned unless we can demonstrate compelling legitimate grounds for the processing which override your interests, rights and freedoms, or for the establishment, exercise or defence of legal claims (objection according to Art. 21 para. 1 GDPR).

If your personal data is processed for the purpose of direct marketing, you have the right to object at any time to the processing of personal data concerning you for the purpose of such marketing; this also applies to profiling insofar as it is associated with such direct marketing. If you object, your personal data will subsequently no longer be used for the purpose of direct marketing (objection according to Art. 21 para. 2 GDPR).

If you wish to exercise your right of revocation or objection, an e-mail to the above address will suffice.

Right of complaint to the competent supervisory authority

In the event of breaches of the GDPR, the persons concerned have a right of appeal to a supervisory authority, in particular in the Member State of their habitual residence, their place of work or the place of the alleged breach. The right of appeal is without prejudice to any other administrative or judicial remedy.

Right to data portability

You have the right to have any data that we process automatically on the basis of your consent or in performance of a contract handed over to you or to a third party in a common, machine-readable format. If you request direct transfer of the data to another controller, this will only be done insofar as it is technically feasible.

SSL or TLS encryption

For security reasons and to protect the transmission of confidential content, such as orders or enquiries that you send to us as the website operator, this website uses SSL or TLS encryption. You can recognise an encrypted connection by the fact that the address line of the browser changes from "http://" to "https://" and by the lock symbol in your browser line.

If SSL or TLS encryption is activated, the data you transmit to us cannot be read by third parties.

Information, deletion and correction

Within the scope of the applicable legal provisions, you have the right at any time to free information about your stored personal data, its origin and recipient and the purpose of the data processing and, if applicable, a right to correction or deletion of this data. You can contact us at any time about this and any other questions you may have on the subject of personal data.

Right to restriction of processing

You have the right to request the restriction of the processing of your personal data. To do this, you can contact us at any time. The right to restriction of processing applies in the following cases:

  • If you dispute the accuracy of your personal data stored by us, we usually need time to verify this. For the duration of the verification, you have the right to request the restriction of the processing of your personal data.
  • If the processing of your personal data was/is carried out unlawfully, you can request the restriction of the data processing instead of deletion.
  • If we no longer need your personal data, but you need it to exercise, defend or assert legal claims, you have the right to request the restriction of the processing of your personal data instead of deletion.
  • If you have lodged an objection in accordance with Article 21 para. 1 of the GDPR, a weighing up must be carried out between your interests and ours. As long as it has not yet been determined whose interests prevail, you have the right to demand the restriction of the processing of your personal data.

If you have restricted the processing of your personal data, such data may - apart from being stored - only be processed with your consent or for the assertion, exercise or defence of legal claims or for the protection of the rights of another natural or legal person or for reasons of important public interest of the European Union or a Member State.

Objection to advertising e-mails

The use of contact data published within the scope of the legal notice obligation to send advertising and information material that has not been expressly requested is hereby objected to. The operators of this website expressly reserve the right to take legal action in the event of the unsolicited sending of advertising information, such as spam e-mails.

 

4. Data collection
on this website

Cookies

Our website uses so-called "cookies". Cookies are small text files and do not cause any damage to your terminal device. They are stored either temporarily for the duration of a session (session cookies) or permanently (permanent cookies) on your terminal device. Session cookies are automatically deleted at the end of your visit. Permanent cookies remain stored on your terminal device until you delete them yourself or until they are automatically deleted by your web browser.

In some cases, cookies from third-party companies may also be stored on your terminal device when you access our website (third-party cookies). These enable us or you to use certain services of the third-party company (e.g. cookies for processing payment services).

Cookies have various functions. Many cookies are technically necessary, as certain website functions would not work without them (e.g. the shopping cart function or the display of videos). Other cookies are used to evaluate user behaviour or to display advertising.

Cookies that are necessary for the execution of the electronic communication process, for the provision of certain functions you have requested (e.g. for the shopping cart function) or for the optimisation of the website (e.g. cookies for measuring the web audience) (necessary cookies) are stored in accordance with Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR, unless another legal basis is specified. The website operator has a legitimate interest in storing necessary cookies for the technically error-free and optimised provision of its services. If consent to the storage of cookies and comparable recognition technologies has been requested, processing is carried out exclusively in accordance with this consent (Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR and Section 25 para. 1 of the German Telecommunications-Telemedia Data Protection Act TTDSG). This consent can be revoked at any time.

You can set your browser so that you are informed about the use of cookies and only allow cookies in individual cases, exclude the acceptance of cookies for certain cases or in general and activate the automatic deletion of cookies when closing the browser. If you deactivate cookies, the functionality of this website may be limited.

If cookies are used by third-party companies or for analysis purposes, we will inform you about this separately within the scope of this privacy policy and, if necessary, request your consent.

Server log files

The provider of the website automatically collects and stores information in so-called server log files, which your browser automatically transmits to us. These are:

  • Browser type and browser version
  • Operating system used
  • Referrer URL
  • Host name of the accessing computer
  • Time of the server request
  • IP address

This data will not be merged with other data sources.
The collection of this data is carried out in accordance with Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR. The website operator has a legitimate interest in the technically error-free presentation and optimisation of its website - for this purpose, the server log files must be collected.

Contact form

If you send us enquiries via the contact form, your details from the enquiry form, including the contact data you have provided there, will be stored by us for the purpose of processing the enquiry and in the event of follow-up questions. We will not pass on this data without your consent.

Processing of this data is carried out in accordance with Art. 6 para. 1 lit. b of the GDPR insofar as your request is related to the fulfilment of a contract or is necessary for the implementation of pre-contractual measures. In all other cases, processing is based on our legitimate interest in the effective handling of the enquiries addressed to us (Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR) or with your consent (Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR) if this has been requested. This consent can be revoked at any time.

The data you enter in the contact form will remain with us until you request us to delete it, revoke your consent to store it or the purpose for storing the data no longer applies (e.g. after we have completed processing your request). Mandatory legal provisions - in particular retention periods - remain unaffected.

Enquiry by e-mail, telephone or fax

If you contact us by e-mail, telephone or fax, your enquiry including all personal data resulting from it (name, enquiry) will be stored and processed by us for the purpose of processing your request. We will not pass on this data without your consent.

Processing of this data is carried out in accordance with Art. 6 para. 1 lit. b of the GDPR insofar as your request is related to the fulfilment of a contract or is necessary for the implementation of pre-contractual measures. In all other cases, processing is based on our legitimate interest in the effective handling of the enquiries addressed to us (Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR) or with your consent (Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR) if this has been requested. This consent can be revoked at any time.

The data you send us via contact requests will remain with us until you request us to delete it, revoke your consent to store it or the purpose for storing the data no longer applies (e.g. after we have completed processing your request). Mandatory legal provisions - in particular legal retention periods - remain unaffected.

Registration on this website

You can register on this website in order to use additional functions on the website. We will only use the data entered for this solely for the purpose of using the respective offer or service for which you have registered. The mandatory information requested during registration must be provided in full. Otherwise we will reject the registration.

For important changes, for example in the scope of the offer or in the case of technically necessary changes, we will use the e-mail address provided during registration to inform you in this way.

The data entered during registration will be processed for the purpose of implementing the user relationship established by the registration and, if applicable, for initiating further contracts (Art. 6 para. 1 lit. b GDPR).

The data collected during registration will be stored by us for as long as you are registered on this website and will then be deleted. Statutory retention periods remain unaffected.

 

5.
Analysis tools Matomo

Matomo

On our website we use the open source software Matomo to statistically analyse usage. This is a web analysis service. The data collected by Matomo is stored in a database for usage analysis purposes. The statistics obtained enable us to improve our offer and make it more interesting for you as a user.

We operate Matomo in a version that does not require cookies. Therefore, no Matomo cookies are stored on your computer for the purpose of web analysis.

For the analysis of website usage, your anonymised IP address and information such as the date and duration of your visit, websites visited, the website from which you got to ours and your language settings are recorded. The information collected in this way is stored on our server.

The legal basis for the use of Matomo is Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR. The analyses generated by Matomo are completely anonymised and cannot be used to identify individual persons. The data stored by Matomo is not linked to any other data sources or passed on to third parties.

Preventing the use of Matomo is possible by removing the following tick and thus activating the opt-out plug-in:

In this case an opt-out cookie will be stored in your browser preventing Matomo from storing any usage data. If you delete your cookies, the Matomo opt-out cookie will also be deleted. The opt-out must be reactivated when you visit our website again.

 

6. Newsletter and
postal advertising

Newsletter data

If you would like to receive the newsletter offered on the website, we require an e-mail address from you as well as information that allows us to verify that you are the owner of the e-mail address provided and that you agree to receive the newsletter. No further data is collected or only on a voluntary basis. We use this data exclusively for sending the requested information and will not pass it on to third parties.

The data entered in the newsletter registration form is processed exclusively in accordance with your consent (Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR). You can revoke your consent to the storage of the data, the e-mail address and their use for sending the newsletter at any time, for example via the "unsubscribe" link in the newsletter. The legality of the data processing operations already carried out remains unaffected by the revocation.

The data you provide us with for the purpose of receiving the newsletter will be stored by us or the newsletter service provider until you unsubscribe from the newsletter and will be deleted from the newsletter distribution list after you unsubscribe from the newsletter or after the purpose has ceased to apply.

We reserve the right to delete or block e-mail addresses from our newsletter distribution list at our own discretion within the scope of our legitimate interest according to Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR.

Data that has been stored by us for other purposes remains unaffected by this.

After you have unsubscribed from the newsletter distribution list, your email address will be stored by us or the newsletter service provider in a blacklist if necessary to prevent future mailings. The data from the blacklist will only be used for this purpose and will not be merged with other data. This serves both your interest and our interest in complying with legal requirements when sending newsletters (legitimate interest as defined by Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR). The storage in the blacklist is not limited in time. You can object to the storage if your interests outweigh our legitimate interest.

 

7.
Plugins and tools

YouTube with extended data protection

This website embeds videos from YouTube. The operator of the website is Google Ireland Limited ("Google"), Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland.

We use YouTube in extended data protection mode. According to YouTube, this mode means that YouTube does not store any information about visitors to this website before they watch the video. However, the transfer of data to YouTube partners is not necessarily excluded by the extended data protection mode. Thus, regardless of whether you watch a video, YouTube establishes a connection to the Google DoubleClick network.

As soon as you start a YouTube video on this website, a connection to the YouTube servers is established. This tells the YouTube server which of our web pages you have visited. If you are logged into your YouTube account, you enable YouTube to assign your surfing behaviour directly to your personal profile. You can prevent this by logging out of your YouTube account.

Furthermore, after starting a video, YouTube may save various cookies on your terminal device or use comparable recognition technologies (e.g. device fingerprinting). In this way, YouTube can obtain information about visitors to this website. This information is used, among other things, to collect video statistics, improve the user experience and prevent fraud attempts.

If necessary, further data processing operations may be triggered after the start of a YouTube video, over which we have no control.

YouTube is used in the interest of an appealing presentation of our online offers. This constitutes a legitimate interest in accordance with Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR. If corresponding consent has been requested, processing is carried out exclusively in accordance with Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR and Section 25 para. 1 of the German Telecommunications-Telemedia Data Protection Act TTDSG, insofar as the consent includes the storage of cookies or access to information on the user's terminal device (e.g. device fingerprinting) in accordance with the German Telecommunications-Telemedia Data Protection Act TTDSG. This consent can be revoked at any time.

More information on data protection on YouTube can be found in their privacy policy:
https://policies.google.com/privacy?hl=de.

Google Maps

This website uses the map service Google Maps. The provider is Google Ireland Limited ("Google"), Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland.

In order to use the functions of Google Maps, it is necessary to store your IP address. This information is usually transferred to a Google server in the USA and stored there. The provider of this website has no influence on this data transmission. If Google Maps is activated, Google may use Google web fonts for the purpose of uniform display of fonts. When calling up Google Maps, your browser loads the required web fonts into its browser cache in order to display texts and fonts correctly.

Google Maps is used in the interest of an appealing presentation of our online offers and to make it easy to find the places we indicate on the website. This constitutes a legitimate interest in accordance with Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR. If corresponding consent has been requested, processing is carried out exclusively in accordance with Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR and Section 25 para. 1 of the German Telecommunications-Telemedia Data Protection Act TTDSG, insofar as the consent includes the storage of cookies or access to information on the user's terminal device (e.g. device fingerprinting) in accordance with the German Telecommunications-Telemedia Data Protection Act TTDSG. This consent can be revoked at any time.

Data transfer to the USA is based on the standard contractual clauses of the EU Commission. Details can be found here:
https://privacy.google.com/businesses/gdprcontrollerterms/ and
https://privacy.google.com/businesses/gdprcontrollerterms/sccs/.
More information on the handling of user data can be found in Google's privacy policy:
https://policies.google.com/privacy?hl=de .

 

8. Audio and
video conferences

Data processing

We use online conferencing tools, among others, to communicate with our clients. The specific tools we use are listed below. If you communicate with us by video or audio conference via the Internet, your personal data will be collected and processed by us and the provider of the respective conference tool.

The conferencing tools collect all data that you provide/enter to use the tools (e-mail address and/or your telephone number). Furthermore, the conference tools process the duration of the conference, start and end (time) of participation in the conference, number of participants and other "contextual information" in connection with the communication process (metadata).

Furthermore, the provider of the tool processes all technical data that is necessary for handling the online communication. This includes in particular IP addresses, MAC addresses, device IDs, device type, operating system type and version, client version, camera type, microphone or loudspeaker as well as the type of connection.

If content is exchanged, uploaded or otherwise made available within the tool, this is also stored on the servers of the tool providers. Such content includes, but is not limited to, cloud recordings, chat/instant messages, voicemails, uploaded photos and videos, files, whiteboards and other information shared while using the service.

Please note that we do not have full control over the data processing operations of the tools used. Our options are largely determined by the corporate policy of the respective provider. For further information on data processing by the conference tools, please refer to the privacy policies of the respective tools used, which we have listed below this text.

Purpose and legal basis

The conference tools are used to communicate with prospective or existing contractual partners or to offer certain services to our customers (Art. 6 para. 1 lit. b GDPR). Furthermore, the use of the tools serves the general simplification and acceleration of communication with us or our company (legitimate interest in accordance with Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR). If consent has been requested, the tools in question are used in accordance with this consent. This consent can be revoked at any time with effect for the future.

Storage period

The data collected directly by us via the video and conference tools will be deleted from our systems as soon as you request us to delete it, revoke your consent to store it or the purpose for storing the data no longer applies. Stored cookies remain on your terminal device until you delete them. Mandatory legal retention periods remain unaffected.
We have no influence on the storage period of your data, which is stored by the operators of the conference tools for their own purposes. For details, please contact the operators of the conference tools directly.

Conference tools used

We use the following conferencing tools:
Microsoft Teams
We use Microsoft Teams. The provider is Microsoft Corporation, One Microsoft Way, Redmond, WA 98052-6399, USA. For details on data processing, please refer to the privacy policy of Microsoft Teams:
privacy.microsoft.com/de-de/privacystatement.

Data processing

We have concluded a data processing agreement (DPA) with the above-mentioned provider. This is a contract required by data protection law, which ensures that the provider only processes the personal data of our website visitors according to our instructions and in compliance with the GDPR.

 

9.
Internal services

Handling of applicant data

We offer you the opportunity to apply for a job with us (e.g. by e-mail, post or via an online application form). In the following, we inform you about the scope, purpose and use of your personal data collected as part of the application process. We assure you that the collection, processing and use of your data will be carried out in accordance with applicable data protection law and all other statutory provisions and that your data will be treated in strict confidence.

Scope and purpose of data collection

When you send us an application, we will process your associated personal data (e.g. contact and communication data, application documents, notes taken during interviews, etc.) insofar as this is necessary to decide on the establishment of an employment relationship. The legal basis for this is Section 26 of the Federal Data Protection Act BDSG according to German law (initiation of an employment relationship), Art. 6 para. 1 lit. b GDPR (general initiation of a contract) and - if you have given your consent - Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR. This consent can be revoked at any time. Your personal data will only be passed on within our company to persons who are involved in processing your application.

If the application is successful, the data you submitted will be stored in our data processing systems in accordance with Section 26 of the Federal Data Protection Act BDSG and Article 6 para. 1 lit. b GDPR for the purpose of executing the employment relationship.

Retention period of the data

If we are unable to make you a job offer, if you reject a job offer or withdraw your application, we reserve the right to retain the data you have provided on the basis of our legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f DSGVO) for up to 6 months from the end of the application process (rejection or withdrawal of the application). The data will then be deleted, and the physical application documents destroyed.

This retention serves in particular as evidence in the event of a legal dispute. If it becomes apparent that the data will be required after the 6-month period has expired (e.g. due to an impending or pending legal dispute), the data will only be deleted when the purpose for further retention no longer applies.

Longer retention may also take place if you have given your consent (Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR) or if legal retention obligations prevent deletion.

Inclusion in the applicant pool

If we do not make you a job offer, it may be possible to include you in our applicant pool. If you are accepted, all documents and details from your application will be transferred to the applicant pool so that we can contact you in the event of any suitable vacancies.

Inclusion in the applicant pool is based exclusively on your explicit consent (Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR). Giving your consent is voluntary and is not related to the current application process. The person concerned can revoke his or her consent at any time. In this case, the data from the applicant pool will be irrevocably deleted, provided that no legal reasons for retention are given.

The data from the applicant pool will be irrevocably deleted no later than two years after consent has been given.

Data processing

We have concluded a data processing agreement (DPA) with the above-mentioned provider. This is a contract required by data protection law, which ensures that the provider only processes the personal data of our website visitors according to our instructions and in compliance with the GDPR.