1) Introduction and contact details of the controller

 

1.1 We are pleased that you are visiting our website and thank you for your interest. Below, we inform you about the handling of your personal data when using our website. Personal data includes all data by which you can be personally identified.

 

1.2 The controller responsible for data processing on this website within the meaning of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is Stiftung steps for children e.V., c/o Regus Altona, Ottenser Hauptstraße 2-6, 22765 Hamburg, Germany, Tel.: +49 (0) 40 389 027, Fax: +49 (0) 40 389 042 – 86, E-mail: sw@stepsforchildren.de. The controller responsible for the processing of personal data is the natural or legal person who, alone or jointly with others, determines the purposes and means of processing personal data.

 

2) Data collection when visiting our website

 

2.1 When using our website for informational purposes only, i.e. if you do not register or otherwise provide us with information, we only collect data that your browser transmits to the page server (so-called “server log files”). When you access our website, we collect the following data, which is technically necessary for us to display the website to you:

• Website visited
• Date and time of access
• Amount of data sent in bytes
• Source/referrer from which you reached the page
• Browser used
• Operating system used
• IP address used (if applicable: in anonymized form)

Processing is carried out in accordance with Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR on the basis of our legitimate interest in improving the stability and functionality of our website. The data is not disclosed or otherwise used. However, we reserve the right to subsequently review the server log files if there are specific indications of unlawful use.

2.2 For security reasons and to protect the transmission of personal data and other confidential content (e.g. orders or inquiries to the controller), this website uses SSL or TLS encryption. You can recognize an encrypted connection by the character string “https://” and the padlock symbol in your browser’s address bar.

 

3) Cookies

To make visiting our website attractive and to enable the use of certain functions, we use cookies, i.e. small text files that are stored on your device. Some of these cookies are automatically deleted again after you close your browser (so-called “session cookies”), while others remain on your device for longer and enable page settings to be stored (so-called “persistent cookies”). In the latter case, you can find the storage period in the overview of your web browser’s cookie settings.

If personal data is also processed by individual cookies used by us, the processing is carried out in accordance with Art. 6 para. 1 lit. b GDPR either for the performance of the contract, in accordance with Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR in the event of consent having been granted, or in accordance with Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR to safeguard our legitimate interests in the best possible functionality of the website and in a customer-friendly and effective design of the website visit.

You can set your browser to notify you when cookies are placed and to decide individually whether to accept them, or to exclude the acceptance of cookies in certain cases or generally.

Please note that if you do not accept cookies, the functionality of our website may be restricted.

 

4) Contacting us

When contacting us (e.g. via the contact form or by e-mail), personal data are collected. The data collected when using a contact form can be seen in the respective contact form. This data is stored and used exclusively for the purpose of responding to your request or for contacting you and the associated technical administration.

The legal basis for processing this data is our legitimate interest in responding to your inquiry pursuant to Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR. If your contact is aimed at concluding a contract, the additional legal basis for processing is Art. 6 para. 1 lit. b GDPR. Your data will be deleted after your inquiry has been conclusively processed. This is the case when it can be inferred from the circumstances that the matter in question has been conclusively clarified and provided that no statutory retention obligations conflict with this.

 

5) Use of Customer Data for Direct Advertising

5.1 Subscribing to our e-mail newsletter

If you subscribe to our email newsletter, we will regularly send you information about our offers. The only mandatory information required to send the newsletter is your email address. Providing additional data is voluntary and is used to address you personally. We use the so-called double opt-in procedure to send the newsletter. This means that we will only send you an email newsletter once you have expressly confirmed that you consent to receiving the newsletter. We will then send you a confirmation email asking you to confirm, by clicking on an appropriate link, that you wish to receive the newsletter in future.

 

By activating the confirmation link, you give us your consent to use your personal data in accordance with Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR. When registering for the newsletter, we store the IP address entered by your Internet Service Provider (ISP) as well as the date and time of registration in order to be able to trace any possible misuse of your e-mail address at a later date. The data collected by us when you register for the newsletter is used exclusively for the purpose of advertising communication by means of the newsletter. You can unsubscribe from the newsletter at any time via the link provided for this purpose in the newsletter or by sending a corresponding message to the controller named at the beginning. After unsubscribing, your e-mail address will be deleted from our newsletter distribution list without delay, unless you have expressly consented to further use of your data or we reserve the right to use your data beyond this to the extent permitted by law and about which we inform you in this statement.

 

5.2 Advertising by post

On the basis of our legitimate interest in personalised direct advertising, we reserve the right to store your first and last name, postal address and – insofar as we have received these additional details from you in the course of the contractual relationship – your title, academic degree, year of birth and professional, industry or business designation in accordance with Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR and to use them to send you interesting offers and information about our products by post.

You may object to the storage and use of your data for this purpose at any time.

 

6) Website functionalities

6.1 Google Maps

This website uses an online map service provided by the following provider: Google Maps (API) by Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, 4 Barrow St, Dublin, D04 E5W5, Ireland (“Google”).

Google Maps is a web service for displaying interactive (country) maps, in order to visually display geographical information. Use of this service displays our location to you and facilitates any journey to us.

When you access those subpages into which the Google Maps map is integrated, information about your use of our website (such as your IP address) is already transmitted to Google’s servers and stored there; this may also involve transmission to the servers of Google LLC. in the USA. This takes place regardless of whether Google provides a user account that you are logged into or whether a user account exists. If you are logged into Google, your data is assigned directly to your account. If you do not want the data to be assigned to your profile with Google, you must log out before activating the button. Google stores your data (even for users who are not logged in) as usage profiles and evaluates it.

The collection, storage and analysis are carried out in accordance with Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR on the basis of Google's legitimate interest in displaying personalised advertising, market research and/or the needs-based design of Google websites. You have the right to object to the creation of these user profiles, whereby you must contact Google to exercise this right. If you do not agree to the future transmission of your data to Google in the context of using Google Maps, you also have the option of completely deactivating the Google Maps web service by disabling JavaScript in your browser. Google Maps and therefore also the map display on this website can then no longer be used.

To the extent legally required, we have obtained your consent pursuant to Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR for the processing of your data described above. You may withdraw your consent at any time with effect for the future. To exercise your withdrawal, please follow the procedure described above for exercising an objection.

For data transfers to the USA, the provider has joined the EU-US Data Privacy Framework, which, on the basis of an adequacy decision by the European Commission, ensures compliance with the European level of data protection.

Further information on Google’s data protection can be found here: https://business.safety.google/intl/de/privacy/

 

6.2 Google Translate

This page uses the “Google Translate” translation service of Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, 4 Barrow St, Dublin, D04 E5W5, Ireland (“Google”) via an API integration. To automatically display the translation in a national language of your choice, the browser you use connects to Google's servers. In this process, Google uses so-called “cookies”, which are text files stored on your computer and enable an analysis of your use of the website. The information generated by the cookie about your use of this website (including the truncated IP address) is generally transmitted to a Google server and stored there; this may also involve transmission to the servers of Google LLC. in the USA.

Where personal data are processed, this is carried out in accordance with Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR on the basis of our legitimate interest in barrier-free and universal access to our website.

Where legally required, we have obtained your consent pursuant to Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR for the processing of your data described above. You may revoke your consent at any time with effect for the future. To exercise your right of revocation, deactivate this service in the “Cookie Consent Tool” provided on the website.

For data transfers to the USA, the provider has joined the EU-US Data Privacy Framework, which, on the basis of an adequacy decision by the European Commission, ensures compliance with the European level of data protection.

Further information on Google's data protection provisions can be found here: 

https://business.safety.google/intl/de/privacy/

 

6.3 Google reCaptcha

We use „Google reCAPTCHA“ (hereinafter „reCAPTCHA“) on this website. The provider is Google Ireland Limited („Google“), Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland.

reCAPTCHA is used to check whether entries on this website (e.g. in a contact form) are made by a human or by an automated programme. To do this, reCAPTCHA analyses the behaviour of visitors based on various characteristics. The analysis begins automatically when the website is accessed. Among other things, the IP address, the time spent on the website and mouse movements made by the user can be analysed. The data collected in the course of the analysis is transmitted to Google.

The analyses run completely in the background. Visitors are not informed separately that an analysis is taking place.

The legal basis is Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR. The website operator has a legitimate interest in protecting its online services from abusive automated spying and spam. If consent has been obtained, the processing is carried out exclusively on the basis of Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR and Section 25 para. 1 TDDDG, insofar as the consent includes the storage of cookies or access to information on the user's end device (e.g. device fingerprinting). Consent can be revoked at any time.

Further information about Google reCAPTCHA can be found in the Google Privacy Policy and the Google Terms of Use:

https://policies.google.com/privacy?hl=de

The company is certified in accordance with the EU-US Data Privacy Framework (DPF). The DPF is an agreement between the European Union and the USA that is intended to ensure compliance with European data protection standards for data processing in the USA. Companies with DPF certification undertake to comply with these standards. The provider provides more information here:

https://www.dataprivacyframework.gov/participant/5780.

 

7) Tools and Miscellaneous

Cookie consent tool

This website uses a so-called “Cookie Consent Tool” to obtain valid user consent for cookies and cookie-based applications requiring consent. The “Cookie Consent Tool” is displayed to users in the form of an interactive user interface when the page is accessed, on which consent for certain cookies and/or cookie-based applications can be granted by ticking a checkbox. Through the use of the tool, all cookies/services requiring consent are only loaded if the respective user has granted the corresponding consent by ticking a checkbox. This ensures that such cookies are only placed on the user's respective end device if consent has been granted.

The tool uses technically necessary cookies to store your cookie preferences. As a rule, no personal user data is processed in this context.

If, in individual cases, personal data (such as the IP address) is nevertheless processed for the purpose of storing, assigning or logging cookie settings, this is carried out in accordance with Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR on the basis of our legitimate interest in legally compliant, user-specific and user-friendly consent management for cookies and therefore in the legally compliant design of our website.

Another legal basis for processing is Art. 6 para. 1 lit. c GDPR. As the controller, we are subject to the legal obligation to make the use of technically unnecessary cookies dependent on the respective user's consent.

To the extent necessary, we have concluded a data processing agreement with the provider that ensures the protection of the data of visitors to our pages and prohibits any unauthorized disclosure to third parties.

Further information about the operator and the setting options of the cookie consent tool can be found directly in the corresponding user interface on our website.

 

8) Rights of the data subject

8.1 The applicable data protection law grants you the following data subject rights vis-à-vis the controller with regard to the processing of your personal data (rights of access and intervention), whereby reference is made to the legal basis cited for the respective requirements for exercising these rights:

• Right of access pursuant to Art. 15 GDPR;
• Right to rectification in accordance with Art. 16 GDPR;
• Right to erasure pursuant to Art. 17 GDPR;
• Right to restriction of processing pursuant to Art. 18 GDPR;
• Right to be informed pursuant to Art. 19 GDPR;
• Right to data portability in accordance with Art. 20 GDPR;
• Right to withdraw consent given in accordance with Art. 7 para. 3 GDPR;
• Right to lodge a complaint pursuant to Art. 77 GDPR.

8.2 RIGHT TO OBJECT

IF WE PROCESS YOUR PERSONAL DATA AS PART OF A BALANCING OF INTERESTS ON THE BASIS OF OUR OVERRIDING LEGITIMATE INTEREST, YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO OBJECT TO THIS PROCESSING AT ANY TIME FOR REASONS ARISING FROM YOUR PARTICULAR SITUATION, WITH EFFECT FOR THE FUTURE.

IF YOU EXERCISE YOUR RIGHT TO OBJECT, WE WILL CEASE PROCESSING THE DATA CONCERNED. HOWEVER, FURTHER PROCESSING IS RESERVED IF WE CAN DEMONSTRATE COMPELLING LEGITIMATE GROUNDS FOR THE PROCESSING THAT OVERRIDE YOUR INTERESTS, FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS, OR IF THE PROCESSING SERVES THE ESTABLISHMENT, EXERCISE OR DEFENCE OF LEGAL CLAIMS.

IF WE PROCESS YOUR PERSONAL DATA IN ORDER TO CARRY OUT DIRECT ADVERTISING, YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO OBJECT AT ANY TIME TO THE PROCESSING OF PERSONAL DATA CONCERNING YOU FOR THE PURPOSE OF SUCH ADVERTISING. YOU MAY EXERCISE YOUR RIGHT TO OBJECT AS DESCRIBED ABOVE.

IF YOU EXERCISE YOUR RIGHT TO OBJECT, WE WILL CEASE PROCESSING THE DATA CONCERNED FOR THE PURPOSES OF DIRECT ADVERTISING.

 

9) Retention period of personal data

The duration of the storage of personal data is determined on the basis of the respective legal basis, the purpose of processing and – where applicable – additionally on the basis of the respective statutory retention period (e.g. retention periods under commercial and tax law).

When personal data is processed on the basis of explicit consent pursuant to Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR, the data concerned will be stored until you withdraw your consent.

If statutory retention periods exist for data processed in the context of legal transactions or transactions analogous to legal transactions on the basis of Art. 6 para. 1 lit. b GDPR, this data is routinely deleted after expiry of the retention periods, provided that it is no longer required for the performance or initiation of a contract and/or we no longer have a legitimate interest in continuing to store it.

When personal data is processed on the basis of Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR, this data is stored until you exercise your right to object pursuant to Art. 21 para. 1 GDPR, unless we can demonstrate compelling legitimate grounds for the processing which override your interests, rights and freedoms, or the processing serves the establishment, exercise or defence of legal claims.

When personal data is processed for the purpose of direct advertising on the basis of Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR, this data will be stored until you exercise your right to object pursuant to Art. 21 para. 2 GDPR.

Unless otherwise specified in the other information in this statement regarding specific processing situations, stored personal data will otherwise be deleted when it is no longer necessary for the purposes for which it was collected or otherwise processed.