Introduction
This Policy sets out the obligations of Gray & Adams Group, (“the Company”) regarding data protection and the rights of Employees, Customers and Business Contacts (“data subjects”) in respect of their personal data under EU Regulation 2016/679 General Data Protection Regulation (“GDPR”).
The GDPR defines “personal data” as any information relating to an identified or identifiable natural person (a “data subject”); an identifiable natural person is one who can be identified, directly or indirectly, in particular by reference to an identifier such as a name, an identification number, location data, an online identifier, or to one or more factors specific to the physical, physiological, genetic, mental, economic, cultural, or social identity of that natural person.
This Policy sets the Company’s obligations regarding the collection, processing, transfer, storage, and disposal of personal data. The procedures and principles set out herein must be followed at all times by the Company, its employees, agents, contractors, or other parties working on behalf of the Company.
The Company is committed not only to the letter of the law, but also to the spirit of the law and places high importance on the correct, lawful, and fair handling of all personal data, respecting the legal rights, privacy, and trust of all individuals with whom it deals.
The Data Protection Principles
This Policy aims to ensure compliance with the Data Protection Law. The UK GDPR sets out the following principles with which any party handling personal data must comply. All personal data must be.
All personal data must be:
- Processed lawfully, fairly, and in a transparent manner in relation to the data subject.
- Collected for specified, explicit, and legitimate purposes and not further processed in a manner that is incompatible with those purposes. Further processing for archiving purposes in the public interest, scientific or historical research purposes or statistical purposes shall not be considered to be incompatible with the initial purposes.
- Adequate, relevant, and limited to what is necessary in relation to the purposes for which it is processed.
- Accurate and, where necessary, kept up to date. Every reasonable step must be taken to ensure that personal data that is inaccurate, having regard to the purposes for which it is processed, is erased, or rectified without delay.
- Kept in a form which permits identification of data subjects for no longer than is necessary for the purposes for which the personal data is processed.
- Processed in a manner that ensures appropriate security of the personal data, including protection against unauthorised or unlawful processing and against accidental loss, destruction, or damage, using appropriate technical or organisational measures.
The Rights of Data Subjects
The UK GDPR sets out the following rights applicable to data subjects (please refer to the parts of this policy indicated for further details):
- The right to be informed.
- The right of access;
- The right to rectification;
- The right to erasure (also known as the ‘right to be forgotten’);
- The right to restrict processing;
- The right to data portability;
- The right to object; and
- Rights with respect to automated decision-making and profiling.
Lawful, Fair, and Transparent Data Processing
- Data Protection Law seeks to ensure that personal data is processed lawfully, fairly, and transparently, without adversely affecting the rights of the data subject. Specifically, the processing of personal data shall be lawful if at least one of the following applies:
- The data subject has given consent to the processing of their personal data for one or more specific purposes;
- The processing is necessary for the performance of a contract to which the data subject is a party, or in order to take steps at the request of the data subject prior to entering into a contract with them;
- The processing is necessary for compliance with a legal obligation to which the data controller is subject;
- The processing is necessary to protect the vital interests of the data subject or of another natural person;
- The processing is necessary for the performance of a task carried out in the public interest or in the exercise of official authority vested in the data controller; or
- The processing is necessary for the purposes of the legitimate interests pursued by the data controller or by a third party, except where such interests are overridden by the fundamental rights and freedoms of the data subject which require protection of personal data, in particular where the data subject is a child.
- If the personal data in question is “special category data” (also known as “sensitive personal data”) (for example, data concerning the data subject’s race, ethnicity, politics, religion, trade union membership, genetics, biometrics (if used for ID purposes), health, sex life, or sexual orientation), at least one of the following conditions must be met:
- The data subject has given their explicit consent to the processing of such data for one or more specified purposes (unless EU or EU Member State law prohibits them from doing so);
- The processing is necessary for the purpose of carrying out the obligations and exercising specific rights of the data controller or of the data subject in the field of employment, social security, and social protection law (insofar as it is authorised by EU or EU Member State law or a collective agreement pursuant to EU Member State law which provides for appropriate safeguards for the fundamental rights and interests of the data subject);
- The processing relates to personal data which is clearly made public by the data subject;
- The processing is necessary for the conduct of legal claims or whenever courts are acting in their judicial capacity;
- The processing is necessary for substantial public interest reasons, on the basis of law which shall be proportionate to the aim pursued, shall respect the essence of the right to data protection, and shall provide for suitable and specific measures to safeguard the fundamental rights and interests of the data subject;
- The processing is necessary for the purposes of preventative or occupational medicine, for the assessment of the working capacity of an employee, for medical diagnosis, for the provision of health or social care or treatment, or the management of health or social care systems or services on the basis of law or pursuant to a contract with a health professional, subject to the conditions and safeguards referred to in Article 9(3) of the UK GDPR;
Specified, Explicit, and Legitimate Purposes
The Company collects and processes the personal data set out in our Data Register. This includes:
- Personal data collected directly from data subjects.
- Personal data obtained from third parties.
- The Company only collects, processes, and holds personal data for the specific purposes set out in our Data Register. (or for other purposes expressly permitted by the Data Protection Law).
- Data subjects are kept informed at all times of the purpose or purposes for which the Company uses their personal data.
Adequate, Relevant, and Limited Data Processing
The Company will only collect and process personal data for and to the extent necessary for the specific purpose or purposes of which data subjects have been informed.
Accuracy of Data and Keeping Data Up-to-Date
The Company shall ensure that all personal data collected, processed, and held by it is kept accurate and up-to-date. This includes, but is not limited to, the rectification of personal data at the request of a data subject.
The accuracy of personal data shall be checked when it is collected and at yearly intervals thereafter. If any personal data is found to be inaccurate or out-of-date, all reasonable steps will be taken without delay to amend or erase that data, as appropriate.
Data Retention
The Company shall not keep personal data for any longer than is necessary in light of the purpose or purposes for which that personal data was originally collected, held, and processed.
When personal data is no longer required, all reasonable steps will be taken to erase or otherwise dispose of it without delay.
For full details of the Company’s approach to data retention, including retention periods for specific personal data types held by the Company, please refer to our Data Retention Policy.
Secure Processing
The Company shall ensure that all personal data collected, held, and processed is kept secure and protected against unauthorised or unlawful processing and against accidental loss, destruction, or damage.
Accountability and Record-Keeping
The data protection supervisor shall be responsible for overseeing the implementation of this Policy and for monitoring compliance with this Policy, the Company’s other data protection-related policies, and with Data Protection Law and other applicable data protection legislation.
The Company shall keep written internal records of all personal data collection, holding, and processing, which shall incorporate the following information:
- The name and details of the Company, its Data Protection Supervisor, and any applicable third-party data processors;
- The purposes for which the Company collects, holds, and processes personal data;
- Details of the categories of personal data collected, held, and processed by the Company, and the categories of data subject to which that personal data relates;
- Details of any transfers of personal data to non-UK countries including all mechanisms and security safeguards;
- Details of how long personal data will be retained by the Company (please refer to the Company’s Data Retention Policy); and
- Detailed descriptions of all technical and organisational measures taken by the Company to ensure the security of personal data.
Data Protection Impact Assessments
The Company shall carry out Data Protection Impact Assessments for any and all new projects and/or new uses of personal data which involve the use of new technologies and the processing involved is likely to result in a high risk to the rights and freedoms of data subjects under Data Protection Law.
Data Protection Impact Assessments shall be overseen by the Data Protection Supervisor and shall address the following:
- The type(s) of personal data that will be collected, held, and processed;
- The purpose(s) for which personal data is to be used;
- The Company’s objectives;
- How personal data is to be used;
- The parties (internal and/or external) who are to be consulted;
- The necessity and proportionality of the data processing with respect to the purpose(s) for which it is being processed;
- Risks posed to data subjects;
- Risks posed both within and to the Company; and
- Proposed measures to minimise and handle identified risks.
Keeping Data Subjects Informed
The Company shall provide the information set out below:
- Where personal data is collected directly from data subjects, those data subjects will be informed of its purpose at the time of collection; and
- Where personal data is obtained from a third party, the relevant data subjects will be informed of its purpose:
if the personal data is used to communicate with the data subject, when the first communication is made; or
if the personal data is to be transferred to another party, before that transfer is made; or
as soon as reasonably possible and in any event not more than one month after the personal data is obtained.
- The following information shall be provided:
- Details of the Company
- The purpose(s) for which the personal data is being collected and will be processed (as detailed in in our Data Register) and the legal basis justifying that collection and processing;
- Where applicable, the legitimate interests upon which the Company is justifying its collection and processing of the personal data;
- Where the personal data is not obtained directly from the data subject, the categories of personal data collected and processed;
- Where the personal data is to be transferred to one or more third parties, details of those parties;
- Where the personal data is to be transferred to a third party that is located outside of the European Economic Area (the “EEA”), details of that transfer, including but not limited to the safeguards in place;
- Details of data retention;
- Details of the data subject’s rights under UK GDPR;
- Details of the data subject’s right to withdraw their consent to the Company’s processing of their personal data at any time;
- Details of the data subject’s right to complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office (the “supervisory authority” under the UK GDPR);
- Where applicable, details of any legal or contractual requirement or obligation necessitating the collection and processing of the personal data and details of any consequences of failing to provide it; and
- Details of any automated decision-making or profiling that will take place using the personal data, including information on how decisions will be made, the significance of those decisions, and any consequences.
Data Subject Access
Data subjects may make subject access requests (“SARs”) at any time to find out more about the personal data which the Company holds about them, what it is doing with that personal data, and why.
Employees wishing to make a SAR should do so using a Subject Access Request Form, sending the form to the HR Department at Gray & Adams.
Responses to SARs shall normally be made within one month of receipt, however this may be extended by up to two months if the SAR is complex and/or numerous requests are made. If such additional time is required, the data subject shall be informed.
All SARs received shall be handled by the HR Department.
The Company does not charge a fee for the handling of normal SARs. The Company reserves the right to charge reasonable fees for additional copies of information that has already been supplied to a data subject, and for requests that are manifestly unfounded or excessive, particularly where such requests are repetitive.
Rectification of Personal Data
Data subjects have the right to require the Company to rectify any of their personal data that is inaccurate or incomplete.
The Company shall rectify the personal data in question, and inform the data subject of that rectification, within one month of the data subject informing the Company of the issue. The period can be extended by up to two months in the case of complex requests. If such additional time is required, the data subject shall be informed.
In the event that any affected personal data has been disclosed to third parties, those parties shall be informed of any rectification that must be made to that personal data.
Erasure of Personal Data
Data subjects have the right to request that the Company erases the personal data it holds about them in the following circumstances:
- It is no longer necessary for the Company to hold that personal data with respect to the purpose(s) for which it was originally collected or processed;
- The data subject wishes to withdraw their consent to the Company holding and processing their personal data;
- The data subject objects to the Company holding and processing their personal data (and there is no overriding legitimate interest to allow the Company to continue doing so) (see Section “Objections to Personal Data Processing” of this Policy for further details concerning the right to object);
- The personal data has been processed unlawfully;
- The personal data needs to be erased in order for the Company to comply with a particular legal obligation.
- Unless the Company has reasonable grounds to refuse to erase personal data, all requests for erasure shall be complied with, and the data subject informed of the erasure, within one month of receipt of the data subject’s request. The period can be extended by up to two months in the case of complex requests. If such additional time is required, the data subject shall be informed.
- In the event that any personal data that is to be erased in response to a data subject’s request has been disclosed to third parties, those parties shall be informed of the erasure (unless it is impossible or would require disproportionate effort to do so).
Restriction of Personal Data Processing
Data subjects may request that the Company ceases processing the personal data it holds about them. If a data subject makes such a request, the Company shall retain only the amount of personal data concerning that data subject (if any) that is necessary to ensure that the personal data in question is not processed further.
In the event that any affected personal data has been disclosed to third parties, those parties shall be informed of the applicable restrictions on processing it (unless it is impossible or would require disproportionate effort to do so).
Data Portability
The Company does not process personal data using automated means.
Objections to Personal Data Processing
Data subjects have the right to object to the Company processing their personal data based on legitimate interests, direct marketing (including profiling).
Where a data subject objects to the Company processing their personal data based on its legitimate interests, the Company shall cease such processing immediately, unless it can be demonstrated that the Company’s legitimate grounds for such processing override the data subject’s interests, rights, and freedoms, or that the processing is necessary for the conduct of legal claims.
Where a data subject objects to the Company processing their personal data for direct marketing purposes, the Company shall cease such processing immediately.
Automated Decision-Making
The Company does not use automated decision making software.
Profiling
The Company does not use profiling software.
Personal Data Collected, Held, and Processed
See Data Register for details. The personal data is collected, held, and processed by the Company (for details of data retention, please refer to the Company’s Data Retention Policy):
Data Security – Transferring Personal Data and Communications
The Company shall ensure that the following measures are taken with respect to all communications and other transfers involving personal data:
- All emails containing personal data must be encrypted using Microsoft Outlooks encryption.
- All emails containing personal data must be marked “confidential”;
- Personal data may be transmitted over secure networks only; transmission over unsecured networks is not permitted in any circumstances;
- Personal data may not be transmitted over a wireless network if there is a wired alternative that is reasonably practicable;
- Personal data contained in the body of an email, whether sent or received, should be copied from the body of that email and stored securely. The email itself should be deleted. All temporary files associated therewith should also be deleted.
- Where personal data is to be sent by facsimile transmission the recipient should be informed in advance of the transmission and should be waiting by the fax machine to receive the data;
- Where personal data is to be transferred in hardcopy form it should be passed directly to the recipient or sent using Royal Mail recorded delivery in a suitable container marked “confidential”.
- All personal data to be transferred physically, whether in hardcopy form or on removable electronic media shall be transferred in a suitable container marked “confidential”, electronic media must be encrypted.
Data Security – Storage
The Company shall ensure that the following measures are taken with respect to the storage of personal data:
- All electronic copies of personal data should be stored securely using passwords.
- All hardcopies of personal data, along with any electronic copies stored on physical, removable media should be stored securely in a locked box, drawer, cabinet, or similar.
- All personal data stored electronically should be backed up Daily with backups stored onsite and backed up weekly offsite. All backups should be encrypted using the backup software encryption.
- No personal data should be transferred to any device personally belonging to an employee and personal data may only be transferred to devices belonging to contractors, or other parties working on behalf of the Company where the party in question has agreed to comply fully with the letter and spirit of this Policy and of Data Protection Law (which may include demonstrating to the Company that all suitable technical and organisational measures have been taken).
Data Security – Disposal
When any personal data is to be erased or otherwise disposed of for any reason (including where copies have been made and are no longer needed), it should be securely deleted and disposed of. For further information on the deletion and disposal of personal data, please refer to the Company’s Data Retention Policy.
Data Security – Use of Personal Data
The Company shall ensure that the following measures are taken with respect to the use of personal data:
- No personal data may be shared informally and if an employee, sub-contractor, or other party working on behalf of the Company requires access to any personal data that they do not already have access to, such access should be formally requested from HR Department.
- No personal data may be transferred to any employees, agents, contractors, or other parties, whether such parties are working on behalf of the Company or not, without the authorisation of HR Department.
- Personal data must be handled with care at all times and should not be left unattended or on view to unauthorised employees, sub-contractors, or other parties at any time;
- If personal data is being viewed on a computer screen and the computer in question is to be left unattended for any period of time, the user must lock the computer and screen before leaving it.
Data Security – IT Security
The Company shall ensure that the following measures are taken with respect to IT and information security:
- All passwords used to protect personal data should be changed regularly and should not use words or phrases that can be easily guessed or otherwise compromised. All passwords must contain a combination of uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols.
- Under no circumstances should any passwords be written down or shared between any employees, agents, contractors, or other parties working on behalf of the Company, irrespective of seniority or department. If a password is forgotten, it must be reset using the applicable method.
- All software (including, but not limited to, applications and operating systems) shall be kept up-to-date. The Company’s IT staff shall be responsible for installing any and all security-related updates not more than 1 month after the updates are made available by the publisher or manufacturer, unless there are valid technical reasons not to do so.
- No software may be installed on any Company-owned computer or device without the prior approval of the IT Department.
Organisational Measures
The Company shall ensure that the following measures are taken with respect to the collection, holding, and processing of personal data:
- All employees, contractors, or other parties working on behalf of the Company shall be made fully aware of both their individual responsibilities and the Company’s responsibilities under Data Protection Law and under this Policy, and shall be provided with a copy of this Policy;
- Only employees, sub-contractors, or other parties working on behalf of the Company that need access to, and use of, personal data in order to carry out their assigned duties correctly shall have access to personal data held by the Company;
- All employees, contractors, or other parties working on behalf of the Company handling personal data will be appropriately trained to do so;
- All employees, contractors, or other parties working on behalf of the Company handling personal data will be appropriately supervised;
- All employees, contractors, or other parties working on behalf of the Company handling personal data shall be required and encouraged to exercise care, caution, and discretion when discussing work-related matters that relate to personal data, whether in the workplace or otherwise;
- Methods of collecting, holding, and processing personal data shall be regularly evaluated and reviewed;
- All personal data held by the Company shall be reviewed periodically, as set out in the Company’s Data Retention Policy;
- The performance of those employees, contractors, or other parties working on behalf of the Company handling personal data shall be regularly evaluated and reviewed;
- All employees, contractors, or other parties working on behalf of the Company handling personal data will be bound to do so in accordance with the principles of Data Protection LAW and this Policy by contract;
- All contractors, or other parties working on behalf of the Company handling personal data must ensure that any and all of their employees who are involved in the processing of personal data are held to the same conditions as those relevant employees of the Company arising out of this Policy and Data Protection Law.
- Where any agent, contractor or other party working on behalf of the Company handling personal data fails in their obligations under this Policy that party shall indemnify and hold harmless the Company against any costs, liability, damages, loss, claims or proceedings which may arise out of that failure.
Transferring Personal Data to a Country Outside the UK
- The Company may, from time to time, transfer (‘transfer’ includes making available remotely) personal data to countries outside of the UK. The UK GDPR restricts such transfers in order to ensure that the level of protection given to data subjects is not compromised.
Personal data may only be transferred to a country outside the UK if one of the following applies:
- The UK has issued regulations confirming that the country in question ensures an adequate level of protection (referred to as ‘adequacy decisions’ or ‘adequacy regulations’). From 1 January 2021, transfers of personal data from the UK to EEA countries will continue to be permitted. Transitional provisions are also in place to recognise pre-existing EU adequacy decisions in the UK;
- Appropriate safeguards are in place including binding corporate rules, standard contractual clauses approved for use in the UK (this includes those adopted by the European Commission prior to 1 January 2021), an approved code of conduct, or an approved certification mechanism;
- The transfer is made with the informed consent of the relevant data subject(s);
- The transfer is necessary for one of the other reasons set out in the UK GDPR including the performance of a contract between the data subject and the Company; public interest reasons; for the establishment, exercise, or defence of legal claims; to protect the vital interests of the data subject where the data subject is physically or legally incapable of giving consent; or, in limited circumstances, for the Company’s legitimate interests
Data Breach Notification
All personal data breaches must be reported immediately to the Company’s data protection supervisor.
If a personal data breach occurs and that breach is likely to result in a risk to the rights and freedoms of data subjects (e.g. financial loss, breach of confidentiality, discrimination, reputational damage, or other significant social or economic damage), the data protection supervisor must ensure that the Information Commissioner’s Office is informed of the breach without delay, and in any event, within 72 hours after having become aware of it.
In the event that a personal data breach is likely to result in a high risk to the rights and freedoms of data subjects, the data protection supervisor must ensure that all affected data subjects are informed of the breach directly and without undue delay.
Data breach notifications shall include the following information:
- The categories and approximate number of data subjects concerned;
- The categories and approximate number of personal data records concerned;
- The name and contact details of the Company’s data protection supervisor (or other contact point where more information can be obtained);
- The likely consequences of the breach;
- Details of the measures taken, or proposed to be taken, by the Company to address the breach including, where appropriate, measures to mitigate its possible adverse effects.
