1 - INTRODUCTION NOTE
The FleXunity project is committed to conducting all project activities responsibly and ethically. This page features information on how we collect, use, disclose, and protect your personal data, ensuring compliance with the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
2 - WHAT IS THE SCOPE OF OUR PRIVACY POLICY?
The FleXunity consortium is made up of 5 (five) member partners, which are responsible for the treatment of users’ personal data and informs its users that this data will be treated in accordance with the provisions in the regulations in force on the protection of personal data (2016 European GDPR regulation).
Therefore, this privacy statement applies to the entire lifespan of information within the FleXunity project website and social media platforms, from the obtainment of information to the final deletion of information.
As explained further, additional guidelines or procedures are established for specific areas or processes – such as research, interviews or surveys - within the FleXunity project that provide a detailed explanation of the measures that are taken in order to achieve the desired level of data protection.
3 - FOR WHAT PURPOSES MAY WE PROCESS YOUR PERSONAL DATA?
The FleXunity project collects personal data to the extent required to fulfil a specific purpose. The collected data may be shared with the European Commission (Executive Agency for SMEs – EASME) and with the project’s consortium for compliance with reporting, monitoring and auditing requirements, but personal information will not be shared, nor sold to third party marketers. Personal data may be collected and further processed under the FleXunity project for the following purposes:
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To notify users about website and social media platforms changes, updates and project news;
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To communicate about upcoming events such as webinars, workshops and other activities;
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To establish new partnerships, engage stakeholders and collect feedback from projects stakeholders through the use of surveys and direct inquiries;
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To deliver and monitor newsletters.
No personal information will be shared within the FleXunity community of stakeholders, nor towards third parties, unless the concerned stakeholders agree. Below we explain how personal data will be treated.
4 - WHICH PERSONAL DATA DO WE COLLECT?
Virtual Power Solutions (VPS), located in Coimbra (Portugal), is the consortium Coordinator responsible for the management and coordination of the FleXunity project website, newsletter, LinkedIn and Twitter accounts. VPS collects personal data that you provide via web forms including your name and email address. VPS also collects personal data obtained as a result of you using our website and social media platoforms.
Online surveys and interviews are conducted to collect feedback from stakeholders for different purposes within the project activities, where the following information can be collected:
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Stakeholders’ needs, interests and feedback, namely in relation to FleXunity activities, Energy Communities platform and dashboard functionalities and design;
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Personal identification information (name, email, address, etc).
The participation on the online surveys and interviews is voluntary.
Online surveys will be conducted by third tools with their own policy privacy following all the GDPR requirements.
5 - HOW DO WE KEEP YOUR PERSONAL DATA SAFE?
Virtual Power Solutions (VPS), as the consortium Coordinator is responsible for the management of data security procedures within the project, guaranteeing that all activities and project partners follow the necessary requirements to maintain the collected data safe. VPS uses a variety of security measures, including encryption and authentication tools such as passwords, to help protect and maintain the security, integrity, and availability of your personal information.
Although data transmission via the internet or website cannot guarantee complete security against intrusions, VPS, the FleXunity Consortium partners and its service providers and suppliers, make every reasonable effort to implement and maintain physical, electronic, and procedural safeguards to protect the collecetd personal data in accordance with the applicable data protection requirements. Among others, the following procedures have been implemented:
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Restricted personal access to personal data based on the criterion of "need to know" and only within the scope of the purposes communicated;
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Only partners employees, service providers, whose functions and/or tasks require this and who previously bind themselves to secrecy, GDPR-compliance and confidentiality will have access to the personal data processed by FleXunity;
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Processing only personal data that are appropriate, relevant and not excessive and for the time strictly necessary;
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Transfer of data collected only in encrypted form or with password protection;
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Protection of information technology systems through firewalls, to prevent unauthorised access to your personal data;
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Continuous monitoring of access to information technology systems to prevent, detect and prevent the misuse of your personal data.
6 - HOW LONG WE KEEP YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION?
FleXunity will store your personal data only for as long as it is necessary for the purpose for which it was collected.
Once the maximum period of conservation has been reached, your personal data will be irrevocably anonymised (anonymised data may be retained) or destroyed in a secure manner.
7 - WHAT ARE YOUR RIGHTS?
You can ask us at any time via email at flexunity@vps.energy to inquiry about:
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Which data we have about you?
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What the aim is of specific processing?
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Who processes your personal data?
You have the right:
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To have a copy of your personal data that we process for a particular purpose;
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To submit a request that your data be deleted;
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To ask us to no longer process your personal data (if you have a valid and legal reason for this).