How SearchFoundry handles personal information.

1. Scope and responsibility

This Privacy Policy applies to personal information processed through the SearchFoundry website and to information you provide when contacting SearchFoundry about building a Foundry, engaging a specialist leadership partner, forming a partnership or participating in the wider SearchFoundry community.

SearchFoundry is responsible for personal information processed through this website unless another organisation is clearly identified as responsible for a particular interaction.

2. Information we may collect

Depending on how you use the website, we may collect:

• Contact information, such as your name, work email address and organisation.
• Professional information, such as your role, sector, market expertise and the nature of your business or leadership enquiry.
• Enquiry information, including the content of messages and any information you choose to provide during a conversation.
• Technical information, such as IP address, browser type, device information, referring pages and basic website activity where this is collected by hosting, security or analytics services.
• Preference information, including cookie or communications choices where applicable.

Please avoid sending sensitive personal information or confidential candidate information through a general website enquiry unless it is necessary and appropriate to do so.

3. How we use personal information

We may use personal information to respond to enquiries, assess potential Foundry or partner relationships, discuss client requirements, manage professional relationships, protect the security and integrity of the website, improve our services and content, meet legal or regulatory obligations, and maintain appropriate business records.

Where privacy law requires a lawful basis, processing may be based on steps taken at your request before entering into a contract, performance of a contract, legitimate interests in operating and developing a professional-services business, compliance with legal obligations, or consent where consent is specifically requested.

4. Communications

If you ask to receive updates or other communications, we may use your contact details for that purpose. You can ask us to stop non-essential communications at any time. Service or relationship communications may still be sent where they are necessary for an active enquiry or engagement.

5. Sharing personal information

We may share personal information with trusted service providers that support hosting, website security, communications, customer relationship management, professional administration or analytics. We may also share information with relevant SearchFoundry founders, partners or advisers where this is reasonably necessary to respond to your enquiry or deliver an agreed service.

We may disclose information where required by law, regulation, court order or another lawful request, or where reasonably necessary to protect SearchFoundry, our network or other people from fraud, misuse or security threats.

6. International transfers

SearchFoundry is intended to operate internationally. As a result, personal information may be accessed or processed in countries outside the country in which it was originally collected. Where applicable law requires safeguards for an international transfer, appropriate contractual or legal safeguards will be used.

7. Retention

We keep personal information only for as long as reasonably necessary for the purpose for which it was collected, including to manage an enquiry or professional relationship, meet legal or accounting requirements, resolve disputes and protect legitimate business interests. Retention periods may vary according to the nature of the information and relationship.

8. Security

We use reasonable organisational and technical measures designed to protect personal information against unauthorised access, loss, misuse or alteration. No internet transmission or storage system can be guaranteed to be completely secure, so information should be shared with appropriate care.

9. Your privacy rights

Depending on where you are located, you may have rights to request access to personal information, correction, deletion, restriction or objection to certain processing, data portability, or withdrawal of consent. You may also have the right to complain to the relevant data-protection authority.

Where UK GDPR, EU GDPR or similar privacy legislation applies, we will respond to valid rights requests in accordance with the requirements and timeframes of the applicable law.

10. Cookies and third-party services

Our use of cookies and similar technologies is described in the Cookie Notice. The website may also link to or load resources from third-party services. Their handling of personal information is governed by their own privacy terms.

11. Children

This website is intended for professional and business audiences and is not directed at children. We do not knowingly seek personal information from children through this website.

12. Changes to this policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes to the website, services, legal requirements or how information is handled. The date shown at the top of this page identifies the latest revision.

13. Contact

For privacy questions, requests or concerns, please use the SearchFoundry contact page and state that your enquiry relates to privacy.