Privacy Policy

https://forscenter.ch

1. Overview

FORS (hereinafter referred to as either “we” or “FORS”) takes the protection of your personal data very seriously. We therefore inform you in this Privacy Policy about your rights and about the processing of personal data by us. We ensure compliance with the Swiss Data Protection Act (FADP) with appropriate technical and organizational measures.

This Privacy Policy applies to this website (https://forscenter.ch; hereinafter referred to as “website”).

2. Data processing

2.1 Who is responsible for processing your data?

Data processing in connection with this website is carried out by FORS. We process your personal data confidentially and in compliance with statutory data protection regulations and with this Privacy Policy. For any questions relating to data processing and to exercise your rights as a data subject, you can reach us here:

FORS
Bâtiment Géopolis
5th floor
1015 Lausanne
Switzerland
e-mail: dataprotection@fors.unil.ch

2.2 What personal data do we process and for what reason?

The description below summarizes the type of data we may process in connection with this website and the purpose of the processing of this data:

  • For the operation and optimization of this website and to ensure its security, we process certain technical data. This includes your IP address, device data, files accessed, date and time of access, and cookies;
  • When you subscribe to our newsletters, we process your e-mail address and language as well as your first and last name if provided;
  • When you reach out to us via our website, we process the content of your communication as well as the contact details you provide (such as first and last name, e-mail address, etc.);
  • When you register for an event, we process the data you provide such as first and last name, e-mail address, institution, special diet, and potentially others depending on the type of event.

Most data you provide to us directly, for example when you register for an event, subscribe to our newsletter, or reach out to us. Other data is collected automatically by our IT systems when you visit the website (i.e., IP address and other technical information).

2.3 How long do we keep your data?

We process your data as long as it is necessary for the processing purposes, legal retention periods, and our legitimate interests, e.g., for documentation, for evidence purposes, or for IT security.

2.4 With whom do we share your data?

For the aforementioned processing purposes, we may share your data with our service providers (such as IT service providers, for example). FORS may also be required to disclose your data in order to comply with its legal obligations, following a request from a judicial or administrative authority, or in the context of legal proceedings. Under no circumstances will your data be sold to third parties, in particular for marketing or promotional purposes.

2.5 Is your personal data likely to be transferred abroad?

All data processed by FORS is hosted on our servers or, in the event that we are dealing with an external partner who may need to process your data, within the European Economic Area (EEA).

2.6 How does FORS protect your data?

We do our utmost to ensure the security of your data and to prevent any unauthorized access, use, loss, modification, or disclosure. In order to guarantee the confidentiality of data exchanged, particularly during the delivery of an online service, our website uses SSL certificates authenticated by a third party. These certificates also verify that your computer is communicating with FORS servers.

We also make every effort to ensure that any third parties to whom your data may be communicated (as described above) treat it in a secure manner to ensure its confidentiality and integrity. Our security measures are continuously improved in line with technological developments.

Despite our best efforts, it is not possible to fully guarantee the security of information exchanged over the Internet. FORS assumes no responsibility for the data you transmit.

3. How do we use cookies?

This website uses cookies. Cookies are individual codes (for example a serial number) that our server or a server of our service providers transmits to your system when you connect to our website, and that your system accepts and stores until the set expiration time. Your system transmits these codes to our server or the third-party server with each additional access. That way, your digital footprint is recognized even if your identity is unknown. As the cookies are stored on your system, you as the user have complete control over how cookies are used. By changing the settings in your web browser, you can deactivate or restrict the transmission of cookies to external websites. You can also delete all saved cookies on your system at any time. Restrictions on cookie usage can be managed automatically by your browser. If you disable cookies for our website, you may no longer be able to use the site’s full range of functions.

We distinguish the following categories of cookies:

First Party Cookies

  • Essential cookies: Some cookies are necessary for the functioning of the website or for certain features. For example, they ensure that you can move between pages without losing information that was entered in a form. These cookies exist temporarily only (“session cookies”). If you block them, the website may not work properly.
  • Non-essential cookies and pixel tracking: Non-essential cookies allow us to optimize our website and improve the user experience. Pixel tracking is used to check the opening rate of our newsletters.
    • Performance cookies: In order to optimize our website and to better adapt them to the needs of the users, we use performance cookies to record and analyze the use of our website. The web server only records usage data which reveal statistical trends which we use to improve our offer (log files). We use Matomo for this purpose which also uses cookies. The data generated by cookies concerning your use of the site is transmitted to and stored on servers located at the University of Lausanne. All data is anonymized and will be kept on Matomo for 24 months. This information is used to evaluate your use of the site, to compile reports on site activity for the site editor and Internet use.
    • Preference cookies: Preference cookies are necessary for the server to store options or information (which you have entered) beyond a session (i.e., a visit to the website) if you use this function. This site only uses preference cookies for language settings.
    • Pixel tracking: We use tracking pixels in our newsletters to analyze the open rate.

Third-party cookies

We do not use any third-party cookies. We may integrate third-party links on our website, in particular from social media providers such as X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, and Issuu. These links are deactivated by default, i.e., there is no embedded external code and no third-party information sharing by default. As soon as you activate the links by clicking on them, these providers can determine that you are using our website. If you have an account with that social media provider, it can assign this information to you and thereby track your use of online offers. These social media providers process this data as separate controllers. Details can be found on the websites of the third-party providers. FORS itself has no influence on how the data is processed by these providers.

4. What rights do you have regarding your data?

As your personal data is processed, you are considered a data subject within the meaning of Art. 5 lit. a FADP and are entitled to the following rights. If you wish to exercise any of these rights, please contact us at dataprotection@fors.unil.ch or the physical address mentioned in section 2.1.

4.1 Right to information

At your request, FORS will inform you whether and which data about you is being processed. You will generally receive a copy of the personal data within one month of receipt of the request for information. This is usually done electronically.

4.2 Right to rectification

If your personal data is incorrect, you have the right to request that the incorrect data be corrected immediately. If personal data is incomplete, you have the right to request that it be completed.

4.3 Right to object

You have the right to object at any time to the processing of personal data concerning you. We will no longer process the personal data unless we have legitimate grounds for the processing.

4.4 Right to erasure

You have the right to request the erasure of your personal data. The right to erasure may be restricted if FORS processes the data in order to assert, exercise or defend legal claims or if there is an overriding public interest.

4.5 Right to restriction of processing

You can request the restriction of the processing of personal data if in particular:

  • the accuracy of the personal data is contested for a period enabling the accuracy of the personal data to be verified;
  • the processing is unlawful and the restriction of the use of the personal data is requested instead of erasure.

If processing has been restricted for the aforementioned reasons, this personal data will only be processed with your consent or for the establishment, exercise, or defense of legal claims, or for the protection of the rights of another natural or legal person, or for reasons of important public interest.

You will be informed before the restriction is lifted.

4.6 Right to data portability

You have the right to receive the personal data concerning you in a structured, commonly used, and machine-readable format, provided that the processing is based on consent or on a contract and is carried out by automated means.

4.7 Right to lodge a complaint

You have the right to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority.

5. Can we update this Privacy Policy?

This Privacy Policy is not part of a contract with you. We can change this Privacy Policy at any time. The version published on this website is the current version.

Version: V1.0.1
Created: 03.07.24
Last changes: 17.09.24