Summary
Growth Advisors ABN 39 468 918 968 (us or we), the operator of www.growthadvisors.com.au (Website) and our related entities recognise the importance of privacy protection and to the extent required comply with the Australian Privacy Principles (as amended or replaced from time to time) set out in the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) (Act).
Some of the information you provide us as part of your dealings with us may be “personal information” under the Act. This Privacy Policy sets out how we collect, use and disclose your personal information and applies to you unless you give us explicit consent to act otherwise.
As we are an Australian company, you are protected by Australian privacy laws – further information is available from the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner through the following website – www.oaic.gov.au. We also abide by the principles of the Australian Market and Social Research Society of Australia’s Code of Professional Behaviour www.amsrs.com.au.
What types of personal information do we collect?
We collect personally identified information on individuals participating in research studies in a number of ways, including during face to face and telephone interviews. This information falls into three categories:
- Details on how to contact people (for example name, address or phone number);
- Answers to research questions;
- Information on whether or not people have participated in a research study.
It is very rare that these three pieces of information are kept together and when they are together it is for very short periods of time. We generally remove contact information as soon as possible from the answers to research questions and give the answers to other organisations (our clients) in a form that does not allow each individual to be identified. There are a few rare occasions where we do transfer personally identified research answers to our clients, for example where respondents have provided their explicit permission to do so, or where our clients are acting as researchers themselves, however respondents are always told that this will happen and asked for their permission first.
In the majority of cases, we add all the information together to make an overall report on the information we have gathered. While we might support the data with quotes from individuals
those individuals are never identified unless they have provided their explicit permission for us to do so, nor do we use quotations that would enable to reader to identify the respondent by something they have said. When we need to re-contact people, for example to verify the accuracy and completeness of data, the contact information is stored separately from the research answers.
Most of our work requires us to contact people from list of customers given to us by our clients for this purpose. At the end of a research project we either return these lists showing only whether
someone took part or not so that our clients can make sure that they do not contact people too often; or we destroy them. These files never have research answers attached to them.
Finally, for the purposes of running the business, we also collect information about our clients and potential clients, their business and their preferences, in the interests of client management. Like all businesses with employees, we keep employee records – all of which are available only to selected personal on a confidential basis.
How do we use your personal information?
We will use your personal information for the purpose disclosed at the time of collection, in our Website Terms or otherwise as set out in this Privacy Policy. Except as set out in this Privacy Policy, we will not sell or disclose your personal information to any person located in Australia or overseas or use your personal information for any other purpose without your prior consent, unless authorised or required by law. Generally, we will only use and disclose your personal information for the following purposes:
- to enable you to create and/or participate in Surveys and review Survey Reports, depending on the type of User you are;
- to provide you with information you request about us or the products or services we offer through the Website;
- to provide information to persons expressly authorised by you;
- to manage the Website (including your User Account);
- to provide products or services you request from time to time;
- to access or directly link to Linked Sites;
- to determine and notify you of what products or services (including third party products and services) we consider are likely to be of most interest to you;
- to process and obtain payment for any products or services you order from us through the Website including Credit Packs;
- to understand your needs and Website usage to help us improve the Website, our marketing or the way we do business;
- if necessary, to verify your identity or age; and
- to contact you for direct marketing and promotional purposes including providing you with information about new products or services, events and special offers, unless you tell us that you do not wish to receive this type of information.
We may also disclose your personal information to third party service providers from which you wish to receive information, products or services to:
- facilitate communications between you and those third party service providers; and
- provide those third party service providers with the information necessary for them to supply you with the information, products or services you wish to receive.
We will only disclose your personal information to third party service providers you choose to deal with. You acknowledge and agree that third party service providers may be unable to provide you with the information, products or services you wish to receive if we do not disclose your personal information to them.
From time to time we may also ask you to participate in surveys or questionnaires. These help us to improve our levels of service and to maximise the opportunities and benefits you can enjoy.
We may also send you other electronic messages updating you about products, services, offers and special offers. We will only send you such electronic messages if you have consented to receive them or it can be inferred from your existing business or other relationship with us, that there is a reasonable expectation of receiving those electronic messages. All electronic messages will identify us.
How do we use information that is not personal information?
From time to time we may sell or disclose information you provide us that is not personal information or does not disclose your identity to any person for any purpose at our sole discretion, including to people or companies located outside of Australia. For example, we may sell, disclose or use information you provide us that is not personal information (including because it comprises aggregated data which does not enable an individual to be identified) to determine what advertising, promotional materials, products or services are likely to be of most interest to you and to assist merchants and other third parties to monitor general consumer trends in various areas.
What happens if you don’t provide us with the information we require?
If you don’t provide us with certain information, we may be unable to provide you the information, products or services you wish to buy or receive.
Personal information security
We will take reasonable steps to ensure your personal information is protected from risks such as loss, unauthorised access or use, destruction, modification or disclosure. Aside from the disclosure or transfer of your personal information as specified in the “Where your information is stored” section below, we will only permit our authorised personnel and other personnel authorised by you to access your personal information.
The Internet is not a secure method of transmitting information. Accordingly, we cannot accept responsibility for the security of information you send to or receive from us over the Internet or for any unauthorised access, use or modification of that information.
The Website may provide links or references to other third party websites and resources. These websites and resources are not subject to this Privacy Policy. You should review the privacy policy of each third party website and resource accessed via links from our Website, and assess whether the policy of each website and resource is satisfactory to you before you use the website or resource. You acknowledge and agree that we are not responsible for any personal information you choose to disclose, or permit us to disclose, to a third party service provider or to a third party through a third party website referred to by or linked to our Website and that such third party service providers and third parties may store your personal information in any location in accordance with their own security standards.
Using third parties to process your information
We may occasionally use third party companies (third party service providers) to manage information that you provide or a secure third party service to process payments, such as PayPal. When we use third party service providers, to the extent practicable, we seek to keep the amount of personal information they hold to a minimum.
Where your information is stored
Subject to the below, personal information we collect from you is stored securely on servers in Australia and/or the United States.
For us to provide you with the services offered through the Website or for you to access Linked Sites via the Website, we may be required from time to time to:
- use your personal information to access or directly link to Linked Sites;
- disclose your personal information to third party service providers; and
- retrieve information from third party service providers and Linked Sites about you.
We currently engage third parties to provide us with the resources necessary for us to perform the above actions and to host the Website. We will disclose your personal information to the extent necessary for them to provide the resources and assistance we need to perform the above actions and that you need to use the Website and the products and services offered via the Website. Servers in which your information (including personal information) is stored by are currently located in Australia and/or the United States, although additional or other locations may be used in the future.
Any third party we may engage from time to time to provide similar or equivalent services, stores your personal information outside Australia, the Act requires us to ensure that they comply with applicable Australian privacy laws unless you agree otherwise.
By providing us with information (including personal information), registering to use the Website, using the Website, uploading any User Materials or information to the Website or obtaining any products or services provided via the Website, you:
- consent to us disclosing and transferring your information (including personal information) and any Similar Provider;
- consent to any Similar Provider storing your information (including personal information) on servers located outside of Australia; and
- agree that the requirement under the Act for us to ensure that our Similar Providers comply with applicable Australian privacy laws in respect of your information (including personal information) does not apply if the Similar Provider stores personal information outside of Australia.
In addition to the above, some of our other third party service providers may in the future use servers located outside Australia. To ensure there is sufficient capacity to store your User Materials, we may also in the future store your information on servers located outside Australia or engage other data storage providers to store your information on servers located in or outside Australia. We will update this Privacy Policy if either is the case. We suggest that you visit our Website regularly to keep up to date with any changes.
Your rights of access and correction
You have the right to access personal information which we have collected from you within the requirements of the Act. If you wish to access your personal information, or believe that any of the personal information we hold about you is inaccurate, incomplete or out-of-date, please contact us at the email address shown at the bottom of this Privacy Policy. We will take reasonable steps to correct any inaccurate, incomplete or out-of-date personal information if you request us to do so, where required by law.
We may withhold or refuse you access to your personal information if we are legally authorised to do so or where its disclosure to you is restricted by law, is the subject of legal action, or may compromise the privacy of another person. We may charge you a reasonable fee to access your information as permitted by applicable law.
How can you stop receiving marketing information?
Where marketing information is forwarded to you via electronic messages, there will be a functional ‘unsubscribe’ mechanism contained in the message. If you no longer wish to be contacted by us or receive such marketing information, you can advise us by emailing us at [email protected], or by clicking the ‘unsubscribe function’ (where marketing information is sent electronically). We will keep a record of your request to ensure you do not receive that information in the future.
Advertisements and promotional offers may be provided to you via the Website as part of your User Account. You may seek to reduce or remove advertisements or promotional offers (as applicable) from the Website pursuant to the processes set out in the Website Terms. You cannot refuse to receive information which we are required to provide you by law.
Cookies
“Cookies” are small data files sent by a website and stored on your computer’s hard drive when you visit the website. A cookie can contain certain information that the website uses to track the pages you have visited. The only personal information a cookie can contain is information you personally supply. A cookie cannot read data off your hard disk or read cookie files created by other websites.
Our Website uses cookies to assist with managing your User Account and to identify you on return visits. Most Internet browsers automatically accept cookies, but you can usually change your browser to notify you when you receive a cookie or to reject cookies. However, while most of the content of our Website can be viewed without accepting cookies, full functionality for the Website requires the use of cookies.
Changes to this Privacy Policy
We may amend this Privacy Policy from time to time by posting the amended version on our Website. We suggest that you visit our Website regularly to keep up to date with any changes.
Contacting us
If you would like more information about this Privacy Policy or if you have any queries or complaints, please contact us by email at [email protected]. We will take reasonable steps try to resolve any complaints with you as quickly as practicable. Complaints may also be made directly to the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner though its website located at www.oaic.gov.au/privacy/privacy-complaints.