Privacy Policy

At The Waterways Trust (accessible at thewaterwaystrust.com), we recognize and deeply respect your fundamental right to privacy and the protection of your personal data. This Privacy Policy outlines our commitment to safeguarding your information in accordance with applicable data protection laws, including the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), and other relevant international privacy laws.

We are committed to transparency, accountability, and maintaining the security of any personal data we process. Please read this Privacy Policy carefully to understand how we collect, use, disclose, and protect your personal information.

1. Scope of This Policy and Our Role as Data Controller

This Privacy Policy applies to personal data collected through your use of our website, thewaterwaystrust.com, and related interactions. The Waterways Trust acts as the Data Controller under GDPR for all personal data you provide to us or that we collect through your interaction with our services. Our obligations as a Data Controller include determining the purposes and means of processing your personal data and ensuring your rights are protected at every stage.

2. Categories of Personal Data We Process

We collect and process a variety of personal data necessary to operate and enhance our services. These data categories include:

a) Usage Data
We collect data about how you interact with our website, including IP address, browser type, browser version, device identifiers, time zone settings, operating system, page views, session duration, referring URLs, and navigation patterns.

b) Account Data
If you create an account or register with us, we may collect your full name, email address, postal address, phone number, and account credentials.

c) Profile Data
This includes information about your preferences, purchase history, interests, participation in surveys, and behavioral analytics derived from your engagement with our services.

d) Communication Data
Any communication between you and The Waterways Trust, such as customer service inquiries, email correspondence, contact form submissions, and support requests, may be stored to improve our services and ensure continuity.

e) Technical Data
We collect device metadata, browser plug-in types, screen resolution, operating system, and system configuration data, along with diagnostic logs.

f) Transaction Data
If you make purchases or donations, we process payment details, billing addresses, delivery addresses, and transaction history.

g) Preference Data
This includes marketing and communication preferences, subscription choices, and any data you provide to tailor your experience or opt into outreach, programs, or promotional activities.

3. Legal Bases for Processing Personal Data

We process your personal data under the following lawful bases:

– Consent: Where you have provided explicit consent for a specific purpose, e.g., marketing communication.
– Contractual Necessity: When processing is required to fulfill a contract or to take pre-contractual steps at your request.
– Legitimate Interests: When processing serves legitimate interests of The Waterways Trust or a third party, provided such interests do not override your fundamental rights and freedoms.
– Legal Obligation: Where processing is required to comply with applicable legal or regulatory obligations.

4. Your Rights Under Data Protection Laws

As a data subject, you are entitled to exercise the following rights:

– Right of Access: To obtain confirmation as to whether your personal data is being processed and access to that data.
– Right to Rectification: To correct inaccuracies and complete incomplete data.
– Right to Erasure (“Right to be Forgotten”): To request the deletion of your personal data when it is no longer necessary for the purposes for which it was collected, or when withdrawal of consent is applicable.
– Right to Restrict Processing: To suspend processing under specific circumstances (e.g., pending verification of accuracy).
– Right to Data Portability: To receive your personal data in a structured, commonly used format and transfer it to another controller.
– Right to Object: To object to processing based on legitimate interests or for direct marketing purposes.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at [email protected]. We may request identification to verify your request.

5. Security Measures

We implement a range of technical and organizational security safeguards to ensure the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of your personal data:

– Encryption of data in transit and at rest.
– Access controls and authentication protocols.
– Regular security assessments and vulnerability testing.
– Data minimization and retention policies.
– Staff training on information security and data privacy.
– Vendor and third-party review procedures.

While we strive to protect your information, no electronic transmission or storage method can be guaranteed 100% secure. Nonetheless, we work diligently to protect your data from unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction.

6. International Data Transfers

Personal data may be transferred and stored outside of your local jurisdiction, including to countries that do not offer the same level of data protection as your own. Where such transfers occur, we will implement appropriate safeguards such as Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs), reliance on adequacy decisions, or legally recognized transfer mechanisms to ensure your data remains secure and your rights intact in compliance with GDPR and other applicable laws.

7. Data Retention

We retain your personal data only for as long as necessary for the purposes described in this Privacy Policy or as required by law:

– Usage Data: Retained for up to 12 months for analytics purposes.
– Account Data: Retained as long as your account is active and up to 5 years following account closure.
– Communication Data: Retained for 3 years from the last contact.
– Transaction Data: Retained for financial auditing purposes for up to 7 years.
– Preference Data: Retained until unsubscribed or consent is withdrawn.

Once data is no longer required, it is securely deleted or anonymized to prevent identification.

8. Cookie Policy

We use cookies and tracking technologies to enhance your browsing experience on thewaterwaystrust.com. These may include:

– Essential Cookies: Required for website functionality (e.g., user login, session management).
– Functional Cookies: Enable enhanced functionality such as remembering user preferences.
– Analytics Cookies: Collect usage statistics and performance metrics to improve our website.
– Performance Cookies: Help us monitor site performance and optimize speed and usability.

9. Cookie Management and Compliance

Under GDPR and CCPA, you have the right to manage your cookie preferences. Upon your first visit to thewaterwaystrust.com, you will be prompted with a Cookie Consent Banner where you may accept or reject non-essential cookies. You can adjust your preferences at any time through your browser settings or by re-visiting our cookie management interface. If you are a California resident, you have the right to opt out of the “sale” of personal information, including data collected via cookies. We do not sell personal data to third parties.

10. Special Protections for Children

Our website is not directed to children under the age of 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal data from individuals under 13. If we become aware that a minor has submitted personal information without verifiable parental consent, we will delete the data immediately and take appropriate safeguards.

11. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We reserve the right to modify or update this Privacy Policy to reflect changes in our practices, technologies, or regulatory requirements. When material changes are made, we will notify users via prominent notice on thewaterwaystrust.com or direct communication, where possible.

We encourage you to review this policy periodically to remain informed about how we are protecting your information.

12. Contacting The Waterways Trust

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or your personal data, please contact us using the following details:

Email: [email protected]
Website: https://www.thewaterwaystrust.com

We are committed to resolutely handling privacy concerns and will endeavor to respond to your inquiries promptly and transparently.

13. Final Statement

The Waterways Trust is committed to full compliance with global data protection standards, including GDPR and CCPA. We continuously evaluate our privacy practices to uphold the trust placed in us. For any privacy-related concerns, please reach out to us at [email protected], and we will be pleased to assist.