1. An overview of data protection
General information
The following information will provide you with an easy to navigate overview of what will happen with your personal data when you visit this website. The term “personal data” comprises all data that can be used to personally identify you. For detailed information about the subject matter of data protection, please consult our Data Protection Declaration, which we have included beneath this copy.
Data recording on this website
Who is the responsible party for the recording of data on this website (i.e. the “controller”)?
The data on this website is processed by the operator of the website, whose contact information is available under section “Information Required by Law” on this website.
How do we record your data?
We collect your data as a result of your sharing of your data with us. This may, for instance be information you enter into our contact form.
Other data shall be recorded by our IT systems automatically or after you consent to its recording during your website visit. This data comprises primarily technical information (e.g. web browser, operating system or time the site was accessed). This information is recorded automatically when you access this website.
What are the purposes we use your data for?
A portion of the information is generated to guarantee the error free provision of the website. Other data may be used to analyze your user patterns.
What rights do you have as far as your information is concerned?
You have the right to receive information about the source, recipients and purposes of your archived personal data at any time without having to pay a fee for such disclosures. You also have the right to demand that your data are rectified or eradicated. If you have consented to data processing, you have the option to revoke this consent at any time, which shall affect all future data processing. Moreover, you have the right to demand that the processing of your data be restricted under certain circumstances. Furthermore, you have the right to log a complaint with the competent supervising agency.
Please do not hesitate to contact us at any time under the address disclosed in section “Information Required by Law” on this website if you have questions about this or any other data protection related issues.
Analysis tools and tools provided by third parties
There is a possibility that your browsing patterns will be statistically analyzed when your visit this website. Such analyses are performed primarily with what we refer to as analysis programs.
For detailed information about these analysis programs please consult our Data Protection Declaration below.
2. Hosting and Content Delivery Networks (CDN)
External Hosting
This website is hosted by an external service provider (host). Personal data collected on this website are stored on the servers of the host. These may include, but are not limited to, IP addresses, contact requests, metadata and communications, contract information, contact information, names, web page access, and other data generated through a web site.
The host is used for the purpose of fulfilling the contract with our potential and existing customers (Art. 6 para. 1 lit. b GDPR) and in the interest of secure, fast and efficient provision of our online services by a professional provider (Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR).
Our host will only process your data to the extent necessary to fulfill its performance obligations and to follow our instructions with respect to such data.
Execution of a contract data processing agreement
In order to guarantee processing in compliance with data protection regulations, we have concluded an order processing contract with our host.
3. General information and mandatory information
Data protection
The operators of this website and its pages take the protection of your personal data very seriously. Hence, we handle your personal data as confidential information and in compliance with the statutory data protection regulations and this Data Protection Declaration.
Whenever you use this website, a variety of personal information will be collected. Personal data comprises data that can be used to personally identify you. This Data Protection Declaration explains which data we collect as well as the purposes we use this data for. It also explains how, and for which purpose the information is collected.
Revocation of your consent to the processing of data
A wide range of data processing transactions are possible only subject to your express consent. You can also revoke at any time any consent you have already given us. This shall be without prejudice to the lawfulness of any data collection that occurred prior to your revocation.
Right to object to the collection of data in special cases; right to object to direct advertising (Art. 21 GDPR)
IN THE EVENT THAT DATA ARE PROCESSED ON THE BASIS OF ART. 6 SECT. 1 LIT. E OR F GDPR, YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO AT ANY TIME OBJECT TO THE PROCESSING OF YOUR PERSONAL DATA BASED ON GROUNDS ARISING FROM YOUR UNIQUE SITUATION. THIS ALSO APPLIES TO ANY PROFILING BASED ON THESE PROVISIONS. TO DETERMINE THE LEGAL BASIS, ON WHICH ANY PROCESSING OF DATA IS BASED, PLEASE CONSULT THIS DATA PROTECTION DECLARATION. IF YOU LOG AN OBJECTION, WE WILL NO LONGER PROCESS YOUR AFFECTED PERSONAL DATA, UNLESS WE ARE IN A POSITION TO PRESENT COMPELLING PROTECTION WORTHY GROUNDS FOR THE PROCESSING OF YOUR DATA, THAT OUTWEIGH YOUR INTERESTS, RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS OR IF THE PURPOSE OF THE PROCESSING IS THE CLAIMING, EXERCISING OR DEFENCE OF LEGAL ENTITLEMENTS (OBJECTION PURSUANT TO ART. 21 SECT. 1 GDPR).
IF YOUR PERSONAL DATA IS BEING PROCESSED IN ORDER TO ENGAGE IN DIRECT ADVERTISING, YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO AT ANY TIME OBJECT TO THE PROCESSING OF YOUR AFFECTED PERSONAL DATA FOR THE PURPOSES OF SUCH ADVERTISING. THIS ALSO APPLIES TO PROFILING TO THE EXTENT THAT IT IS AFFILIATED WITH SUCH DIRECT ADVERTISING. IF YOU OBJECT, YOUR PERSONAL DATA WILL SUBSEQUENTLY NO LONGER BE USED FOR DIRECT ADVERTISING PURPOSES (OBJECTION PURSUANT TO ART. 21 SECT. 2 GDPR).
Right to log a complaint with the competent supervisory agency
In the event of violations of the GDPR, data subjects are entitled to log a complaint with a supervisory agency, in particular in the member state where they usually maintain their domicile, place of work or at the place where the alleged violation occurred. The right to log a complaint is in effect regardless of any other administrative or court proceedings available as legal recourses.
Right to data portability
You have the right to demand that we hand over any data we automatically process on the basis of your consent or in order to fulfil a contract be handed over to you or a third party in a commonly used, machine readable format. If you should demand the direct transfer of the data to another controller, this will be done only if it is technically feasible.
SSL and/or TLS encryption
For security reasons and to protect the transmission of confidential content, such as purchase orders or inquiries you submit to us as the website operator, this website uses either an SSL or a TLS encryption program. You can recognize an encrypted connection by checking whether the address line of the browser switches from “http://” to “https://” and also by the appearance of the lock icon in the browser line.
If the SSL or TLS encryption is activated, data you transmit to us cannot be read by third parties.
Information about, rectification and eradication of data
Within the scope of the applicable statutory provisions, you have the right to at any time demand information about your archived personal data, their source and recipients as well as the purpose of the processing of your data. You may also have a right to have your data rectified or eradicated. If you have questions about this subject matter or any other questions about personal data, please do not hesitate to contact us at any time at the address provided in section “Information Required by Law.”
Right to demand processing restrictions
You have the right to demand the imposition of restrictions as far as the processing of your personal data is concerned. To do so, you may contact us at any time at the address provided in section “Information Required by Law.” The right to demand restriction of processing applies in the following cases:
- In the event that you should dispute the correctness of your data archived by us, we will usually need some time to verify this claim. During the time that this investigation is ongoing, you have the right to demand that we restrict the processing of your personal data.
- If the processing of your personal data was/is conducted in an unlawful manner, you have the option to demand the restriction of the processing of your data in lieu of demanding the eradication of this data.
- If we do not need your personal data any longer and you need it to exercise, defend or claim legal entitlements, you have the right to demand the restriction of the processing of your personal data instead of its eradication.
- If you have raised an objection pursuant to Art. 21 Sect. 1 GDPR, your rights and our rights will have to be weighed against each other. As long as it has not been determined whose interests prevail, you have the right to demand a restriction of the processing of your personal data.
If you have restricted the processing of your personal data, these data – with the exception of their archiving – may be processed only subject to your consent or to claim, exercise or defend legal entitlements or to protect the rights of other natural persons or legal entities or for important public interest reasons cited by the European Union or a member state of the EU.
4. Recording of data on this website
Cookies
Our websites and pages use what the industry refers to as “cookies.” Cookies are small text files that do not cause any damage to your device. They are either stored temporarily for the duration of a session (session cookies) or they are permanently archived on your device (permanent cookies). Session cookies are automatically deleted once you terminate your visit. Permanent cookies remain archived on your device until you actively delete them or they are automatically eradicated by your web browser.
In some cases it is possible that third party cookies are stored on your device once you enter our site (third party cookies). These cookies enable you or us to take advantage of certain services offered by the third party (e.g. cookies for the processing of payment services).
Cookies have a variety of functions. Many cookies are technically essential since certain website functions would not work in the absence of the cookies (e.g. display of videos). The purpose of other cookies may be the analysis of user patterns or the display of promotional messages.
Cookies, which are required for the performance of electronic communication transactions (required cookies) or for the provision of certain functions you want to use (functional cookies) or those that are necessary for the optimization of the website (e.g. cookies that provide measurable insights into the web audience), shall be stored on the basis of Art. 6 Sect. 1 lit. f GDPR, unless a different legal basis is cited. The operator of the website has a legitimate interest in the storage of cookies to ensure the technically error free and optimized provision of the operator’s services. If your consent to the storage of the cookies has been requested, the respective cookies are stored exclusively on the basis of the consent obtained (Art. 6 Sect. 1 lit. a GDPR); this consent may be revoked at any time.
You have the option to set up your browser in such a manner that you will be notified any time cookies are placed and to permit the acceptance of cookies only in specific cases. You may also exclude the acceptance of cookies in certain cases or in general or activate the delete function for the automatic eradication of cookies when the browser closes. If cookies are deactivated, the functions of this website may be limited.
In the event that third party cookies are used or if cookies are used for analytical purposes, we will separately notify you in conjunction with this Data Protection Policy and, if applicable, ask for your consent.
Server log files
The provider of this website and its pages automatically collects and stores information in so-called server log files, which your browser communicates to us automatically. The information comprises:
- The type and version of browser used
- The used operating system
- Referrer URL
- The hostname of the accessing computer
- The time of the server inquiry
- The IP address
This data is not merged with other data sources.
This data is recorded on the basis of Art. 6 Sect. 1 lit. f GDPR. The operator of the website has a legitimate interest in the technically error free depiction and the optimization of the operator’s website. In order to achieve this, server log files must be recorded.
Contact form
If you submit inquiries to us via our contact form, the information provided in the contact form as well as any contact information provided therein will be stored by us in order to handle your inquiry and in the event that we have further questions. We will not share this information without your consent.
The processing of these data is based on Art. 6 para. 1 lit. b GDPR, if your request is related to the execution of a contract or if it is necessary to carry out pre-contractual measures. In all other cases the processing is based on our legitimate interest in the effective processing of the requests addressed to us (Art. 6 Para. 1 lit. f GDPR) or on your agreement (Art. 6 Para. 1 lit. a GDPR) if this has been requested.
The information you have entered into the contact form shall remain with us until you ask us to eradicate the data, revoke your consent to the archiving of data or if the purpose for which the information is being archived no longer exists (e.g. after we have concluded our response to your inquiry). This shall be without prejudice to any mandatory legal provisions – in particular retention periods.
Newsletter
If you wish to subscribe to our newsletter we ask you to provide your email address. Before we send you the newsletter you will receive an email notification with a link. Only by clicking on this link, confirming that you actually wish to receive the newsletter will you be included in our distribution list. This ensures that nobody other than you can use your email address for subscription to a newsletter (so-called double opt in procedure). Your personal data will be used and stored only for the purpose of providing you with the newsletter.
5. Social media
Twitter plug-in
We have integrated functions of the social media platform Twitter into this website. These functions are provided by Twitter Inc., 1355 Market Street, Suite 900, San Francisco, CA 94103, USA. While you use Twitter and the “Re-Tweet” function, websites you visit are linked to your Twitter account and disclosed to other users. During this process, data are transferred to Twitter as well. We must point out, that we, the providers of the website and its pages do not know anything about the content of the data transferred and the use of this information by Twitter. For more details, please consult Twitter’s Data Privacy Declaration at: https://twitter.com/en/privacy.
The use of Twitter plug-ins is based on Art. 6 Sect. 1 lit. f GDPR. The operator of the website has a legitimate interest in being as visible as possible on social media. If a respective declaration of consent has been obtained, the data shall be processed exclusively on the basis of Art. 6 Sect. 1 lit. a GDPR. This declaration of consent may be revoked at any time.
You have the option to reset your data protection settings on Twitter under the account settings at https://twitter.com/account/settings.
Tracking Cookies
Tracking cookies are cookies that follow the surfing behaviour of a visitor on our website. We use these advertising cookies to create an interest profile of your visit so that we can advertise more effectively.
Facebook
This website uses a Facebook Pixel. This tool helps us analyse the website, with which we can improve the Facebook experience of our users. The cookie only stores information such as: which Facebook users visit the website, the pages that these users visit, etc. This pixel also stores the behaviour of users after viewing or clicking on a Facebook advertisement. This allows Facebook to evaluate the effectiveness of the advertisements. Thanks to the pixel we can also show website visitors advertisements on the Facebook platform. The information obtained is anonymous to us and does not provide us with any further information about the identity of you as a user. However, the data are stored by Facebook and processed in such a way that they can be linked to a specific user profile. This means that Facebook can use the data for its own advertising purposes.
- These cookies are stored for a maximum of one year.
- Here you can read more about how Facebook handles your data.
Linkedin
This website uses Insight Tag and Conversion Tag, two analysis tools from LinkedIn. These tools help us analyse the website, with which we can improve the LinkedIn experience of our users. LinkedIn uses these data to create reports about the site usage of all users, meaning without using your IP address. The cookie only stores information such as: which LinkedIn users visit the website and which pages these users visit. This pixel also stores the behaviour of users after viewing or clicking on a LinkedIn advertisement. This allows LinkedIn to evaluate the effectiveness of advertisements. Thanks to the pixel we can also show website visitors advertisements on the LinkedIn platform. The information obtained is anonymous to us and does not provide us with any further information about the identity of you as a user.
- These cookies are stored for a maximum of two years.
- Here you can read more about how LinkedIn handles your data.
Twitter
This website uses Website Tag, an analysis tool from Twitter. This tool helps us analyse the website, with which we can improve the Twitter experience of our users. Twitter uses these data to create reports about the site usage of all users, meaning without using your IP address. The cookie only stores information such as: which Twitter users visit the website, the pages that these users visit, etc. This tag also stores the behaviour of users after viewing or clicking on a Twitter advertisement. This allows Twitter to evaluate the effectiveness of advertisements. Thanks to the tag we can also show website visitors advertisements on the Twitter platform. The information obtained is anonymous to us and does not provide us with any further information about the identity of you as a user.
- These cookies are stored for a maximum of one year.
- Here you can read more about how Twitter handles your data.
6. Analysis tools and advertising
Google Analytics
This website uses functions of the web analysis service Google Analytics. The provider of this service is Google Ireland Limited (“Google”), Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland.
Google Analytics enables the website operator to analyze the behavior patterns of website visitors. To that end, the website operator receives a variety of user data, such as pages accessed, time spent on the page, the utilized operating system and the user’s origin. Google may consolidate these data in a profile that is allocated to the respective user or the user’s device.
Google Analytics uses technologies that make the recognition of the user for the purpose of analyzing the user behavior patterns (e.g. cookies or device fingerprinting). The website use information recorded by Google is, as a rule transferred to a Google server in the United States, where it is stored.
This analysis tool is used on the basis of Art. 6 Sect. 1 lit. f GDPR. The operator of this website has a legitimate interest in the analysis of user patterns to optimize both, the services offered online and the operator’s advertising activities. If a corresponding agreement has been requested (e.g. an agreement to the storage of cookies), the processing takes place exclusively on the basis of Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR; the agreement can be revoked at any time.
IP anonymization
On this website, we have activated the IP anonymization function. As a result, your IP address will be abbreviated by Google within the member states of the European Union or in other states that have ratified the Convention on the European Economic Area prior to its transmission to the United States. The full IP address will be transmitted to one of Google’s servers in the United States and abbreviated there only in exceptional cases. On behalf of the operator of this website, Google shall use this information to analyze your use of this website to generate reports on website activities and to render other services to the operator of this website that are related to the use of the website and the Internet. The IP address transmitted in conjunction with Google Analytics from your browser shall not be merged with other data in Google’s possession.
Browser plug-in
You can prevent the recording and processing of your data by Google by downloading and installing the browser plugin available under the following link: https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout?hl=en.
For more information about the handling of user data by Google Analytics, please consult Google’s Data Privacy Declaration at: https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/6004245?hl=en.
Contract data processing
We have executed a contract data processing agreement with Google and are implementing the stringent provisions of the German data protection agencies to the fullest when using Google Analytics.
Archiving period
Data on the user or incident level stored by Google linked to cookies, user IDs or advertising IDs (e.g. DoubleClick cookies, Android advertising ID) will be anonymized or deleted after 14 month. For details please click the following link: https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/7667196?hl=en
Adwords remarketing
This website uses the retargeting options of Google. This allows us to approach visitors to our website who have already shown an interest using targeted advertising tailored to these persons and their interests on the Google search engine and the Google Network. This is done via a cookie that does not store personal data, but that does store the previous use of the website. This cookie is stored on your computer or mobile phone.
- These cookies are stored for a maximum of 540 days.
- Here you can read more about how AdWords handles your data.
- Here you can opt out of the Google cookie.
Matomo (formerly called Piwik)
This website uses the open source web analysis service Matomo. Matomo uses technologies that make it possible to recognize the user across multiple pages with the aim of analyzing the user patterns (e.g. cookies or device fingerprinting). The information recorded by Matomo about the use of this website will be stored on our server. Prior to archiving, the IP address will first be anonymized.
The use of this analysis tool is based on Art. 6 Sect. 1 lit. f GDPR. The website operator has a legitimate interest in the analysis of user patterns, in order to optimize the operator’s web offerings and advertising. If a corresponding agreement has been requested (e.g. an agreement to the storage of cookies), the processing takes place exclusively on the basis of Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR; the agreement can be revoked at any time.
The information collected by Matomo concerning the use of this website shall not be shared with any third parties.
Deactivate Matomo
7. Plug-ins and Tools
YouTube with expanded data protection integration
Our website embeds videos of the website YouTube. The website operator is Google Ireland Limited (“Google”), Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland.
We use YouTube in the expanded data protection mode. According to YouTube, this mode ensures that YouTube does not store any information about visitors to this website before they watch the video. Nevertheless, this does not necessarily mean that the sharing of data with YouTube partners can be ruled out as a result of the expanded data protection mode. For instance, regardless of whether you are watching a video, YouTube will always establish a connection with the Google DoubleClick network.
As soon as you start to play a YouTube video on this website, a connection to YouTube’s servers will be established. As a result, the YouTube server will be notified, which of our pages you have visited. If you are logged into your YouTube account while you visit our site, you enable YouTube to directly allocate your browsing patterns to your personal profile. You have the option to prevent this by logging out of your YouTube account.
Furthermore, after you have started to play a video, YouTube will be able to place various cookies on your device or comparable technologies for recognition (e.g. device fingerprinting). In this way YouTube will be able to obtain information about this website’s visitors. Among other things, this information will be used to generate video statistics with the aim of improving the user friendliness of the site and to prevent attempts to commit fraud.
Under certain circumstances, additional data processing transactions may be triggered after you have started to play a YouTube video, which are beyond our control.
The use of YouTube is based on our interest in presenting our online content in an appealing manner. Pursuant to Art. 6 Sect. 1 lit. f GDPR, this is a legitimate interest. If a corresponding agreement has been requested, the processing takes place exclusively on the basis of Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR; the agreement can be revoked at any time.
For more information on how YouTube handles user data, please consult the YouTube Data Privacy Policy under: https://policies.google.com/privacy?hl=en.
Google Web Fonts (local embedding)
This website uses so-called Web Fonts provided by Google to ensure the uniform use of fonts on this site. These Google fonts are locally installed so that a connection to Google’s servers will not be established in conjunction with this application.
For more information on Google Web Fonts, please follow this link: https://developers.google.com/fonts/faq and consult Google’s Data Privacy Declaration under: https://policies.google.com/privacy?hl=en.
Google Maps
Via an API, this website uses the mapping service Google Maps. The provider is Google Ireland Limited (“Google”), Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland.
To enable the use of the Google Maps features, your IP address must be stored. As a rule, this information is transferred to one of Google’s servers in the United States, where it is archived. The operator of this website has no control over the data transfer.
We use Google Maps to present our online content in an appealing manner and to make the locations disclosed on our website easy to find. This constitutes a legitimate interest as defined in Art. 6 Sect. 1 lit. f GDPR. If a respective declaration of consent has been obtained, the data shall be processed exclusively on the basis of Art. 6 Sect. 1 lit. a GDPR. This declaration of consent may be revoked at any time.
For more information on the handling of user data, please review Google’s Data Privacy Declaration under: https://policies.google.com/privacy?hl=en.
