HKCSS Privacy Policy Statement

The Hong Kong Council of Social Service (referred to as "HKCSS", "we", "us" and "our") takes individuals' privacy seriously. This Statement explains our policies and practices and applies to information collection and use including but not limited to while you are visiting and using www.gies.hk (the "Site").

For the purposes of the relevant data protection laws in force in Hong Kong, HKCSS is a data controller and/or a data user which controls the collection, holding, processing or use of your personal data. This Statement is also part of our Terms of Use for the Site.

We respect your privacy and we promise:

• to implement computer, physical and procedural safeguards to protect the security and confidentiality of the personal data we collect
• to limit the personal data collected to the minimum required to provide services requested by you
• to permit only our properly trained, authorized employees to access personal data
• not to disclose your personal data to external parties unless you have agreed, we are required by law or we have previously informed you.

1. Information collection

   In order to provide a better service to you, we may, in the course of and in relation to provision of our services or products, collect and process the following information about you:

   • information (such as, your name, your company name, address, telephone number, mobile phone number, fax number, email address, website, nature of business and product/service details etc. of your company) when you register with us, use our services, attend our functions, or communicate with us. In some circumstances, we may also collect personal identification data such as your passport or identity card number, date of birth and/or nationality for security and verification purposes;
   • in connection with an account sign-in facility, your log-in and password details;
   • the content of any communications you send to us, for example, to report a problem or to submit queries, concerns or comments regarding the Site or its content; and
   • information from surveys that we may, from time to time, run on the Site for research purposes, if you choose to respond to, or participate in, them.
   • The provision of personal data by you is necessary in order for us to provide you with the requested services and for us to perform our contractual obligations (if any) to you (as one of the legitimate interests of HKCSS). If you do not supply such data, we may be unable to provide the requested service.
   • We only retain personal data for so long as it is necessary for the fulfillment of the purpose (including any directly related purpose) for which the data is or is to be used.

2. Use of information

   The purposes for which information may be used by us include:

   1. (a) processing applications
   2. (b) providing services and information offered through the Site
   3. (c) providing enquirers with contact and business information
   4. (d) our operations, e.g., incorporation into our database, analysis, research and auditing
   5. (e) complying with laws, regulations or codes of practice in Hong Kong
   6. (f) legal proceedings, including collecting overdue amounts
   7. (g) other purposes directly relating to the activities identified above
   8. (h) prevention or detection of crime, and protection of the security and safety of our events and trade fairs
   9. (i) verification of identity in events organised by us where it is necessary to verify your identity..
   
   

   Your personal identification data such as date of birth and nationality (if collected by us) will be used solely for the purpose in (i) above.

3. Disclosure

   We may provide your personal data as required or permitted by law to comply with a summons, subpoena or similar legal process or government request, or when we believe in good faith that disclosure is legally required or otherwise necessary to protect our rights and property, or the rights, property or safety of others, including but not limited to advisers, law enforcement, judicial and regulatory authorities in or outside Hong Kong.

   To prevent and detect crimes and to protect the security and safety of our events and trade fairs, we may provide your personal identification data such as your full passport/identity card no., date of birth and nationality to the law enforcement authorities in Hong Kong including the Hong Kong Police Force, Immigration Department, Customs and Excise Department and other similar authorities upon their lawful request (but not to any other third party save as expressly specified below).

4. Security

   Personal data stored electronically are password-protected. Encryption technology is used on our secured web areas. Our computer systems are placed in restricted areas. We only permit authorized employees to access personal data. These employees are trained on our privacy policies.

5. Hyperlinks

   The Site may, from time to time, contain links to external sites operated by third parties for your convenience. We have no control of and are not responsible for these third party sites or the content thereof. Once you leave the Site, we cannot be responsible for the protection and privacy of any information which you provide to these third party sites. You should exercise caution and look at the privacy statement for the website you visit.

6. Changes

   We may update this Statement as and when appropriate.

7. Your data privacy rights

   By using our service, making an application or visiting our Site, you acknowledge the collection and use of your personal data by us as outlined in this Statement. If you do not agree with the use of your personal data as set out in this Statement, or the Terms of Use, please do not use this Site.

   Under the Hong Kong Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance, you have the right:

   • to check whether we hold personal data about you and to access such data
   • to require us to correct inaccurate data
   • to ascertain our policies and practices in relation to personal data and the kind of personal data held by us.
   
   

If you wish to exercise one of the above mentioned rights and/or raise questions or complaints please contact us:

Project Director
GIES
Room 1002A, 10/F, Duke of Windsor Social Service Building
15 Hennessy Road, Wanchai
Hong Kong

E-mail: [email protected]

If there is any conflict between the Chinese and English versions of this Statement, the English version prevails.