At ABCP, we respect your privacy. We want to ensure that you get the information, content, and experiences that matter most to you. ABCP is committed to protecting the privacy of its members, customers, volunteers, and other contacts.

Scope

This privacy policy applies to all personal data processed by full-time and part-time employees, volunteers when acting on behalf of ABCP, contractors and partners doing business on behalf of ABCP, as well as all legal entities, all operating locations in all countries, and all business processes conducted by ABCP.

What information do we collect?

ABCP may collect the following personal data in line with the purposes explained in a subsequent section:

  • Your name and contact details
  • Social media profile information
  • Education and professional information
  • Registration and participation in ABCP events and activities
  • Subscription preferences
  • Information about the device(s) you use
  • Authentication data
  • Location information
  • Other information you upload or provide to us

How do we use your information?

ABCP uses (and, where specified, shares) your personal information for the following purposes:

To provide support or other services. ABCP may use your personal information to provide you with support or other services that you have requested. ABCP may also use your personal information to respond directly to your requests for information, including registrations for events, or pass your contact information to other organisations for further follow-up processing related to your interests.

To provide information based on your needs and respond to your requests. ABCP may use your personal information to provide you with notices of new service developments.

To provide online forums and social networks. Some services provided by ABCP may permit you to participate in interactive discussions, post comments, opportunities, or other content to an online discussion group or a mailing list, or otherwise engage in networking activities. Some of these services are moderated; all may be accessed for technical reasons (for example, for improvements or fixes). ABCP does not control the content that users post to these forums or social networks (i.e. WeChat). You should carefully consider whether you wish to submit personal information to these forums or social networks and tailor any content you submit appropriately and in accordance with the relevant terms of use. You should also review any additional terms and conditions that may govern your use of these services, including terms related to sharing your personal information and receiving communications.

 To select content, improve quality, and facilitate use of the website. ABCP may use your personal information, including the information gathered as a result of site navigation and electronic protocols and cookies (including third-party cookies), to help create and personalise website content, improve website quality, track marketing campaign responsiveness, evaluate page response rates, conduct usability testing, and facilitate your use of the websites (for example, to facilitate navigation and the login process, avoid duplicate data entry, enhance security, keep track of shopping cart additions, and preserve order information between sessions).

To assess usage of ABCP services. ABCP may track your usage of ABCP services to determine your level of usage, and those usage statistics may be made available to ABCP’s content licensors and your employer (e.g., to help them understand how many Chinese researchers employed are members of ABCP).

To communicate with you about a meeting, conference, or event. We may communicate with you about a meeting, conference, or event hosted or co-sponsored by ABCP or one of our business associates. This may include information about the event’s content, event logistics, payment, updates, and additional information related to the event. Information you provide when registering for or participating in a conference managed or co-sponsored by parties, other than or in addition to ABCP may be shared with those parties, and the treatment of such information is further subject to the privacy policies of those parties. ABCP and its conference co-sponsors may contact you after the event about the event, subsequent iterations of the event and related events. Please note that ABCP conference, meeting or event organisers, co-sponsors, exhibitors, and other third parties may directly request your personal information at their conference booths or presentations. Providing your information to them is optional, and you should review their privacy policies to address your particular needs and concerns about how they will treat your personal information.

To include you in ABCP Member Directories. If you are an active member of ABCP, at your request, we may include your information in different types of ABCP member directories.

To update you on relevant ABCP benefits, programmes, and opportunities. ABCP may communicate with you regarding relevant ABCP benefits, programmes, and opportunities available to you, through your membership(s) of ABCP.

To engage with third parties. ABCP may share your personal data with third parties in connection with services that these individuals or entities perform for or with ABCP. These third parties are restricted from using this data in any way other than to provide services for ABCP or for the collaboration in which they and ABCP are contractually engaged (for example, hosting an ABCP database or engaging in data processing on ABCP’s behalf, or mailing you information that you requested). These third parties are carefully selected by ABCP and obligated to keep your data secure. From time to time, we may also share your information with third parties who we think might provide content, products, or services of interest to you.

To protect ABCP content and services. We may use your information to prevent potentially illegal activities and to enforce our terms and conditions. We also use a variety of technological systems to detect and address anomalous activity and to screen content to prevent abuse, such as spam. These efforts may, on occasion, result in a temporary or permanent suspension or termination of some functions for some users.

To get feedback or input from you. In order to deliver products and services of most interest to our customers, from time to time, we may ask members, customers, volunteers, and website visitors to provide us input and feedback (for example through surveys, usability studies, focus groups).

To protect ABCP information assets as well as your own personal data. ABCP is dedicated to protect the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of ABCP information assets by following a risk management approach based on policies, standards, guidelines, and procedures to meet security objectives while supporting business and operational goals.

How can you control your information?

You can control the information we have about you and how we use it in several ways.

  • If you are a registered member, please contact us if you want to have your information removed from the data repository held by ABCP.
  • Use the unsubscribe method provided in our various communications (if available).

Personal data about minors and children

ABCP does not knowingly collect data from or about children under 16 without the permission of parent(s)/guardian(s). If we learn that we have collected personal information from a child under 16 without your consent, we will delete that information as quickly as possible. If you believe that we might have any information from or about a child under age 16, please contact us.

How will you know if the Privacy Policy is changed?

ABCP may update its Privacy Policy from time to time. If we make any material changes we will notify you by email or other communication channels such as WeChat, or by means of a notice on this website prior to the change becoming effective. We encourage you to periodically review this page for the latest information on our privacy practices.

Technical and regulatory information

Logging practices

ABCP may automatically record the Internet Protocol (IP) addresses of visitors of its website and other online services. The IP address is a unique number assigned to every computer on the internet. Generally, an IP address changes each time you connect to the internet (it is a “dynamic” address). Note, however, that if you have a broadband connection, depending on your individual circumstance, the IP address that we collect may contain information that could be deemed identifiable. This is because, with some broadband connections, your IP address doesn’t change (it is “static”) and could be associated with your personal computer.

As well as recording the IP addresses of users, ABCP may also keep track of sites that users visited immediately prior to visiting ABCP’s website and the search terms they used to find it. We keep track of the pages visited on ABCP’s website, the amount of time spent on those pages and the types of searches done on them. Your searches remain confidential and anonymous. ABCP uses this information only for statistical purposes to find out which pages users find most useful and to improve the website.

ABCP also captures and stores information that you transmit. This may include:

  • Browser/Device type/version
  • Operating system used
  • Media Access Control (MAC) address
  • Date and time of the server request
  • Volume of data transferred

External links behaviour

Some of ABCP’s websites link to other sites created and maintained by other public- and/or private-sector organisations. ABCP provides these links solely for your information and convenience. When you transfer to an outside website, you are leaving the ABCP domain, and ABCP’s information management policies no longer apply. ABCP encourages you to read the privacy statement of each external website that you visit before you provide any personal data.

Cookies and web beacons

Cookies and web beacons are electronic placeholders that are placed on your device by websites to track your individual movements on that website over time. ABCP uses both session-based cookies (which last only for the duration of the user’s session) and persistent cookies (which remain on your device and provide information about the session you are in and wait for the next time you use that site again).

These cookies and web beacons provide useful information to ABCP, enabling us to recognise repeat users, facilitate the user’s access to and use of our sites, allowing us to track usage behaviour, and to balance the usage of our websites on all ABCP web servers.

Tracking cookies, third-party cookies, and other technologies such as web beacons may be used to process additional information, enable non-core functionalities on the ABCP website and enable third-party functions (such as a social media “share” link). We may also include web beacons and other similar technology in promotional email messages to determine whether the messages have been opened.

Collaboration with authorities

ABCP has appointed its VP for IT & External Liaison of ABCP as a dedicated data protection officer (DPO) who represents the regulatory authorities inside ABCP, and in return represents the ABCP to regulatory authorities. The ABCP DPO will ensure proper communication with the relevant regulatory authority for privacy. The DPO will lead investigative action, complaint handling and data breach notification. The DPO will also monitor regulatory changes and consult the regulatory authority where implementation of a regulatory or technological change leads to doubt.

The ABCO DPO can be contacted via it_external_liaison@abcp.org.uk.

Transfer of information to countries outside of the UK/EU/EEA

As an organisation promoting collaborations between the UK and China, ABCP engages in a number of activities being carried out out side of the UK, the EU (European Union) and the EEA (European Economic Area). In connection with the management of those activities, ABCP may transfer information to outside of the UK/EU/EEA. By submitting your information to ABCP via the websites, or in connection with your interactions with ABCP offline, you consent to such transfers and to the processing of this information in non-UK/EU/EEA countries.

Responses to legal requests

ABCP reserves the right to share your information to respond to duly authorised information requests of governmental authorities or where required by law.

In the event of bankruptcy, merger, acquisition, reorganisation or sale of assets, your information may be sold or transferred as part of that transaction. The promises in this privacy policy will apply to your information as transferred to the new entity.

Your privacy rights protected by the UK GDPR

Under the UK General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), if you are an individual protected by the UK GDPR you may have certain rights as a data subject. To request information about or avail yourself of those rights, please send an email to contact@abcp.org.uk with “GDPR Request” in the subject line. In the email please describe, with specificity, the UK GDPR right you are requesting assistance with. Please note additional information may be requested prior to initiation of a request and that ABCP reserves the right to charge a fee with respect to certain requests.

How do I contact you if there is an issue?

If you have any questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy or about the use of your personal information, please feel free to contact us by email at contact@abcp.org.uk.

Last updated on 8th May 2022