Privacy Policy

1. Data protection at a glance

General information

The following information provides a simple overview of what happens to your personal data when you visit our website. Personal data is all data that can be used to identify you personally. Detailed information on data protection can be found in our privacy policy listed below this text.

Data collection on our website

Who is responsible for data collection on this website?

Data processing on this website is carried out by the website operator. You can find their contact details in the website's imprint.

How do we collect your data?

Your data is collected, on the one hand, when you provide it to us. This may, for example, be data you enter in a contact form.

Other data is automatically collected by our IT systems when you visit the website. This primarily involves technical data (e.g., internet browser, operating system, or time of page access). This data is collected automatically as soon as you enter our website.

What do we use your data for?

Some of the data is collected to ensure the error-free provision of the website. Other data may be used to analyze your user behavior.

What rights do you have regarding your data?

You have the right to obtain information about the origin, recipient, and purpose of your stored personal data free of charge at any time. You also have the right to request the correction, blocking, or deletion of this data. You can contact us at any time at the address provided in the imprint for this purpose and for other questions regarding data protection. Furthermore, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the responsible supervisory authority.

You also have the right to request the restriction of processing of your personal data under certain circumstances. For details, see the "Right to Restriction of Processing" section of the Privacy Policy.

Analysis tools and third-party tools

When you visit our website, your browsing behavior may be statistically analyzed. This is done primarily with cookies and so-called analysis programs. The analysis of your browsing behavior is generally anonymous; it cannot be traced back to you. You can object to this analysis or prevent it by not using certain tools. Detailed information can be found in the following privacy policy.

You can object to this analysis. We will inform you about your options for objecting in this privacy policy.

2. General information and mandatory information

Data protection

The operators of these websites take the protection of your personal data very seriously. We treat your personal data confidentially and in accordance with the statutory data protection regulations and this privacy policy.

When you use this website, various personal data is collected. Personal data is data that can be used to identify you personally. This privacy policy explains what data we collect and what we use it for. It also explains how and for what purpose.

We would like to point out that data transmission over the Internet (e.g., when communicating via email) may be subject to security gaps. Complete protection of data from access by third parties is not possible.

Note on the responsible body

The responsible body for data processing on this website is:

GSR Gustav Stursberg GmbH
Philipp Blombach
Schmiedestraße 4
42899 Remscheid

Phone: 02191 - 5833
Email: datenschutz@gsr-germany.de

The responsible body is the natural or legal person who alone or jointly with others decides on the purposes and means of processing personal data (e.g. names, e-mail addresses, etc.).

Revocation of your consent to data processing

Many data processing operations are only possible with your express consent. You can revoke your previously granted consent at any time. Simply send us an informal email. The legality of the data processing carried out up to the time of revocation remains unaffected.

Right to object to data collection in special cases and to direct marketing (Article 21 GDPR)

If data processing is based on Art. 6 (1) (e) or (f) GDPR, you have the right to object to the processing of your personal data at any time for reasons arising from your particular situation; this also applies to profiling based on these provisions. The respective legal basis on which processing is based can be found in this data protection declaration. If you object, we will no longer process your personal data unless we can demonstrate compelling legitimate grounds for the processing which outweigh your interests, rights and freedoms or the processing serves to assert, exercise or defend legal claims (objection pursuant to Art. 21 (1) GDPR).

If your personal data is processed for direct marketing purposes, you have the right to object at any time to the processing of personal data concerning you for the purposes of such advertising; this also applies to profiling insofar as it is related to such direct marketing. If you object, your personal data will subsequently no longer be used for direct marketing purposes (objection pursuant to Art. 21 (2) GDPR).

Right to lodge a complaint with the competent supervisory authority

In the event of violations of the GDPR, data subjects have the right to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority, in particular in the Member State of their habitual residence, place of work, or place of the alleged violation. This right of complaint is without prejudice to other administrative or judicial remedies.

Right to data portability

You have the right to have data that we process automatically based on your consent or in fulfillment of a contract handed over to you or to a third party in a common, machine-readable format. If you request the direct transfer of the data to another controller, this will only be done if technically feasible.

SSL or TLS encryption

This site uses SSL or TLS encryption for security reasons and to protect the transmission of confidential content, such as orders or inquiries that you send to us as the site operator. You can recognize an encrypted connection by the fact that the browser's address line changes from "http://" to "https://" and by the lock symbol in your browser's address bar.

If SSL or TLS encryption is activated, the data you send to us cannot be read by third parties.

Encrypted payment transactions on this website

If, after concluding a paid contract, you are obliged to provide us with your payment details (e.g. account number for direct debit authorization), these details will be required for payment processing.

Payment transactions using common payment methods (Visa/MasterCard, direct debit) are carried out exclusively via an encrypted SSL or TLS connection. You can recognize an encrypted connection by the browser's address bar changing from "http://" to "https://" and by the lock symbol in your browser's address bar.

With encrypted communication, your payment data that you send to us cannot be read by third parties.

Information, blocking, deletion and correction

Within the scope of applicable law, you have the right at any time to obtain free information about your stored personal data, its origin and recipient, and the purpose of data processing, as well as the right to correct, block, or delete this data. You can contact us at any time at the address provided in the legal notice if you have any questions about this or other questions regarding personal data.

Right to restriction of processing

You have the right to request the restriction of the processing of your personal data. You can contact us at any time at the address provided in the legal notice. The right to restriction of processing exists in the following cases:

If you dispute the accuracy of your personal data stored by us, we generally need time to verify this. You have the right to request that the processing of your personal data be restricted while we verify your personal data.
If the processing of your personal data was/is unlawful, you can request the restriction of data processing instead of deletion.
If we no longer need your personal data, but you require it to exercise, defend or assert legal claims, you have the right to request that the processing of your personal data be restricted instead of deleted.
If you have lodged an objection pursuant to Art. 21 (1) GDPR, your interests must be weighed against ours. As long as it is not yet clear whose interests prevail, you have the right to request that the processing of your personal data be restricted.

If you have restricted the processing of your personal data, this data may – with the exception of its storage – only be processed with your consent or for the establishment, exercise or defense of legal claims or to protect the rights of another natural or legal person or for reasons of important public interest of the European Union or a Member State.

Objection to advertising emails

The use of contact data published in accordance with the imprint obligation to send unsolicited advertising and information materials is hereby prohibited. The operators of the website expressly reserve the right to take legal action in the event of unsolicited advertising information being sent, for example, through spam emails.

3. Data Protection Officer

Legally required data protection officer

We have appointed a data protection officer for our company.

IITR Data Protection GmbH
Dr. Sebastian Kraska
Marienplatz 2
80331 Munich

Phone: 089 - 18917360
Email: email@iitr.de

4. Data collection on our website

Cookies

Some of our websites use so-called cookies. Cookies do not harm your computer and do not contain viruses. Cookies are used to make our website more user-friendly, effective, and secure. Cookies are small text files that are stored on your computer and saved by your browser.

Most of the cookies we use are so-called "session cookies." They are automatically deleted after your visit. Other cookies remain stored on your device until you delete them. These cookies allow us to recognize your browser the next time you visit.

You can configure your browser to inform you about the use of cookies, to only accept cookies on a case-by-case basis, to exclude cookies for specific cases or generally, and to automatically delete cookies when closing your browser. Disabling cookies may limit the functionality of this website.

Cookies that are necessary for electronic communication or for providing certain functions you have requested (e.g., shopping cart function) are stored on the basis of Art. 6 (1) (f) GDPR. The website operator has a legitimate interest in storing cookies to ensure the technically error-free and optimized provision of its services. If other cookies (e.g., cookies for analyzing your surfing behavior) are stored, these are treated separately in this privacy policy.

Server log files

The website provider automatically collects and stores information in so-called server log files, which your browser automatically transmits to us. This includes:

Browser type and version
operating system used
Referrer URL
Hostname of the accessing computer
Time of the server request
IP address

This data will not be merged with other data sources.

This data is collected on the basis of Art. 6 (1) (f) GDPR. The website operator has a legitimate interest in the technically error-free presentation and optimization of its website – for this purpose, the server log files must be collected.

Contact form

If you send us inquiries via the contact form, your information from the form, including the contact details you provided there, will be stored by us for the purpose of processing your inquiry and in case of follow-up questions. We will not share this data without your consent.

The data entered into the contact form will therefore be processed exclusively on the basis of your consent (Art. 6 (1) (a) GDPR). You can revoke this consent at any time. To do so, simply send us an informal email. The legality of the data processing operations carried out up to the time of revocation remains unaffected by the revocation.

The data you enter in the contact form will remain with us until you request its deletion, revoke your consent to storage, or the purpose for storing the data no longer applies (e.g., after your request has been processed). Mandatory legal provisions—in particular, retention periods—remain unaffected.

Inquiry by email, telephone or fax

If you contact us by email, phone, or fax, your inquiry, including all personal data (name, inquiry), will be stored and processed by us for the purpose of processing your request. We will not share this data without your consent.

This data is processed on the basis of Art. 6 (1) (b) GDPR, provided your inquiry is related to the fulfillment of a contract or is necessary to carry out pre-contractual measures. In all other cases, the processing is based on your consent (Art. 6 (1) (a) GDPR) and/or on our legitimate interests (Art. 6 (1) (f) GDPR), as we have a legitimate interest in the effective processing of the inquiries addressed to us.

The data you send us via contact requests will remain with us until you request its deletion, revoke your consent to storage, or the purpose for storing the data no longer applies (e.g., after your request has been processed). Mandatory legal provisions—in particular, statutory retention periods—remain unaffected.

Registration on this website

You can register on our website to use additional features. We will use the data you enter only for the purpose of using the respective offer or service for which you have registered. The mandatory information requested during registration must be provided in full. Otherwise, we will reject your registration.

For important changes, such as those relating to the scope of our services or technically necessary changes, we will use the email address you provided during registration to inform you.

The data entered during registration is processed based on your consent (Art. 6 (1) (a) GDPR). You can revoke your consent at any time. To do so, simply send us an informal email. The legality of any data processing already carried out remains unaffected by the revocation.

The data collected during registration will be stored by us for as long as you are registered on our website and will be deleted thereafter. Statutory retention periods remain unaffected.

Processing of data (customer and contract data)

We collect, process, and use personal data only to the extent necessary to establish, define, or modify the legal relationship (master data). This is done on the basis of Art. 6 (1) (b) GDPR, which permits the processing of data to fulfill a contract or for pre-contractual measures. We collect, process, and use personal data about the use of our website (usage data) only to the extent necessary to enable the user to use the service or to bill them.

The collected customer data will be deleted after completion of the order or termination of the business relationship. Statutory retention periods remain unaffected.

Data transfer upon conclusion of contract for online shops, retailers and shipping of goods

We only transfer personal data to third parties if this is necessary for the performance of the contract, for example, to the company entrusted with delivering the goods or the credit institution responsible for processing payments. Data will not be transferred to any other party, or only if you have expressly consented to such transfer. Your data will not be passed on to third parties without your express consent, for example, for advertising purposes.

The basis for data processing is Art. 6 (1) (b) GDPR, which permits the processing of data to fulfill a contract or for pre-contractual measures.

5. Social media

Facebook plugins (Like & Share button)

Our pages incorporate plug-ins from the social network Facebook, operated by Facebook Inc., 1 Hacker Way, Menlo Park, California 94025, USA. You can recognize the Facebook plug-in by the Facebook logo or "Like" button on our page. An overview of Facebook plug-ins can be found here: https://developers.facebook.com/docs/plugins/?locale=de_DE .

When you visit our pages, a direct connection is established between your browser and the Facebook server via the plugin. Facebook thus receives the information that you have visited our page using your IP address. If you click the Facebook "Like" button while logged into your Facebook account, you can link the content of our pages to your Facebook profile. This allows Facebook to associate your visit to our pages with your user account. We would like to point out that, as the provider of the pages, we have no knowledge of the content of the transmitted data or how Facebook uses it. For more information, see Facebook's privacy policy at: https://de-de.facebook.com/privacy/explanation .

If you do not want Facebook to be able to associate your visit to our website with your Facebook user account, please log out of your Facebook user account.

The use of Facebook plugins is based on Art. 6 (1) (f) GDPR. The website operator has a legitimate interest in achieving the greatest possible visibility on social media.

Twitter plugin

Our website includes features of the Twitter service. These features are offered by Twitter Inc., 1355 Market Street, Suite 900, San Francisco, CA 94103, USA. By using Twitter and the "Retweet" function, the websites you visit are linked to your Twitter account and made known to other users. Data is also transmitted to Twitter in the process. We would like to point out that, as the provider of the website, we have no knowledge of the content of the transmitted data or its use by Twitter. Further information can be found in Twitter's privacy policy at: https://twitter.com/de/privacy .

The Twitter plugin is used on the basis of Art. 6 (1) (f) GDPR. The website operator has a legitimate interest in achieving the greatest possible visibility on social media.

You can change your privacy settings on Twitter in your account settings at https://twitter.com/account/settings .

Google+ plug-in

Our website uses features from Google+, provided by Google Inc., 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, USA.

Collection and sharing of information: Using the Google+ button, you can publish information worldwide. The Google+ button provides you and other users with personalized content from Google and our partners. Google stores both the information that you have given a +1 for a piece of content and information about the page you viewed when you clicked +1. Your +1 may be displayed as references along with your profile name and photo in Google services, such as in search results or in your Google profile, or elsewhere on websites and ads across the internet.

Google records information about your +1 activity to improve Google services for you and others. To use the Google+ button, you need a globally visible, public Google profile, which must contain at least the name you chose for the profile. This name will be used across all Google services. In some cases, this name may replace another name you used when sharing content via your Google Account. The identity of your Google profile may be displayed to users who know your email address or have other identifying information about you.

Use of the collected information: In addition to the purposes explained above, the information you provide will be used in accordance with the applicable Google Privacy Policy. Google may publish aggregated statistics about users' +1 activity or share these statistics with users and partners, such as publishers, advertisers, or affiliated websites.

The Google+ plug-in is used on the basis of Art. 6 (1) (f) GDPR. The website operator has a legitimate interest in achieving the greatest possible visibility on social media.

Instagram plugin

Our website includes features of the Instagram service. These features are offered by Instagram Inc., 1601 Willow Road, Menlo Park, CA 94025, USA.

If you are logged into your Instagram account, you can link the content of our pages to your Instagram profile by clicking the Instagram button. This allows Instagram to associate your visit to our pages with your user account. We would like to point out that, as the provider of the pages, we have no knowledge of the content of the transmitted data or how it is used by Instagram.

The Instagram plugin is used on the basis of Art. 6 (1) (f) GDPR. The website operator has a legitimate interest in achieving the greatest possible visibility on social media.

For more information, please see Instagram’s privacy policy: https://instagram.com/about/legal/privacy/ .

LinkedIn plugin

Our website uses features of the LinkedIn network. The provider is LinkedIn Corporation, 2029 Stierlin Court, Mountain View, CA 94043, USA.

Each time you access one of our pages that contains LinkedIn features, a connection is established to LinkedIn servers. LinkedIn is informed that you have visited our website using your IP address. If you click the LinkedIn "Recommend" button while logged into your LinkedIn account, LinkedIn can associate your visit to our website with you and your user account. We would like to point out that, as the provider of these pages, we have no knowledge of the content of the transmitted data or how it is used by LinkedIn.

The LinkedIn plug-in is used on the basis of Art. 6 (1) (f) GDPR. The website operator has a legitimate interest in achieving the greatest possible visibility on social media.

For more information, please see LinkedIn’s privacy policy at: https://www.linkedin.com/legal/privacy-policy .

XING plugin

Our website uses features of the XING network. The provider is XING AG, Dammtorstraße 29-32, 20354 Hamburg, Germany.

Every time you access one of our pages that contains XING features, a connection to XING servers is established. To our knowledge, no personal data is stored. In particular, IP addresses are not stored, and user behavior is not analyzed.

The XING plugin is used on the basis of Art. 6 (1) (f) GDPR. The website operator has a legitimate interest in achieving the greatest possible visibility on social media.

Further information on data protection and the XING Share button can be found in XING's privacy policy at: https://www.xing.com/app/share?op=data_protection .

Pinterest Plugin

On our website we use social plugins from the social network Pinterest, which is operated by Pinterest Inc., 808 Brannan Street, San Francisco, CA 94103-490, USA ("Pinterest").

When you visit a page containing such a plugin, your browser establishes a direct connection to Pinterest's servers. The plugin transmits log data to Pinterest's servers in the USA. This log data may include your IP address, the address of the websites visited that also contain Pinterest features, the type and settings of your browser, the date and time of the request, your use of Pinterest, and cookies.

The Pinterest plugin is used on the basis of Art. 6 (1) (f) GDPR. The website operator has a legitimate interest in achieving the greatest possible visibility on social media.

Further information on the purpose, scope and further processing and use of data by Pinterest as well as your rights and options for protecting your privacy can be found in Pinterest's privacy policy: https://policy.pinterest.com/de/privacy-policy .

6. Analysis tools and advertising

Google Analytics

This website uses features of the web analysis service Google Analytics, provided by Google Inc., 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, USA.

Google Analytics uses "cookies," which are text files placed on your computer, to help the website analyze how users use the site. The information generated by the cookie about your use of the website is typically transferred to a Google server in the United States and stored there.

The storage of Google Analytics cookies and the use of this analysis tool are based on Art. 6 (1) (f) GDPR. The website operator has a legitimate interest in analyzing user behavior in order to optimize both its website and its advertising.

IP anonymization

We have activated the IP anonymization function on this website. This means that your IP address will be shortened by Google within member states of the European Union or in other contracting states to the Agreement on the European Economic Area before being transmitted to the USA. Only in exceptional cases will the full IP address be transmitted to a Google server in the USA and shortened there. On behalf of the operator of this website, Google will use this information to evaluate your use of the website, to compile reports on website activity and to provide the website operator with other services relating to website activity and internet usage. The IP address transmitted by your browser as part of Google Analytics will not be merged with other Google data.

Browser plugin

You can prevent cookies from being saved by selecting the appropriate settings on your browser; however, please note that if you do this, you may not be able to use the full functionality of this website. Furthermore, you can prevent Google from collecting the data generated by the cookie and relating to your use of the website (including your IP address) and from processing this data by downloading and installing the browser plug-in available under the following link: https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout?hl=de .

Objection to data collection

You can prevent Google Analytics from collecting your data by clicking the following link. This will set an opt-out cookie that prevents the collection of your data on future visits to this website: Disable Google Analytics .

For more information on how Google Analytics handles user data, please see Google’s privacy policy: https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/6004245?hl=de .

Order processing

We have concluded a data processing agreement with Google and fully implement the strict requirements of the German data protection authorities when using Google Analytics.

Demographic characteristics in Google Analytics

This website uses the "demographic characteristics" feature of Google Analytics. This allows reports to be created that contain information about the age, gender, and interests of site visitors. This data comes from interest-based advertising from Google as well as visitor data from third parties. This data cannot be assigned to a specific individual. You can deactivate this feature at any time via the ad settings in your Google Account or generally prohibit the collection of your data by Google Analytics as described in the "Objection to data collection" section.

Google Analytics Remarketing

Our websites use Google Analytics Remarketing in conjunction with the cross-device features of Google AdWords and Google DoubleClick. The provider is Google Inc., 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, USA.

This feature allows you to link the advertising target groups created with Google Analytics Remarketing with the cross-device features of Google AdWords and Google DoubleClick. This allows interest-based, personalized advertising messages tailored to you based on your previous usage and browsing behavior on one device (e.g., mobile phone) to also be displayed on another of your devices (e.g., tablet or PC).

If you have given your consent, Google will link your web and app browsing history to your Google Account for this purpose. This allows the same personalized advertising messages to be displayed on every device on which you log in with your Google Account.

To support this feature, Google Analytics collects Google-authenticated user IDs, which are temporarily linked to our Google Analytics data to define and create audiences for cross-device ad targeting.

You can permanently opt out of cross-device remarketing/targeting by deactivating personalized advertising in your Google Account; to do so, follow this link: https://www.google.com/settings/ads/onweb/ .

The collected data is aggregated in your Google Account solely on the basis of your consent, which you can give or withdraw to Google (Art. 6 (1) (a) GDPR). For data collection processes that are not aggregated in your Google Account (e.g., because you do not have a Google Account or have objected to the aggregation), the data is collected on the basis of Art. 6 (1) (f) GDPR. The legitimate interest arises from the website operator's interest in the anonymized analysis of website visitors for advertising purposes.

Further information and the data protection regulations can be found in Google's privacy policy at: https://policies.google.com/technologies/ads?hl=de .

Google AdWords and Google Conversion Tracking

This website uses Google AdWords. AdWords is an online advertising program from Google Inc., 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, United States ("Google").

As part of Google AdWords, we use so-called conversion tracking. When you click on an ad placed by Google, a cookie is set for conversion tracking. Cookies are small text files that the internet browser stores on the user's computer. These cookies expire after 30 days and are not used to personally identify users. If the user visits certain pages of this website and the cookie has not yet expired, Google and we can recognize that the user clicked on the ad and was redirected to this page.

Each Google AdWords customer receives a different cookie. These cookies cannot be tracked across AdWords customers' websites. The information collected using the conversion cookie is used to compile conversion statistics for AdWords customers who have opted for conversion tracking. Customers learn the total number of users who clicked on their ad and were redirected to a page with a conversion tracking tag. However, they do not receive any information that can be used to personally identify users. If you do not wish to participate in tracking, you can object to this use by easily deactivating the Google Conversion Tracking cookie in your internet browser's user settings. You will then not be included in the conversion tracking statistics.

The storage of "conversion cookies" and the use of this tracking tool are based on Art. 6 (1) (f) GDPR. The website operator has a legitimate interest in analyzing user behavior in order to optimize both its website and its advertising.

For more information about Google AdWords and Google Conversion Tracking, please see Google’s privacy policy: https://policies.google.com/privacy?hl=de .

Facebook Pixel

Our website uses the visitor action pixel from Facebook, Facebook Inc., 1601 S. California Ave, Palo Alto, CA 94304, USA (“Facebook”) to measure conversions.

This allows the behavior of site visitors to be tracked after they have been redirected to the provider's website by clicking on a Facebook ad. This allows the effectiveness of Facebook ads to be evaluated for statistical and market research purposes and future advertising measures to be optimized.

The data collected is anonymous to us as the operator of this website; we cannot draw any conclusions about the identity of the users. However, the data is stored and processed by Facebook, allowing a connection to the respective user profile and allowing Facebook to use the data for its own advertising purposes, in accordance with the Facebook Data Use Policy . This allows Facebook to enable the placement of advertisements on Facebook pages and outside of Facebook. We, as the website operator, cannot influence this use of the data.

The use of Facebook Pixel is based on Art. 6 (1) (f) GDPR. The website operator has a legitimate interest in effective advertising measures, including social media.

You can find further information on protecting your privacy in Facebook's privacy policy: https://de-de.facebook.com/about/privacy/ .

You can also deactivate the "Custom Audiences" remarketing feature in the Ad Settings section at https://www.facebook.com/ads/preferences/?entry_product=ad_settings_screen . You must be logged in to Facebook to do so.

If you do not have a Facebook account, you can opt out of Facebook's usage-based advertising on the European Interactive Digital Advertising Alliance website: http://www.youronlinechoices.com/de/praferenzmanagement/ .

7. Newsletter

Newsletter data

If you would like to receive the newsletter offered on the website, we require an email address from you as well as information that allows us to verify that you are the owner of the specified email address and that you agree to receive the newsletter. No further data is collected or is collected only on a voluntary basis. We use this data exclusively to send the requested information and do not share it with third parties.

The data entered into the newsletter registration form will be processed exclusively on the basis of your consent (Art. 6 (1) (a) GDPR). You can revoke your consent to the storage of your data, your email address, and their use for sending the newsletter at any time, for example, via the "unsubscribe" link in the newsletter. The legality of the data processing operations already carried out remains unaffected by the revocation.

The data you provide us with for the purpose of subscribing to the newsletter will be stored by us until you unsubscribe from the newsletter and will be deleted after you unsubscribe. Data stored by us for other purposes remains unaffected.

MailChimp

This website uses the services of MailChimp to send newsletters. The provider is Rocket Science Group LLC, 675 Ponce De Leon Ave NE, Suite 5000, Atlanta, GA 30308, USA.

MailChimp is a service that, among other things, can be used to organize and analyze the distribution of newsletters. If you enter data for the purpose of subscribing to the newsletter (e.g., email address), this data will be stored on MailChimp's servers in the USA.

MailChimp is certified under the EU-US Privacy Shield. The Privacy Shield is an agreement between the European Union (EU) and the United States designed to ensure compliance with European data protection standards in the United States.

With the help of MailChimp, we can analyze our newsletter campaigns. When you open an email sent with MailChimp, a file contained in the email (a so-called web beacon) connects to MailChimp's servers in the USA. This allows us to determine whether a newsletter message has been opened and, if applicable, which links have been clicked. Technical information is also recorded (e.g., time of retrieval, IP address, browser type, and operating system). This information cannot be assigned to the respective newsletter recipient. It is used exclusively for the statistical analysis of newsletter campaigns. The results of these analyses can be used to better tailor future newsletters to the interests of the recipients.

If you do not want MailChimp to analyze your data, you must unsubscribe from the newsletter. We provide a link for this in every newsletter message. You can also unsubscribe directly from the newsletter on the website.

Data processing is based on your consent (Art. 6 (1) (a) GDPR). You can revoke this consent at any time by unsubscribing from the newsletter. The legality of the data processing operations already carried out remains unaffected by the revocation.

The data you provide us with for the purpose of subscribing to the newsletter will be stored by us until you unsubscribe from the newsletter. After you unsubscribe, the data will be deleted from both our servers and the MailChimp servers. Data stored by us for other purposes remains unaffected.

For more information, please see MailChimp’s privacy policy at: https://mailchimp.com/legal/terms/ .

Conclusion of a data processing agreement

We have entered into a so-called "Data Processing Agreement" with MailChimp, in which we obligate MailChimp to protect our customers' data and not to share it with third parties. This agreement can be viewed at the following link: https://mailchimp.com/legal/forms/data-processing-agreement/sample-agreement/ .

8. Plugins and tools

YouTube with enhanced privacy

Our website uses plugins from the YouTube website. The website is operated by YouTube, LLC, 901 Cherry Ave., San Bruno, CA 94066, USA.

We use YouTube in enhanced privacy mode. According to YouTube, this mode prevents YouTube from storing any information about visitors to this website before they watch the video. However, enhanced privacy mode does not necessarily prevent data from being shared with YouTube partners. YouTube establishes a connection to the Google DoubleClick network, regardless of whether you watch a video.

As soon as you start a YouTube video on our website, a connection to YouTube's servers is established. The YouTube server is informed of which of our pages you have visited. If you are logged into your YouTube account, you allow YouTube to associate your browsing behavior directly with your personal profile. You can prevent this by logging out of your YouTube account.

Furthermore, YouTube may store various cookies on your device after you start a video. These cookies allow YouTube to obtain information about visitors to our website. This information is used, among other things, to collect video statistics, improve user experience, and prevent fraud. The cookies remain on your device until you delete them.

After starting a YouTube video, further data processing operations may be triggered over which we have no influence.

We use YouTube in the interest of ensuring an appealing presentation of our online offerings. This represents a legitimate interest within the meaning of Art. 6 (1) (f) GDPR.

For more information about data protection at YouTube, please see their privacy policy at: https://policies.google.com/privacy?hl=de .

Google Web Fonts

This site uses so-called web fonts provided by Google for the consistent display of fonts. Google Fonts are installed locally. There is no connection to Google servers.

Google Maps

This site uses the Google Maps service via an API. The provider is Google Inc., 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, USA.

To use the features of Google Maps, it is necessary to save your IP address. This information is usually transferred to a Google server in the USA and stored there. The provider of this site has no influence on this data transmission.

We use Google Maps in the interest of providing an attractive presentation of our online offerings and making the locations listed on our website easy to find. This represents a legitimate interest within the meaning of Art. 6 (1) (f) GDPR.

For more information on how user data is handled, please see Google’s privacy policy: https://policies.google.com/privacy?hl=de .

9. Payment providers and resellers

PayPal

On our website, we offer payment via PayPal, among other options. This payment service is provided by PayPal (Europe) S.à.rl et Cie, SCA, 22-24 Boulevard Royal, L-2449 Luxembourg (hereinafter "PayPal").

If you choose to pay via PayPal, the payment details you enter will be transmitted to PayPal.

Your data will be transferred to PayPal on the basis of Art. 6 (1) (a) GDPR (consent) and Art. 6 (1) (b) GDPR (processing to fulfill a contract). You have the option to revoke your consent to data processing at any time. Revoking your consent will not affect the effectiveness of past data processing operations.

Instant bank transfer

On our website, we offer, among other options, payment via "Sofortüberweisung." The provider of this payment service is Sofort GmbH, Theresienhöhe 12, 80339 Munich (hereinafter "Sofort GmbH").

Using the “Sofortüberweisung” process, we receive a payment confirmation from Sofort GmbH in real time and can begin fulfilling our obligations immediately.

If you have chosen the "Instant Transfer" payment method, you send your PIN and a valid TAN to Sofort GmbH, which they can use to log into your online banking account. After logging in, Sofort GmbH automatically checks your account balance and executes the transfer to us using the TAN you provided. They then immediately send us a transaction confirmation. After logging in, your transactions, overdraft credit limit, and the existence of other accounts and their balances are also automatically checked.

In addition to the PIN and TAN, the payment details you enter and your personal data are also transmitted to Sofort GmbH. This personal data includes your first and last name, address, telephone number(s), email address, IP address, and, if applicable, other data required for payment processing. The transmission of this data is necessary to definitively establish your identity and prevent fraud attempts.

Your data will be transmitted to Sofort GmbH on the basis of Art. 6 (1) (a) GDPR (consent) and Art. 6 (1) (b) GDPR (processing to fulfill a contract). You have the option to revoke your consent to data processing at any time. Revoking your consent will not affect the effectiveness of past data processing operations.

Details on payment with Sofortüberweisung can be found at the following links: https://www.sofort.de/datenschutz.html and https://www.klarna.com/sofort/ .

9. Our social media presence

Data processing by social networks

We maintain publicly accessible profiles on social networks. You can find the specific social networks we use below.

Social networks such as Facebook, Google+, etc. can generally comprehensively analyze your user behavior when you visit their website or a website with integrated social media content (e.g., like buttons or advertising banners). Visiting our social media presence triggers numerous data protection-relevant processing operations. In detail:

If you are logged into your social media account and visit our social media presence, the operator of the social media portal can assign this visit to your user account. However, your personal data may also be collected even if you are not logged in or do not have an account with the respective social media portal. In this case, this data is collected, for example, via cookies stored on your device or by recording your IP address.

Using the data collected in this way, the operators of the social media portals can create user profiles that reflect your preferences and interests. This allows them to display interest-based advertising both within and outside of the respective social media presence. If you have an account with the respective social network, the interest-based advertising can be displayed on all devices on which you are or were logged in.

Please also note that we cannot track all processing operations on social media portals. Depending on the provider, further processing operations may therefore be carried out by the operators of the social media portals. Details on this can be found in the terms of use and privacy policies of the respective social media portals.

Legal basis

Our social media presence is intended to ensure the most comprehensive online presence possible. This constitutes a legitimate interest within the meaning of Art. 6 (1) (f) GDPR. The analysis processes initiated by the social networks may be based on different legal bases, which must be specified by the operators of the social networks (e.g., consent within the meaning of Art. 6 (1) (a) GDPR).

Responsible person and assertion of rights

If you visit one of our social media sites (e.g., Facebook), we and the operator of the social media platform are jointly responsible for the data processing operations initiated during this visit. You can generally assert your rights (rights to information, rectification, erasure, restriction of processing, data portability, and the right to lodge a complaint) both against us and against the operator of the respective social media platform (e.g., Facebook).

Please note that despite our shared responsibility with the social media portal operators, we do not have full control over the data processing practices of the social media portals. Our options depend largely on the company policies of the respective provider.

Storage period

The data we collect directly via your social media presence will be deleted from our systems as soon as the purpose for storing it no longer applies, you request deletion, revoke your consent to storage, or the purpose for storing the data no longer applies. Stored cookies remain on your device until you delete them. Mandatory legal provisions—in particular, retention periods—remain unaffected.

We have no influence on the storage period of your data, which is stored by the operators of social networks for their own purposes. For details, please contact the operators of the social networks directly (e.g., in their privacy policy, see below).

Social networks in detail

Facebook

We have a profile on Facebook. The provider is Facebook Inc., 1 Hacker Way, Menlo Park, California 94025, USA. Facebook is certified under the EU-US Privacy Shield.

We have entered into a joint controllership agreement with Facebook (Controller Addendum). This agreement specifies which data processing activities we and Facebook are responsible for when you visit our Facebook fan page. You can view this agreement at the following link:
https://www.facebook.com/legal/terms/page_controller_addendum

You can adjust your advertising settings yourself in your user account. To do so, click the following link and log in:
https://www.facebook.com/settings?tab=ads

For details, see Facebook’s privacy policy:
https://www.facebook.com/about/privacy/

Google+

We have a Google+ profile. The provider is Google Inc., 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, USA. Google is certified under the EU-US Privacy Shield:

You can adjust your advertising settings yourself in your user account. To do so, click the following link and log in:
https://adssettings.google.com/authenticated

For details, see Google’s privacy policy:
https://policies.google.com/privacy

Twitter

We use the short message service Twitter. The provider is Twitter Inc., 1355 Market Street, Suite 900, San Francisco, CA 94103, USA. Twitter is certified under the EU-US Privacy Shield.

You can adjust your Twitter privacy settings independently in your user account. To do so, click the following link and log in:
https://twitter.com/personalization

For details, see Twitter’s privacy policy:
https://twitter.com/de/privacy

Instagram

We have a profile on Instagram. The provider is Instagram Inc., 1601 Willow Road, Menlo Park, CA, 94025, USA. Details on how they handle your personal data can be found in Instagram's privacy policy:
https://help.instagram.com/519522125107875

We have a profile on Pinterest. It is operated by Pinterest Inc., 808 Brannan Street, San Francisco, CA 94103-490, USA ("Pinterest"). Details on how Pinterest handles your personal data can be found in its privacy policy:
https://policy.pinterest.com/de/privacy-policy

XING

We have a profile on XING. The provider is XING AG, Dammtorstraße 29-32, 20354 Hamburg, Germany. Details on how they handle your personal data can be found in XING's privacy policy:
https://privacy.xing.com/de/datenschutzerklaerung

We have a profile on LinkedIn. The provider is LinkedIn Ireland Unlimited Company , Wilton Plaza, Wilton Place, Dublin 2, Ireland. LinkedIn is certified under the EU-US Privacy Shield. LinkedIn uses advertising cookies.

If you would like to disable LinkedIn advertising cookies, please use the following link:
https://www.linkedin.com/psettings/guest-controls/retargeting-opt-out

For details on how they handle your personal data, please see LinkedIn’s privacy policy:
https://www.linkedin.com/legal/privacy-policy

10. Chat tool Userlike

This website uses Userlike, a live chat software from Userlike UG (limited liability). Userlike uses "cookies," text files stored on your computer that enable a personal conversation with you in the form of a real-time chat on the website. The data collected is not used to personally identify the visitor to this website and is not combined with personal data about the bearer of the pseudonym.