Privacy policy

Data protection

Based on Article 13 of the Swiss Federal Constitution and the data protection provisions of the Swiss Confederation (Data Protection Act, DSG), every person is entitled to protection of their privacy and protection against misuse of their personal data. We comply with these provisions. Personal data is treated as strictly confidential and is neither sold nor passed on to third parties. In close cooperation with our hosting providers, we endeavor to protect the databases as well as possible against unauthorized access, loss, misuse or falsification. When you access our website, the following data is stored in log files: IP address, date, time, browser request and general information transmitted about the operating system or browser. This usage data forms the basis for statistical, anonymous evaluations so that trends can be identified, which we can use to improve our services accordingly.

Privacy policy for the use of Google Analytics

This website uses Google Analytics, a web analysis service of Google Inc ("Google"). 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 this website is usually transmitted to a Google server in the USA and stored there. However, if IP anonymization is activated on this website, your IP address will be shortened by Google beforehand within member states of the European Union or in other contracting states of the Agreement on the European Economic Area. Only in exceptional cases will the full IP address be transmitted to a Google server in the USA and truncated there. Google will use this information for the purpose of evaluating your use of the website, compiling reports on website activity for website operators and providing other services relating to website activity and internet usage. Google may also transfer this information to third parties where required to do so by law, or where such third parties process the information on Google's behalf. The IP address transmitted by your browser as part of Google Analytics will not be merged with other Google data. You may refuse the use of cookies 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. By using this website, you consent to the processing of data about you by Google in the manner and for the purposes set out above. In addition to the purposes described above, the information you provide will be used in accordance with the applicable Google privacy policy (http://www.google.com/intl/de/policies/privacy/). Google may publish summarized statistics about the +1 activities of users or pass these statistics on to our users and partners, such as publishers, advertisers or associated websites.

Notes on the newsletter and consents (based on a sample by lawyer Dr. Thomas Schwenke)

The following information explains the content of our newsletter as well as the registration, dispatch and statistical evaluation procedure and your rights of objection. By subscribing to our newsletter, you agree to receive it and to the procedures described.

Content of the newsletter

We only send newsletters, emails and other electronic notifications with advertising information (hereinafter "newsletter") with the consent of the recipient or with legal permission. If the contents of the newsletter are specifically described when registering for the newsletter, they are decisive for the user's consent. Our newsletter informs you about our services, projects and the latest news from our industry.

Double opt-in and logging

The registration for our newsletter takes place in a so-called double opt-in procedure. This means that after registering, you will receive an e-mail asking you to confirm your registration. This confirmation is necessary so that no-one can register with other people's e-mail addresses.

Subscriptions to the newsletter are logged in order to be able to prove the registration process in accordance with legal requirements. This includes storing the time of registration and confirmation as well as the IP address. Changes to your data stored with MailChimp are also logged.

Use of the mailing service provider "MailChimp"

The newsletter is sent using "MailChimp", a newsletter distribution platform of the US provider Rocket Science Group, LLC, 675 Ponce De Leon Ave NE #5000, Atlanta, GA 30308, USA.

The email addresses of our newsletter recipients, as well as their other data described in this notice, are stored on MailChimp's servers in the USA. MailChimp uses this information to send and analyze the newsletter on our behalf. Furthermore, MailChimp may, according to its own information, use this data to optimize or improve its own services, e.g. for the technical optimization of the dispatch and presentation of the newsletter or for economic purposes in order to determine from which countries the recipients come. However, MailChimp does not use the data of our newsletter recipients to write to them itself or to pass it on to third parties.

We trust in the reliability and IT and data security of MailChimp. MailChimp is certified under the US-EU data protection agreement "Privacy Shield" and thus undertakes to comply with EU data protection regulations. Furthermore, we have concluded a "Data Processing Agreement" with MailChimp. This is a contract in which MailChimp undertakes to protect the data of our users, to process it on our behalf in accordance with its data protection regulations and, in particular, not to pass it on to third parties. You can view MailChimp's privacy policy here.

Statistical survey and analyses

The newsletters contain a so-called "web-beacon", i.e. a pixel-sized file that is retrieved from the MailChimp server when the newsletter is opened. As part of this retrieval, technical information, such as information about the browser and your system, as well as your IP address and time of retrieval, is initially collected. This information is used for the technical improvement of the services based on the technical data or the target groups and their reading behavior based on their retrieval locations (which can be determined with the help of the IP address) or the access times.

The statistical surveys also include determining whether the newsletters are opened, when they are opened and which links are clicked. For technical reasons, this information can be assigned to individual newsletter recipients. However, it is neither our intention nor that of MailChimp to observe individual users. The evaluations serve us much more to recognize the reading habits of our users and to adapt our content to them or to send different content according to the interests of our users.

Online access and data management

There are cases in which we direct newsletter recipients to the MailChimp website. For example, our newsletters contain a link that newsletter recipients can use to retrieve the newsletter online (e.g. in the event of display problems in the email program). Newsletter recipients can also correct their data, such as their email address, at a later date. MailChimp's privacy policy is also only available on their website.

In this context, we pointed out that cookies are used on the MailChimp websites and that personal data is therefore processed by MailChimp, its partners and the service providers used (e.g. Google Analytics). We have no influence on this data collection. Further information can be found in MailChimp's privacy policy. We would also like to draw your attention to the options for objecting to the collection of data for advertising purposes on the websites http://www.aboutads.info/choices/ and http://www.youronlinechoices.com/ (for the European area).

Cancellation/revocation

You can unsubscribe from our newsletter at any time, i.e. revoke your consent. Your consent to receive the newsletter via MailChimp and the statistical analyses will expire at the same time. Unfortunately, it is not possible to withdraw your consent to the sending of the newsletter via MailChimp or the statistical analysis separately.

You will find a link to unsubscribe from the newsletter at the end of each newsletter.

Legal basis of the General Data Protection Regulation

In accordance with the provisions of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) applicable from May 25, 2018, we inform you that the consent to the sending of e-mail addresses is based on Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a, 7 GDPR and § 7 para. 2 no. 3 and para. 3 UWG. The use of the mailing service provider MailChimp, the implementation of statistical surveys and analyses as well as the logging of the registration process are based on our legitimate interests in accordance with Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR. We are interested in using a user-friendly and secure newsletter system that serves our business interests and meets the expectations of users.

We would also like to point out that you can object to the future processing of your personal data at any time in accordance with the legal requirements pursuant to Art. 21 GDPR. In particular, you may object to processing for direct marketing purposes.

Conversion measurement with the visitor action pixel from Facebook

With your consent, we use the "visitor action pixel" of Facebook Inc, 1601 S. California Ave, Palo Alto, CA94304, USA ("Facebook") on our website. With its help, we can track the actions of users after they have seen or clicked on a Facebook ad. This allows us to record the effectiveness of Facebook ads for statistical and market research purposes. The data collected in this way is anonymous to us, i.e. we do not see the personal data of individual users. However, this data is stored and processed by Facebook, and we will inform you of this to the best of our knowledge. Facebook can link this data to your Facebook account and also use it for its own advertising purposes in accordance with Facebook's data usage policy https://www.facebook.com/about/privacy/. You can enable Facebook and its partners to place advertisements on and outside of Facebook. A cookie may also be stored on your computer for these purposes.

Cookies

You can set your browser so that you are informed about the setting of cookies and only allow cookies in individual cases, exclude the acceptance of cookies for certain cases or in general and activate the automatic deletion of cookies when closing the browser. If cookies are deactivated, the functionality of this website may be restricted.