Data Protection

1. RESPONSIBLE BODY AND COMPANY DATA PROTECTION OFFICER

This data protection information applies to data processing by: R+S Group GmbH (the responsible body; hereinafter referred to as R+S), Washingtonallee 13-17, 36041 Fulda, Germany. E-mail: kontakt@rs-group.de. Telephone: +49 (0)661 50080-0. Fax: +49 (0)661 50080 -111.

Our external data protection officer can be contacted at Datenschutz@rs-group.de.

2. COLLECTION AND STORAGE OF PERSONAL DATA AND TYPE AND PURPOSE OF ITS USE

a) Website
When you visit our website, www.rs-group.de, the browser used on your device automatically sends information to the server of our website. This information is temporarily stored in a so-called log file. The following information will be collected without your intervention and stored until automated deletion: • IP address of the requesting computer, •date and time of the access, • name and URL of the retrieved file, • website from which the access is made (referrer URL), • browser used and, if applicable, the operating system of your computer as well as the name of your access provider. The data mentioned is processed by us for the following purposes: • ensuring a smooth connection to the website, • ensuring easy use of our website, • evaluating system security and stability, and • for other administrative purposes. The legal basis for data processing is Art. 6 para. 1 p. 1 lit. f GDPR. Our legitimate interest follows from the data collection purposes listed above. Under no circumstances will we use the collected data for the purpose of drawing conclusions about you. In addition, we use cookies and analysis services when you visit our website. Further details can be found at points 4 and 5 of this privacy policy.

b) Newsletter
If you have expressly consented in accordance with Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. a GDPR, we will use your e-mail address to send you our newsletter on a regular basis. To receive the newsletter, it is sufficient to provide an e-mail address. You can unsubscribe at any time, for example via a link at the end of each newsletter. Alternatively, you can also send your unsubscribe request at any time to marketing@rs-group.de by e-mail.

c) Contact form
For questions of any kind, we offer you the opportunity of contacting us via a form provided on the website. It is necessary to provide a valid e-mail address so that we know who the request came from and to answer it. Further information can be provided voluntarily. Data processing for the purpose of contacting us is in accordance with Art. 6 para. 1 p. 1 lit. a GDPR based on your voluntarily granted consent. The personal data collected by us for the use of the contact form will be automatically deleted after completion of the request made by you.

3. DISCLOSURE OF DATA

Your personal data will not be disclosed to third parties for purposes other than those listed below. We only share your personal information with third parties if:

you have given express consent in accordance with Art. 6 para. 1 p. 1 lit. a GDPR to this
isclosure pursuant to Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f GDPR is required to assert, exercise or defend legal claims and there is no reason to assume that you have a predominantly legitimate interest in not disclosing your data,
in the event that disclosure pursuant to Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. c GDPR is a legal obligation, and
this is legally permissible and according to Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. b GDPR is required for the settlement of contractual relationships with you.

4. COOKIES

We use cookies on our site. These are small files that your browser automatically creates and that are stored on your device (laptop, tablet, smartphone, etc.) when you visit our site. Cookies do not harm your device, do not contain viruses, Trojans or other malicious software. In the cookie information is stored, resulting in each case in connection with the specific terminal used. However, this does not mean that we are immediately aware of your identity. On the one hand, the use of cookies serves to make the use of our website easier for you. For example, we use so-called session cookies to recognise that you have already visited individual pages on our website. These are automatically deleted after you leave our site. In addition, to improve usability, we also use temporary cookies that are stored on your device for a specified period of time. If you visit our site again to take advantage of our services, it will automatically recognise that you have already been with us and what inputs and settings you have made, so you do not have to re-enter them. On the other hand, we use cookies in order to statistically record the use of our website and to evaluate it for the purpose of optimising our offer (see point 5). These cookies allow us to automatically recognise when you visit our site again that you have already been with us. These cookies are automatically deleted after a set time. The data processed by cookies is required for the purposes mentioned in order to safeguard our legitimate interests and those of third parties as per Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f GDPR. Most browsers accept cookies automatically. However, you can configure your browser so that no cookies are stored on your computer or that a notice always appears before a new cookie is created. However, disabling cookies completely may mean that you cannot use all features of our website.

5. ANALYSIS TOOLS

a) Tracking-Tools
The tracking measures listed below and used by us are based on Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f GDPR. With the tracking measures to be used, we want to ensure a needs-based design and the continuous optimisation of our website. On the other hand, we use tracking in order to statistically record the use of our website and to evaluate it for the purpose of optimising our offer. These interests are to be regarded as justified within the meaning of the aforementioned provision. The respective data processing purposes and data categories can be found in the corresponding tracking tools.

I) GOOGLE ANALYTICS
For the purpose of tailoring our pages to meet your needs and continuously optimising them, we use Google Analytics, a web analysis service of Google Inc. (https://about.google/intl/en/) (1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, USA; hereinafter referred to as “Google“). In this context, pseudonymised user profiles are created and cookies (see point 4) are used. The information that the cookie generates about your use of this website, such as

Browser type/version,
Operating system used
Referrer URL (previously visited page)
Host name of the accessing computer (IP Address)
Time of the server request

will be transmitted to and stored by Google on servers in the United States. 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 if required by law or if third parties process the information on Google’s behalf. Google will not associate your IP address with any other data held by Google. IP addresses are stored exclusively anonymously so that an identification of the user is not possible. You may select a corresponding setting in your browser software to prevent cookies from being installed; please note, however, that, if you do so, you may not be able to use the full functionality of this website. You can also prevent the recording of the data generated by cookies relating to your use of this website (including your IP address) and from processing such data by downloading and installing the browser add-on (https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout?hl=de). As an alternative to the browser add-on, especially for browsers on mobile devices, you can also prevent Google Analytics from collecting data by clicking on this link. An opt-out cookie is set to prevent future collection of your data when you visit this website. The opt-out cookie is only valid in this browser and only for our website and is stored on your device. If you delete the cookies in this browser, you must set the opt-out cookie again. For more information about privacy in connection with Google Analytics, please visit the Google Analytics-Help (https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/6004245?hl=en).

II) Google AdWords Conversion Tracking
We also use Google Conversion Tracking to statistically record and evaluate the use of our website for the purpose of optimising it for you. A cookie (see point 4) is set on your browser, if you have come to our website via an ad delivered by Google. These cookies lose validity after 30 days and are not used for personal identification. If the user visits a certain page of this website and if the cookie has not yet expired, Google and the customer will be able to tell that the user clicked on the ad and was forwarded to this page.

Each Google AdWords client gets a different cookie. Thus, cookies cannot be tracked via the website of AdWords clients. The information collected by the conversion cookies is used to provide aggregate conversion statistics to AdWord clients who have opted-in for conversion tracking. AdWords clients are informed about the total number of users who clicked on the ad and were forwarded to a conversion tracking tag page. However, they do not get any information enabling them to identify users personally. If you do not want to participate in the tracking programme, you can refuse the use of this programme by easily deactivating the Google conversion-tracking cookie via your internet browser through the user settings. You can also deactivate cookies for conversion tracking by setting your browser to block cookies from the domain “www.googleadservices.com“. Google’s privacy policy for conversion tracking can be found here (https://services.google.com/sitestats/en.html).

6. SOCIAL MEDIA PLUG-INS

We use social plug-ins of the social networks Facebook, Twitter and Instagram on our website on the basis of Art. 6 Para. 1 S. 1 lit. f GDPR in order to make our company better known. The advertising purpose behind this is to be regarded as a legitimate interest within the meaning of the GDPR. The responsibility for the data protection-compliant operation is to be guaranteed by their respective providers. These plug-ins are integrated by us by means of the so-called two-click method in order to protect visitors to our website in the best possible way.

a) Facebook
Social media plug-ins from Facebook are used on our website to make their use more personal. For this we use the “LIKE” or “SHARE” button. This is an offer from Facebook. When you access a page of our website that contains such a plug-in, your browser establishes a direct connection to Facebook servers. The content of the plug-in is transmitted by Facebook directly to your browser and integrated into the page. The integration gives Facebook the information that your browser has called up the corresponding page of our website, even if you do not have a Facebook account or are not currently logged in to Facebook. This information (including your IP address) is transmitted directly from your browser to a Facebook server in the USA and stored there. If you are logged in to Facebook, Facebook can immediately associate your visit to our website with your Facebook account. If you interact with the plug-ins, for example by pressing the “LIKE” or “SHARE” button, the corresponding information is also transmitted directly to a Twitter server and stored there. The information is also published on Facebook and displayed to your Facebook friends. Facebook may use this information for the purposes of advertising, market research, and tailoring Facebook Pages to your needs. For this purpose, Facebook creates usage, interest and relationship profiles, e.g. to evaluate your use of our website with regard to the advertisements displayed to you on Facebook, to inform other Facebook users about your activities on our website and to provide further services associated with the use of Facebook. If you do not want Facebook to associate the data collected through our site directly with your Facebook account, you must log out of Facebook before visiting our site. The purpose and scope of the data collection and the further processing and use of the data by Facebook as well as your rights and setting options for the protection of your privacy can be found in the Facebook privacy policy:(https://www.facebook.com/about/privacy/)

b.) Xing
Our website uses functions of the XING network. The provider is XING AG, Dammtorstrasse 29-32, 20354 Hamburg, Germany.

Every time you visit one of our pages that contains functions of Xing, a connection to Xing servers is established. To our knowledge, personal data will not be stored. In particular, no IP addresses are stored, nor is the usage behaviour evaluated.

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

c.) Kununu
On our website the Kununu button of the social network Kununu is used, which is operated by Kununu GmbH, Fischhof 3 Top 7, A – 1010 Vienna, Austria. When you access a page of our website that contains such a plug-in, your browser establishes a direct connection to Kununu servers. The content of the plug-in is transmitted by Kununu directly to your browser and integrated into the page.

We would point out that we as providers of the sites have no knowledge of the content of the transmitted data and its use by Kununu. We have no influence on the amount of data Kununu collects with the button. The purpose and scope of the data collection and the further processing and use of the data by Kununu as well as your rights and setting options for the protection of your privacy can be found in Kununu privacy policy: http://www.kununu.com/info/agb . If you do not wish Kununu to assign the visit to our pages to your user account, please log out from your Kununu user account.

7. RIGHTS OF THE DATA SUBJECT

You have the right:
to request information about your personal data processed by us in accordance with Art. 15 GDPR. In particular, you may request information about the purposes of processing, the category of personal data, the categories of recipients to whom your data has been or will be disclosed, the planned storage period, the existence of a right to rectification, deletion, restriction of processing or objection, the existence of a right of appeal, the origin of your data, if this has not been collected by us, and the existence of automated decision-making including profiling and, if applicable, meaningful information on its details;

to immediately request the correction of incorrect or complete personal data stored by us in accordance with Art. 16 GDPR;
to request the deletion of your personal data stored by us in accordance with Art. 17 GDPR, unless the processing is necessary to exercise the right to freedom of expression and information, to fulfil a legal obligation, for reasons of public interest or to assert, exercise or defend legal claims;
pursuant to Art. 18 GDPR, to restrict the processing of your personal data if you dispute the accuracy of the data, if the processing is unlawful but you refuse to delete the data and we no longer need the data, but if you need it to assert, exercise or defend legal claims or if you have filed an objection to the processing pursuant to Art. 21 GDPR;
pursuant to Art. 20 GDPR, to receive your personal data that you have provided to us in a structured, current and machine-readable format or to request its transfer to another person responsible;
in accordance with Art. 7 para. 3 GDPR, to revoke your consent to us at any time. As a result, we are no longer allowed to continue processing data based on this consent in the future and
you have the right to complain to a supervisory authority pursuant to Art. 77 GDPR. As a rule, you can contact the supervisory authority at your usual place of residence or workplace or at our company headquarters.

8. RIGHT TO OBJECT

If your personal data is processed on the basis of legitimate interests pursuant to Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 letter f GDPR, you have the right to object to the processing of your personal data pursuant to Art. 21 GDPR, provided that there are reasons for this which arise from your particular situation or the objection is directed against direct advertising. In the latter case, you have a general right of objection, which we will implement without specifying a particular situation. If you wish to exercise your right of revocation or objection, simply send an e-mail to marketing@rs-group.de.

9. DATA SECURITY

During your visit to our site, we use the popular SSL (Secure Socket Layer) method, in conjunction with the highest level of encryption supported by your browser. In general, this is a 256-bit encryption. If your browser does not support 256-bit encryption, we use 128-bit v3 technology instead. Whether a single page of our website is encrypted is shown by the closed representation of the key or lock icon in the lower status bar of your browser. We also take appropriate technical and organisational security measures to protect your data against accidental or intentional manipulation, partial or total loss, destruction or unauthorised access by third parties. Our security measures are continuously improved in line with technological developments.

10. VALIDITY AND AMENDMENT OF THIS DATA PROTECTION DECLARATION

This data protection declaration is currently valid as of May 2018. Due to the further development of our website and offers related to it or due to changed legal or official requirements, it may become necessary to change this data protection declaration. You can access and print out the current data protection declaration on the website athttps://www.rs-group.de/en/datenschutz/. Data protection as a PDF

R+S GROUP DATA PROTECTION

DATA PROTECTION