Privacy policy and legal notice

Responsibility for data processing

The SVTI is responsible for processing your data. If you have any questions or suggestions with respect to data protection or how your personal data is processed, you can contact the SVTI’s data protection office at:

SVTI Schweiz. Verein für technische Inspektionen
Datenschutz
Richtistrasse 15
8304 Wallisellen
info@svti.ch
 

Reasons for storing personal data

We are aware of how important carefully handling personal data is to our website users. We are therefore guided by the principle that data is only ever processed for specific purposes. As an example, this may arise from technical necessity, contractual requirements, legal provisions, our order, overriding interests, i.e. for legitimate reasons or with the user’s explicit consent. We collect, store and process personal data if this is necessary. For example, for managing customer relationships, providing our services and products, processing orders and contracts, selling and invoicing, answering questions and concerns, providing information about our products and services and marketing these, and providing support for technical issues as well as evaluating and further developing services and products.

Collected data

When you visit our website, your user-specific data (e.g. IP address, web browser, operating system) and technical data (e.g. URLs of pages accessed, execution of a search query) is collected and evaluated anonymously.

The data mentioned is collected and processed for system security and stability and for error and performance analysis, as well as for internal statistical purposes, and allows us to optimise our website.
 
When you visit our website, we also use ‘cookies’ as well as applications and tools. Please see the explanations below for further details. 

With respect to subscribing to our content or when submitting a contact form/customer login, we process the data required to provide the requested service. Depending on the service, the following data may be processed: email address, first name, last name, salutation, full address, subject matter and message.

If you have given us your consent to process your personal data for certain purposes (for example, when you subscribe to a newsletter or make an enquiry), we process your personal data within the framework of, and based on, the consent received, if we do not have another legal basis and require one. Any consent given can be withdrawn at any time; however, this will have no effect on any data processing that has already taken place.

Cookies and how they are used

We use ‘cookies’ in some cases to tailor our offering to your needs as closely as possible. Cookies are small files that cannot perform any operations on their own and are saved on your computer or mobile device when you visit or use one of our websites. Cookies save specific settings via your browser and data that relates to the exchange with the website via your browser. When a cookie is enabled, an identification number can be assigned to it, which identifies your browser and allows the information contained in the cookie to be used. There are essentially two different types of cookies: temporary cookies and permanent cookies. We use temporary cookies, which are automatically deleted from your mobile device or computer at the end of the browser session. We also use permanent cookies to save user settings (e.g. language, auto-login). These stay saved on your computer or mobile device for a long time after the browser session. They are automatically disabled after a programmed period of time.

At this point, we would like to explicitly state that we do not use cookies to collect information on your computer (‘spyware’) or to display advertisements. This applies in particular if you are not connected to the internet or if you are surfing online outside portals that belong to the SVTI (‘adware’).

The SVTI also uses cookies and comparable technologies to enable certain processes, services and transactions, such as when you use a virtual shopping cart in an electronic marketplace on the internet.

You have the option of rejecting cookies by changing your browser settings so that a warning appears on the screen before a cookie is saved or so that it is impossible to save cookies. Cookies that have already been saved can be removed. However, if you do so, it may not be possible for you to use certain services provided by the SVTI and/or third parties.

The SVTI allows partner companies that provide services for the SVTI or which are integrated into the SVTI website to save cookies, provided this is required from a technical perspective and the use of cookies is proportionate. The SVTI has no control over how cookies are used outside the SVTI website. 

By continuing to use our website and/or agreeing to this privacy policy, you are consenting to us saving cookies and therefore collecting, storing and using personal usage data, even after the browser session ends (‘permanent cookies’). You can withdraw this consent at any time by changing the browser’s default setting to reject third-party cookies.
 

Using tracking tools

We use web analysis services such as Google Analytics, with the goal and intention of designing our website in a needs-based way and optimising it on an ongoing basis.

In the context of using our website, pseudonymised user profiles are created and, as previously mentioned in point 5, small text files are used which are saved on your computer. The information generated by such cookies about your use of this website is transmitted to the servers of the providers of these services, stored there and processed for us. In addition to the data previously mentioned in point 4, we also receive the following information:

• The navigation path a visitor follows on the site
• The time spent on the website or subpage
• The subpage from which you leave the website
• The country, region or town/city from where access is made
• The end device (type, version, colour depth, resolution, width and height of the browser window)
• Whether the visitor is a returning or new visitor

We use this information to evaluate the use of the website. 

The tools, programs and instruments we use in the context of analysing web behaviour include Google Analytics, Google Tag Manager, Google Ads, YouTube (embedded videos), Userlike and MailChimp.

Information (including your IP address) generated by the cookie about your use of this website when using the aforementioned Google Analytics tool, for example, is sent to a Google server in the USA. Google will use this information to evaluate website use and compile reports relating to website activities for us as the website operator, as well as providing other services relating to website and internet use. Google may also transmit this information to third parties if this is required by law or if third parties process this data by order of Google. Google will never associate your IP address with other Google data. You can prevent cookies from being installed by changing your browser settings. However, if you do so, you may not be able to use all of the features on the website to their full extent. By using this website, you declare that you agree to Google processing the collected data concerning you as described above and for the purpose stated above.
 

Newsletter and competitions

Our website gives you the option of subscribing to a newsletter. The intention is also to hold competitions online from time to time. The data collected in the process (including name, address,
email, etc.) allows us to send you a newsletter in which we are able to draw your attention to suitable offers and further information. You give your consent to this by registering and participating, and providing your data. You can withdraw this at any time and thereby unsubscribe from the newsletter.

Sharing data with third parties

We also disclose data to third parties if this is required within the scope of the terms and limitations outlined above and in connection with our business activities. This is because third parties process data for us, or because they want to use it for their own purposes. In particular, this concerns the following bodies:

• Authorities, official bodies and courts
• Collaborative partners such as suppliers, subcontractors and other business partners
• Customers
• The public, including visitors to websites and social media
• Competitors, industry organisations, associations, organisations and other bodies
• Other parties in potential or actual legal proceedings

Duration of data storage

Your data, which includes personal data, will only be processed and stored for as long as is necessary to fulfil our contractual and legal obligations or for the purposes otherwise pursued with processing, which may mean for the duration of the entire business relationship and beyond on the basis of legal retention requirements and documentation obligations. It is possible that personal data will be kept for the time in which claims can be asserted against our company and insofar as we are otherwise legally obliged to do so, or if legitimate business interests require this (e.g. for evidence and documentation purposes). As soon as your personal data is no longer required for the above-mentioned purposes, it will be erased or anonymised if possible. For operational data (e.g. system protocols, logs), shorter retention periods of 30 days or less apply. Any personal data will be erased after the purpose has been achieved.

Data security

The SVTI takes appropriate technical and organisational security measures to protect your personal data against unauthorised access and misuse. The measures include issuing instructions, training, IT and network security solutions, access controls and restrictions, encrypting passwords, data storage devices and transmissions, pseudonymisation and controls.

We cannot guarantee the security of data transmission on the internet. When transmitting data by email, there is a certain risk of access by third parties in particular.

Duty to provide personal data

It is essential that website users provide the personal data required to establish and implement the business relationship and fulfil the associated contractual obligations in the context of a business relationship. However, users of our website do not have a legal obligation to provide us with data. Without this data, we are usually unable to provide customers with the requested services. It may also not be possible for you to use the website if specific information is not disclosed to ensure data traffic (such as the IP address).

Website user rights with respect to their own personal data

The rights of website users, such as any rights of access, rights to rectification, erasure of data, restriction of data processing and rights to object against our data processing, as well as any right to have specific personal data disclosed, are exclusively based on the applicable provisions of Swiss data protection law. Exercising such rights usually requires identity to be proven in an unequivocal way. By using our website, you declare that you agree to the exclusive application of Swiss data protection law.

The competent data protection authority in Switzerland is the Federal Data Protection and Information Commissioner (https://www.edoeb.admin.ch/edoeb/en/home.html).
 

Liability

The SVTI exercises all due care to ensure that the information published is correct. Nevertheless, the correctness, accuracy, timeliness, reliability and completeness of the information cannot be guaranteed.

We explicitly reserve the right to change, delete or temporarily not publish content at any time without prior notice.

Liability claims against the SVTI for material or immaterial damage resulting from accessing, using or not using the information published, from misusing the connection or from technical faults are excluded.

References and links to third-party websites are outside our area of responsibility. Access to and use of such websites is at the user’s own risk. We explicitly declare that we have no control over the form, content or offerings on linked websites. Information and services from linked websites are entirely the responsibility of the respective third party. For these reasons, we have to reject any responsibility for such websites.

Copyright

The information on our websites is made accessible to the public. Downloading or copying content, images, photos or other files does not mean that any rights to content are transferred.

All posts and images published on this website are protected by copyright. The copyrights and all other immaterial rights to content, images, photos or other files on our websites belong exclusively to us or the specifically named rights holders.

Any use that is not explicitly permitted by legal provisions requires prior written consent. This applies in particular to copying, editing, translating, storing, processing or reproducing content in databases or other electronic media and systems. Photocopies and downloads from websites may only be made for personal, private and non-commercial use.

Changes to the privacy policy and legal notice

The preceding privacy policy and the legal notice on liability and copyright can be changed at any time without prior notice. The current version published on our website applies. If the privacy policy is part of an agreement with you, we will notify you of any changes by email or in another appropriate manner.