Privacy Statement

1. General

Plant Empowerment Foundation, hereinafter referred to as “Plant Empowerment”, considers the protection of personal data to be of great importance. This Privacy Statement explains how Plant Empowerment processes personal data in connection with the website www.plantempowerment.com, www.knowledge.plantempowerment.com and the services offered through these platforms.

Plant Empowerment processes personal data in accordance with the applicable data protection legislation, including the General Data Protection Regulation (EU) 2016/679 (“GDPR”).

This Privacy Statement applies to website visitors, course participants, members, newsletter subscribers, customers, business contacts and other individuals whose personal data are processed by Plant Empowerment.

2. Controller

Plant Empowerment Foundation is the controller within the meaning of the GDPR for the processing of personal data described in this Privacy Statement. For questions concerning the processing of personal data or the exercise of data protection rights, Plant Empowerment can be contacted at:

Plant Empowerment Foundation
Email: info@plantempowerment.com

3. Personal data processed

Depending on the nature of the relationship with Plant Empowerment, the following categories of personal data may be processed:

Contact and business information

• Name
• Email address
• Telephone number
• Company name
• Job title or function
• Country
• Information provided in correspondence or contact forms

Training, consultancy and event information

Where a person registers for or requests a course, webinar, workshop, masterclass, consultancy or other activity, Plant Empowerment may process information necessary to arrange and administer the relevant activity.

In the case of a request for tailored advice or training, this may include information concerning the organisation, crop, greenhouse operation, area of operation, area of expertise and the growing challenge described in the request.

Account and membership information

When an account is created on the Plant Empowerment Knowledge Platform, information necessary to create and administer the account may be processed, including name, email address, account details, enrollments, membership status and course progress.

Newsletter and marketing information

Where a person subscribes to the Plant Empowerment newsletter or otherwise receives marketing communications, Plant Empowerment may process contact details and information concerning the delivery and interaction with such communications, where applicable. Recipients may unsubscribe from marketing communications at any time by using the unsubscribe link included in each communication or by contacting Plant Empowerment at info@plantempowerment.com.

Technical and usage information

When the website or online platform is used, certain technical information may be processed, such as IP address, browser type, device information, website interactions and information concerning the use of the website. The extent to which such information is collected depends on the applicable cookie and tracking settings.

Knowledge Platform

The Plant Empowerment Knowledge Platform is hosted and operated using Thinkific. When an account is created or content, courses or memberships are purchased or accessed through the Knowledge Platform, personal data may be processed by Plant Empowerment and by Thinkific as a service provider.

This may include account details, enrolments, membership information, course progress and transaction-related information. This information is processed to provide access to the Knowledge Platform and its services, administer accounts and memberships, and provide customer support.

4. Purposes of processing

Plant Empowerment processes personal data for the following purposes:

• To respond to enquiries and requests;
• To communicate with business contacts and other interested parties;
• To process registrations for courses, webinars, workshops, masterclasses and events;
• To provide access to the Knowledge Platform, courses and memberships;
• To administer user accounts and memberships;
• To process payments and related administration;
• To assess requests for tailored advice, consultancy and training and to connect requests with the appropriate Plant Empowerment specialist;
• To send newsletters and other marketing communications where permitted;
• To manage and improve the website, Knowledge Platform, educational content and services;
• To analyse the use and performance of the website, where permitted;
• To comply with applicable legal and regulatory obligations.

Personal data are not processed for purposes that are incompatible with the purposes for which the data were originally collected.

5. Legal grounds for processing

Plant Empowerment processes personal data only where a valid legal basis under the GDPR applies.

Depending on the circumstances, processing may be based on:

Performance of an agreement

Where processing is necessary to enter into or perform an agreement, for example in relation to a course, membership or other service.

Consent

Where consent is required, for example for certain marketing communications or non-essential cookies and similar technologies.

Legitimate interests

Where processing is necessary for legitimate interests pursued by Plant Empowerment, provided that these interests do not override the rights and freedoms of the data subject.

Legal obligation

Where processing is necessary to comply with a legal obligation to which Plant Empowerment is subject.

Where processing is based on consent, consent may be withdrawn at any time. Withdrawal of consent does not affect the lawfulness of processing carried out before withdrawal.

6. Recipients and processors

Plant Empowerment may engage third-party service providers to support the operation of the website, Knowledge Platform and services. These parties may process personal data on behalf of Plant Empowerment and are only permitted to process such data in accordance with the applicable instructions and agreements.

Where required by applicable legislation, Plant Empowerment enters into appropriate data processing agreements with its processors.

An overview of the cookies and similar technologies used on the Plant Empowerment website, including the relevant third parties where applicable, is available in the Cookie Statement.

Personal data are not sold to third parties.

Where personal data are transferred outside the European Economic Area, Plant Empowerment ensures that an appropriate transfer mechanism and adequate safeguards are in place in accordance with applicable data protection legislation.

7. Retention of personal data

Plant Empowerment does not retain personal data for longer than is necessary for the purposes for which the personal data are processed, unless a longer retention period is required by law.

The applicable retention period depends on the nature of the personal data, the purpose of the processing and any applicable legal or contractual obligations.

Personal data are deleted or anonymised when they are no longer required for the relevant purpose, unless retention is necessary for the establishment, exercise or defence of legal claims or for compliance with a legal obligation.

Where possible, specific retention periods or criteria for determining retention periods are established for the different categories of personal data.

8. Newsletter and direct marketing

Plant Empowerment uses Klaviyo as its email marketing platform for newsletters and other marketing communications.

Where a person subscribes to the Plant Empowerment newsletter or other marketing communications, Plant Empowerment may process contact details and information concerning the delivery and interaction with these communications, where applicable.

Recipients can unsubscribe from marketing communications at any time by using the unsubscribe link included in the relevant communication or by contacting Plant Empowerment at info@plantempowerment.com.

The withdrawal of consent for marketing communications does not affect other lawful processing activities or the receipt of essential service-related communications.

Transactional and service-related emails

The Plant Empowerment Knowledge Platform uses Thinkific to provide course and membership services. Thinkific may send service-related communications necessary for the administration and use of the Knowledge Platform, including account creation, membership expiry, payment information, enrollment confirmations, course-related notifications and certificates.

These communications are necessary for the provision and administration of the relevant services and are separate from the Plant Empowerment newsletter and other marketing communications.

9. Cookies and similar technologies

Plant Empowerment uses cookies and similar technologies on its website. These technologies are used, where applicable, to ensure the proper functioning of the website, analyse website usage and improve the website and its services.

Where consent is required under applicable law, non-essential cookies and similar technologies are only used after the relevant consent has been obtained. Cookie preferences can be managed or withdrawn through the cookie settings available on the website.

For more information about the cookies and similar technologies used by Plant Empowerment, their purposes and the parties involved, please see the Cookie Statement.

10. Rights of data subjects

Under the GDPR, data subjects may have the following rights in relation to their personal data:

• The right to access personal data;
• The right to rectification of inaccurate or incomplete personal data;
• The right to erasure of personal data;
• The right to restriction of processing;
• The right to object to processing;
• The right to data portability, where applicable;
• The right to withdraw consent where processing is based on consent.

The exercise of these rights may be subject to the conditions and exceptions provided for under applicable law. Requests concerning these rights can be submitted to: info@plantempowerment.com

Plant Empowerment may request information necessary to verify the identity of the person making the request. Such information will only be used for the purpose of identity verification and will be deleted or otherwise handled in accordance with applicable retention requirements.

Requests will be handled within the applicable statutory period. Where permitted by law, this period may be extended in the event of complex or multiple requests.

11. Complaints

In the event of a complaint concerning the processing of personal data, Plant Empowerment recommends contacting Plant Empowerment first so that the matter can be addressed.

A data subject also has the right to lodge a complaint with the competent data protection supervisory authority.

For Plant Empowerment, the relevant supervisory authority is: Autoriteit Persoonsgegevens, the netherlands.

12. Security

Plant Empowerment takes appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal data against unauthorised access, loss, alteration, disclosure or destruction.

The measures taken are reviewed and updated where necessary, taking into account the nature of the processing and the risks involved.

13. Changes to this Privacy Statement

Plant Empowerment may amend this Privacy Statement from time to time, for example where the website, Knowledge Platform, services or processing activities change, or where applicable legislation requires an update.

The most recent version of this Privacy Statement is published on this page. The date of the most recent update is stated at the beginning of the Privacy Statement.

14. Contact

Questions concerning this Privacy Statement or the processing of personal data by Plant Empowerment can be addressed to:

Plant Empowerment Foundation
Email: info@plantempowerment.com