Privacy Policy

This Privacy Policy describes how EmpathyBuild (EmpathyBuild Limited) collects, uses, and protects your personal information when you visit our website and use our services. We are committed to safeguarding your privacy and handling your data responsibly. This policy explains what information we gather, how we use it, and the rights you have regarding your data.

Who We Are and Our Role

We are a professional development organisation offering emotional intelligence and empathy building courses designed to develop interpersonal awareness for teams. We operate from Cork, Ireland, and process personal data as a data controller. This means we determine the purposes and means by which your personal information is processed.

Our services help teams build stronger interpersonal skills through evidence-based training and workshops. When you interact with us, we collect certain information to provide these services and improve your experience.

Information We Collect

We collect information in several ways:

• Contact Information: When you submit enquiries or register for courses, we collect your name, email address, phone number, and organisation details.
• Usage Data: We automatically collect information about how you interact with our website, including pages visited, time spent, and device information.
• Cookies and Tracking: We use cookies and similar technologies to enhance your browsing experience and analyse website performance.
• Course Data: If you participate in our courses, we collect attendance records, feedback, and assessment information to provide and improve our services.

Legal Basis for Processing

We process your personal information based on the following legal grounds:

• Consent: We process data with your explicit consent when you provide information through contact forms or subscribe to our services.
• Legitimate Interest: We analyse website usage and improve our services based on legitimate business interests, balanced against your privacy rights.
• Contract Performance: We process data necessary to deliver courses and services you have engaged us to provide.
• Legal Obligation: We may process data to comply with applicable laws and regulatory requirements.

How We Use Your Information

We use your personal data for specific purposes:

• Providing and administering our emotional intelligence and empathy courses
• Responding to your enquiries and communicating about our services
• Improving our website functionality and user experience
• Sending relevant course information and updates (with your consent)
• Analysing website performance and usage patterns
• Complying with legal and regulatory obligations
• Preventing fraud and ensuring service security

We do not sell your personal information to third parties. Any sharing of data occurs only with service providers who assist us in delivering our services, and these partners are bound by confidentiality obligations.

Data Retention

We retain your personal information only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes for which it was collected:

• Contact Form Enquiries: Up to 24 months after your last interaction with us, or until we receive a deletion request.
• Course Participants: Course records and attendance data are retained for up to 36 months following course completion to support any follow-up services or certification verification.
• Analytics and Cookie Data: Website analytics data is retained for up to 14 months to analyse trends and improve service quality.
• Server Logs: Technical server logs are retained for up to 12 months for security and troubleshooting purposes.
• Email Communications: Email marketing records are retained while you remain subscribed; you can unsubscribe at any time.

After the retention period expires, we securely delete or anonymise your information. If you request deletion, we will remove your data within 30 days unless legal obligations require us to retain it.

Your Rights

Under data protection laws, you have the following rights regarding your personal information:

• Right of Access: You can request a copy of all personal data we hold about you.
• Right to Rectification: You can correct inaccurate or incomplete information.
• Right to Erasure: You can request deletion of your data in certain circumstances (the “right to be forgotten”).
• Right to Restrict Processing: You can limit how we use your information while we verify its accuracy or validity.
• Right to Data Portability: You can request your data in a structured, commonly-used format and transfer it to another organisation.
• Right to Object: You can object to processing based on legitimate interests or direct marketing communications.
• Rights Related to Automated Decision-Making: You have rights if decisions are made solely by automated processes affecting you significantly.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us using the information provided below. We will respond to your request within 30 days.

Cookies and Similar Technologies

We use cookies and similar tracking technologies to enhance your website experience. Cookies are small files stored on your device that help us remember your preferences and analyse how you use our site.

We use different types of cookies: essential cookies (required for website functionality), analytical cookies (to understand how visitors use our site), and marketing cookies (to deliver relevant content). Most cookies are not personally identifiable, though some may contain identifiers.

You can control cookie settings through your browser preferences and can opt out of most tracking. However, disabling essential cookies may affect website functionality. Our separate Cookie Policy provides detailed information about all cookies we use.

Data Security

We implement appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect your personal data against unauthorised access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. These include encryption of sensitive data, secure server infrastructure, and regular security assessments.

However, no security system is completely impenetrable. While we strive to protect your information using industry-standard practices, we cannot guarantee absolute security. You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of any passwords or authentication credentials you use to access our services.

International Data Transfers

We operate from Ireland and primarily store your data within the European Union. If we transfer personal data outside the EU or EEA, we ensure appropriate safeguards are in place, such as standard contractual clauses or adequacy decisions recognised by the European Commission.

Third-Party Links and Services

Our website may contain links to third-party websites and services that we do not operate or control. We are not responsible for their privacy practices. When you access external sites, you should review their privacy policies. This Privacy Policy applies only to information we directly collect and process.

Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technology, legal requirements, or other factors. We will notify you of material changes by posting the updated policy on our website and updating the “last updated” date. Your continued use of our services after changes constitutes your acceptance of the revised policy.

Supervisory Authority and Complaints

If you have concerns about how we process your personal data or believe we have violated your data protection rights, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the relevant supervisory authority. In Ireland, the competent authority is the Data Protection Commission (DPC). You can contact them at:

Data Protection Commission
Telephone: +353 (0)761 104 800
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.dataprotection.ie

Filing a complaint with the DPC does not prevent you from pursuing other legal remedies, and we encourage you to contact us first so we can attempt to resolve any concerns.