Privacy and Confidentiality Policy
Description
This policy is governed by Vantage Point’s Board of Directors and is reviewed annually and revised as required.
In delivering our programs and services, we often gather and use personal information. Personal information is any personal identifiable information we maintain regarding any person, whether a current, former, or prospective employee, knowledge philanthropist, member, customer, or financial contributor (i.e., donor, funder, sponsor, etc.). This includes, but is not limited to, biographical data, credit information, employment, and salary records, and other types of information which would reasonably be considered to be confidential. This information can include an individual’s opinions or beliefs, as well as facts about, or related to, that individual.
The law outlines some exceptions. These include business contact information and certain publicly available information, such as names, addresses and telephone numbers that are published in directories.
Where a person uses their home contact information as business contact information, we consider that the contact information provided is business contact information and is not subject to protection as personal information.
Cookies are data files that are placed on your device and often include an anonymous unique identifier.
Overall, cookies help provide you with a better website, by enabling us to monitor which pages you find useful and which you do not. A cookie does not give access to your computer or any information about you, other than the data you choose to share with us. Log files track actions occurring on this website, and collect data including your IP address, browser type, Internet service provider, referring/exit pages, and date/time stamps. Web beacons, tags, and pixels are electronic files used to record information about how you browse this website.
Vantage Point’s Privacy and Confidentiality Practices
Vantage Point has the highest regard for maintaining confidentiality of information obtained directly or indirectly. This includes information regarding employees, knowledge philanthropists, members, customers, and financial contributors (i.e., donors, funders, sponsors, etc.).
Personal information gathered by Vantage Point is kept confidential. Our employees and knowledge philanthropists will utilize personal information only for the reason that it was intended. Safeguards are in place to ensure that the information is not disclosed or shared beyond its original purpose. We also take measures to ensure that the integrity of this information is maintained and to prevent it from being lost or destroyed. We collect, use, and disclose personal information only for purposes that a reasonable person would consider appropriate.
Vantage Point does not sell, rent, exchange, or otherwise share its list of employees, knowledge philanthropists, members, customers, or financial contributors.
Vantage Point honours any requests from knowledge philanthropists or financial contributors in relation to being publicly identified as a support of the organization; and/or having the amount or type of their contribution publicly disclosed. We will carefully protect this information and will obtain consent to utilize the information for any other purpose, such as programs, publications or other materials.
Vantage Point also honours the requests of current or prospective employees, knowledge philanthropists, members, customers, and financial contributors to:
- limit the frequency of contact or solicitation;
- not be contacted by telephone or other technology; and
- discontinue contact or solicitation when requested.
When We Collect Information
We collect information from you when you browse our websites (listed in Appendix A), register for an event, download a resource, subscribe to our newsletter, or otherwise enter information on our site. Your personal information is contained behind secured networks and is only accessible by a limited number of persons who have special access rights to such systems and are required to keep the information confidential. Although no method of transmission over the Internet or electronic storage is 100% secure, we follow all PCI-DSS requirements and implement additional generally accepted industry standards.
Information about your device — including your web browser, IP address, time zone, and some of the cookies that are installed on your device — is automatically collected when you visit one of our websites. We also use cookies, primarily Google Analytics and MailChimp, to help us compile aggregate data about site traffic and site interaction statistics so that we can offer better site experiences and tools in the future. There is a browser plug-in you can use that will prevent the recording of your data generated by the Google Analytics cookie (including your IP address) by downloading and installing the browser plug-in available here.
We do not collect data at an individual level for browsing, but rather are able to see an overview of the number of page views, average time a page is viewed for, and other interactions with our site. This helps us know whether our site is user-friendly, and which content is the most useful and relevant.
Website and Electronic Communication
We use password protocols and encryption software to protect personal information received when a service is requested and/or paid for online. Our software is routinely updated to maximize protection of such information.
Third Party Links
Occasionally, at our discretion, we may include or offer third party services or partnerships with other organizations on our website. These third-party sites have separate and independent privacy policies. We have no responsibility or liability for the content and activities of these linked sites. Nonetheless, we seek to protect the integrity of our site and welcome feedback about organizations we choose to partner with.
How You Can Opt-out, Remove, or Modify Information You Have Provided
To modify your email subscription, click the link at the bottom of our newsletters to update your preferences or unsubscribe from future emails. Please note that due to email production schedules you may receive emails already in production.
Invoices, membership renewal notifications, reminders for an event you registered for, and important updates are not considered promotional. You cannot unsubscribe from these emails. If you have any concerns or would not like any future communications from Vantage Point please contact us at info@thevantagepoint.ca to let us know.
Information about your device — including your web browser, IP address, time zone, and some of the cookies that are installed on your device — is automatically collected when you visit one of our websites. We also use cookies, primarily Google Analytics and MailChimp, to help us compile aggregate data about site traffic and site interaction statistics so that we can offer better site experiences and tools in the future. There is a browser plug-in you can use that will prevent the recording of your data generated by the Google Analytics cookie (including your IP address) by downloading and installing the browser plug-in available here.
We do not collect data at an individual level for browsing, but rather are able to see an overview of the number of page views, average time a page is viewed for, and other interactions with our site. This helps us know whether our site is user-friendly, and which content is the most useful and relevant.
CASL (Canadian Legislation)
The Canadian Anti-Spam Legislation (CASL) establishes requirements for communications, gives recipients the right to have emails stopped from being sent to them, and penalizes violators. Under CASL, we obtain consent to send electronic messages such as email. Consent will be obtained predominately through express consent which will be attained by the recipient taking a proactive action to indicate their express consent (ie. Opting-in via our newsletter sign-up).
Once express consent is obtained, electronic messages will be sent until recipient unsubscribes or notifies us that they no longer want to receive messages.
Implied consent for sending electronic messages will be relied on under certain conditions such as through an existing relationship whereby a previous transaction has taken place such as membership, a financial transaction, or an email address has been made publicly available.
Donor and fundraising messages are used solely for the primary purpose of raising funds are exempt from CASL. However, if any other type of message (such as a monthly newsletter) that also happens to have a donate button/call to action will not be exempt.
Messages to our members can be sent through implied consent (for example, signing up to be a member). These types of messages will only be sent to our membership base during their membership and up to two years after the expiration of an individuals/organization’s membership. Members can unsubscribe at any time.
No matter the type of consent we have received, if the recipient requests to stop receiving electronic messages, communication will be ceased within 10 business days. Up-to-date contact lists and records will be kept based on continued consent.
CAN-SPAM Act (American Legislation)
The CAN-SPAM Act is a law that sets the rules for commercial email, establishes requirements for commercial messages, gives recipients the right to have emails stopped from being sent to them, and spells out tough penalties for violations.
We collect your email address in order to: send information, respond to inquiries, and/or other requests or questions. We may choose to send marketing emails to our clients after the original contact has occurred.
To be in accordance with CAN-SPAM we agree to NOT use false, or misleading subjects or email addresses. We will identify the message as an advertisement in some reasonable way, include the physical address of our business or site headquarters, monitor third party email marketing services for compliance if one is used, honor opt-out/unsubscribe requests quickly, and allow users to unsubscribe by using the link at the bottom of each marketing email.
EU General Data Protection Regulation (European Legislation)
If you are a European resident, you have the right to access personal information we hold about you and to ask that your personal information be corrected, updated, or deleted. If you would like to exercise this right, please contact us through the contact information below.
Data and Record Retention
Per Canada Revenue Agencies (CRA) guidelines, Vantage Point retains business records for a minimum of six years from the end of the latest year to which they relate unless written permission is given by the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA).
Vantage Point reserves the right to destroy customer information that does not relate to current business needs.
Reviewing our Privacy Policy
Vantage Point regularly reviews its privacy and confidentiality practices and updates our policy and procedures when necessary. Please check our website for our most recent policy.