Privacy Statement
1. Who are we?
1.1. Quaestor-International as controller
With this statement (hereinafter the “Statement”), we wish to inform you why and how your personal data are collected and processed by QUAESTOR-INTERNATIONAL, which comprises the Belgian QUAESTOR-INTERNATIONAL entities (hereinafter “we”, or “QUAESTOR-INTERNATIONAL”). Your personal data is centrally collected and stored at QUAESTOR-INTERNATIONAL. The Belgian QUAESTOR-INTERNATIONAL entities, which are not regarded as third parties to each other, all process your personal data in line with this Statement.
You can find our contact details in item 10 of this Statement.
We are responsible for the processing of the personal data that we request and use. As a controller, we take measures that ensure that you:
- remain informed about our processing of your personal data and about your rights;
- maintain control over the personal data we process;
- are able to exercise your rights in relation to your personal data. More information about your rights can be found in item 9 of this Statement.
As part of its service to its clients, QUAESTOR-INTERNATIONAL is also the processor of personal data of its clients. This is covered in the processor agreement between QUAESTOR-INTERNATIONAL and its clients, and is not part of this Statement.
1.2. Data protection officer
We have also appointed a data protection officer. This is an expert on the protection of personal data who provides an extra guarantee for the correct processing of your personal data by us.
You can contact the officer via the channels mentioned in item 10 of this Statement.
2. Which data about you do we collect?
2.1. Personal data
By “personal data” we mean all information that refers to a specific living natural person. It includes, where applicable, details of you and/or your representatives, staff, independent employees and/or directors (hereinafter together also referred to as “you” or “your”).
If we receive personal data from your representatives, staff, independent employees and/or directors, you must inform them of the existence and content of this Statement, including our duties, their rights and the way in which they can exercise these rights. In particular, we collect:
- from our existing clients: identification and contact details (name, first name, gender, e-mail address, telephone number, copy of identity card, etc.), specified areas of interest, and specific financial data (bank account number, etc.);
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from prospects: identification and contact details (name, first name, gender, e-mail address, telephone number, etc.), specified areas of interest, etc.
We need this data and use it for the purposes stated in item 3 of this Statement.
Our websites also make use of “cookies”. These are small pieces of information that are stored by the browser on your computer and allow us to register certain information about the users of our website. They help to better tailor the website to your wishes and preferences, and make it easier to use. More information about this can be found in our cookie statement.
As a data processing controller, we do not collect and process personal data of minors, or sensitive data, in particular:
- personal data revealing race or ethnic origin, political opinions, religious or philosophical beliefs, or membership of a trade union;
- genetic or biometric data (e.g. facial images and fingerprints);
- data on health;
- data related to sexual behaviour or sexual orientation.
If such sensitive personal data is provided to us, we will not use it and will delete it.
3. Why do we need your data?
3.1. To be able to accept you as a client and to execute the contract correctly.
We need personal data to:
- register and manage you as a prospect or client in our system;
- to accept you as a client in our “client acceptance” procedure;
- to contact you as a client and to be able to coordinate with you regarding performance of the services you have requested;
- to invoice our services or to draw up statements for the services provided.
3.2. To be able to do direct marketing
We wish to be able to inform you about our services, events or relevant news items. This can be done at your express request, or if we believe that you might be interested in or benefit from a service.
You can obtain this information in many ways: via the QUAESTOR-INTERNATIONAL offices, the internet, via apps, by e-mail, by post, by telephone and at events. In addition, new technologies are added each day that we wish to use if this helps convey information clearly in the way that disrupts you as little as possible.
It is possible that you continue to receive offers or advertisements from QUAESTOR-INTERNATIONAL, especially if you have an existing client relationship with QUAESTOR-INTERNATIONAL. We base ourselves on our legitimate interest for this.
If you do not want any advertising at all, you can use your right to object to direct marketing, as indicated in item 9.2 of this Statement.
3.3. Because it is necessary to our ability to function as a company
This purpose amounts to what is called a “legitimate interest”. We do indeed have a number of legitimate interests that form the basis for the processing of personal data. In any case, this only happens after we have ascertained that the balance between our legitimate interests and a possible impact on your privacy is not disrupted.
If you still have objections to this processing, you can exercise your right of opposition, as stated in item 9.3 of this Statement.
Thus, personal data are processed in various situations:
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Personal data can serve as evidence (archives);
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Personal data can be used to register your participation and/or attendance at our events;
- Personal data can be used to provide information requested by you;
- Personal data can be used to establish, exercise, defend and safeguard the rights of QUAESTOR-INTERNATIONAL or the persons it may represent, for example in disputes;
- Personal data can be used for the governance, (risk) management and oversight of our organisation, including compliance obligations (e.g. investigations with respect to money laundering and fraud prevention, and privacy), risk management, risk functions and inspection, complaints management, internal and external audits;
- Personal data held by the Belgian QUAESTOR-INTERNATIONAL entities can be brought together and used for centralised or efficient client management, for the creation of segments or sectors (e.g. Public Sector, Real Estate & Construction, Life Sciences, Retail, etc.), and for the creation of more detailed client or prospect profiles in order to be able to communicate with you in a more targeted way;
- Personal data can be used to support and simplify the purchase, use and termination of services by the client, among others to avoid having to re-enter information that you previously entered, or to avoid having to go through a full identification process again if you wish to become a client at another QUAESTOR-INTERNATIONAL entity. Thus, identification data can be passed on to QUAESTOR-INTERNATIONAL entities in order to facilitate identification at those other entities.
4. What is the legal basis for the processing of your personal data?
4.1. General
Your personal data can only be lawfully used and processed by us if one of the following conditions is met:
- The use of your personal data is necessary for the execution of an agreement that you have concluded with us or, at your request, to take the necessary steps to reach an agreement with us.
The processing purposes mentioned in item 3.1 of this Statement are based on this.
- We have your express and freely given consent to use your personal data for a specific purpose.
Thus we will request your consent to register you for direct marketing purposes, as mentioned in item 3.2 of this Statement, if you do not yet have a client relationship with us.
- The use of your personal data is necessary for the representation of our legitimate interests, to the extent that this outweighs your interests and rights.
We base the processing that is necessary to function as a company on our legitimate interest, as stated in item 3.3 of this Statement, and to be able to contact our existing clients for direct marketing purposes, as mentioned in item 3.2 of this Statement.
- We may be required by law to process certain data and, in particular, pass them on to the relevant authorities.
In the context of certain services (statutory auditor mandates, tax returns, accounting, etc.), QUAESTOR-INTERNATIONAL is indeed obliged to report to governments, or we must be able to respond correctly if you exercise your rights under the privacy legislation, and we are also obliged to answer questions from the Data Protection Authority, for example in the case of complaints.
5. Who do we share your personal data with?
- Only the employees and independent contractors who effectively need access for the performance of their duties will have access to your data. These persons act under our supervision and responsibility.
- In addition, we also make use of external suppliers who carry out certain processing for us so that we are able to offer our products and activities to you, such as IT services (including legal, financial, accounting and similar other services). Since these third parties have access to personal data within the framework of the services we have requested, we have taken technical, organisational and contractual measures to ensure that your personal data will only be processed and used for the purposes stated in item 3 of this Statement.
- Only if we are legally obliged to do so, may we provide your personal data to supervisory bodies, tax authorities and investigative agencies.
6. Where are the data stored and processed?
Your data will not be transferred outside the EU and in any case we will ensure that the legal minimum requirements and security standards are respected at all times. If we foresee that your data will be stored and processed outside the EU, we will state this explicitly and ensure that the same level of protection is applied as applicable within the EU.
Except in these cases, your personal data will never be transferred or made available to third parties and will only be used for our purposes. Other companies cannot use your data, for example to send you advertising.
7. How long do we save your personal data?
We keep your data only for as long as necessary for the purposes mentioned in item 3 of this Statement (e.g. execution of an agreement, sending information requested by you, etc.). Any deviations or clarifications of this principle are explicitly mentioned in the various purposes specified in item 3 of this Statement.
Because the need to store data may vary by data type as well as by processing purpose, actual retention periods may vary considerably.
In this regard, we can state that we take into account, among others, the following criteria when determining retention periods:
- How long are the personal data needed to be able to provide the requested service?
- Have we established and announced a specific, fixed retention period?
- Have we received consent for a longer retention period?
- Do we have a legal, contractual or similar obligation to retain the data?
As soon as your data are no longer required and we have no legal obligation, legitimate interest or contractual obligation to retain the data, we will permanently remove it or, if this is not possible, make it anonymous in our systems.
Your personal data will be stored and used for as long as necessary to comply with our legal obligations, to settle disputes or to enforce our agreements.
8. How do we protect your personal data?
Your personal data are considered strictly confidential. We take the appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect the provided and collected personal data against destruction, loss, accidental alteration, damage, accidental or unauthorised access, or any other unauthorised processing of personal data.
9. What are your rights?
9.1. Right of access, rectification, erasure, transferability of data and of objection
9.1.1. Right of access to your personal data
You have the right at all times to access and view your personal data that we process. In this regard, we will provide you with a copy of these personal data free of charge.
9.1.2. Right to rectify your personal data
You have the right at all times to have incorrect, incomplete, inappropriate or outdated personal data erased or rectified.
9.1.3. Right to withdraw your consent
If the processing is based on your explicit consent, you have the right to withdraw this consent at any time.
We wish to point out that revoking your consent to certain processing of your personal data may result in you no longer being informed or being able to use the activities or services we provide.
9.1.4. Right to object to certain processing operations
You have the right to object to the processing activities based on legitimate interest, as mentioned in item 3.3.
9.1.5. Right to erasure of your personal data
You have a right to have your personal data erased. On this basis, you can ask us to stop using your personal data if you no longer wish to be involved with QUAESTOR-INTERNATIONAL.
However, we may keep personal data that is required for evidence purposes. Under this right to erasure, you also have the right to ask us at any time to stop using your personal data processed on the basis of your consent or our legitimate interest. Due to its legitimate interests, we may still process your personal data after weighing your interests against ours, unless you decide to terminate your involvement with us.
9.1.6. Right to transfer of personal data
You have the right to ask for personal data that you have provided to us to be forwarded to you – in a structured, commonly used and machine-readable format – so that you can save it for personal (re)use, or to transfer these personal data directly to another data processing officer, insofar as this is technically possible for us.
However, the privacy legislation provides for a number of restrictions to this right, as a result of which it does not apply to all data.
9.1.7. Right to restrict certain processing operations
You may request us to restrict the processing of your personal data in any of the following cases:
- If you dispute the accuracy of the personal data, you may request a restriction of processing for a period that enables us to check the correctness of the personal data;
- If the processing is unlawful and you oppose erasure of the personal data and you request us to restrict their use instead;
- If we no longer need your personal data for the processing purposes mentioned in item 3, but you still need it to institute, exercise or substantiate a legal claim;
9.2. Right of objection against direct marketing
As stated in item 3.2 of this Statement, we use your personal data to send you commercial information, advertising or personalised proposals (via direct marketing campaigns or electronic newsletters). If you no longer wish to receive such communications from us, you have the right to object to the (further) processing of your data for direct marketing purposes: this can be done by sending an e-mail to info@quaestor-international.com. In this case, we will no longer process your data for direct marketing purposes. Your request will be implemented as soon as possible.
If you have exercised your right of objection, you can, if you wish, allow direct marketing activities via the same channel.
We emphasise the fact that your exercise of the right of objection does not prevent us from contacting you for any other purpose, including for execution of the contract, in accordance with this Statement.
9.3. How to exercise your rights?
To exercise the aforementioned rights, send a written request to us in one of the following ways:
- By e-mail: info@quaestor-international.com
- In writing to the following postal address: QUAESTOR-INTERNATIONAL, Attn. Manager, Wijerstraat 5 – B-3520 Zonhoven
When exercising your right, we ask you to clearly indicate which right you wish to invoke and to which processing operation(s) you might object, or which consent you wish to withdraw. When exercising your rights, always be as specific as possible.
10. How can you submit questions or complaints?
If you have a question or complaint about our processing of personal data, about the exercise of your rights, or about this Statement, you can contact us through the following channels:
If you are not satisfied with our reply, if you have comments about the exercise of your rights, or if you believe that our processing of your personal data would not be in accordance with the law, you can submit a complaint to the Belgian Data Protection Authority, formerly known as the Privacy Commission. All the relevant information can be found at https://www.privacycommission.be.
11. Amendments to this Statement
This Statement can be amended or supplemented by us when we deem such necessary.
If significant changes are made to this Statement, the date of the Statement update will be adapted, and we will notify you and provide you with a copy of the updated Statement.
We also encourage you to periodically review this Statement to know how we process and protect your personal data.