0131 651 6444/ 07386656710 step@ed.ac.uk

Privacy Notice

Here at STEP we are committed to safeguarding the privacy of our website visitors and subscribers. This notice sets out how we will look after your personal information.

 

What information do we collect?
We may collect, store and use the following kinds of personal information:

  • information about your computer and about your visits to and use of this website (including your IP address, geographical location, browser type and version, operating system, referral source, length of visit, page views and website navigation)
  • information relating to any transactions or subscriptions between you and us on or in relation to this website, including information that you provide to us for the purpose of requesting resources or subscribing to our email notifications and newsletters
  • any other information that you choose to share with us

Cookies

A cookie consists of information sent by our web server to your web browser, and stored by the browser for a specified duration. The information is then sent back to the server each time the browser requests a page from the server. This enables the web server to identify and track the web browser. We may use both “session” cookies and “persistent” cookies on the website. We will use the session cookies to: keep track of you whilst you navigate the website; and we will use the persistent cookies to: enable our website to recognise you when you visit. Session cookies will be deleted from your computer when you close your browser. Persistent cookies will remain stored on your computer until deleted, or until they reach a specified expiry date.

Google Analytics

When someone visits our website we use a third party service, Google Analytics, to collect standard internet log information and details of visitor behaviour patterns. We do this to find out things such as the number of visitors to the various parts of the site. This information is only processed in a way which does not identify anyone. We do not make, and do not allow Google to make, any attempt to find out the identities of those visiting our website. Google’s privacy policy is available here.

Mailing lists

As part of the subscription process for our email newsletter, we collect personal information (your email address and other information like your name and job role). We use that information for a couple of reasons: to tell you about things you’ve asked us to tell you about; to contact you if we need to obtain or provide additional information; to check our records are right and to check every now and then that you’re happy and satisfied. We don’t rent or trade email lists with other organisations and businesses.

We use the University of Edinburgh’s approved third-party provider Dot Digital to deliver our newsletter. In the UK Dot Digital is regulated under the Data Protection Act 2018 and General Data Protection Regulation and they are responsible as ‘controller’ of that personal information for the purposes of those laws. In connection with personal data provided through our use of the Engagement Cloud platform and other services that they provide, Dot Digital is a ‘processor’ for the purposes of the General Data Protection Regulation.

We gather statistics around email opening and clicks using industry standard technologies to help us monitor and improve our email marketing. You can unsubscribe to marketing emails at any time by clicking the unsubscribe link at the bottom of the newsletter or by contacting STEP directly.

 

Using your personal information

Personal information submitted to us via this website will be used for the purposes specified in this privacy notice and in relevant parts of the website such as MS Forms.

We may use your personal information to:

  • administer the website;
  • improve your browsing experience by personalising the website;
  • enable your use of the services available on the website;
  • send to you resources requested via the website
  • send you email notifications which you have specifically requested;
  • send to you our newsletter and other marketing communications relating to our organisation which we think may be of interest to you by post or, where you have specifically agreed to this, by email or similar technology (you can inform us at any time if you no longer require marketing communications) ;
  • provide third parties such as our primary funders Scottish Government with statistical information about our users – but this information will not be used to identify any individual user;
  • Provide our funders Scottish Government with information you have submitted through MS Forms as part of evaluation activities. The information is typically used as part of larger data sets to evidence impact or as quotes which are linked to local authorities only. 
  • deal with enquiries and complaints made by or about you relating to the website;
  • Where you submit personal information for publication on our website, we will publish and otherwise use that information in accordance with the consent you grant to us.

We will not without your express consent provide your personal information to any third parties for the purpose of direct marketing.

Access to your personal information
You are entitled to view, amend, or delete the personal information that we hold. Please contacts us with any data access / update request.

Disclosures
We may disclose information about you to our STEP employees and suppliers (if supplying a service such as programme delivery or resource delivery to your setting) insofar as reasonably necessary for the purposes as set out in this privacy notice. We also share your information such as role and local authority with our funders Scottish Government as well as information you have submitted through MS Forms as part of programme evaluation activities. 

In addition, we may disclose your personal information:

to the extent that we are required to do so by law;
in connection with any legal proceedings or prospective legal proceedings;
in order to establish, exercise or defend our legal rights;

Except as stated in this privacy notice, we will not provide your information to third parties.

Security of your personal information
We will take all reasonable technical and organisational precautions to prevent the loss, misuse or alteration of your personal information.

Third party websites
The website contains links to other websites. We are not responsible for the privacy policies or practices of third party websites.

Privacy notice amendments
We may update this privacy notice from time-to-time by posting a new version on our website. You should check this page occasionally to ensure you are happy with any changes.