Introduction
Your privacy on the Internet is of utmost importance to Secretariat of the Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal (hereinafter referred to as BC or the “Basel Convention”). This privacy statement describes the privacy policy of the Secretariat of the Stockholm Convention (hereinafter referred to as the "Secretariat"), concerning the gathering and sharing of information about visitors or Users (as defined in the Terms of Use applicable to the present Secretariat’s website) through the Secretariat’s website. It applies to all webpages within the “basel.int” domain name and other websites hosted by the Secretariats of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm (BRS) Conventions.
This privacy policy is to be read in conjunction with the Terms of Use, which are applicable to and also available on the Secretariat’s website.
What information does the Secretariat collect?
General website usage and collection of non-personally identifiable information
In general, Users can browse the Secretariat’s website without telling the Secretariat who they are or revealing any personal information about themselves. The only information the Secretariat gathers during general browsing are from standard server logs. These include Users’ IP (Internet Protocol) address, domain name, browser type, operating system, and information such as the website that referred Users to the Secretariat, the files Users download, the pages visited, and the dates/times of those visits. These will not specifically identify Users. The information will be used internally only for website traffic analysis.
Specific website usage and collection of personally identifiable information
In specific cases, including without being limited to, whereby Users register for a meeting, a newsletter, log on to certain Secretariat’s webpages, order a book, request information, provide feedback (e.g. through online surveys, submitting national reports, etc.), apply for a job, join a discussion group or join an electronic mailing list, access to other message or communication facilities such as the ones in connection with the Clearing House Mechanism, etc. (collectively referred to as "Fora" and, individually, as “Forum”), Users may be asked to provide personal information such as their name, postal address and e-mail address. These information are collected only with Users’ knowledge and permission, and are kept in the Secretariat’s databases - which are not accessible by the public but for internal use, except in specific cases (official contact points, expert rosters, etc.) - as well as in mailing lists related to the services provided.
For certain Secretariat’s webpages, registering or supplying personal information sets a cookie. By setting this cookie, the Secretariat will remember Users’ details the next time Users visit, provided that the Users explicitly consent through the relevant cookie settings, so that Users may not have to enter again these information. This will help the Secretariat to provide Users with a better service.
Joining electronic discussion groups may mean that other participants of the discussion group (including non-Secretariat’s staff) will see personal information that Users have voluntarily shared. For open discussion groups, these information may be public.
What does the Secretariat do with the information it collects?
General website usage and non-personally identifiable information
In general, the information gathered during general browsing of the "basel.int" domain are used to analyse trends and usage of the Secretariat’s website and to improve the usefulness of the website. It is not connected with any personal information.
Specific website usage and personally identifiable information
in specific cases, the Secretariat may use the personal information Users provide in order to, including but not limited to:
- contact Users - either in response to a query or suggestion by Users, or in mailing newsletters, documents, publications, etc. to Users;
- manage and process job application by Users;
- confirm purchases and registrations, by Users, on the website;
- obtain payment, by Users, for purchases through the website (e.g. via credit card);
- "remember" online profile and preferences of Users;
- help Users quickly find information that is relevant to them based on their interests, and help the Secretariat create website content most relevant to Users;
- statistical analysis;
- etc.
What if Users don't want to share their information?
Registering or providing personal information on the Secretariat’s site is optional. If Users choose not to register or not to provide personal information, Users can still use the Secretariat’s website, but they will not be able to e.g. carry out certain actions such as purchase publications or register for a newsletter, etc.. The Secretariat views the Users’ information that it collects as trusted assets, for which the Secretariat takes great care in not misusing.
Opting-out and rectifying information by Users
At any time, Users can cancel or modify their information by returning to the webpage where they first provided the information and/or by contacting the Secretariat.
Security
If Users register for a newsletter, Forum, consultation, or conference, etc. the Secretariat will not share, sell, distribute or rent their personal information to any other organisation or entities, unless they explicitly consent.
Any information provided to the Secretariat by Users of the Secretariat’s website are held with the utmost care and security and will not be used by the Secretariat in ways other than as set forth in this privacy policy, or in ways, to which Users have explicitly consented. The Secretariat employs a range of technologies and security measures to protect the information maintained on its systems from, including without being limited to loss, misuse, unauthorised access or disclosure, alteration, destruction, etc..
All employees of the Secretariat who have access to, and are associated with the processing of personal data, are obliged to respect the confidentiality of those personal data.
The Secretariat’s website contains links to sites not hosted by the Secretariat. The Secretariat is not responsible for, and shall not be held liable for damage related to, the privacy practices or the content of such websites. Please read the Terms of Use applicable to the Secretariat’s website for more information on such security aspects.
Events
The events organised or hosted by the Secretariat may be filmed, recorded and/or photographed on behalf of the Secretariat. These recordings and photographs may be used by the Secretariat for internal and external communications for information, teaching and research purposes, and/or promotion and illustration through its various media channels, including without being limited to its website, social media, newsletters, etc..
By participating in these events, you are agreeing to, in addition to your name appearing in the lists of participants, the possibility of also appearing in the aforementioned films, recordings and photographs, and their subsequent use by the Secretariat, unless you specify otherwise. Your personal data are collected in view of the events only for the organisation of those events.
For further information, please refer to the clauses of the present Privacy Statement, as well as to our Terms of Use, or contact us directly.
Notification of changes to the privacy policy
The Secretariat reserves the right to amend the present privacy policy at its own discretion. If there are any changes to this privacy policy, the Secretariat will post them on its website homepage.
How to contact the Secretariat
The Secretariat welcomes your views. If you have any questions or remarks relating to the the present privacy policy, please contact the Secretariat.
Glossary
Cookie: a cookie is a small amount of data, which often includes an anonymous unique identifier, which is sent to your browser from a website and is stored on your computer's hard drive. Each website can send its own cookie to your browser if your browser's preferences allow it but, to protect your privacy, your browser only permits a website to access the cookies it has already sent you, not the cookies sent to you by other websites. Once the User has closed the browser, the cookie will no longer be accessed during that session.
IP Address: when your web browser or e-mail application requests a webpage or e-mail from another computer on the Internet, it automatically gives that computer the address where it should send the information. This is called your computer's "IP address" - IP stands for "Internet Protocol" for the purpose of the present definition. For many Users accessing the Internet from a dial-up Internet Service Provider (ISP), the IP address will be different every time you log on.