PRIVACY POLICY
The website www.hbfdirect.com (“Platform”) is owned and maintained by a group of consultants. We respect your privacy and take our obligations to protect your personal information very seriously.
This Privacy Policy (“Privacy Policy”) is published in accordance with, among other things, Section 43A of the Information Technology Act, 2000 (“IT Act”);
Rule 4 of the Information Technology (Reasonable Security Practices and Procedures and Sensitive Personal Data or Information) Rules, 2000; 2011 (the "SPDI Rules"); and Rule 3(1) of the 2011 rules on Information Technology (Intermediaries Guidelines). This Privacy Policy outlines how we collect information through our platform and what we do with it. What information we gather; how we get and use that data; how you can provide information selectively, as well as access and amend it; and how we process, distribute, and secure your data.
General
The Platform is owned and managed by business consultants (“We” or “Us” or “Our”), a full-service management consultancy firm engaged in providing consultancy services (“Services”) with office in India, among other places in India. This Privacy Policy applies to all current and former users who access or use Our Platform or otherwise interact with us via email or other means (collectively, "You" or "Your"). The collection and processing of information in the course of our delivery of Services, or other contractual or commercial engagements that we may enter into, will be done in accordance with the specific terms applicable to those engagements, rather than by this Privacy Policy. By accessing or using our Platform, or by providing us with your information in any other way, you confirm that you have the legal capacity to enter into a legally binding contract and that you have read, understood, and agreed to the practices and policies outlined in this Privacy Policy. You hereby consent to the collection, use, sharing, and disclosure of your information in accordance with the terms of this Privacy Policy. We reserve the right to update, add to, or remove portions of this Privacy Policy at any time, and your continuing access to or use of the Platform will be deemed acceptance of those changes. If you do not agree to this Privacy Policy in part or in its entirety at any time, do not access/use the Platform or any of the Platform's services, or provide us with any of your information. If you access or use the platform from a location outside of India, you do so at your own risk and are solely responsible for complying with any relevant local laws.
Information gathered and how it was gathered
We gather the following categories of information about you, both through your own documents and through your use of our platform: User information, demographic information, behavioral information, and indirect information (collectively referred to as "Information") have all been defined below.
We obtain your information directly from you via online documentation and/or the platform, or indirectly via the use of other technologies.
You may be asked to give us with information such as your name, email address, mobile number, the company/organization you work for, title, designation, and physical addresses in order to access Our Platform (collectively, "User Information").
We may also collect user information when you visit one of our offices to inquire about or use our services, or when you attend one of our seminars, webinars, conferences, or events. Furthermore, we may collect user information that you supply us with in order to attend meetings hosted at our facilities, such as accessibility and dietary restrictions. User Information such as SPDI can infer or suggest a member's health or other information (as defined below). You agree and accept that such information is being collected temporarily for the aforementioned limited objectives, and you give us permission to collect it.
Information on the population
We may collect information from you that is not unique to you and pertains to chosen population characteristics (“Demographic Information”), such as your age, gender, and present location.
Information on Behavioral patterns
We may also collect information about how you use the platform as well as information about your mobile device and software, such as usage statistics, track data, your IP address, browser and operating system type, domain names, access times, locations, and details about which parts of the Platform You access (“Behavioral Information”).
Information obtained in an indirect manner
When you use some third-party services on the platform, you authorize us to gather whatever information is deemed necessary for that purpose (“Indirect Information”).
While we may collect demographic information, behavioral information, and indirect information when you visit or use our platform, we only collect user Information with your prior consent, unless there are other legal grounds for doing so, as detailed in this Privacy Policy. We recognize that if you give us with third-party user information, you have gained their consent and have the necessary rights, approvals, and licenses to transmit such information to us.
The IT Act and the SPDI Rules govern the collection, use, retention, and disclosure of personal information, which is defined as any information relating to a natural person that, when combined with other information available or likely to be available to a body corporate, is capable of identifying that person (“Personal Information”).
The SPDI Rules go on to define a person's "Sensitive Personal Data or Information" ("SPDI") as information about that person's passwords, financial information such as bank account numbers, credit cards, debit cards, or other payment instruments, physical, physiological, and mental health conditions, sexual orientation, medical records and history, and biometric information, any information received under the above categories, as specified in this paragraph, by a body corporate for processing, storage, or processing under lawful contract or otherwise; and any information received under the above categories, as specified in this paragraph, by a body corporate for processing, storage, or processing. Some of the information we collect may be considered personal information.
We recognize that all Personal Information you supply to us is provided voluntarily. Unless there are additional legal grounds available to us to acquire such information, as further defined in this Privacy Policy, the collection, use, and disclosure of personal information requires your express consent. You give us your consent to use, collect, retain, transfer, and disclose your personal information in accordance with the provisions of this Privacy Policy by using or accessing the platform or otherwise supplying us with your Personal Information, as applicable.
You hereby expressly consent to our continuing use, storage, collection, and disclosure of your information, including personal information, to the fullest extent authorized by applicable law in the event of a change in the law relevant to data protection in India. We may contact you to acquire additional consents and approvals as required by the new law, and you must comply with such requests. If you choose not to supply us with these extra consents and permissions, we may be forced to terminate your platform access.
You may choose not to supply us with or withdraw any or all personal information, but if you do, we may be unable to provide you with access to the platform or other services for which your information is being collected or processed.
Application of Data
The following are the purposes for which we use your information:
To maintain and improve the platform in order to provide a great user experience and to boost our overall company;
Data analysis, trend tracking, algorithm development, and database creation for rating systems, recommendation engines, and other applications;
Non-targeting purposes include frequency capping, compliance, information reporting or delivery, market research, or product development.
To conduct audits and quality assessment procedures; and to analyse the use of our resources and troubleshooting problems in relation to our Platform.
In addition to the above, we also use your information, including personal information, for the following purposes:
For the purposes of recording information such as dates, times, and locations at which Our Platform has been accessed by using various tracking technologies and thereby improving Our Platform and Your experience by providing You with relevant information based on the above; for the purposes of recording information such as dates, times, and locations at which Our Platform has been accessed by using various tracking technologies and thereby improving Our Platform and Your experience by providing You with relevant information based on the above.
If You disable tracking technology on the Platform by changing settings on your smartphone and/or web browser, you may be unable to use it completely or at all; To provide you with regulatory updates that we feel are relevant to You;
To invite You to Our seminars, webinars, and workshops that We believe will be of interest to You;
To follow the law; to investigate, prevent, or take action in the case of illegal activities, suspected fraud, situations involving potential threats to the safety of any person, or as otherwise required by law; to investigate, prevent, or take action in the case of illegal activities, suspected fraud, situations involving potential threats to the safety of any person, or as otherwise required by law;
To respond to any questions or concerns You may have, as well as to communicate information to You, such as alert notifications and Platform updates; and to contact You from time to time to collect Your valuable feedback on Our Platform as it currently stands, as well as any potential services that may be offered in the future;
(These items are referred to as "the purposes" together.)
If You wish to opt out of receiving communications such as information regarding the Platform and/or any regulatory updates provided by Us, you may do so by emailing us at [email protected].
We may also use social media sites like LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook. If You connect with Us using one of these services, your involvement will be governed by the terms of service and privacy policies of the relevant social media site, and You will be responsible for adhering to those terms. Before engaging with Us on such a social networking platform, you should check the same.
Our legitimate interests in operating an internet website and blogs for general information and communication, optimising Our website and blogs, and protecting it from attacks are the basis for our processing of Your Personal Information in the context of Your access to, and use of, Our Platform. Furthermore, the processing of Your Personal Information for the purposes of providing regulatory updates or conducting other business development activities serves the users' legitimate interests in receiving legal training and know-how, as well as Our legitimate interests in growing our business and promoting client relationships.
Disclosure of the Information
We may release Your Information, including Personal Information, to third parties in the following circumstances:
Providing Your Information, including Personal Information, to firms and persons who serve as our counterparties, consultants, and advisers in connection with the Platform;
Disclosing Your Information, including Personal Information, to third-party service providers, consultants and professional advisers, and insurers who are allowed by Us to perform specific duties in relation to the Platform and/or Our business;
We may also share aggregated information about You with partners, other Platform users, and other third parties for the purposes of improving Our Platform; We may transfer Information, including Personal Information, to third parties, including persons outside India, in furtherance of the above; and We may disclose Your Information, including Personal Information, if legally required to do so, pursuant to the above. We will share the information with the following people:
Comply with legal requirements or legal procedure; defend Our rights or property; prevent a crime or protect national security; or protect users' or the public's personal safety.
The following are examples of third parties:
Any of Our agents, contractors, or third-party service providers who process or will process Your Information on Our behalf, such as mailing houses, telecommunication companies, information technology firms, and data centres; and
Third parties, such as service providers, to whom We disclose Your Information, including Personal Information, for one or more of the Purposes, and who, in turn, collect and use Your Information, including Personal Information, for one or more of the Purposes.
Links to Other Websites
The Platform may include links to third-party websites and services (hereafter referred to as "Third Party Services"). We have no control over Third Party Services provided by individuals or businesses other than Us. We are not liable for the collection or dissemination of Your personal information by such firms or individuals.
In addition, We are not responsible for any loss or damage You may suffer as a result of the gathering and/or disclosure of Your information through Third Party Services. We are not responsible for any issues that may arise between You and the aforementioned third parties as a result of or in connection with such transactions.
Third-party websites, as well as other apps or resources, that are accessible through the Platform, may have their own privacy policies that govern the collection, storage, transfer, retention, and/or disclosure of Your information. Before consenting to any transaction or exchange of information, we encourage that You exercise reasonable diligence, as you would in traditional oine channels, and use judgement and common sense, including but not limited to examining the third-party website or application's privacy policy.
Changes to Your Personal Data
You may email Us at [email protected] to examine, correct, update, or change Your Personal Information on the Platform.
You may also ask Us to erase Your Personal Information, which We will do within a reasonable time unless we are obligated to maintain specific information for legal reasons.
We will be unable to provide You with access to Our Platform if You choose to delete or modify Your Personal Information in a way that is not verifiable by Us or results in such Personal Information being incorrect, and such deletion or modification may be regarded as the user seeking to discontinue access to Our Platform.
In order to ensure accurate delivery of services through the Platform, we retain the right to verify and validate Your identity and Personal Information.
If it would violate another person's rights or is not otherwise permitted by applicable law, We may deny or limit access to, or correction, updating, or deletion of Your Personal Information.
Your Information's Safety
We make every effort to maintain suitable physical, technological, and procedural safeguards to protect Your Information against loss, misuse, copying, damage, or modification, as well as unauthorised access and disclosure. The following are some of the security measures that We have implemented:
To protect against data breaches, we assess our data gathering, storage, and processing methods, as well as physical security measures. Unauthorised system access; and
We limit access to Personal Information to those of Our employees, agents, and service providers who require it in order to do their duties. to handle it for Us, and who are bound by stringent contractual confidentiality obligations, and who may be reprimanded or whose services are subject to termination. If they fail to meet these requirements, their contract with Us may be terminated.
Furthermore, We will not be liable for any security breaches, third-party actions, or events that are beyond Our reasonable control, such as acts of government, computer hacking, unauthorised access to computer data and storage devices, computer crashes, security and encryption breaches, and so on.
Information Retention
We will put in place measures to ensure that Your Personal Information in Our possession or control is destroyed and/or anonymized as soon as and in any case, within 5 (five) years of it being reasonable to assume that I the Purpose for which that Personal Information was collected is no longer being served by the retention of such Personal Information; and (ii) retention of such Personal Information is no longer serving the Purpose for which it was collected.
Please notify Us at [email protected] if You no longer want Us to use Your Personal Information in line with the terms of this Privacy Policy.
We reserve the right, however, to keep, store, and use Your Information, including Personal Information, for our business reasons. Whether or whether such information has been erased Your data may be anonymized and aggregated after a period of time, and then be kept by Us for as long as it is essential for Us to effectively perform Our Services.
Please be aware that if You refuse to allow Us to use Your Personal Information, We may be unable to provide You with access to the Platform or terminate any existing relationship with You.
Disclaimer
We cannot guarantee that all of Your information, including personal data, will never be disclosed in methods not indicated in this Privacy Policy. As a result, while We are dedicated to safeguarding Your privacy, We cannot guarantee that Your information or private communications will always remain private, and You should not assume that they will. As a Platform user, You are solely responsible and liable for Your use of the Platform, the internet in general, and the information You publish or access, as well as Your conduct on and off the Platform.
Indemnity
You agree to defend and indemnify Us in any third-party lawsuit or dispute originating from Your disclosure of information to third parties, whether through Our Platform or otherwise, and Your use and access of third-party websites, applications, and resources. We accept no responsibility for any actions taken by third parties in relation to Your Information or Personal Information that You may have supplied to them.