Last updated: August 2024

Privacy Policy

This policy explains how we collect, store, and use the personally identifiable information you provide to us. We will only use or share your information as described in this Privacy Policy.

Please note that this Privacy Policy does not cover information collected through other methods (including offline) or from other sources, such as publicly available information.

Our Website

Our website is owned and operated by The Scanlon Foundation Research Institute, who will be referred to as “We”, “our” and “us” in this Privacy Policy. By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy of this website (“the website”), which is set out in this policy.  

Our website may include links to sites that we do not own or control. We are not responsible for the privacy practices or content of these external sites.

What is Personal Information?

Personal information is any information or opinion about an identified individual or an individual who can be reasonably identified from the information or opinion. Information or an opinion may be personal information regardless of whether it is true.

Most of the services mentioned in this Policy may not necessarily directly deal with ‘personal information’ as defined in the Act but extends to uses of data that may incidentally include personal information.

Why We Collect Personal Information

We collect, hold, and use your personal information so that we can provide you with services and key communications. We also use it to manage our relationship with you, contact you, or respond to your queries or complaints. We may also identify and tell you about opportunities to be involved in our research, or of new research publications.

If you do not provide us with your personal information, we will not be able to provide you with our services, communicate with you, or respond to your inquiries.

Sensitive Information

Sensitive information will only be collected with your prior written consent and only if it is directly related to, or reasonably necessary for legal compliance or directly related to the research or services that we conduct.

Sensitive information is defined by the Privacy Act to mean information or an opinion about an individual’s:

• racial or ethnic origin;
• political opinions;
• membership of a political association;
• religious beliefs or affiliations;
• philosophical beliefs;
• membership of a professional or trade association;
• membership of a trade union;
• sexual preferences or practices; or
• criminal record.

Sensitive information is treated separately and more confidentially and is destroyed as soon as it is no longer needed for the purpose.

Information We Collect

We will collect your personal information directly from you whenever you interact with us.

Examples of how we collect personal information may include:

• Subscribing to our e-newsletter and other promotional communications
• Applying to attend an event, webinar, training or programs through a form
• Applying for committees or working groups through EOIs or a form
• Business cards
• Email broadcasts
• Telephone inquiries to our offices
• Project and consultancy proposals and contracts for services
• Participating in our research such as surveys or interviews
• Applying for employment
• Publicly available directories and publications

In most cases, the information you provide us will only involve your name and your organisation, title or position, organisation location, email addresses, and phone number.

Depending on the purposes for the collection, we may necessarily have to include for legal compliance purposes, your birthdate and place, home and work addresses, personal mobile telephone numbers, or direct landline numbers.

By engaging with us, you consent to us collecting, holding, using, and disclosing your personal information in accordance with this policy.

You are responsible for ensuring that all information you provide us is current, complete, and accurate.

You may correct, update, or deactivate your personally identifiable information by emailing us at info@scanloninstitute.org.au.

Participation in Our Research

The Institute frequently conducts social research as part of achieving our organisation’s mission and you may be invited to participate.

In some cases, we may share your information with a third party for the purpose of conducting social research on our behalf. We will inform you before sharing any information with other third parties conducting research on our behalf.  

Participation is entirely voluntary, and informed consent is required if any personally identifiable information is to be shared or published as part of the research.

E-Newsletter and Promotional Communications

Please note that when you subscribe to our e-newsletter, your data is processed using an external third-party site such as Mailchimp, and is managed according to their privacy policy.

We will contact you to inform you of news, publications, opportunities and promotion, as well as use your data to inform relevant work to the Institute

If you no longer wish to receive electronic newsletters and/or promotional communications from us, you may opt out of receiving them by using the unsubscribe button at the bottom of each email, or by contacting our team at info@scanloninstitute.org.au.

Google Analytics

We use Google Analytics to help understand the use of our websites and improve our services for you.

This service collects information sent by your browser as part of a web page request, including cookies and your IP address, and their use of it is governed by their Privacy Policy.

Cookies

Our website uses cookies to enhance your experience and security. If you do not want information collected using Cookies, there is a simple procedure in most browsers that allows you to deny or accept the Cookie feature. However, you should note that Cookies may be necessary to provide you with some features of our online services.

Material on Our Website

Our website contains material which is owned by or licensed to us. This material includes but is not limited to our publications, the design, layout, look, appearance, and any graphics. Reproduction is prohibited other than per the copyright notice, which forms part of these terms and conditions.

Neither we nor any third parties provide any warranty or guarantee as to the accuracy, timeliness, performance, completeness or suitability of the information and materials found or offered on this website for any particular purpose.

You acknowledge that such information and materials may contain unintentional inaccuracies or errors and we expressly exclude liability for any such inaccuracies or errors to the fullest extent permitted by law. Unauthorised use of this material from our website or published by us, may result in a claim for damages and/or be a criminal offence.

Disclosure

Apart from where you have consented or disclosure is necessary to achieve the purpose for which it was submitted, personal information may be disclosed in special situations. This includes where we have reason to believe that doing so is necessary to identify, contact, or bring legal action against anyone damaging, injuring, or interfering (intentionally or unintentionally) with our rights or property, users, or anyone else who could be harmed by such activities.

We may also disclose personal information when we believe in good faith that the law requires disclosure.

We may engage third parties to provide services on our behalf, for example running a leadership program in partnership with the Institute. In that circumstance, we may disclose your personal information to those third parties contracted. In this event, sensitive information will be de-identified and personal information will be subject to privacy law and this privacy policy.

Retention and Destruction of Personal Information

We will take reasonable steps to destroy or de-identify personal information once we no longer require it for the purposes for which it was collected.

This includes secure disposal of any hard copies, and if the information is stored electronically, such as in cloud-based storage, servers, USBs, or with a third-party provider, we will ensure that the digital records are permanently destroyed, including in any backup system or offsite storage.

Training will be provided to employees responsible for ensuring personal information is securely destroyed or third-party contractor with expertise may be used to assist.

Compromise of Personal Information

If personal information is compromised due to a security breach, we will promptly notify affected individuals.

Furthermore, our employees and contractors who provide services related to our information systems are required to respect the confidentiality of any personal information we hold.

We however cannot be held responsible for incidents arising from unauthorised access to your personal information.

Changes to Our Privacy Policy

We reserve the right, at our discretion, to improve, modify, or remove portions of this Privacy Policy at any time.

This Privacy Policy is in addition to any other terms and conditions applicable to the website.

More Information

We value our visitors’ privacy and understand the importance of security and trust regarding personal information.

If you have any questions about our privacy policy, please contact us at info@scanloninstitute.org.au or send mail to: Level 31, 367 Collins Street, Melbourne, 3000 VIC Australia.

For more information about privacy issues in Australia and protecting your privacy, visit the Australian Federal Privacy Commissioner’s website: www.privacy.gov.au