Privacy policy

1) Information on the Collection of Personal Data and Contact Details of the Controller

1.1 We are pleased that you are visiting our website and thank you for your interest. On the following pages, we inform you about the handling of your personal data when using our website. Personal data is all data with which you can be personally identified.

1.2 The controller in charge of data processing on this website, within the meaning of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), is Precious Paw Patrons (3P) gUG (haftungsbeschränkt), Bergstraße 11, 46117 Oberhausen, Germany, Phone: +49 1522 7079276, e-mail: juliahartmann@preciouspawpatrons.org. The controller in charge of the processing of personal data is the natural or legal person who alone or jointly with others determines the purposes and means of the processing of personal data.

2) Data Collection When You Visit Our Website

2.1 When using our website for information only, i.e. if you do not register or otherwise provide us with information, we only collect data that your browser transmits to our server (so-called "server log files"). When you visit our website, we collect the following data that is technically necessary for us to display the website to you:

• Our visited website
• Date and time at the moment of access
• Amount of data sent in bytes
• Source/reference from which you came to the page
• Browser used
• Operating system used
• IP address used (if applicable: in anonymized form)

Data processing is carried out in accordance with Art. 6 (1) point f GDPR on the basis of our legitimate interest in improving the stability and functionality of our website. The data will not be passed on or used in any other way. However, we reserve the right to check the server log files subsequently, if there are any concrete indications of illegal use.

2.2 This website uses SSL or TLS encryption for security reasons and to protect the transmission of personal data and other confidential content (e.g. orders or inquiries to the controller). You can recognize an encrypted connection by the character string https:// and the lock symbol in your browser line.

3) Hosting & Content Delivery Network

For the hosting of our website and the presentation of the page content, we use a provider that provides its services itself or through selected subcontractors exclusively on servers within the European Union.

All data collected on our website is processed on these servers, unless different data recipients are specified below for specific data processing operations.

We have concluded an order processing contract with the provider, which ensures the protection of the data of our website visitors and prohibits unauthorised disclosure to third parties.

4) Cookies

In order to make your visit to our website more attractive and to enable the use of certain functions, we use cookies, i.e. small text files that are stored on your end device. In some cases, these cookies are automatically deleted again after the browser is closed (so-called "session cookies"), in other cases, these cookies remain on your end device for longer and allow page settings to be saved (so-called "persistent cookies"). In the latter case, you can find the duration of the storage in the overview of the cookie settings of your web browser.

If personal data is also processed by individual cookies set by us, the processing is carried out either in accordance with Art. 6 (1) point b GDPR for the performance of the contract, in accordance with Art. 6 (1) point a GDPR in the case of consent given or in accordance with Art. 6 (1) point f GDPR to safeguard our legitimate interests in the best possible functionality of the website as well as a customer-friendly and effective design of the page visit.

You can set your browser in such a way that you are informed about the setting of cookies and you can decide individually about their acceptance or exclude the acceptance of cookies for certain cases or in general.

Please note that the functionality of our website may be limited if cookies are not accepted.

5) Contacting Us

5.1 WhatsApp Business

We offer visitors to our website the opportunity to contact us via the WhatsApp news service of WhatsApp Ireland Limited, Merrion Road, Dublin 4, D04 X2K5, Ireland. For this purpose we use the so-called "Business Version" of WhatsApp.

If you contact us via WhatsApp in connection with a specific business transaction (e.g. an order placed), we will store and use the mobile telephone number you use at WhatsApp and - if provided - your first name and surname in accordance with Art. 6 para. 1 lit. b. GDPR to process and answer your request. On the basis of the same legal basis, we will ask you via WhatsApp to provide further data (order number, customer number, address or e-mail address), if necessary, in order to be able to allocate your enquiry to a specific transaction.

If you use our WhatsApp contact for general enquiries (e.g. about the range of services, availability or our website), we will store and use the mobile phone number you use at WhatsApp and - if provided - your first and last name in accordance with Art. 6 Para. 1 lit. f GDPR on the basis of our justified interest in the efficient and prompt provision of the requested information.

Your data will always be used only to answer your request via WhatsApp. Your data will not be passed on to third parties.

Please note that WhatsApp Business gains access to the address book of the mobile device we use for this purpose and automatically transfers telephone numbers stored in the address book to a server of the parent company Meta Platforms Inc. in the USA. To operate our WhatsApp Business account, we use a mobile device whose address book stores only the WhatsApp contact data of those users who have also contacted us via WhatsApp.

This ensures that each person whose WhatsApp contact data is stored in our address book has already consented to the transmission of his WhatsApp telephone number from the address books of his chat contacts in accordance with Art. 6 Para. 1 lit. a GDPR when using the app on his device for the first time by accepting the WhatsApp terms of use. The transmission of data of such users who do not use WhatsApp and/or have not contacted us via WhatsApp is therefore excluded.

For the purpose and scope of data collection and the further processing and use of data by WhatsApp, as well as your rights and setting options for protecting your privacy, please refer to WhatsApp's data protection information: https://www.whatsapp.com/legal/?eea=1#privacy-policy

In the course of the above-mentioned processing, data may be transferred to servers of Meta Platforms Inc. in the USA.

For data transfers to the USA, the provider participates in the EU-US Data Privacy Framework, which ensures compliance with the European level of data protection on the basis of an adequacy decision by the European Commission.

5.2 When you contact us (e.g. via contact form or e-mail), personal data is collected. Which data is collected in the case of a contact form can be seen from the respective contact form. This data is stored and used exclusively for the purpose of responding to your request or for establishing contact and for the associated technical administration.

The legal basis for processing data is our legitimate interest in responding to your request in accordance with Art. 6 (1) point f GDPR. If your contact is aimed at concluding a contract, the additional legal basis for the processing is Art. 6 (1) point b GDPR. Your data will be deleted after final processing of your enquiry; this is the case if it can be inferred from the circumstances that the facts in question have been finally clarified, provided there are no legal storage obligations to the contrary.

6) Data processing for the processing of donations

We generally process the following personal data for the processing of donations that you may send us: First name and surname, address, email address.

Your data will be stored by us together with details of the donation amount, donation frequency and donation purpose and kept for ten years.

Depending on the selected payment method, the above-mentioned data will also be forwarded to the payment service provider you have selected for the donation and processed there exclusively and only to the extent necessary to process your donation.

The above-mentioned processing is carried out on the basis of Art. 6 para. 1 lit. b GDPR and serves exclusively to properly process your donation payment and to record it in the accounts. The storage for a period of 10 years is based on Art. 6 para. 1 lit. c GDPR in conjunction with Section 147 of the German Fiscal Code, according to which we are subject to a corresponding retention obligation regarding the business transaction.

7) Use of Client Data for Direct Advertising

7.1 Subscribe to our e-mail newsletter

If you register for our e-mail newsletter, we will regularly send you information about our offers. The only mandatory data for sending the newsletter is your e-mail address. The provision of further data is voluntary and will be used to address you personally. We use the so-called double opt-in procedure for sending the newsletter. This means that we will only send you an e-mail newsletter once you have expressly confirmed that you consent to receiving newsletters. We will then send you a confirmation e-mail asking you to confirm that you wish to receive the newsletter in future by clicking on an appropriate link.

By activating the confirmation link, you give us your consent for the use of your personal data pursuant to Art. 6 (1) point a GDPR. When you register for the newsletter, we store your IP address entered by your Internet service provider (ISP) as well as the date and time of registration for the purpose of tracing any possible misuse of your e-mail address at a later date. The data collected by us when you register for the newsletter is used exclusively for the promotional purposes by way of the newsletter. You can unsubscribe from the newsletter at any time via the link provided for this purpose in the newsletter or by sending a corresponding message to the responsible person named at the beginning. After unsubscribing, your e-mail address will be deleted from our newsletter distribution list immediately, unless you have expressly consented to further use of your data, or we reserve the right to a more extensive use your data which is permitted by law and about which we inform you in this declaration.

7.2 Sending the newsletter to existing customers

If you have provided us with your e-mail address when purchasing products, we reserve the right to regularly send you offers for products similar to those already purchased by e-mail. Pursuant to Section 7 (3) German law against unfair competition, we do not need to obtain separate consent from you. In this respect, data processing is carried out solely on the basis of our legitimate interest in personalized direct advertising pursuant to Art. 6 (1) point f GDPR. If you have initially objected to the use of your e-mail address for this purpose, we will not send you an e-mail. You are entitled to object to the future use of your e-mail address for the aforementioned advertising purpose at any time by notifying the controller named at the beginning of this document. In this regard, you only have to pay the transmission costs according to the basic tariffs. Upon receipt of your objection, the use of your e-mail address for advertising purposes will cease immediately.

7.3 Brevo

Our e-mail newsletters are sent via this provider: Brevo GmbH, Köpenicker Str. 126, 10179 Berlin, Germany

On the basis of our legitimate interest in effective and user-friendly newsletter marketing, we pass on the data you provided when registering for the newsletter to this provider in accordance with Art. 6 (1) point f GDPR so that they can send the newsletter on our behalf.

Subject to your express consent pursuant to Art. 6 (1) point a GDPR, the provider also carries out a statistical analysis of the success of newsletter campaigns by means of web beacons or tracking pixels in the emails sent, which can measure opening rates and specific interactions with the newsletter content. In the process, end device information (e.g. time of page view, IP address, browser type and operating system) is also collected and analysed, but not combined with other data records.

You can revoke your consent to newsletter tracking at any time with effect for the future.

We have concluded an order processing agreement with the provider, which safeguards the data of our website visitors and prohibits a transfer to third parties.

7.4 WonderPush

On this website, you have the option of subscribing to regular push notifications with information about our offering.

For this purpose, we use the services of the following provider: WonderPush" operated by WonderPush, 19 avenue d'Italie, 75013 Paris, France

In the course of the subscription, with which you give your express consent to receive push notifications and related processing pursuant to Art. 6 (1) point a GDPR, your browser ID and end device ID are collected, stored and used by the provider for the correct mapping and display of the notifications.

Subject to your express consent pursuant to Art. 6 (1) point a GDPR, the provider also carries out a statistical evaluation of push integrations and interactions, whereby further information (e.g. time of page access, IP address) is collected and analysed, but not combined with other data records.

You can revoke your consent to data processing for receiving push notifications and statistical performance measurement at any time with effect for the future by deactivating the service in your browser settings or - depending on the operating system - by interacting with the respective push notification to unsubscribe.

We have concluded an order processing agreement with the provider, which ensures the protection of our website visitors' data and prohibits unauthorised disclosure to third parties.

7.5 Advertising by post
Based on our legitimate interest in personalized direct mail, we reserve the right to store your first and last name, your postal address and - if we have received this additional information from you within the framework of the contractual relationship - your title, academic degree, year of birth and your professional, industry or business name in accordance with Art. 6 (1) point f GDPR and to use this data for sending interesting offers and information on our products by letter post.
You can object to the storage and use of your data for this purpose at any time by sending an appropriate message to the controller.

8) Web Analysis Services

8.1 Google Analytics 4

This website uses Google Analytics 4, a service provided by Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, 4 Barrow St, Dublin, D04 E5W5, Ireland ("Google"), which can be used to analyze the use of websites.

When you access this website, no cookies (text files that are stored on your terminal device and that enable an analysis of your use of the website) are used by default as part of the so-called consent mode (beta version) of Google Analytics 4, unless you expressly consent to the setting of cookies and the reading of information from cookies after a corresponding request. Until such consent is given, if any, and - if you expressly refuse to give such consent when requested to do so by us - no cookies will be set or read by Google Analytics 4 during your continued use of this website. Instead, certain information about your usage behavior is collected and processed with so-called "pings".
The information collected in this case by so-called pings about your use of the website (including the IP address transmitted by your terminal device, shortened by the last digits, see below) is usually transmitted to a Google server and stored and further processed there. This may also result in the transmission of information to the servers of Google LLC, which is based in the USA, and further processing there. If you expressly consent to the use of cookies, the same applies to the information collected by cookies about your use of the website.

When using Google Analytics 4, the IP address transmitted by your terminal device when you use the website is always collected and processed by default and automatically only in an anonymized manner, so that a direct personal reference of the collected information is excluded. This automatic anonymization is carried out by shortening the IP address transmitted by your terminal device by Google within member states of the European Union (EU) or other contracting states of the Agreement on the European Economic Area (EEA) by the last digits.

On our behalf, Google uses this and other information to evaluate your use of the website, to compile reports (reports) on your website activities or your usage behavior and to provide us with other services related to your website usage and internet usage. In this context, the IP address transmitted and shortened by your terminal device within the scope of Google Analytics 4 will not be merged with other data from Google. The data collected in the context of the use of Google Analytics 4 will be retained for 2 months and then deleted.

Google Analytics 4 also enables the creation of statistics with statements about age, gender and interests of website users on the basis of an evaluation of interest-based advertising and with the involvement of third-party information via a special function, the so-called "demographic characteristics". This makes it possible to determine and distinguish user groups of the website for the purpose of targeting marketing measures. However, data collected via the "demographic characteristics" cannot be assigned to a specific person and thus not to you personally. This data collected via the "demographic characteristics" function is retained for two months and then deleted.

All of the processing described above, including data transfers via "pings" and the possible setting of Google Analytics cookies for the storage and possible reading of information on the terminal device used by you for the use of the website, will only take place if you have given us your express consent for this in accordance with Art. 6 para. 1 letter a GDPR. Without your consent, the analysis of your use of the website will not take place.

You can revoke your consent once given at any time with effect for the future. To exercise your revocation, please deactivate this service via the "cookie consent tool" provided on the website.

Google Signals
On this website, the "Google Signals" service can also be used as an extension of Google Analytics 4. With Google Signals, cross-device reports can be created by Google (so-called "cross-device tracking"). If you have activated "personalised ads" in your Google account settings and you have linked your internet-enabled devices to your Google account, Google can analyse user behaviour across devices and create database models based on this, provided you have given your consent to the use of Google Analytics in accordance with Art. 6 para. 1 letter a GDPR (see above). The logins and device types of all page visitors who were logged into a Google account and performed a conversion are taken into account. The data shows, among other things, on which device you first clicked on an ad and on which device the associated conversion took place. Insofar as Google Signals is used, we do not receive any personal data from Google, but only statistics compiled on the basis of Google Signals. You have the option of deactivating the "personalised ads" function in the settings of your Google account and thus turning off the cross-device analysis. To do this, follow the instructions on this page: https://support.google.com/ads/answer/2662922?hl=de
Further information can be found here: https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/7532985?hl=de

UserIDs
As an extension of Google Analytics 4, the "UserIDs" function can also be used on this website. By assigning individual UserIDs, we can have Google create cross-device reports (so-called "cross-device tracking"). This means that your usage behaviour can also be analysed across devices if you have given your corresponding consent to the use of Google Analytics in accordance with Art. 6 para. 1 letter a GDPR, if you have set up a personal account by registering on this website and are logged into your personal account on different end devices with your relevant login data. The data collected in this way shows, among other things, on which end device you clicked on an ad for the first time and on which end device the relevant conversion took place.

We have concluded a so-called data processing agreement with Google for our use of Google Analytics 4, by which Google is obliged to protect the data of our website users and not to pass it on to third parties.

For data transfers to the USA, the provider participates in the EU-US Data Privacy Framework, which ensures compliance with the European level of data protection on the basis of an adequacy decision by the European Commission.

Further legal information on Google Analytics 4 can be found here: https://policies.google.com/privacy?hl=en and https://business.safety.google/privacy/

Details on the processing triggered by Google Analytics 4 and Google's handling of data from websites can be found here: https://policies.google.com/technologies/partner-sites

8.2 This website uses the "Google Tag Manager", a service of Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland (hereinafter: "Google").

The Google Tag Manager provides a technical basis for bundling various web applications, including tracking and analysis services, and for calibrating, controlling and attaching conditions to them via a uniform user interface.
Google Tag Manager itself does not store any information on user end devices or read them. The service also does not perform any independent data analyses.
However, the Google Tag Manager transmits your IP address to Google when you visit a page and may store it there. Also a transmission to servers of Google LLC in the USA is possible.

All processing described above, in particular the reading or saving of information on the end device used, is only carried out if you have given us your express consent in accordance with Art. 6 (1) point a GDPR. You can revoke your consent at any time with effect for the future by deactivating this service in the "cookie consent tool" provided on the website.

We have concluded an order processing agreement with the provider, which ensures the protection of our website visitors' data and prohibits unauthorised disclosure to third parties.

Further information on Google's privacy standards can be found here: https://business.safety.google/privacy/

For data transfers to the USA, the provider participates in the EU-US Data Privacy Framework, which ensures compliance with the European level of data protection on the basis of an adequacy decision by the European Commission.

8.3 IONOS WebAnalytics

This website uses the web analytics service provided by the following provider: 1&1 IONOS Internet SE, Elgendorfer Str. 57, 56410 Montabaur, Germany.

Using cookies and/or comparable technologies (tracking pixels, web beacons, algorithms for reading end device and browser information), the service collects and stores pseudonymised visitor data, including information on the end device used such as the IP address and browser information, in order to evaluate it for statistical analyses of user behaviour on our website and to create pseudonymised user profiles. Among other things, this enables the analysis of movement patterns (so-called heat maps), which show the duration of page visits and interactions with page content (e.g. text entries, scrolling, clicks and mouse-overs). Pseudonymisation generally excludes the possibility of direct personal reference. Your personal data will not be combined with data collected in any other way.

All processing described above, in particular the reading or saving of information on the end device used, is only carried out if you have given us your express consent in accordance with Art. 6 (1) point a GDPR. You can revoke your consent at any time with effect for the future by deactivating this service in the "cookie consent tool" provided on the website.

We have concluded an order processing agreement with the provider, which ensures the protection of our website visitors' data and prohibits unauthorised disclosure to third parties.

8.4 Optimizely

This website uses the web analytics service provided by the following provider: Optimizely, Inc., 631 Howard Street, Suite 100, San Francisco, CA 94105, USA

Using cookies and/or comparable technologies (tracking pixels, web beacons, algorithms for reading end device and browser information), the service collects and stores pseudonymised visitor data, including information on the end device used such as the IP address and browser information, in order to evaluate it for statistical analyses of user behaviour on our website and to create pseudonymised user profiles. Among other things, this enables the analysis of movement patterns (so-called heat maps), which show the duration of page visits and interactions with page content (e.g. text entries, scrolling, clicks and mouse-overs). Pseudonymisation generally excludes the possibility of direct personal reference. Your personal data will not be combined with data collected in any other way.

All processing described above, in particular the reading or saving of information on the end device used, is only carried out if you have given us your express consent in accordance with Art. 6 (1) point a GDPR. You can revoke your consent at any time with effect for the future by deactivating this service in the "cookie consent tool" provided on the website.

We have concluded an order processing agreement with the provider, which ensures the protection of our website visitors' data and prohibits unauthorised disclosure to third parties.

For data transfers to the USA, the provider participates in the EU-US Data Privacy Framework, which ensures compliance with the European level of data protection on the basis of an adequacy decision by the European Commission.

9) Retargeting/Remarketing/ Referral Advertising

9.1 Meta Pixel

Within our online offering, we use the “Meta Pixel” service provided by: Meta Platforms Ireland Limited, Merrion Road, Dublin 4, D04 X2K5, Ireland (“Meta”).

When a user clicks on an advertisement we have placed on Facebook and/or Instagram, the “Meta Pixel” adds a parameter to the URL of our linked page. After the redirect, this URL parameter is stored in the user’s browser by means of a cookie that our linked page sets itself.

On the one hand, this enables Meta to define visitors to our online offering as a target audience for displaying advertisements (“ads”). Accordingly, we use the service to show the Facebook and/or Instagram ads we place only to users who have shown an interest in our online offering or who have certain characteristics (e.g. interest in particular topics or products, determined on the basis of the websites visited) that we transmit to Meta (“Custom Audiences”).

On the other hand, the “Meta Pixel” makes it possible to track whether users were redirected to our website after clicking on an advertisement and which actions they take there (“conversion tracking”).

In addition to the “Meta Pixel”, which transmits data to Meta via your browser, the “Meta Conversions API” may be used. Where it is used, information about certain actions on our website (“events”, e.g. page views, adding products to the shopping cart, initiating checkout or completing an order) is transmitted via an interface directly from our server to Meta’s servers rather than via your browser. This serves to make the measurement of our advertising success more reliable, for example where browser-based transmission does not take place or is incomplete due to technical restrictions. In the context of the “Meta Conversions API”, the following data in particular may be transmitted to Meta: type and time of the event, URL accessed, information on ordered products and their value, your IP address, information about your browser and device (user agent), and the identifiers stored in Meta cookies. To avoid the same information being recorded twice by the “Meta Pixel” and the “Meta Conversions API” in these cases, each event is assigned an identifier that Meta uses to deduplicate the transmissions.

The data collected is anonymous to us, i.e. it does not allow us to draw any conclusions about the identity of users. However, the data is stored and processed by Meta, so that a connection to the respective user profile is possible and Meta can use the data for its own advertising purposes.

All of the processing described above, in particular the setting of cookies to read information on the device used, will only take place if you have given us your express consent in accordance with Art. 6(1)(a) GDPR. You can withdraw your consent at any time with effect for the future by deactivating this service in the “Cookie Consent Tool” provided on the website.

We are jointly responsible with Meta (Art. 26 GDPR) for the collection of data via the “Meta Pixel” and its transmission to Meta. For this purpose, we have concluded a joint controller agreement with Meta, the essential content of which you can access at https://www.facebook.com/legal/controller_addendum.

For the evaluation of the data, its assignment to predefined events and the preparation of measurement and analysis reports, however, Meta acts as our processor pursuant to Art. 28 GDPR and is obliged to protect the data of our site visitors and customers in accordance with the data processing agreement at https://facebook.com/legal/terms/dataprocessing.

The information generated by Meta is generally transferred to and stored on a Meta server; in this context, data may also be transferred to servers of Meta Platforms Inc. in the USA.

For data transfers to the USA, the provider has joined the EU-U.S. Data Privacy Framework, which ensures compliance with the European level of data protection on the basis of an adequacy decision by the European Commission.

9.2 Google Ads Conversion-Tracking

This website uses the online advertising program "Google Ads" and, within the framework of Google Ads, the conversion tracking of Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, 4 Barrow St, Dublin, D04 E5W5, Ireland ("Google"). We use Google Ads to draw attention to our attractive offers on external websites with the help of advertising media (so-called Google Adwords). We can determine how successful the individual advertising measures are in relation to the data of the advertising campaigns. Our aim is to show you advertising that is of interest to you, to make our website more interesting for you and to achieve a fair calculation of the advertising costs incurred.

The conversion tracking cookie is set when a user clicks on an ad placed by Google. Cookies are small text files that are stored on your end device. These cookies usually lose their validity after 30 days and are not used for personal identification. If the user visits certain pages of this website and the cookie has not yet expired, Google and we can recognize that the user clicked on the ad and was redirected to this page. Each Google Ads customer receives a different cookie. Cookies cannot therefore be tracked across Google Ads clients' websites. The information obtained using the conversion cookie is used to create conversion statistics for Google Ads customers who have opted in to conversion tracking. Clients learn the total number of users who clicked on their ad and were redirected to a page tagged with a conversion tracking tag. However, they do not receive any information that can be used to personally identify users. The use of Google Ads may also result in the transmission of personal data to the servers of Google LLC. in the USA.

Details on the processing triggered by Google Ads Conversion Tracking and on Google's handling of data from websites can be found here: https://policies.google.com/technologies/partner-sites.

All of the processing described above, in particular the setting of cookies for reading out information on the end device used, will only be carried out if you have given us your express consent to do so in accordance with Art. 6 (1) a GDPR. You can revoke your consent at any time with effect for the future by deactivating this service in the "Cookie Consent Tool" provided on the website.

You can also permanently object to the setting of cookies by Google Ads conversion tracking by downloading and installing the Google browser plug-in available at the following link:
https://www.google.com/settings/ads/plugin?hl=en

Please note that certain functions of this website may not be available or may be restricted if you have deactivated the use of cookies.

Further information on Google's privacy standards can be found here: https://policies.google.com/privacy and https://business.safety.google/privacy/

For data transfers to the USA, the provider participates in the EU-US Data Privacy Framework, which ensures compliance with the European level of data protection on the basis of an adequacy decision by the European Commission.

10) Site functionalities

10.1 Facebook plugins

Plugins of the social network of the following provider are used on our website: Meta Platforms Ireland Ltd., Merrion Road, Dublin 4, D04 X2K5, Ireland (Facebook)

These plugins allow direct interaction with content on the social network.

In order to increase the protection of your data when visiting our website, the plugins are initially deactivated and integrated into the page by means of a so-called "2-click" or "Shariff" solution. This integration ensures that when you access a page of our website that contains such plugins, no connection is yet established with the servers of the provider.

Your browser only establishes a direct connection to the servers of the provider when you activate the plugins and thereby give your consent to the data transfer in accordance with Art. 6 (1) point a GDPR. In this process, regardless of whether you log into an existing user profile, a certain amount of information about your end device used (including your IP address), your browser and your page history is transferred to the provider and may be further processed there.

If you are logged into an existing user profile on the provider's social network, information about interactions carried out via the plugins will also be published there and displayed to your contacts.

You can revoke your consent at any time by deactivating the activated plugin by clicking on it again. However, the revocation has no influence on the data that has already been transferred to the provider.

Data can also be transferred to: Meta Platforms Inc., USA

We have concluded an order processing agreement with the provider, which ensures the protection of our website visitors’ data and prohibits unauthorised disclosure to third parties.

For data transfers to the USA, the provider participates in the EU-US Data Privacy Framework, which ensures compliance with the European level of data protection on the basis of an adequacy decision by the European Commission.

10.2 YouTube Videos

This website uses plugins to display and play videos from the following provider: Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, 4 Barrow St, Dublin, D04 ESW5, Ireland

Data may also be transmitted to: Google LLC., USA.

When you call up a page of our website that contains such a plugin, your browser establishes a direct connection to the provider's servers to load the plugin. This involves certain information, including your IP address, being transmitted to the provider.

If the playback of embedded videos is started via the plugin, the provider also uses cookies to collect information about user behavior, to create playback statistics and to prevent abusive behavior.

If you are logged into a user account maintained by the provider during your visit to the site, your data will be directly assigned to your account when you click on a video. If you do not wish to have your data assigned to your account, you must log out before clicking on the play button.

All the above-mentioned processing, in particular the setting of cookies for reading out information on the end device used, only takes place if you have given us your express consent in accordance with Art. 6 (1) point a GDPR. You can revoke your consent at any time with effect for the future by deactivating this service via the "cookie consent tool" provided on the website.

For data transfers to the USA, the provider participates in the EU-US Data Privacy Framework, which ensures compliance with the European level of data protection on the basis of an adequacy decision by the European Commission.

10.3 Google reCAPTCHA

On this website, we use the CAPTCHA service of the following provider: Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, 4 Barrow St, Dublin, D04 E5W5, Ireland

Data may also be transmitted to: Google LLC, USA. For the visual design of the CAPTCHA window, the provider uses "Google Fonts", i.e., fonts loaded from the Internet by Google. No further information is processed except that mentioned above, which is already transmitted to Google via the functionality of ReCaptcha.

The service checks whether an input is made by a natural person or abusively by machine and automated processing with the aim of blocking spam, DDoS attacks and similar automated malicious attacks. To ensure whether an action is performed by a human being and not by an automated bot, the provider collects the IP address of the end device used, the recognition data of the browser, the operating system type and the date and duration of the visit and transmits these data to the provider's servers to be evaluated. This may involve the use of cookies, i.e. small text files that are stored in the browser of the end device.

If the processing described above is carried out on the basis of cookies, these will only be set if you have given us your express consent to do so in accordance with Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR. You can revoke your consent at any time with effect for the future by deactivating this service in the ‘cookie consent tool’ provided on the website.

If the processing described above is carried out without the use of cookies, the legal basis is our legitimate interest in determining individual responsibility on the Internet and avoiding misuse and spam in accordance with Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR.

We have concluded an order processing contract with the provider, ensuring the protection of our site visitors' data and prohibiting unauthorized disclosure to third parties.

For data transfers to the USA, the provider participates in the EU-US Data Privacy Framework, which ensures compliance with the European level of data protection on the basis of an adequacy decision by the European Commission.

10.4 - Unsplash

On some of our web pages, we use the server capacity of the following provider to display image files: Unsplash Inc., 400 Rue McGill, Suite 500, Montreal, Quebec H2Y 2G1, Canada

Image content can be delivered and displayed in a targeted manner via the provider’s servers. When you access a page on our website that contains the provider’s content, a connection is established with the provider’s servers in order to load the relevant content. In doing so, your IP address is collected and transmitted to the provider to enable the external content to be delivered in a manner appropriate to your location. No personal data other than your IP address is transmitted to the provider. Once the content has been loaded, your IP address is deleted by the provider.

The legal basis for the processing is our legitimate interest in designing our online offering in a resource-efficient and appealing manner, in accordance with Article 6 (1) point f GDPR.

Where data is transferred to the provider’s location, an adequate level of data protection is guaranteed by an adequacy decision of the European Commission.

11) Tools and Miscellaneous

This website uses a so-called "cookie consent tool" to obtain effective user consent for cookies and cookie-based applications that require consent. The "cookie consent tool" is displayed to users in the form of an interactive user interface when they access the page, on which consent for certain cookies and/or cookie-based applications can be given by ticking the appropriate box. Through the use of the tool, all cookies/services requiring consent are only loaded if the respective user provides the corresponding consent by ticking the corresponding box. This ensures that such cookies are only set on the respective end device of the user if consent has been granted.

The tool sets technically necessary cookies to save your cookie preferences. Personal user data is generally not processed.
If, in individual cases, personal data (such as the IP address) is processed for the purpose of storing, assigning or logging cookie settings, this is done in accordance with Art. 6 (1) point f GDPR on the basis of our legitimate interest in legally compliant, user-specific and user-friendly consent management for cookies and thus in a legally compliant design of our website.

Further legal basis for the processing is Art. 6 (1) point c GDPR. As the responsible party, we are subject to the legal obligation to make the use of technically unnecessary cookies dependent on the respective user consent.

Further information on the operator and the setting options of the cookie consent tool can be found directly in the corresponding user interface on our website.

12) Rights of the Data Subject

12.1 The applicable data protection law grants you the following comprehensive rights of data subjects (rights of information and intervention) vis-à-vis the data controller with regard to the processing of your personal data:

• Right of access by the data subject pursuant to Art. 15 GDPR;
• Right to rectification pursuant to Art. 16 GDPR;
• Right to erasure (“right to be forgotten”) pursuant to Art. 17 GDPR;
• Right to restriction of processing pursuant to Art. 18 GDPR;
• Right to be informed pursuant to Art. 19 GDPR;
• Right to data portability pursuant to Art. 20 GDPR;
• Right to withdraw a given consent pursuant to Art. 7 (3) GDPR;
• Right to lodge a complaint pursuant to Art. 77 GDPR.

12.2 RIGHT TO OBJECT

IF, WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF A CONSIDERATION OF INTERESTS, WE PROCESS YOUR PERSONAL DATA ON THE BASIS OF OUR PREDOMINANT LEGITIMATE INTEREST, YOU HAVE THE RIGHT AT ANY TIME TO OBJECT TO THIS PROCESSING WITH EFFECT FOR THE FUTURE ON THE GROUNDS THAT ARISE FROM YOUR PARTICULAR SITUATION.

IF YOU EXERCISE YOUR RIGHT TO OBJECT, WE WILL STOP PROCESSING THE DATA CONCERNED. HOWEVER, WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO FURTHER PROCESSING IF WE CAN PROVE COMPELLING REASONS WORTHY OF PROTECTION FOR PROCESSING WHICH OUTWEIGH YOUR INTERESTS, FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS, OR IF THE PROCESSING SERVES TO ASSERT, EXERCISE OR DEFEND LEGAL CLAIMS.

IF WE PROCESS YOUR PERSONAL DATA FOR DIRECT MARKETING PURPOSES, YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO OBJECT AT ANY TIME TO THE PROCESSING OF YOUR PERSONAL DATA WHICH ARE USED FOR DIRECT MARKETING PURPOSES. YOU MAY EXERCISE THE OBJECTION AS DESCRIBED ABOVE.

IF YOU EXERCISE YOUR RIGHT TO OBJECT, WE WILL STOP PROCESSING THE DATA CONCERNED FOR DIRECT ADVERTISING PURPOSES.

13) Duration of Storage of Personal Data

The duration of the storage of personal data is based on the respective legal basis, the purpose of processing and - if relevant – on the respective legal retention period (e.g. commercial and tax retention periods).

If personal data is processed on the basis of an express consent pursuant to Art. 6 (1) point a GDPR, this data is stored until the data subject revokes his consent.

If there are legal storage periods for data that is processed within the framework of legal or similar obligations on the basis of Art. 6 (1) point b GDPR, this data will be routinely deleted after expiry of the storage periods if it is no longer necessary for the fulfillment of the contract or the initiation of the contract and/or if we no longer have a justified interest in further storage.

When processing personal data on the basis of Art. 6 (1) point f GDPR, this data is stored until the data subject exercises his right of objection in accordance with Art. 21 (1) GDPR, unless we can provide compelling grounds for processing worthy of protection which outweigh the interests, rights and freedoms of the data subject, or the processing serves to assert, exercise or defend legal claims.

If personal data is processed for the purpose of direct marketing on the basis of Art. 6 (1) point f GDPR, this data is stored until the data subject exercises his right of objection pursuant to Art. 21 (2) GDPR.

Unless otherwise stated in the information contained in this declaration on specific processing situations, stored personal data will be deleted if it is no longer necessary for the purposes for which it was collected or otherwise processed.