Our Privacy Policy
At the St Vincent de Paul Society we are committed to safeguarding and preserving the privacy of your data under The Data Protection Act 2018, the UK Data Protection Legislation (DPL). This Privacy Policy explains what happens to any personal data that you provide to us or that we collect from you.
We update this policy from time to time so please review this policy regularly.
St Vincent de Paul (England & Wales) Privacy Policy
Who is The St Vincent de Paul Society (SVP)?
Our Vision, which is inspired by Christ's message to love our neighbour as ourselves, is for individuals and families who are in any form of need to have hope together with a sense of dignity, worth, well-being and peace of mind.
Mission
Our Mission is to seek and find those in need, to help them in a spirit of justice and to tackle the causes of poverty where we can.
We do this:
As members - in our active membership of local groups, through which we befriend and offer support, within our means, to any person in need.
As staff - through working in or supporting projects indirectly that provide services to those in need and supporting the members in their work.
As a Society - by working together to provide a national, and international network of support; by providing a range of projects which address particular needs for those who are economically disadvantaged and by working together with other Vincentian groups to raise awareness of the level of need and the causes of poverty.
Who is responsible for your data?
Our Privacy Notice applies to the personal data that SVP collects and uses.
References in this Privacy Notice to “SVP”, “we”, “us” or “our” mean the St Vincent de Paul Society, a charity registered in England and Wales (number 1053992) and a company limited by guarantee no 3174679. Our registered office is Romero House, 55 Westminster Bridge Road, London, SE1 7JB.
We control the ways your personal data is collected and the purposes for which your personal data are used by SVP. We are the “data controller” for the purposes of the DPL.
We are registered with the Information Commissioner’s Office, registration number Z8661631.
SVP has a designated Data Protection Officer who can be contacted via info@svp.org.uk
Personal data we collect about you
When using the term “personal data” in our Privacy Notice, we mean information that relates to you and allows us to identify you, either directly or in combination with other information that we may hold.
We collect some personal data from you, for example, when you donate to us, use our website, use our services or contact us.
What data we collect and when
We may collect and process the following categories of information about you:
Personal information, including contact details
For example, your name, postal address, telephone number and date of birth.
We collect this when you contact us or donate by post, telephone or on our website.
Bank details
We collect your name, sort code and account number.
We collect this when you set up a regular gift (eg, direct debit or standing order) with us or send us a cheque in the post.
Communications
We collect the communications you exchange with us.
We collect this when you email us, write a letter or call us.
Third party information
We collect information indirectly from third parties such as fundraising sites like JustGiving, where you have agreed to support the SVP and have given your consent. You may also have provided permission for a company or other organisation to share your data with third parties, including charities. This could be when you buy a product or service, register for an online competition or sign up with a comparison site.
We collect this information when you use a third party site such as JustGiving whereby SVP is the named beneficiary. You may wish to check their privacy statement to find out more about how they will process your data.
Data of Beneficiaries could be sent to us via a third party agent such as Social Services.
Non-personalised data
We collect non-personal data such as IP addresses, details of web pages visited and files downloaded. Website usage information is collected using cookies. Click here to see our cookies policy. We collect this when you use our website.
Social media
We collect your posts and messages on social media directed at the SVP.
We collect this when you interact with us on social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and WhatsApp.
Social media platforms are third party services and the SVP cannot accept liability for data held on these platforms or breaches of that data. Security of data cannot be guaranteed in messages / documents you send us through these channels and we do not control and are not responsible for the use of your data by these third party services.
Where we can control your data, such as how we use the messages you send us to meet your needs and provide a service to you, we will make sure that we comply with the data protection regulation and keep your data safe.
Website
We collect Information about how our website is used, such as your searches for information.
We collect this when you navigate on our website.
Recruitment
We collect personal data as part of our staff or volunteer recruitment processes.
We collect this when you apply for a job or for volunteering opportunities with the SVP.
Legacy administration
We collect personal data necessary for legacy administration.
We collect this when a supporter has died, leaving a legacy to the SVP, and you are the executor or you have an interest in the estate.
Special Category Data
We sometimes collect and process special category data on beneficiaries to assess the best way to give assistance and support. E.g. those we visit, service users in our hostels and support centres.
We collect special category data on employees and volunteers. E.g for equality purposes.
We collect special category data on supporters, to contact you and inform you about SVP’s activities. We recognise that many of our supporters (but not all) hold religious beliefs and, since this can be considered to be special category data, we put in place policies and procedures to ensure that your supporter data is kept secure.
Sharing your personal data
SVP does not share your data with any other charity, public body or commercial organisation, unless we have to do so either for legal or compliance reasons, or where it is more cost effective and efficient for us to use a third party to deliver a product or service on our behalf.
Legal duty
We may need to pass on personal information if required by law or by a regulatory body. For example, if requested as part of a Gift Aid audit or by a law enforcement agency.
Other service providers or third parties
We sometimes employ third party service providers to carry out tasks on our behalf. This can be because it is clearly more efficient for them to carry out certain tasks, such as when sending out large volume mailings (Vincentian Concern) or Payroll to pay employees.
How and why we use your personal data
We use your personal data for the following purposes:
To manage your donations - When you interact with us, we use your information to perform our services in relation to your donation, to deal with your queries.
To fundraise and promote SVP’s work, in both financial and non-financial ways
We know how fundamental our supporters and donors are to the work we do. In order to develop and foster your ongoing support, we want to keep in touch with you through feedback and further opportunities and invitations to support our work in both financial and non-financial ways.
To communicate with you and manage our relationship with you
Occasionally we may need to contact you by mail, email and/or telephone for administrative or operational reasons – for example, to send you confirmation of your donation. Please be aware that these communications are not made for marketing purposes and as such, you will continue to receive them even if you opt out of receiving marketing communications from us.
We will also use your personal data if we contact you after you have sent us a request, filled in a web form through our website or contacted us on social media.
Feedback
Your views and opinions are very important to us, so we may send you a survey to seek your feedback. We will use the communications you exchange with us and the feedback you may provide to manage our relationship with you as a supporter of the SVP and to improve our services and communications.
To inform you about our news and ways you may be able to help SVP - We may send you marketing communications, if you have indicated that you are happy to receive these. If you are happy to receive marketing communications, we will provide you with news, information including fundraising initiatives and invitations to donate or support SVP in other ways.
Please note that we do not share your contact details and other personal data with any other charities or companies for marketing purposes.
If you do not want to receive marketing communications from us call 020 7703 3030 or e-mail info@svp.org.uk
To maintain and improve our own accounts, records and organisational processes, to fulfil our administrative purposes and protect our charitable interests
The purposes for which we will use your information include accounting, billing and audit, credit or other payment card verification, safety, security and legal purposes, statistical and marketing analysis, legacy administration, systems testing, maintenance and development.
Our processing also includes the use of CCTV systems at our premises for the prevention of crime.
Legal basis for processing your personal data
The DPL requires organisations to consider the legal basis on which they process personal data.
SVP will process personal data in line with the following principles:
Legitimate Interest
When it is in our legitimate interests to do so:
As part of our engagement and efforts to build long-term relationships with our supporters, we will send you communications and marketing material via post unless you have told us you do not wish to receive these communications
Provide services and legitimate activities to beneficiaries
Provide services and legitimate activities to members and volunteers
Contract
To fulfil an employment contract with employees or contractors and suppliers
Consent
We will only send you marketing e-mails, make telephone calls or send you SMS text messages with your explicit consent
Please see section on children below where In certain circumstances ‘Consent’ may need to be supported by a parent or guardian.
We will only share your 'Special Category Data' with a third party with your explicit consent.
Data Subject Information Statements
Data Subject Information Statements are provided to all data subjects that we hold data on and can be requested by e-mailing info@svp.org.uk
Data analysis
We use Post Office address search, postcode lists and other sources to ensure the quality and accuracy of data you provide us – for example, where we cannot read information on a handwritten form. We do not attempt to complete any information you have chosen not to provide (for example, if you have left a telephone number blank).
We do not routinely use external sources to update our database; for example, a change of address. We will normally rely on you to tell us if your details have changed. However, if you are an active giver and we find items such as newsletters are returned to us, we may use external sources to update your address so that we can maintain contact with you.
Children
We are committed to protecting the privacy of the young people who engage with us through our website, at events and at schools. If you are under 16 and would like to get involved with SVP’s work, please ensure you have consent from a parent or guardian before giving us your personal information.
Some of our young people’s events, e.g. SVP Camps request specific information including special category data and we may require explicit parental consent for this. We will only ever collect or process any personal information for a child under 13 with explicit parental consent. When we collect information about a child or young person aged under 16 we will make clear the reasons for collecting this information, as well as how the information will be used.
Retention of personal data
We will keep your personal data only for as long as we consider it necessary to carry out each processing activity or if there is a legal requirement to do so.
We maintain data retention criteria to help implement this. This takes account of our legal and accounting obligations, balancing this with what would be considered reasonable.
We are required to keep details of financial transactions, including donations, for seven years to meet accountancy and HMRC requirements. We will anonymise or delete personal data if, after a period of seven years, we have not had any contact or communication from you (this will be measured on a rolling seven-year period) – subject to special circumstances concerning legacies.
Many supporters kindly tell us that they have included a gift to the SVP in their will, or that they intend to do so. We retain their personal information indefinitely so that we can keep in touch during their lifetime and provide a caring and efficient legacy administration service.
Your rights - SVP actively supports the principle of “fair and transparent” processing of your personal information. We support your rights in relation to your personal information under the General Data Protection Regulation, including the:
right to be informed
right of access
right to rectification
right to erasure
right to restrict processing
right to data portability
right to object
rights related to automated decision-making including profiling
If you wish to exercise any of these rights, please contact the Data Protection Officer in writing at St Vincent de Paul Society, Romero House, 55 Westminster Bridge Road, London, SE1 7JB or via email at info@svp.org.uk
Requesting access to your personal data (Subject Access Request)
You have a right to request access to the personal data that we hold about you.
If you would like to request a copy of your personal data or have any questions in relation to your personal data, please contact us at info@svp.org.uk
Security of your personal data
We are committed to taking appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect your personal data against unauthorised or unlawful processing and against accidental loss, destruction or damage. When you provide your personal data through our website, this information is transmitted across the internet securely using high-grade encryption.
SVP takes particular care with online giving. SVP uses Virgin Money, Just Giving, WorldPay and Paypal which specialises in the secure capture and processing of online transactions. The credit card form is secure, and your information is encrypted and stored on a secure database.
As described elsewhere in this Privacy Notice, we may in some instances disclose your personal data to third parties. Where SVP discloses your personal data to a third party, we require that third party to have appropriate technical and organisational measures in place to protect your personal data.
The information that you provide to us will be held in our systems, which are located on our premises or those of an appointed third party, acting as our Data Sub-Processor. We may also allow access to your information by other third parties that act for us for the purposes described in this Privacy Notice or for other purposes approved by you.
SVP Members only
In exceptional circumstances, your personal data may be sent outside the legal region to a Twinned Conference. See SVP guidance on this.
Updates to our Privacy Notice
We will update the Privacy Notice as and when required and we will publish any new version of this Privacy Notice on this page.
Contact information and telling us when things have changed
SVP will occasionally provide you with the opportunity to opt in to receiving certain types of communication. If you are already receiving such communication, you do not need to opt-in again as your existing preference will persist until you provide explicit instruction that you no longer wish to receive communications from us.
We welcome any questions, comments and requests regarding this Privacy Notice and these should be addressed to info@svp.org.uk or write to the Data Protection Officer at:
St Vincent de Paul Society
Romero House
55 Westminster Bridge Road
London
SE1 7JB