Privacy policy

Zeit AG (hereinafter also “we,” “us”) collects and processes personal data relating to you or to other persons (so-called “third parties”). We use the term “data” here synonymously with “personal data”.

In this Privacy Policy, we describe what we do with your data when you visit our website, use our services or products, are otherwise in contact with us under a contract, communicate with us, or otherwise have dealings with us.

Please note that this Privacy Policy does not contain an exhaustive description of our data processing activities, and individual matters may be governed in whole or in part by specific privacy notices or other legal documents such as general terms and conditions of business and use.

You can expect us to handle your data with care and to ensure a high level of data security. Accordingly, it is understood that we comply with the Swiss Federal Act on Data Protection (“FADP”), its associated ordinance, and any other applicable data protection provisions, in particular the EU General Data Protection Regulation (“GDPR”). Whether and to what extent these laws apply, however, depends on the individual case.

2.1 Name and address of the controller

The controller within the meaning of data protection law is:

Zeit AG

Allee 1B

6210 Sursee

Tel: +41 41 926 99 99

E-mail: datenschutz@zeitag.ch

Website: www.zeitag.ch

2.2 Name and address of our data protection officer

The contact details of Zeit AG’s data protection officer are:

Swiss Infosec AG

Meienriesliweg 15

6210 Sursee

Tel: +41 41 984 12 12

E-mail: infosec@infosec.ch 

3.1 Categories of personal data processed

We process several types of personal data. In particular, this includes personal data:

• that we receive in the course of our business relationships from customers, prospective customers, interested parties, service providers, suppliers, business partners, or other persons involved in the business relationship;
• that we receive from job applicants;
• which we are required by law or by contract to collect;
• that we collect when you use our website;
• that we obtain from authorities and other third parties (address brokers, credit reference agencies).

Depending on the type of business relationship, we process the following categories of personal data:

• Contact, communication and identification data such as surname, first name, address, e-mail address, telephone number, customer number;
• Personal details such as age, gender, nationality, place of birth, residence status, marital status, language;
• Employment data such as employee number, cost centre, start and end date of employment, length of service, type of remuneration, daily schedules, time stamps, absences, holiday balance, overtime balance, presence status;
• Contractual and financial data such as type of contract, contract content, information on account/securities account relationships, other economic data;
• Technical data such as transaction numbers, telephone recordings;
• Peripheral data from telecommunications traffic such as telephone number, premium-rate numbers, date, time and duration of the connection, type of connection, location data, IP address, device identification numbers such as MAC address;
• Interaction and usage data such as correspondence, preferences and target group information, type of end device, device settings, operating system, software, information arising from the assertion of rights;
• Website information such as IP address, cookie information, browser settings, frequency of visits to the website, duration of visits to the website, search terms, clicks on content, referring website.

3.2 Purposes of use

We use the personal data we collect primarily to enter and perform contracts with our customers and business partners, and to comply with our legal obligations.

We are also reliant on the processing of personal data when purchasing products and services from our suppliers and subcontractors. If you act on behalf of a customer or business partner, you may of course also be affected in this capacity with your personal data.

In addition, we process personal data, where permitted and where it appears appropriate to us, for the following purposes, in which we have a legitimate interest corresponding to that purpose:

• ascertaining future customer needs to further develop our offerings and services;
• communicating with and processing enquiries (e.g. via contact forms, e-mail, telephone, online job applications, media enquiries);
• reviewing and optimising procedures for needs analysis for the purpose of direct customer outreach;
• advertising and marketing, insofar as you have consented to/not objected to the use of your data (if we, as your existing supplier, send you advertising, you may object to this at any time free of charge, in which case we will place you on a block list against further advertising mailings);
• asserting legal claims and defending ourselves in connection with legal disputes and official proceedings;
• preventing and investigating criminal offences and other misconduct (e.g. conducting internal investigations, data analyses for fraud prevention);
• ensuring the operation of our business, in particular IT, our websites and other platforms;
• safeguarding our interests and securing our claims.

As far as you have given us consent to process your data for specific purposes, we process your personal data within the scope of and based on that consent, provided we have no other legal basis and one is required. Consent given may be withdrawn at any time, although this has no effect on processing already conducted. You can send a withdrawal to us by e-mail or by post to the (e-mail) address listed under section 2 .

3.3 Access data / Server log files

When you visit our website, each access is temporarily stored in a log file (so-called server log files). In particular, the following are recorded: the name of the website or file(s) accessed, date and time of access, the browser type and version used as well as operating system, your IP address and the requesting provider, the referrer URL (the previously visited page) and other similar information.

The processing of this information is based on our legitimate interests in correctly displaying our website and its content and offerings to you, ensuring data traffic, optimising our website, content and offerings, permanently safeguarding the stability and security of our website and systems, and enabling the investigation, defence against and prosecution of cyberattacks, spam and other unlawful acts in relation to our website and systems, and asserting related claims.

The data are deleted or anonymised as soon as they are no longer required to achieve the purpose for which they were collected. As a rule, this is the case after 24 hours at the latest.

For the hosting of our website, we may use the services of third parties in Switzerland and abroad, who conduct the processing described above on our behalf.

Our website is currently hosted by HubSpot (cf. section 3.4).

3.4 HubSpot

Our website is provided via the services of HubSpot Germany GmbH, based in Germany, which cooperates in the provision of services with other companies affiliated with HubSpot (“Affiliates”), particularly HubSpot, Inc., based in the USA (“HubSpot”).

HubSpot provides the hosting services for us, which in particular includes the technical operation of the website as well as the storage and delivery of the content provided by us. In doing so, HubSpot, as our processor, processes the personal data arising on visits to our website and described in section 3.3  for the purposes mentioned. The processing by HubSpot is based on our legitimate interests in the secure, stable, and economical operation of our website and in the protection of our systems against misuse and attacks.

To protect your personality, we have entered a “Data Processing Agreement” with HubSpot which contains, among other things, provisions on data security, the use of sub-processors and international data transfers.

The data arising in this context are stored and processed in a hosting region designated by HubSpot for our account within the European Union and are replicated within this region for the purposes of failover and data backup.

Irrespective of the hosting region we have selected, HubSpot may transfer personal data to other countries in which Affiliates of HubSpot or sub-processors engaged by HubSpot operate. This includes in particular transfers to HubSpot, Inc. in the USA. Such transfers take place in accordance with the HubSpot DPA in compliance with the applicable data protection requirements. HubSpot relies in particular on the standard contractual clauses approved by the European legislator and on the EU–U.S. Data Privacy Framework and the Swiss–U.S. Data Privacy Framework, under which HubSpot, Inc. is certified.

Further information on data protection and data security at HubSpot can be found in the legal documents or the “Trust Center” of HubSpot.

3.5 Cloudflare CDN

We use Cloudflare CDN on our website, a service of Cloudflare Inc., based in the USA (“Cloudflare”).

Cloudflare provides a globally distributed content delivery network with DNS and acts as an upstream protective layer between your web browser and our website. In doing so, traffic is routed via Cloudflare’s servers to improve performance and security and to repel attacks. The data processed include in particular your IP address as well as further log data on your use, e.g. time of the request and technical information about the device and system configuration. During this process, Cloudflare may use technologies such as cookies to control traffic and detect malicious access. According to Cloudflare, these cookies are essentially used as strictly necessary cookies for the provision of the requested services (performance, load management, security).

The processing is based on our legitimate interests in the secure, stable, and efficient operation of our website and in the protection of our systems and users against misuse, attacks, and other security-related incidents.

To protect your personality, we have entered a “Data Processing Addendum” with Cloudflare, including EU standard contractual clauses and specific adjustments for Switzerland. In addition, Cloudflare is certified under the EU–U.S. (incl. the UK Extension) and the Swiss–U.S. Data Privacy Framework.

Further details on security and data protection at Cloudflare can be found in their “Privacy Policy”.

3.6 Contacting us

If you contact us via our contact addresses and channels (e.g. by contact form, e-mail, telephone, or chat), we process the data you have provided to us (e.g. your name, your e-mail address or telephone number and your enquiry). The data collected in the case of a contact form can be seen from the respective form. Mandatory information is marked with an asterisk (*) in the contact forms.

We process this data exclusively to deal with your enquiry (e.g. providing information). The basis for this data processing is our legitimate interest in dealing with your enquiry or, if your enquiry is aimed at concluding or performing a contract, the necessity of taking the steps required.

You may object to this data processing at any time. Please send your objection to the (e-mail) address mentioned in section 2  and we will review your enquiry. In such a case, your contact will not be processed further.

Your personal data will be deleted as soon as your enquiry has been resolved. This is the case if it can be inferred from the circumstances that the matter concerned has been finally clarified and there are no statutory retention obligations preventing deletion.

3.7 Use of our chat function

For the provision of the chat function on our website, we use the services of HubSpot (cf. section 3.4).

When you use the chat, we process in particular the content you enter (e.g. text messages), your contact details (e.g. name and e-mail address, where provided), as well as the technical usage data required for the operation of the chat (e.g. IP address, date and time of the request, browser used and operating system). HubSpot may use cookies and similar technologies for this purpose to enable the provision of the chat and to log its use technically.

The processing of the personal data arising in this context is conducted to respond to your enquiry within the framework of our contractual relationship or to take pre-contractual steps and is based on our legitimate interests in efficient and user-friendly communication with (potential) customers.

Use of the chat function is voluntary. You can also contact us at any time via the contact channels mentioned in section 2 (e.g. by telephone or e-mail).

Regarding processing by HubSpot, the information given in section 3.4 applies analogously.

3.8 Job applications

If you apply for a position with us, we process the personal data we receive from you during the application procedure. In addition to your personal details, education, work experience, and skills, this includes in particular the usual correspondence data such as postal address, e-mail address, and telephone number, as well as all documents you submit (e.g. cover letter, CV, references). You may also voluntarily provide us with additional information.

This data will be stored, evaluated, processed exclusively in connection with your application and forwarded within our company to those bodies responsible for the application procedure.

The basis for the processing of your data for this purpose is therefore the performance of a contract (pre-contractual stage). You can object to this data processing at any time and withdraw your application. Please send your objection to the contact person named in the job advertisement or to the e-mail address datenschutz@zeitag.ch.

If we conclude an employment contract with you, the data submitted will be stored for the purpose of administering the employment relationship in compliance with statutory provisions. If the application procedure ends without a hiring, your data will be deleted, unless you have given us your consent to use your information for further application procedures with us and possibly to contact you again.

3.9 Online appointment booking

On our website, we offer you the option of booking appointments online with us. For this purpose, we use the Meetings tool from HubSpot (cf. section 3.4 ).

In the context of online appointment booking, the contact and appointment data you have entered are processed, in particular your first and last name, e-mail address as well as company name and number of employees. In addition, you can add further persons to the appointment by adding their e-mail addresses.

We need this data to review your appointment request, schedule the requested appointment, and conduct it with you. The processing is based on our legitimate interests in efficient appointment scheduling and communication with (potential) customers and, depending on the content of the appointment, on the conducting of pre-contractual steps or the performance of a contract.

Use of online appointment booking is voluntary. You can also book appointments at any time via the contact channels mentioned in section 3.6. The booked appointments are generally conducted via Microsoft Teams (cf. section 4.5 ).

Regarding the processing of personal data by HubSpot in connection with the provision of the appointment booking page, the information given in section 3.4 applies analogously.

3.10 Newsletter and marketing e-mails

On our website, you have the option of subscribing to a free newsletter. This can be done either by ticking the newsletter checkbox in the contact form or by entering your e-mail address at the end of the website. Upon registration, the data you enter the input mask are transmitted to us. Your e-mail address is needed to deliver the newsletter to you.

By registering, you give us your consent to process the data provided for the regular dispatch of the respective newsletter and marketing e-mails with related content. The basis for the data processing is therefore your consent. To prevent misuse and to ensure that the holder of an e-mail address has actually given consent themselves, we use the so-called double opt-in procedure for registration. After submitting the registration, you will receive an e-mail from us containing a confirmation link. To register definitively for the newsletter, you must click on this link. If you do not click on the confirmation link within the period specified, your data will be deleted again, and our newsletter will not be delivered to that address.

We use your data for sending e-mails for as long as you have not withdrawn your consent. Withdrawal is possible at any time, in particular via the unsubscribe link in all our marketing e-mails.

Our marketing e-mails may contain so-called cookies, web beacons, tracking pixels or similar technologies, where this is permitted. For each marketing e-mail sent, we receive information about which addresses have not yet received the e-mail, which addresses it was sent to and for which addresses the dispatch failed. Finally, we also receive information about which addresses have unsubscribed. We use this data for statistical purposes and to optimise our marketing e-mails in terms of frequency, timing, structure, and content. This enables us to better tailor the information and offers in our e-mails to the individual interests of the recipients.

By signing up for the newsletter, you also consent to the statistical evaluation of user behaviour for the purposes of optimising and adapting the newsletter. This consent constitutes our basis for processing the data.

For dispatching our newsletter and the evaluations described above, we use the services of HubSpot. HubSpot processes in particular your e-mail address and the usage data required for the dispatch and performance measurement of the newsletter (e.g. dispatch and opening times, information about whether a newsletter has been opened and which links have been clicked). Regarding processing by HubSpot, the information given in section 3.4 applies analogously. 

3.11 Course delivery

In the context of course registration and course delivery, we process personal data of participants. This includes in particular the personal data you provide to us when registering, in particular name and contact details (e.g. e-mail address and, where applicable, telephone number, as well as, where applicable, information about your company and the position you hold).

We process this personal data to accept your registration, plan, and organise courses, keep participant lists, inform you about course details (e.g. delivery, postponements, or cancellations), provide course materials, invoice course fees, and issue confirmations of attendance. Depending on the constellation, the processing is based on the conducting of pre-contractual steps, the performance of a contract (participation in the course) and on our legitimate interests in the organisation and further development of our training offering.

We make available to our speakers or course leaders the personal data they need to prepare for and conduct the respective course. In addition, internal bodies entrusted with course organisation, IT support and invoicing may obtain access to your personal data, as far as this is necessary for the purposes mentioned.

You may object to this processing and withdraw your registration. Please send your objection to the e-mail address datenschutz@zeitag.ch. Please note that we will not process your registration any further and participation in the course will no longer be possible.

Depending on the offering, our courses are conducted either entirely online or as a combination of an in-person event and a subsequent online exchange round.

For the delivery of online courses and online exchange rounds, we use Microsoft Teams. In doing so, the technical and content data required for the use of Microsoft Teams are additionally processed. Further information on the processing of personal data in connection with Microsoft Teams can be found in section 4.5. 

We store the personal data arising in connection with our courses only for as long as is necessary for the planning, delivery, and follow-up of the respective course and for compliance with statutory retention obligations.

3.12 Profiling and automated decision-making

We process your personal data for the purposes mentioned in this Privacy Policy and partly evaluate them in an automated manner for that purpose. This also includes so-called “profiling”, i.e. the automated processing of data for analysis and forecasting purposes. We use profiling to provide you with targeted information and offers about our products/ services. In doing so, we use analysis tools that enable us to communicate in a needs-oriented manner and to deliver personalised advertising, including market and opinion research.

“Automated individual decisions” are decisions that are taken in a fully automated manner, i.e. without human influence, and that have legal consequences for the data subject or significantly affect them in another way. As a rule, we do not take any automated decisions for the purposes of establishing or conducting a business relationship and we do not otherwise rely on fully automated decision-making in principle. Should we use such procedures in individual cases, we will inform you of this separately, as far as this is required by law, and explain the related rights to you. You will then have the opportunity to have the decision reviewed by a person if you do not agree with it.

3.13 Artificial intelligence

We may use artificial intelligence (AI) to support our existing activities. Applications of artificial intelligence may also process personal data, although this is not always the case. We are aware that the use of artificial intelligence in data processing may entail certain risks and uncertainties. We have therefore put in place internal requirements to ensure a legally responsible approach to AI.

We take responsibility for content generated or decisions taken by an AI on our behalf, and where it concerns a decision with significant effects for the data subject, we ensure that it can be reviewed by a person (see section 3.12). If an AI used by us interacts directly with you, we will inform you accordingly.

The basis for any data processing attributable to us is our legitimate interest in using new technologies such as artificial intelligence. Where corresponding consent has been requested, the processing is based exclusively on your consent. You can withdraw your consent at any time.

For the further processing of the data by the respective provider as a (sole) controller under data protection law, in particular any disclosure of this information to third parties such as authorities based on national legal requirements, please refer to the respective privacy notices of the provider.

4.1 Cookies

We use cookies on our website. Cookies are small files that make it possible to store specific, device-related information on the user’s access device (PC, smartphone or similar) to identify the device when the website is accessed again. They serve, on the one hand, the user-friendliness of websites and thus the users (e.g. saving login data). On the other hand, they serve to record statistical data on website use and to analyse it for the purpose of improving the website.

Some of the cookies we use are so-called session cookies. These are automatically deleted when you log out or close your browser. Other cookies remain stored on your end device beyond the respective use process and enable us or our partner companies (third-party cookies) to recognise your browser on your next visit. As far as other cookies (e.g. cookies for the analysis of your surfing behaviour) are stored, these are dealt with separately in this Privacy Policy. Depending on the purpose of these cookies, we will ask you for your consent before they are used.

Irrespective of whether processing is based on consent or statutory permission, you may at any time withdraw consent given or object to the processing of your data by cookie technologies. You can configure your browser to inform you when cookies are set and to allow the acceptance of cookies only on a case-by-case basis or to exclude them generally. You can also activate the automatic deletion of cookies when the browser is closed. In addition, you can delete cookies that have already been set at any time via an internet browser or other software programs.

4.2 Google Services

We use various services on our website provided by Google LLC, based in the USA, or, if you are habitually resident in the European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland, Google Ireland Ltd., based in Ireland (“Google”). We use the following Google services on our website:

• Google Tag Manager
• Google Analytics
• Google Ads
• Google Fonts

More detailed information on the individual services can be found below.

Google uses technologies such as cookies, browser web storage and tracking pixels which enable an analysis of your use of our website. The information generated thereby about your use of our website may be transmitted to a Google server in the USA or other countries and stored there. Information on the locations of Google’s data centres can be found here.

We use tools provided by Google which, according to Google, may process personal data in countries in which Google or its sub-processors operate facilities. Google undertakes in its “Data Processing Addendum for Products where Google is a Data Processor” to ensure an adequate level of data protection by relying on the EU standard contractual clauses.

In addition, Google is certified under the EU–U.S. (incl. the UK Extension) and the Swiss–U.S. Data Privacy Framework.

Further information on processing by Google and on the privacy settings can be found in Google’s Privacy Policy or privacy controls. 

4.2.1 Google Tag Manager

Our website uses Google Tag Manager. With Google Tag Manager, website tags can be managed efficiently. Website tags are placeholders that are stored in the source code of the respective website in order, for example, to integrate frequently used website elements such as code for web analysis services. Google Tag Manager itself does not use cookies and ensures the triggering of other tags, which in turn may collect data. Google Tag Manager does not access this data. If a deactivation has been conducted at the domain or cookie level, this remains in place for all tracking tags implemented with Google Tag Manager.

Further information can be found in the Terms of Service of Google Tag Manager. 

4.2.2 Google Analytics

For the purpose of analysing our website and its visitors and for marketing and advertising purposes, we use the web analytics service Google Analytics.

Google Analytics uses cookies that are stored on your end device (laptop, tablet, smartphone or similar) and enable an analysis of your use of our website. This allows us to evaluate the usage behaviour on our website and to make our offerings more interesting based on the resulting statistics/reports.

With Google Analytics 4, the anonymisation of IP addresses is activated by default. As a result, your IP address is shortened by Google within Switzerland or the EU/EEA before transmission. Only in exceptional cases is the full IP address transmitted to a Google server and shortened there.

Google uses this information to evaluate your pseudonymous use of our website, to compile reports on the website activities and to provide further services to us in connection with the use of the website and the use of the internet. According to Google, the IP address transmitted by your browser within the framework of Google Analytics is not merged with other Google data. When you visit our website, your user behaviour is recorded in the form of events (such as page views, interaction with the website or your “click path”) as well as other data such as your approximate location (country and city), technical information about your browser and the end devices you use, or the referrer URL, i.e. the website / advertising medium via which you came to our website.

You can prevent the recording and transmission of the data generated by the cookie and relating to your use of our website (incl. your IP address) to Google as well as the processing of this data by Google by downloading and installing the browser add-on for the deactivation of Google Analytics. If you wish to object to interest-based advertising by Google, you can use the settings and opt-out options provided by Google.

The data collected by means of Google Analytics are automatically deleted after 14 months.

An overview of data use in Google Analytics and the measures taken by Google to protect your data can be found in Google Analytics Help.

Further information on the Terms of Service of Google Analytics and on data privacy at Google can be found in the respective documents. 

4.2.3 Google Ads

Our website uses the online advertising programme Google Ads, which is part of the Google Marketing Services, to draw attention to our offerings on external websites by means of advertising material. We can determine, in relation to the data of the advertising campaigns, how successful the individual advertising measures are.

With Google Ads, a cookie is set on your computer (“Conversion Cookie”) if you have reached our website via a Google ad. These cookies as a rule lose their validity after 30 days and are not intended to identify you personally.

These cookies enable Google to recognise your internet browser. If you visit certain pages of our website and the cookie has not yet expired, Google and we can recognise that you have clicked on the ad and were thus redirected to our website. Each Google Ads customer is assigned a different cookie. Cookies can therefore not be tracked across the websites of Google Ads customers. We ourselves do not collect or process any personal data in the advertising measures mentioned. We only receive statistical evaluations from Google. Based on these evaluations, we can recognise which of the advertising measures used are particularly effective. We do not receive any further data from the use of the advertising material; in particular, we cannot identify you based on this information.

Based on the information collected, interest-relevant categories are assigned to your browser. These categories are used to display interest-based advertising.

By using Google Ads, we reach users who have already visited our website. This enables us to present our advertising to target groups who are already interested in our products or services.

You can prevent participation in this tracking procedure in various ways, including:

• • • by configuring your browser software accordingly; in particular, suppressing third-party cookies will result in you not receiving any ads from third-party providers;
    • by deactivating the cookies for conversion tracking by adjusting the corresponding settings for personalised advertising from Google;
    • by deactivating interest-based ads of providers that are part of the self-regulation campaign “YourAdChoices”;

Further information on how Google Ads works and on data protection can be found in Google Ads’ Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. 

4.2.4 Google Fonts

For the consistent display of fonts, our website uses so-called web fonts provided by Google. When you access a page, your browser loads the required web fonts into its browser cache to display texts and fonts correctly. For this purpose, the browser you use establishes a connection to Google’s servers. As a result, Google obtains the information that our website was accessed via your IP address. If your browser does not support web fonts, a default font from your computer is used.

Further information on Google Fonts can be found in the Google Fonts FAQ and in Google’s Privacy Policy. 

4.3 HubSpot Analytics

Our website uses HubSpot Analytics, a web analytics service of HubSpot Inc. This service helps us to understand and analyse the behaviour and interactions of our visitors on the website to continuously improve the user experience and the effectiveness of our content.

When you use our website, HubSpot Analytics records various data, including your IP address, geographic location data, browser type, operating system, referrer URL, date, time, and duration of your visit, as well as the pages you have visited. This data is used to compile aggregated statistics on the use of our website and to give us insights into the behaviour of our visitors.

HubSpot Analytics uses cookies to recognise visitors to our website and to collect information about the use of the website. Cookies are small text files that are stored on your end device and enable an analysis of your use of the website.

The data collected by HubSpot Analytics enable us to better understand the preferences and interests of our visitors, to optimise our content and offerings, and to evaluate the effectiveness of our marketing measures.

If you do not wish HubSpot Analytics to collect data about your visit, you can deactivate the use of cookies in your browser settings or use corresponding browser extensions.

Regarding processing by HubSpot, the information given in section 3.4 applies analogously.

4.4 Microsoft Clarity

In order to be able to better tailor our website to user interests, we also use Microsoft Clarity, an analytics service of Microsoft Corporation, based in the USA, or, if you are habitually resident in the European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland, Microsoft Ireland Operations Limited, based in Ireland (“Clarity”).

Clarity enables us to better understand the needs of our website visitors and serves us in particular for optimisation and marketing purposes as well as the interest-based design of our website. With the help of Clarity, movements on our website can be traced (so-called “heatmaps”), and there is also the possibility of tracking all these user interactions, including individual sessions, by displaying animations (so-called “session recordings”). Clarity uses cookies for this purpose.

The information collected by means of cookies includes in particular interaction data (e.g. clicks, scrolling and mouse-overs) and diagnostic data (e.g. script and image errors). For details of which information is processed by Clarity, please see here.

Regarding the use of Clarity, Microsoft and we function as separate (independent) controllers (cf. Microsoft Clarity – Terms of Use). According to its own statements, Microsoft also processes the personal data collected within the framework of Clarity for its own purposes, in particular for the analysis and improvement of its own products and services and for advertising and statistical purposes, in accordance with the Microsoft Privacy Statement. A transfer of the data collected by Clarity to Microsoft servers in the USA and possibly to other countries cannot be ruled out. According to Microsoft, such a transfer takes place in compliance with the applicable data protection requirements, in particular based on the EU standard contractual clauses or certifications under the applicable Data Privacy Frameworks.

Further information on how Clarity works can be found on the Clarity website, in the Clarity documentation and in the Clarity FAQ.

4.5 Microsoft Teams

For the purpose of efficient exchange, in particular for communication and collaboration with existing and potential customers (e.g. online appointments, cf. section 3.9), as well as for the delivery of our basic courses and online exchange rounds (cf. section 3.11 ), we use Microsoft Teams (“MS Teams”), a collaboration platform of Microsoft Corporation, based in the USA, or, for users habitually resident in the European Economic Area or in Switzerland, Microsoft Ireland Operations Limited, based in Ireland (“Microsoft”).

Within the framework of MS Teams, various categories of personal data are processed. These include in particular content data of the meetings such as audio and video data, chat messages and shared files, technical log, and usage data such as call history, time and duration of sessions, as well as profile data such as name, e-mail address and, where applicable, profile picture. In addition, Microsoft collects diagnostic data in connection with use, which serve, among other things, the provision, troubleshooting, securing, and updating of MS Teams as well as the monitoring of performance.

The personal data arising in connection with MS Teams are transmitted to Microsoft servers and processed there. According to Microsoft, this data is generally stored in the geographic region assigned to the respective Microsoft 365 organisation, which is in Switzerland. According to Microsoft, this data is not disclosed to unauthorised third parties.

In connection with MS Teams, we only store such personal data as is required for the preparation, conduct and follow-up of the meeting, and only for as long as is necessary for these purposes or for compliance with statutory retention obligations. This includes in particular meeting minutes, correspondence and documents made available within the framework of the meeting, as well as, where applicable, materials in connection with the courses we offer.

In some cases, it may be necessary for us to record meetings. Recordings are made in particular to enable participants to refer later or to make the content of the meeting accessible to absent persons. The recordings are exclusively for internal use and may not be passed on or duplicated without appropriate authorisation. Recordings are stored in encrypted form, and access is restricted to the participants of the respective meeting and to the persons authorised for this purpose by the creator of the recording (usually the meeting organiser).

A recording is always made based on your consent. We will inform you before the start of the recording that a meeting is being recorded. This gives you the opportunity to switch off your camera and microphone or to leave the meeting. Please note that, for example, your name in the participant list may also be visible in the recording even when the camera and microphone are switched off.

Recordings are only retained for as long as is necessary (e.g. until absent participants have had the opportunity to view them). At the latest after one year, recordings will be deleted.

To protect your personality, we have entered a “Data Processing Addendum” with Microsoft.

Further information on data protection and data security as well as on how MS Teams works can be found on the Microsoft Teams website.

4.6 TeamViewer

For remote support, we use the software of TeamViewer Germany GmbH in Germany. To this end, we offer you the download of TeamViewer software suitable for these purposes.

By means of this software, our support staff can connect to your PC at the same time during a conversation with you to provide the support you have requested. The connection runs via servers of TeamViewer GmbH.

The processing of any personal data arising in this context is conducted for the provision of the support services requested by you and thus within the framework of our contractual relationship and is based on our legitimate interests in the efficient and professional provision of support. The use of remote support is of course voluntary, i.e. without your consent no remote connection will be established. In addition, you can terminate the connection at any time by clicking the corresponding button.

By downloading the TeamViewer software, TeamViewer obtains the information that you have accessed the corresponding website. We have no knowledge of whether and, if so, for which of its own purposes TeamViewer uses this information.

The use of TeamViewer takes place in accordance with the TeamViewer Privacy Policy. 

We have a presence on social media platforms and other online platforms to be able to communicate with interested persons and to inform them about our activities. To the extent that you visit such an online platform, personal data may be transmitted to the provider of the social network. We point out that user data may also be transmitted to a server in a third country and may therefore also be processed outside Switzerland.

Furthermore, the data of users within the social media platforms are as a rule processed for market research and advertising purposes. For these purposes, cookies are usually stored on the users’ computers, in which the user behaviour and the interests of the users are stored. Furthermore, data may also be stored in the user profiles independently of the devices used by the users (in particular if the users are members of the respective platforms and are logged in).

For a detailed description of the respective forms of processing and the options to object (opt-out), we refer to the data protection statements and information of the operators of the respective platforms. There you will also find out in which countries they process your data, what rights of access, deletion, and other data subject rights you have and how you can exercise these rights or obtain further information.

We process and store your data only for as long as is legally required, or necessary for the provision of the service requested by you, or otherwise necessary for the purposes pursued by the processing, i.e., for example, for the duration of the entire business relationship (from the initiation, performance through to the termination of a contract), in accordance with statutory retention and documentation obligations, and beyond that where there is a legitimate business interest (e.g. for evidentiary and documentation purposes). If no legal or contractual obligations conflict with this, we delete or anonymise your data after expiry of the storage or processing period within the framework of our usual procedures.

Within the framework of our business activities and the purposes mentioned above, we also disclose personal data to third parties, where permitted and where it appears appropriate to us, either because they process them for us (commissioned data processing), or because they wish to use them for their own purposes. This concerns in particular the following bodies:

• Affiliated companies of the group
• Service providers of ours (such as banks, insurers), including processors (such as in the area of IT, hosting, and support)
• Contractual partners including customers
• Authorities, public bodies, courts

These recipients are predominantly located in Switzerland, but they may also have their registered office outside Switzerland. In particular, you must expect your data to be transferred to other European countries and the USA, where some of the IT service providers we use (such as Microsoft, Google) are located. If we transfer personal data to a country without an adequate statutory level of data protection, we require the recipient to take appropriate measures for the protection of personal data (e.g. by means of agreeing the so-called EU standard contractual clauses, current version available here) or rely on the statutory exemptions.

We take appropriate technical and organisational security measures to protect your data against unauthorised access and misuse. These security measures include, for example, IT and network security solutions, encryption of data carriers and transmissions, access controls and restrictions, the issuing of instructions, confidentiality agreements, and inspections. We review our security measures regularly and adapt them to the state of the art.

We also take internal data protection within the company very seriously. Our employees and the service companies commissioned by us are obliged by us to maintain confidentiality and to safeguard data protection. In addition, these persons are granted access to personal data only to the extent necessary for the performance of their tasks. 

Within the framework of the data protection law applicable to you, and to the extent provided for therein, you have the following rights:

Right of access: You have the right to request access at any time to the personal data we have stored about you if we are processing it.

Right to rectification: You have the right to have inaccurate or incomplete personal data corrected.

Right to erasure: You have the right, under certain circumstances, to have your personal data deleted. In individual cases, in particular where there are statutory retention obligations, the right to erasure may be excluded. In this case, where the conditions are met, blocking of the data may take the place of erasure.

Right to data portability: You have the right to request that we hand over certain personal data in a commonly used electronic format or transfer it to another controller.

Right to withdraw consent: You generally have the right to withdraw consent given at any time. However, processing activities based on your consent in the past will not be rendered unlawful by your withdrawal.

Right to object: You have the right to object to the processing of your data, in particular for the purposes of direct marketing, profiling conducted for direct marketing and other legitimate interests in the processing.

Right to further information: You have the right to request further information necessary for the exercise of these rights.

Automated individual decisions: You have the right, in the case of automated individual decisions, to put forward your point of view and to request that the decision be reviewed by a natural person.

To exercise these rights, please send us an e-mail to the following address: datenschutz@zeitag.ch.

Right to lodge a complaint: You also have the right to enforce your claims in court or to lodge a complaint with the competent data protection authority.

Please note that conditions, exceptions, or limitations apply to these rights (e.g. if we are obliged to retain or process certain data, have an overriding interest in this (as far as we may rely on this), or need it for the assertion of claims). We will inform you accordingly where applicable.

We expressly reserve the right to amend and supplement this Privacy Policy at any time. The respective current version published on our website applies.