Privacy policy

We are delighted that you have shown interest in our organisation. Data protection is of a particularly high priority for the management of the Renewables Grid Initiative e.V.. The use of the Internet pages of the Renewables Grid Initiative e.V. is possible without any indication of personal data; however, if you want to use special services via our website, processing of personal data could become necessary. If the processing of personal data is necessary and there is no statutory basis for such processing, we generally obtain consent from you.

The processing of personal data, such as the name, address, e-mail address, or telephone number shall always be in line with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), and in accordance with the country-specific data protection regulations applicable to the Renewables Grid Initiative e.V.. By means of this data protection declaration, we would like to inform the general public of the nature, scope, and purpose of the personal data we collect, use and process. Furthermore, it informs you of the rights to which you are entitled.

As the controller, the Renewables Grid Initiative e.V. has implemented numerous technical and organisational measures to ensure the most complete protection of personal data processed through this website. However, Internet-based data transmissions may in principle have security gaps, so absolute protection may not be guaranteed. For this reason, you are free to transfer personal data to us via alternative means, e.g. by telephone.

1.             Definitions

The data protection declaration of the Renewables Grid Initiative e.V. is based on the terms used by the European legislator for the adoption of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Our data protection declaration should be legible and understandable for the general public, as well as our customers and business partners. To ensure this, we would like to first explain the terminology used.

In this data protection declaration, we use, inter alia, the following terms:

a)    Personal data

Personal data means any information relating to an identified or identifiable natural person (“data subject”). An identifiable natural person is one who can be identified, directly or indirectly, in particular by reference to an identifier such as a name, an identification number, location data, an online identifier or to one or more factors specific to the physical, physiological, genetic, mental, economic, cultural or social identity of that natural person. 

b)     Data subject

Data subject is any identified or identifiable natural person, whose personal data is processed by the controller responsible for the processing.

c)     Processing

Processing is any operation or set of operations which is performed on personal data or on sets of personal data, whether or not by automated means, such as collection, recording, organisation, structuring, storage, adaptation or alteration, retrieval, consultation, use, disclosure by transmission, dissemination or otherwise making available, alignment or combination, restriction, erasure or destruction.

d)     Restriction of processing

Restriction of processing is the marking of stored personal data with the aim of limiting their processing in the future.

e)     Profiling

Profiling means any form of automated processing of personal data consisting of the use of personal data to evaluate certain personal aspects relating to a natural person, in particular to analyse or predict aspects concerning that natural person's performance at work, economic situation, health, personal preferences, interests, reliability, behaviour, location or movements.

f)      Pseudonymisation

Pseudonymisation is the processing of personal data in such a manner that the personal data can no longer be attributed to a specific data subject without the use of additional information, provided that such additional information is kept separately and is subject to technical and organisational measures to ensure that the personal data are not attributed to an identified or identifiable natural person.

g)     Controller or controller responsible for the processing

Controller or controller responsible for the processing is the natural or legal person, public authority, agency or other body which, alone or jointly with others, determines the purposes and means of the processing of personal data; where the purposes and means of such processing are determined by Union or Member State law, the controller or the specific criteria for its nomination may be provided for by Union or Member State law.

h)     Processor

Processor is a natural or legal person, public authority, agency or other body which processes personal data on behalf of the controller.

i)      Recipient

Recipient is a natural or legal person, public authority, agency or another body, to which the personal data are disclosed, whether a third party or not. However, public authorities which may receive personal data in the framework of a particular inquiry in accordance with Union or Member State law shall not be regarded as recipients; the processing of those data by those public authorities shall be in compliance with the applicable data protection rules according to the purposes of the processing. 

j)      Third party

Third party is a natural or legal person, public authority, agency or body other than the data subject, controller, processor and persons who, under the direct authority of the controller or processor, are authorised to process personal data.

k)     Consent

Consent of the data subject is any freely given, specific, informed and unambiguous indication of the data subject's wishes by which he or she, by a statement or by a clear affirmative action, signifies agreement to the processing of personal data relating to him or her.

 

2.             Name and Address of the controller

Controller for the purposes of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), other data protection laws applicable in Member states of the European Union and other provisions related to data protection is:

Renewables Grid Initiative e.V.
Manfred-von-Richthofen-Straße 4
12101 Berlin
Germany
Phone: +49 30 7677 194 50
Email: privacy@renewables-grid.eu
Website: https://renewables-grid.eu/

 

3.             Collection of general data and information

The website of the Renewables Grid Initiative e.V. collects a series of general data and information when a data subject or automated system calls up the website. This general data and information are stored in the server log files. Collected may be (1) the browser types and versions used, (2) the operating system used by the accessing system, (3) the website from which an accessing system reaches our website (so-called referrers), (4) the sub-websites, (5) the date and time of access to the Internet site, (6) an Internet protocol address (IP address), (7) the Internet service provider of the accessing system, and (8) any other similar data and information that may be used in the event of attacks on our information technology systems.

When using these general data and information, the Renewables Grid Initiative e.V. does not draw any conclusions about the data subject. Rather, this information is needed to (1) deliver the content of our website correctly, (2) optimise the content of our website, (3) ensure the long-term viability of our information technology systems and website technology, and (4) provide law enforcement authorities with the information necessary for criminal prosecution in case of a cyber-attack. Therefore, the Renewables Grid Initiative e.V. analyses anonymously collected data and information statistically, with the aim of increasing the data protection and data security of our organisation, and to ensure an optimal level of protection for the personal data we process. The anonymous data of the server log files are stored separately from all personal data provided by a data subject.

 

4.             Subscription to our newsletters

On the website of the Renewables Grid Initiative e.V., users are given the opportunity to subscribe to our newsletter. The input mask used for this purpose determines what personal data are transmitted and stored by the website, as well as when the newsletter is ordered from the controller.

The Renewables Grid Initiative e.V. informs regularly by means of a newsletter about activities, publications, and events. The newsletter may only be received by the data subject if (1) the data subject has a valid e-mail address and (2) the data subject registers for the newsletter shipping. A confirmation e-mail will be sent to the e-mail address registered by you for the first time for newsletter shipping, for legal reasons, in the double opt-in procedure. This confirmation e-mail is used to prove whether the owner of the e-mail address as the data subject is authorised to receive the newsletter.

During the registration for the newsletter, we also store the IP address of the computer system assigned by the Internet service provider (ISP) and used by you at the time of the registration, as well as the date and time of the registration. The collection of this data is necessary in order to understand the (possible) misuse of the e-mail address of a data subject at a later date, and it therefore serves the aim of the legal protection of the controller.

The personal data collected as part of a registration for the newsletter will only be used to send our newsletter. In addition, subscribers to the newsletter may be informed by e-mail, as long as this is necessary for the operation of the newsletter service or a registration in question, as this could be the case in the event of modifications to the newsletter offer, or in the event of a change in technical circumstances.

The name and e-mail address entered in the input mask on our website will be transferred to and stored by the provider Mailchimp for the purpose of sending out the e-mail newsletter on our behalf.

The operating company of Mailchimp is The Rocket Science Group LLC d/b/a Mailchimp, 675 Ponce de Leon Ave NE, Suite 5000, Atlanta, GA 30308 US.

The applicable data protection provisions of Mailchimp may be accessed under https://mailchimp.com/legal/privacy, see section "Privacy for Contacts".

There will be no transfer of personal data collected by the newsletter service to other third parties. The subscription to our newsletter may be terminated by the data subject at any time. The consent to the storage of personal data, which the data subject has given for shipping the newsletter, may be revoked at any time. For the purpose of revocation of consent, a corresponding link is found in each newsletter. It is also possible to unsubscribe from the newsletter by contacting us directly, e.g. via the email address privacy@renewables-grid.eu. All data connected to the newsletter subscription will be deleted within 30 days by both Mailchimp and the Renewables Grid Initiative e.V. after the process of unsubscribing has been finished.

 

5.             Newsletter-Tracking

The newsletter of the Renewables Grid Initiative e.V. contains so-called tracking pixels. A tracking pixel is a miniature graphic embedded in such e-mails, which are sent in HTML format to enable log file recording and analysis. This allows a statistical analysis of the success or failure of online marketing campaigns. Based on the embedded tracking pixel, the Renewables Grid Initiative e.V. may see if and when an e-mail was opened by a data subject, and which links in the e-mail were called up by data subjects.

Such personal data collected in the tracking pixels contained in the newsletters are stored and analysed by the controller in order to optimise the shipping of the newsletter, as well as to adapt the content of future newsletters even better to your interests. These personal data will not be passed on to third parties. You are at any time entitled to revoke the respective separate declaration of consent issued by means of the double-opt-in procedure. After a revocation, these personal data will be deleted by the controller. The Renewables Grid Initiative e.V. automatically regards a withdrawal from the receipt of the newsletter as a revocation.

 

6.             Routine erasure and blocking of personal data

The data controller shall process and store the personal data of the data subject only for the period necessary to achieve the purpose of storage, or as far as this is granted by the European legislator or other legislators in laws or regulations to which the controller is subject to.

If the storage purpose is not applicable, or if a storage period prescribed by the European legislator or another competent legislator expires, the personal data are routinely blocked or erased in accordance with legal requirements.

 

7.             Your rights

a)     Right of confirmation

Each data subject shall have the right granted by the European legislator to obtain from the controller the confirmation as to whether or not personal data concerning him or her are being processed. If you wish to avail yourself of this right of confirmation, you may, at any time, contact us (privacy@renewables-grid.eu).

b)     Right of access

You have the right granted by the European legislator to obtain from us free information about your personal data stored at any time and a copy of this information. Furthermore, the European directives and regulations grant you access to the following information:

Furthermore, you have a right to obtain information as to whether personal data are transferred to a third country or to an international organisation. Where this is the case, you have the right to be informed of the appropriate safeguards relating to the transfer.

If you wish to avail yourself of this right of access, you may, at any time, contact us via privacy@renewables-gird.eu.

c)     Right to rectification

You have the right granted by the European legislator to obtain from us without undue delay the rectification of inaccurate personal data concerning you. Taking into account the purposes of the processing, you have the right to have incomplete personal data completed, including by means of providing a supplementary statement.  

If you wish to exercise this right to rectification, you may, at any time, contact us via privacy@renewables-gird.eu.

d)     Right to erasure (Right to be forgotten)

You have the right granted by the European legislator to obtain from us the erasure of personal data concerning you without undue delay, and we have the obligation to erase personal data without undue delay where one of the following grounds applies, as long as the processing is not necessary:

If one of the aforementioned reasons applies, and you wish to request the erasure of personal data stored by the Renewables Grid Initiative e.V., you may, at any time, contact us via privacy@renewables-grid.eu.  We will promptly ensure that the erasure request is complied with immediately. 

Where we have made personal data public and is obliged pursuant to Article 17(1) to erase the personal data, we, taking account of available technology and the cost of implementation, shall take reasonable steps, including technical measures, to inform other controllers processing the personal data that the data subject has requested erasure by such controllers of any links to, or copy or replication of, those personal data, as far as processing is not required. An employees of the Renewables Grid Initiative e.V. will arrange the necessary measures in individual cases. 

e)     Right of restriction of processing

Each data subject shall have the right granted by the European legislator to obtain from the controller restriction of processing where one of the following applies:

If one of the aforementioned conditions is met, and you wish to request the restriction of the processing of personal data stored by the Renewables Grid Initiative e.V., you may at any time contact us via privacy@renewables-grid.eu. We will arrange the restriction of the processing.

f)      Right to data portability

Each data subject shall have the right granted by the European legislator, to receive the personal data concerning him or her, which was provided to a controller, in a structured, commonly used and machine-readable format. He or she shall have the right to transmit those data to another controller without hindrance from the controller to which the personal data have been provided, as long as the processing is based on consent pursuant to point (a) of Article 6(1) of the GDPR or point (a) of Article 9(2) of the GDPR, or on a contract pursuant to point (b) of Article 6(1) of the GDPR, and the processing is carried out by automated means, as long as the processing is not necessary for the performance of a task carried out in the public interest or in the exercise of official authority vested in the controller.

Furthermore, in exercising his or her right to data portability pursuant to Article 20(1) of the GDPR, the data subject shall have the right to have personal data transmitted directly from one controller to another, where technically feasible and when doing so does not adversely affect the rights and freedoms of others.

In order to assert the right to data portability, you may at any time contact us via privacy@renewables-grid.eu.

g)     Right to object

You have the right granted by the European legislator to object, on grounds relating to your particular situation, at any time, to processing of personal data concerning you, which is based on point (e) or (f) of Article 6(1) of the GDPR. This also applies to profiling based on these provisions.

The Renewables Grid Initiative e.V. shall no longer process the personal data in the event of the objection, unless we can demonstrate compelling legitimate grounds for the processing which override the interests, rights and freedoms of you, or for the establishment, exercise or defence of legal claims.

If the Renewables Grid Initiative e.V. processes personal data for direct marketing purposes, you have the right to object at any time to processing of personal data concerning you for such marketing. This applies to profiling to the extent that it is related to such direct marketing. If you object to the Renewables Grid Initiative e.V. to the processing for direct marketing purposes, the Renewables Grid Initiative e.V. will no longer process the personal data for these purposes.

In addition, you have the right, on grounds relating to your particular situation, to object to processing of personal data concerning you by the Renewables Grid Initiative e.V. for scientific or historical research purposes, or for statistical purposes pursuant to Article 89(1) of the GDPR, unless the processing is necessary for the performance of a task carried out for reasons of public interest.  

In order to exercise the right to object, you may contact us via privacy@renewables-grid.eu. In addition, you are free in the context of the use of information society services, and notwithstanding Directive 2002/58/EC, to use your right to object by automated means using technical specifications.

h)     Automated individual decision-making, including profiling

You have the right granted by the European legislator not to be subject to a decision based solely on automated processing, including profiling, which produces legal effects concerning you, or similarly significantly affects you, as long as the decision (1) is not is necessary for entering into, or the performance of, a contract between you and the Renewables Grid Inititaive, or (2) is not authorised by Union or Member State law to which the we are subject and which also lays down suitable measures to safeguard the data subject's rights and freedoms and legitimate interests, or (3) is not based on the data subject's explicit consent.

If the decision (1) is necessary for entering into, or the performance of, a contract between you and RGI, or (2) it is based on your explicit consent, the Renewables Grid Initiative e.V. shall implement suitable measures to safeguard your rights and freedoms and legitimate interests, at least the right to obtain human intervention on the part of the controller, to express his or her point of view and contest the decision.

If you wish to exercise the rights concerning automated individual decision-making, you may, at any time, contact us via privacy@renewables-gird.eu.

i)      Right to withdraw data protection consent

You have the right granted by the European legislator to withdraw your consent to processing of your personal data at any time.

If you wish to exercise the right to withdraw the consent, you may, at any time, contact us via privacy@renewables-gird.eu.

 

8.             Data protection for applications and the application procedures

The data controller shall collect and process the personal data of applicants for the purpose of the processing of the application procedure. The processing may also be carried out electronically. This is the case, in particular, if an applicant submits corresponding application documents by e-mail or by means of a web form on the website to the controller. If the data controller concludes an employment contract with an applicant, the submitted data will be stored for the purpose of processing the employment relationship in compliance with legal requirements. If no employment contract is concluded with the applicant by the controller, the application documents shall be automatically erased two months after notification of the refusal decision, provided that no other legitimate interests of the controller are opposed to the erasure. Other legitimate interest in this relation is, e.g. a burden of proof in a procedure under the General Equal Treatment Act (AGG).

 

9.             Data protection provisions about the application and use of Matomo

On this website, the controller has integrated the Matomo component. Matomo is an open-source software tool for web analysis. Web analysis is the collection, gathering and evaluation of data on the behaviour of visitors from Internet sites. A web analysis tool collects, inter alia, data on the website from which a data subject came to a website (so-called referrer), which pages of the website were accessed or how often and for which period of time a sub-page was viewed. A web analysis is mainly used for the optimization of a website and the cost-benefit analysis of Internet advertising.

The software is operated on the server of the controller, the data protection-sensitive log files are stored exclusively on this server.

The purpose of the Matomo component is the analysis of the visitor flows on our website. We use the obtained data and information, inter alia, to evaluate the use of this website in order to compile online reports, which show the activities on our Internet pages.

Matomo sets a cookie on your information technology system. The definition of cookies is explained above. With the setting of the cookie, an analysis of the use of our website is enabled. With each call-up to one of the individual pages of this website, the Internet browser on the information technology system of the data subject is automatically through the Matomo component prompted to submit data for the purpose of online analysis to our server. During the course of this technical procedure, we obtain knowledge about personal information, such as your IP address, which serves to understand the origin of visitors and clicks.

The cookie is used to store personal information, such as the access time, the location from which access was made, and the frequency of visits to our website. With each visit of our Internet pages, these personal data, including the IP address of the Internet access used by the data subject, are transferred to our server. These personal data will be stored by us. We do not forward this personal data to third parties.

You may, as stated above, prevent the setting of cookies through our website at any time by means of a corresponding adjustment of the web browser used and thus permanently deny the setting of cookies. Such an adjustment to the used Internet browser would also prevent Matomo from setting a cookie on your information technology system. In addition, cookies already in use by Matomo may be deleted at any time via a web browser or other software programmes.

You are not being tracked since your browser is reporting that you do not want to. This is a setting of your browser so you won't be able to opt-in until you disable the 'Do Not Track' feature.

In addition, you have the possibility of objecting to a collection of data relating to a use of this Internet site that are generated by Matomo as well as the processing of these data by Matomo and the chance to preclude any such. For this, the data subject must set a "Do Not Track" option in the browser.

With each setting of the opt-out cookie, however, there is the possibility that the websites of the controller are no longer fully usable for the data subject.

Further information and the applicable data protection provisions of Matomo may be retrieved under https://matomo.org/privacy/.

 

10.             Data protection provisions about the application and use of third party tools

a) Twitter

On this website, we have integrated components of Twitter. Twitter is a multilingual, publicly-accessible microblogging service on which users may publish and spread so-called ‘tweets,’ e.g. short messages, which are limited to 280 characters. These short messages are available for everyone, including those who are not logged on to Twitter. The tweets are also displayed to so-called followers of the respective user. Followers are other Twitter users who follow a user's tweets. Furthermore, Twitter allows you to address a wide audience via hashtags, links or retweets.

The operating company of Twitter is Twitter, Inc., 1355 Market Street, Suite 900, San Francisco, CA 94103, UNITED STATES.

With each call-up to one of the individual pages of this Internet site, which is operated by the controller and on which a Twitter component was integrated, the Internet browser on the information technology system of the data subject is automatically prompted to download a display of the corresponding Twitter component of Twitter. During the course of this technical procedure, Twitter gains knowledge of what specific sub-page of our website was visited by you.

If you are logged in at the same time on Twitter, Twitter may detect with every call-up to our website by you and for the entire duration of your stay on our Internet site which specific sub-page of our Internet page was visited by you. This information may be collected through the Twitter component and associated with the your respective Twitter account.

Twitter receives information via the Twitter component that you have visited our website, provided that you are logged in on Twitter at the time of the call-up to our website. If such a transmission of information to Twitter is not desirable for you, then you may prevent this by logging off from your Twitter account before a call-up to our website is made.

The applicable data protection provisions of Twitter may be accessed under https://twitter.com/privacy?lang=en.

b) Flickr

On this website, we have integrated components of Flickr. Flickr is an image hosting service and video hosting service.

The operating company of Twitter is Flickr, Inc,Attention: Privacy Manager, 67 E Evelyn Ave, Ste 200, Mountain View, CA 94041, USA.

With each call-up to one of the individual pages of this Internet site, which is operated by the controller and on which a Flickr component was integrated, the Internet browser on the information technology system of the data subject is automatically prompted to download a display of the corresponding Flickr component of Flickr. During the course of this technical procedure, Flickr gains knowledge of what specific sub-page of our website was visited by you.

If you are logged in at the same time on Flickr, Flickr may detect with every call-up to our website by you and for the entire duration of your stay on our Internet site which specific sub-page of our Internet page was visited by you. This information may be collected through the Flickr component and associated with the your respective Flickr account.

Flickr receives information via the Flickr component that you have visited our website, provided that you are logged in on Flickr at the time of the call-up to our website. If such a transmission of information to Flickr is not desirable for you, then you may prevent this by logging off from your Flickr account before a call-up to our website is made.

The applicable data protection provisions of Twitter may be accessed under https://www.flickr.com/help/privacy.

c) Youtube

On this website, we have integrated components of Youtube. Youtube is an online video-sharing platform.

The operating company of Youtube in the European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland is Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland.

With each call-up to one of the individual pages of this Internet site, which is operated by the controller and on which a Youtube component was integrated, the Internet browser on the information technology system of the data subject is automatically prompted to download a display of the corresponding Youtube component of Youtube. During the course of this technical procedure, Google gains knowledge of what specific sub-page of our website was visited by you.

If you are logged in at the same time on Google, Google may detect with every call-up to our website by you and for the entire duration of your stay on our Internet site which specific sub-page of our Internet page was visited by you. This information may be collected through the Youtube component and associated with the your respective Google account.

Google receives information via the Google component that you have visited our website, provided that you are logged in on Google at the time of the call-up to our website. If such a transmission of information to Google is not desirable for you, then you may prevent this by logging off from your Google account before a call-up to our website is made.

The applicable data protection provisions of Google may be accessed under https://policies.google.com/privacy.

 

11.             Legal basis for the processing

Art. 6(1) lit. a GDPR serves as the legal basis for processing operations for which we obtain consent for a specific processing purpose. If the processing of personal data is necessary for the performance of a contract to which the data subject is party, as is the case, for example, when processing operations are necessary for the supply of goods or to provide any other service, the processing is based on Article 6(1) lit. b GDPR. The same applies to such processing operations which are necessary for carrying out pre-contractual measures, for example in the case of inquiries concerning our products or services. Is our company subject to a legal obligation by which processing of personal data is required, such as for the fulfilment of tax obligations, the processing is based on Art. 6(1) lit. c GDPR. In rare cases, the processing of personal data may be necessary to protect the vital interests of the data subject or of another natural person. This would be the case, for example, if a visitor were injured in our company and his name, age, health insurance data or other vital information would have to be passed on to a doctor, hospital or other third party. Then the processing would be based on Art. 6(1) lit. d GDPR. Finally, processing operations could be based on Article 6(1) lit. f GDPR. This legal basis is used for processing operations which are not covered by any of the abovementioned legal grounds, if processing is necessary for the purposes of the legitimate interests pursued by our company or by a third party, except where such interests are overridden by the interests or fundamental rights and freedoms of the data subject which require protection of personal data. Such processing operations are particularly permissible because they have been specifically mentioned by the European legislator. He considered that a legitimate interest could be assumed if the data subject is a client of the controller (Recital 47 Sentence 2 GDPR).

 

12.             The legitimate interests pursued by the controller or by a third party

Where the processing of personal data is based on Article 6(1) lit. f GDPR our legitimate interest is to carry out our business in favour of the well-being of all our employees and the shareholders.

 

13.             Period for which the personal data will be stored

The criteria used to determine the period of storage of personal data is the respective statutory retention period. After expiration of that period, the corresponding data is routinely deleted, as long as it is no longer necessary for the fulfilment of the contract or the initiation of a contract.

 

14.             Provision of personal data as statutory or contractual requirement; Requirement necessary to enter into a contract; Obligation of the data subject to provide the personal data; possible consequences of failure to provide such data

We clarify that the provision of personal data is partly required by law (e.g. tax regulations) or can also result from contractual provisions (e.g. information on the contractual partner). Sometimes it may be necessary to conclude a contract that the data subject provides us with personal data, which must subsequently be processed by us. The data subject is, for example, obliged to provide us with personal data when our company signs a contract with him or her. The non-provision of the personal data would have the consequence that the contract with the data subject could not be concluded. Before personal data is provided by the data subject, the data subject must contact any employee. The employee clarifies to the data subject whether the provision of the personal data is required by law or contract or is necessary for the conclusion of the contract, whether there is an obligation to provide the personal data and the consequences of non-provision of the personal data.

 

15.             Existence of automated decision-making

As a responsible company, we do not use automatic decision-making or profiling.

 

 

This Privacy Policy bases on a text generated by the Privacy Policy Generator of the German Association for Data Protection that was developed in cooperation with Privacy Lawyers from WILDE BEUGER SOLMECKE, Cologne.

RGI gratefully acknowledges the EU LIFE funding support:

EU LIFE funding support Logo

Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the LIFE Programme. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.