Privacy Policy
1. WHO WE ARE
Mind Your Plastic (MYP) is a charitable organization dedicated to raising awareness on the issue of plastic pollution and on solutions to the problem. We are registered in Canada as a non-profit organization.
2. DATA PROTECTION
MYP takes data protection very seriously and is committed to protecting your privacy and security. This policy explains how and why we use your personal data.
As you browse our website and whenever you communicate with us, we collect information. This deepens our understanding of what you are interested in, and helps us improve the efficiency of our work and fundraising communications. The more information we have, the more efficiently we are able to operate and the more funds we can direct into activities that allow us to achieve our mission and goals.
MYP takes great care to preserve your privacy and safeguard any personal details you provide to us, and we will never exchange or sell your information to another organization unless you give us your permission. We know that this is important to you and want to reassure you that you are always in control of how we use your personal information for marketing and fundraising activities.
You can decide not to receive our communications or change how we contact you at any time. If you wish to do so, or have any questions about this privacy policy or how we use your personal data, please contact us via any of the following methods:
Mind Your Plastic
Phone: +1 (902) 405-3940
Email: info@mindyourplastic.ca
Mailing Address:
Mind Your Plastic
451-3045 Robie Street, Unit 5
Halifax, NS
B3K 4P6
3. WHAT INFORMATION DO WE COLLECT?
We collect and use your personal information for carefully considered and legitimate charitable business purposes that help ensure we can run MYP efficiently, raise funds effectively and deliver our charitable objectives.
Personal data you give us
We collect personal data you provide us with when joining our newsletter, making a donation, or applying for a screening of a film. For example:
- Email address when you join our mailing list. No other data is collected for this.
- Personal details when you make a donation: name, mailing address, phone number, email address.
- Personal details when you apply to host a screening of a film: name, email address, name of your organization (if applicable), basic details about the event/screening that you would like to host. This information is not saved to a database, but rather is mailed to our screenings manager, who in turn would contact you directly to provide you the information that you are requesting.
- Financial information when you choose to make a donation (payment information such as credit/debit card or direct debit details, and whether donations are gift-aided; and
We currently do not collect interests of individuals, but we could do so in the near future, as they would help us to better provide you information on such things as campaigns, the ways you support us or types of conservation projects you are interested in. If or when we do this, this privacy policy will be updated and this change will be communicated publicly via our email list and on our website.
Information created by your involvement with MYP
Your activities and involvement with MYP will result in personal data being created, including details of how you have helped us by volunteering or being involved with our campaigns and activities.
If you donate to us then we will keep records of when and how much you gave to a particular appeal or campaign.
Information we generate
We conduct research and analysis on the information we hold, which can in turn generate personal data. For example, by analyzing your location and involvement with our work we would hope to build a profile to help us decide which of our communications are likely to interest you.
Information from third parties
We may also receive information about individuals from third parties. This can include information such as your name, address, credit/debit card details and whether you are a taxpayer so that we can claim a tax deductible donation.
We use social media platforms for engaging with our supporters, such as Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. As a result, we collect information from social media where you have given us permission to do so, or if you post on one of our social media pages.
Sensitive personal data
We do not normally collect or store sensitive personal data (such as information relating to health, race, religious beliefs or political opinions) about supporters and members. However, there are some situations where this may occur to ensure we provide appropriate facilities (for example, if you wish to participate in an extreme running or kayak challenge event). If this does occur, we’ll take extra care to ensure your privacy rights are protected.
Volunteers
If you are a volunteer, we may collect extra information about you (for example, references, details of emergency contacts, medical conditions etc.). This information will be retained for legal reasons to protect us (including in the event of an insurance or legal claim) and for safeguarding purposes.
4. HOW WE USE INFORMATION
We always strive to provide a clear, honest and transparent approach regarding how and when we collect and use your personal data, we’ll only use your personal data where you would expect us to do so and we’ll only use your information for the purpose or purposes it was collected for, including as follows:
Marketing
We use personal data to communicate with people and to promote MYP. This includes keeping you up-to-date with our news, updates, campaigns and ways you can help fundraise. For further information on this, please see Section 6 (Marketing).
Administration
We use personal data for administrative purposes (i.e. to carry out our charity and conservation work). This includes:
- receiving donations such as direct debits;
- maintaining databases of our volunteers, members and supporters
- helping us respect your choices and preferences. If you ask not to receive marketing material, we’ll keep a record of this.
Internal research and analysis
We carry out internal research and analysis using the data provided by our supporters, donors and volunteers, to determine the success of campaigns and appeals, better understand behaviour and responses and identify patterns and trends. This helps inform our approach towards campaigning and makes MYP a stronger and more effective organization. Understanding our supporters, their interests and what they care about also helps us provide a better experience (e.g. through communications that are more relevant.)
Profiling
We evaluate, categorize and profile personal data in order to tailor materials, services and communications (including targeted advertising) so that we only send you information you may be interested in. This also helps us understand our supporters and improve our organization.
We profile supporters in terms of recency, frequency and value of financial and non-financial support. This information helps us to ensure communications are relevant and timely.
If, based on information that has been provided to us (such as postal code, demographics, or previous donations), it appears supporters might be willing and able to provide more assistance in our fight to save our seas, we may contact them to see if they wish to do so.
In the future, we collect information on preferences and interests (for example, whether you have an interest in beach cleanups or film screenings) so that we know what material you are most likely to be interested in.
We may aggregate and anonymize personal data so that it can no longer be linked to any particular person. This information can be used for a variety of purposes, such as recruiting new supporters, or to identify trends or patterns within our existing supporter base. This information helps inform our actions and improve our campaigns, products/services and materials.
5. DISCLOSING AND SHARING DATA
We will never sell your personal data. If you have opted-in to marketing, we may contact you with information about our partners, or third party products and services, but these communications will always come from MYP and will normally be incorporated into our own marketing materials and communication efforts.
Partners
Occasionally, where we collaborate with other organizations, we may also share information with them (for example, if you register to attend an event being jointly organized by us and another charity). We will only share information when necessary and we’ll make sure to notify you first.
Cookies
Cookies are text files placed on your computer to collect standard internet log information and visitor behaviour information. This information is used to track visitor use of the website and to compile statistical reports on website activity.
You can set your browser to not accept cookies; each browser provider will have information on how to do this. In a few cases some of our website features may not function correctly as a result. We use Google Analytics to help us understand how our website is performing and to collect data about traffic through our website via Google advertising cookies and anonymous identifiers. In addition to data collected through a standard Google Analytics implementation, MYP uses the following advertising features: Search advertising with Google Adwords.
MYP will not facilitate the merging of personally-identifiable information with non-personally identifiable information collected through any Google advertising product or feature unless there is robust notice of, and the user’s prior affirmative (i.e., opt-in) consent to that merger. You can prevent Google from recording the data generated by the cookie in relation to your use of the site (including your IP address) and from processing this data by downloading and installing the browser plug-in available via the following link: https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout.
6. MARKETING
MYP asks its supporters to “opt-in” for most communications, including all our E-marketing communications (the term marketing is broadly defined and, for instance, covers information about conservation, fundraising and other MYP news).
You have the choice whether you want to receive these messages.
You can decide not to receive communications or change how we contact you at any time. If you wish to do so, please contact us via the information provided in section #1 above.
What do we mean by ‘marketing’?
Marketing does not just mean offering things for sale, but also includes news and information about: – our charity, campaigns and conservation work; – educating the public on plastic pollution and related topics (ocean literacy); – volunteering opportunities and how you can help us with our work; – taking part in beach cleans; – our events, activities and local groups; – appeals and fundraising (including donations and competitions).
When you receive a communication from us, we may collect information about how you respond to or interact with that communication, and this may affect how we communicate with you in future.
Fundraising and marketing
As a charity, we rely totally on individual donations, grants, corporate giving and support from others to undertake our work. From time to time, we will contact members and supporters with fundraising communications. These might be about an appeal, a contest or promotion we’re running, or to suggest ways you can help raise funds (for example, a sponsored challenge event, or buying a product if MYP will receive a percentage of the proceeds).
We are totally dependent on the generosity of our supporters, whether to sign a petition to help us lobby during a campaign, or to respond to an appeal to raise vital funds for the charity to continue to be a voice for our seas. All our work requires us to communicate with our supporters to let them know what actions they can take. We call these marketing communications.
7. CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE
Parental permission
If your child is under 18 then we’ll need permission from you as their parent or guardian for them to enter one of our competitions or to share a picture, photo or story with us.
Photographs, pictures and stories in our Social Media and on our Website
We want young people to join in saving our seas, and sometimes there are opportunities for sharing photos, stories and pictures. We ask consent prior to publishing any child’s picture, photo or story; this may also include publishing their name and age if appropriate. We will only proceed in using images once consent has been provided in writing. Even if consent has been given, you can at any time change your mind and request that any photos be taken down. Photos will be removed from any public communication within 48 hours of a written request being made.
Competitions
MYP will state in age-appropriate language that children must only enter the competition if they have permission from their parent first. We will make reasonable efforts to verify that consent has been given or authorized by the holder of parental responsibility and treat all the identifiable submitted competition materials, including names, ages and other details as personal data.
If your child enters a competition and is one of the lucky winners or runners-up, we’ll publish their name and winning entry alongside the other winners.
Information for parents
We take great care to protect and respect the rights of individuals in relation to their personal data, especially in the case of children. If your child is under 18, we’ll only use his or her personal data with your consent. This means that, for example, if your child wants to have his or her name or picture featured on our website, in social media or in our email newsletter.
Marketing and fundraising
We won’t knowingly send marketing emails, letters or messages to under 18 year-olds.
8. HOW WE PROTECT DATA
We use various physical and technical measures to keep your personal data safe and to prevent unauthorized access to, or use or disclosure of your personal information. Electronic data and databases are stored on secure computer systems and we control who has access to information (using both physical and electronic means). Our staff receive internal data protection training and we have a set of detailed data protection procedures which staff are required to follow when handling personal data.
Payment security
All electronic forms that request financial data on our behalf use the Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) protocol to encrypt the data between your browser and our servers.
If you use a credit card to donate, purchase or rent a film, your credit card details are securely transmitted via our payment providers (Stripe or PayPal) for donations. MYP complies with the payment card industry data security standard (PCI-DSS) published by the PCI Security Standards Council, and will never store card details.
Of course, we cannot guarantee the security of your home computer or the internet, and any online communications (for example, information provided by email or our website) are at the user’s own risk.
9. STORAGE
Where we store information
MYP’s operations are based in Canada and we store our data within Canada. Some organizations that provide services to us may transfer personal data outside the Canada, but we will only allow them to do this if your data is adequately protected.
How long we store information for
We will only use and store information for as long as it is required for the purposes for which it was collected. How long this will be depends on the type of information and how it is used. For example, if you ask us not to send you marketing emails, we will stop storing your emails for marketing purposes (although we will keep a record of your preference not to be emailed).
We continually review what information we hold and delete what is no longer required. We never store payment card information.
10. DATA PROTECTION RIGHTS
We want to ensure you remain in control of your personal data. Part of this is making sure you understand your legal rights, which are as follows:
- the right to confirmation as to whether or not we have your personal data and, if we do, to obtain a copy of the personal information we hold (this is known as a subject access request);
- the right to have your data erased (though this will not apply where it is necessary for us to continue to use the data for a lawful reason);
- the right to have inaccurate data rectified;
- the right to object to your data being used for marketing or profiling; and
- where technically feasible, you have the right to see the personal data you have provided to us that we process automatically based on your consent or the performance of a contract.
Please keep in mind that there are exceptions to the rights above and, although we will always try to respond to your satisfaction however, there may be situations where we are unable to do so.
If you would like further information on your rights or wish to exercise them, please contact us via the information provided in section #1.
Complaints
Please do not hesitate to contact us with any complaint that you have. We are always happy to directly address any and all concerns that you have. If you do have a complaint, please contact us via the information provided in section #1 and will respond within 72 hours.
11. LINKS TO OTHER SITES
Links to other sites
Our website contains hyperlinks to many other websites. We are not responsible for the content or functionality of any of those external websites (but please let us know if a link is not working by using the ‘Contact us’ link at the bottom of the page).
If an external website requests personal information from you (e.g. in connection with an order for goods or services), the information you provide will not be covered by the MYP’s Privacy Policy. We suggest you read the privacy policy of any website before providing any personal information.
When purchasing goods or services from any of the businesses that our site links to, you will be entering into a contract with them (agreeing to their terms and conditions) and not with MYP.
12. CHANGES TO THIS PRIVACY POLICY
This Privacy Policy may change from time-to-time, for instance to reflect new legal requirements. Please visit this website page to keep up-to-date with any changes.
This Privacy Policy was last updated on January 21, 2022.
