Privacy Policy

1. Information We Collect

1.1 Personal Information

We may collect personal information that you voluntarily provide to us when you:

• Submit an application for accreditation
• Register for an account on our website
• Contact us through our secretariat form
• Subscribe to our newsletters or publications
• Participate in surveys or assessments

This information may include:

• Name and job title
• Organization name and address
• Email address and telephone number
• Professional qualifications and credentials
• Payment and billing information

1.2 Automatically Collected Information

When you visit our website, we automatically collect certain information, including:

• IP address and browser type
• Device information and operating system
• Pages visited and time spent on each page
• Referring website addresses
• Geographic location (country/city level)

2. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect to:

• Process and manage accreditation applications
• Provide and maintain our services
• Communicate with you about your account or our services
• Send administrative information, updates, and security alerts
• Respond to your inquiries and provide customer support
• Analyze usage patterns to improve our website and services
• Comply with legal obligations and regulatory requirements
• Prevent fraud and ensure the security of our systems

3. Information Sharing and Disclosure

We may share your information in the following circumstances:

3.1 Public Directory

Information about accredited Certification Bodies, including organization name, contact details, accreditation scope, and status, is published in our public directory as part of our accreditation services. This is a fundamental requirement of the accreditation process.

3.2 Service Providers

We may share information with third-party service providers who perform services on our behalf, such as web hosting, payment processing, and data analysis. These providers are contractually obligated to protect your information.

3.3 Legal Requirements

We may disclose your information if required by law, court order, or governmental authority, or if we believe disclosure is necessary to protect our rights, property, or safety.

4. Data Security

We implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect your personal information against unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. These measures include:

• Encryption of data in transit using SSL/TLS
• Secure data storage with access controls
• Regular security assessments and audits
• Employee training on data protection
• Incident response procedures

5. Data Retention

We retain your personal information for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes for which it was collected, including to satisfy legal, accounting, or reporting requirements. Accreditation records are retained for a minimum of 10 years following the end of the accreditation relationship.

6. Your Rights

Depending on your location, you may have the following rights:

• Access: Request a copy of the personal information we hold about you
• Rectification: Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete information
• Erasure: Request deletion of your personal information (subject to legal requirements)
• Restriction: Request limitation of processing of your information
• Portability: Request transfer of your information to another organization
• Objection: Object to processing of your information for certain purposes

To exercise these rights, please contact us at privacy@eqsab.org.

7. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

We use cookies and similar tracking technologies to enhance your experience on our website. For detailed information about our use of cookies, please see our Cookie Policy.

8. International Data Transfers

Your information may be transferred to and processed in countries other than your country of residence. These countries may have different data protection laws. We ensure appropriate safeguards are in place to protect your information in accordance with this Privacy Policy.

9. Children's Privacy

Our services are not directed to individuals under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe we have collected information from a child, please contact us immediately.

10. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of any changes by posting the new Privacy Policy on this page and updating the "Last updated" date. We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically.

11. Contact Us

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us: