Introduction
For. Interchange Co., Ltd. needs to gather and use certain information about individuals.
These can include customers, suppliers, business contacts, employees and other people the organization has a relationship with or may need to contact.
This policy describes how this personal data must be collected, handled and stored to meet the company’s data protection standards — and to comply with the law.
Why this policy exists
This data protection policy ensures For. Interchange Co., Ltd.:
Data protection law
The Data Protection Act 1998 describes how organizations — including For. Interchange Co., Ltd.— must collect, handle, and store personal information.
These rules apply regardless of whether data is stored electronically, on paper, or on other materials.
To comply with the law, personal information must be collected and used fairly, stored safely, and not disclosed unlawfully.
The Data Protection Act is underpinned by eight important principles. These say that personal data must:
Policy scope
This policy applies to:
It applies to all data that the company holds relating to identifiable individuals, even if that information technically falls outside of the Data Protection Act 1998. This can include:
Data protection risks
This policy helps to protect For. Interchange Co., Ltd. from some very real data security risks, including:
Responsibilities
Everyone who works for or with For. Interchange Co., Ltd. has some responsibility for ensuring data is collected, stored, and handled appropriately.
Each team that handles personal data must ensure that it is handled and processed in line with this policy and data protection principles.
Data Storage
These rules describe how and where data should be safely stored. When data is stored on paper, it should be kept in a secure place where unauthorized people cannot see it.
These guidelines also apply to data that is usually stored electronically but has been printed out for some reason:
When data is stored electronically, it must be protected from unauthorized access, accidental deletion, and malicious hacking attempts:
Data Use
Personal data is of no value to For. Interchange Co., Ltd. unless the business can make use of it. However, it is when personal data is accessed and used that it can be at the greatest risk of loss, corruption, or theft:
Data Accuracy
The law requires For. Interchange Co., Ltd. to take reasonable steps to ensure data is kept accurate and up to date.
The more important it is that the personal data is accurate, the greater the effort For. Interchange Co., Ltd. should put into ensuring its accuracy.
It is the responsibility of all employees who work with data to take reasonable steps to ensure it is kept as accurate and up to date as possible.
Subject Access Requests
All individuals who are the subject of personal data held by For. Interchange Co., Ltd. are entitled to:
If an individual contacts the company requesting this information, this is called a subject access request.
Subject access requests from individuals should be made by email, addressed to the data controller at [email protected]. The data controller can supply a standard request form, although individuals do not have to use this. The data controller will aim to provide the relevant data within 30 days.
The data controller will always verify the identity of anyone making a subject access request before handing over any information.
Disclosing Data for Other Reasons
In certain circumstances, the Data Protection Act allows personal data to be disclosed to law enforcement agencies without the consent of the data subject.
Under these circumstances, For. Interchange Co., Ltd. will disclose requested data. However, the data controller will ensure the request is legitimate, seeking assistance from the board and from the company’s legal advisers where necessary.
Providing Information
For. Interchange Co., Ltd. aims to ensure that individuals are aware that their data is being processed, and that they understand:
To these ends, the company has a privacy statement, setting out how data relating to individuals is used by the company.