Privacy policy (Research)
Strategic Membership Solutions (SMS) is committed to protecting your privacy and handling your data responsibly. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use and safeguard the information you provide when you take part in our surveys. Please read it carefully so you understand your rights and how we respect your privacy. By taking part in our survey, you consent to the terms outlined here.
Compliance with Laws
Strategic Membership Solutions (SMS) complies with the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs) in the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) ('Privacy Act'). If you are resident in the European Union, United Kingdom or Switzerland, SMS also adheres to applicable data protection regulations under the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). This policy aims to give you a better understanding of how we collect, use, disclose, and protect your personal information.
1. Information We Collect
1.1 Personal Information: We may collect limited personal information, such as your name, email address, or demographic details, only if explicitly requested within the survey and voluntarily provided by you.
1.2 Survey Responses: Your responses to survey questions, which may include opinions, preferences, and other feedback, are collected anonymously wherever possible.
1.3 Technical Data: We may gather data about the device and browser you use to access the survey, such as IP address, browser type and operating system. This information is used to maintain security, improve the survey experience, and check the integrity of survey data - for example, identifying duplicate or automated responses. It is not used to identify you personally in our reporting, and is not shared with our clients.
1.4 Sensitive Information: Sensitive information, such as health data or information about your political opinions, is only collected when necessary for our research purposes and only with your explicit consent.
2. Use of Information
2.1 Purpose of Collection: SMS uses the collected information solely for research purposes, to understand trends, preferences, and insights that help us advise our clients on matters of association strategy and membership development.
2.2 Personal Data: Personal data, if collected, is used only to send you the findings of the survey you took part in, or to contact you about that survey - for example, to clarify a response you have given. We will not contact you about other research, services or communications unless you have specifically opted in to that during the survey.
2.3 Lawful Basis (EU, UK and Switzerland): Where the General Data Protection Regulation applies, we rely on the following legal bases:
- Legitimate interests - to conduct survey research and report findings in aggregate, and to check the integrity of survey data, including identifying duplicate or automated responses. We have assessed that this processing does not override your rights and freedoms.
- Consent - where you voluntarily provide your contact details at the end of the survey. Each purpose is a separate choice: receiving the findings from that survey, and being contacted about future research. Opting in to one does not opt you in to the other. You may withdraw either consent at any time.
- Explicit consent - where sensitive information is collected, as described in clause 1.4.
- Legal obligation - where we are required to retain or disclose information by law.
3. Data Sharing and Disclosure
3.1 With Our Clients: Unless otherwise stated within the survey introduction, we will only share aggregated, anonymised survey results with our clients. Individual responses will not be identified, so we encourage you to provide honest and objective feedback. Unless otherwise stated, free text comments are aggregated into themes to protect anonymity. Where we state specifically that we supply comments, these will be supplied unedited. In those instances, if you identify yourself by name, writing style, or otherwise, you will not remain anonymous; however, your responses to quantitative questions will not be able to be identified.
3.2 Service Providers: We may engage third-party service providers to assist with survey data processing, subject to strict confidentiality agreements.
3.3 Legal Requirements: SMS may disclose information if required by law or to comply with a legal process, protect SMS’s rights and property, or ensure the safety of SMS, our clients, or others.
3.4 Data Use: We use your personal information only for the survey you have taken part in. We will not add you to a mailing list, contact you about future research, or use your details for marketing unless you have expressly opted in to that at the end of the survey. From time to time, our clients may include the opportunity for you to opt in to additional communications from them. Where you have expressly requested this, only your contact details will be shared.
4. Data Security and Retention
4.1 Data Protection: SMS takes appropriate measures to protect the security of your information. We maintain secure systems and restrict access to data to authorised personnel only.
4.2 Data Retention: Unless a longer period is required for a specific project, survey response data is retained for 24 months from the close of the survey. Contact details provided to receive the findings are deleted once the findings have been distributed and the project is closed. Contact details provided for future research are retained until you ask us to remove them. All personal information is securely deleted when no longer needed for the purposes outlined in this policy.
4.3 Data Breach Notification: In the event of a data breach involving your personal information, SMS will take all reasonable steps to comply with applicable notification requirements, including notifying affected individuals and relevant authorities.
5. International Data Transfers
5.1 Data Transfers: Survey responses are collected through SurveyMonkey and stored on secure servers in the United States. SurveyMonkey self-certifies under the EU-US Data Privacy Framework, the UK Extension, and the Swiss-US Data Privacy Framework Principles. Data is analysed and stored in Australia by SMS. Where the transfer involves personal information from the European Union, United Kingdom or Switzerland, we rely on the Data Privacy Framework certifications above, and on your consent, given when you choose to take part in the survey and, where applicable, when you provide your contact details.
5.2 Third Party Transfers: We take steps to ensure that any third parties receiving personal information provide adequate protection in line with applicable regulations, including GDPR where relevant.
6. Your Rights
6.1 Access: You have the right to access any personal information we hold about you and request a copy of it.
6.2 Correction: You may request the correction of inaccurate or incomplete data.
6.3 Deletion: You may request that your personal information be deleted, subject to any legal retention obligations.
6.4 Withdrawal of Consent: Where we rely on your consent, you may withdraw it at any time. Withdrawing consent does not affect the lawfulness of processing carried out before the withdrawal, and does not remove responses already included in aggregated results.
6.5 Objection: You may object to processing carried out on the basis of legitimate interests. We will stop processing unless we can demonstrate compelling legitimate grounds that override your interests, or the processing is needed to establish, exercise or defend legal claims.
6.6 Restriction: You may ask us to restrict processing of your personal information in certain circumstances, for example while we check the accuracy of data you have told us is incorrect.
6.7 Data Portability: Where processing is based on consent and carried out by automated means, you may request a copy of the personal information you provided in a structured, commonly used, machine-readable format.
6.8 Making a Request: If you wish to exercise any of these rights, please contact us using the details in section 8. We will respond within 30 days, unless circumstances require a longer timeframe, in which case we will inform you.
7. Changes to this Privacy Policy
7.1 Updates: SMS may update this Privacy Policy periodically. We will notify you of significant changes by updating the “Last Updated” at the bottom of this policy.
8. Contact Us
8.1 Complaints Handling: If you have a complaint about how we have handled your personal information, please contact us. We will make every effort to resolve your complaint promptly and fairly. If you are not satisfied with our response, you may contact the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner for further assistance. If you are located in the European Union, United Kingdom or Switzerland, you may also lodge a complaint with your local data protection supervisory authority.
8.2 Questions? If you have questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy, please contact us at:
Strategic Membership Solutions
Email: [email protected]
Phone: +61 (0) 413 190 197
Last updated: 21 August 2026