Privacy policy (Research)
Strategic Membership Solutions (SMS) is committed to protecting your privacy and ensuring your data is handled responsibly. This Privacy Policy provides you with a clear understanding of how your information is collected, used, and protected when you participate in our surveys. Please read through it carefully to know your rights and how we respect your privacy.
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, 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.
Last Updated: 1 November 2024
Strategic Membership Solutions (SMS) is committed to respecting and protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, and safeguard the information you provide when participating in our surveys. By taking part in our survey, you consent to the terms outlined here.
1. Information We Collect
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.
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 collected to enhance security and improve survey experience but is not used to identify individual respondents.
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 contact you in connection with the survey or to gather follow-up insights, as relevant and permitted by you.
3. Data Sharing and Disclosure
3.4 Data Use: We will not use your personal information for anything other than this project. From time to time, our clients may include the opportunity for you to opt-in to additional communications. Where you have expressly requested this opt in via the survey, only your contact details will be shared.
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. However, any free text comments you provide may be supplied unedited. 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.
4. Data Security and Retention
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.
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: Data retention policies vary based on the project and client requirements. All personal information will be securely deleted when it is no longer needed for the purposes outlined in this policy.
5. International Data Transfers
5.1 Data Transfers: As a global research provider, we may transfer and store survey data across international borders in compliance with applicable data protection laws. By participating in our survey, you acknowledge and agree to these international data transfers.
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.
5.1 International Borders: As a global research provider, we may transfer and store survey data across international borders in compliance with applicable data protection laws. By participating in our survey, you acknowledge and agree to these international data transfers.
6. Your Rights
6.4 Access and Correction Requests: If you wish to access or correct the personal information we hold, please contact us using the details in section 8. We will respond to requests within 30 days, unless circumstances require a longer timeframe, in which case we will inform you.
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.
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 “Effective Date” at the top of this policy.
8. Contact Us
8.2 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.
8.1 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