Data Protection Policy

The Genetics Society Privacy Policy

Who we are
The Genetics Society is a Registered Charity no. 261062. We are registered with the Information Commissioner’s Office (no. Z6668192) in the UK under the Data Protection Act 1998.

The Royal Society of Biology (RSB) provides the membership and fulfilment services to the Genetics Society.

What we collect
The types of personal information we collect may include your title, first name, surname, gender, home and work contact details (telephone, fax, street address, email address, credit card details or bank details) and your mailing address. We may also collect information relating to your employment, including areas of interest/expertise. In applications we ask you to identify a referee and to provide contact information for them. When purchasing a product, your credit card details are also collected, and are temporarily stored until we have processed your order.

How we handle your personal information
The Genetics Society respects the privacy of its members and website users, and aims to act consistently with the Data Protection Act, and the 8 principles of data protection.

Generally, the Genetics Society collects personal information directly from you or via RSB. For example, we collect personal information when you:

  • Deal with RSB in person, by telephone, letter, fax or email
  • Submit any information in connection with your application for membership or the purchase of products and services
  • Register for a journal subscription
  • Make an enquiry via a web form
  • Apply for a bursary or grant
  • Register to attend an event

Why we collect information

We collect personal data to administer our activities, products, services or grants and bursaries.

Maintaining the accuracy of data
Members can correct or update personal data by using the online membership portal or by contacting the Genetics Society by email theteam@genetics.org.uk

Payment and bank details
Any information provided by you in connection with a Direct Debit payment or transaction regarding your credit or debit card numbers, expiry date and billing or delivery address will be used by us to process the transaction.

Credit card details are not stored on our servers, but are securely stored on the payment gateways – WorldPay – employed by the Genetics Society.

Bank details are collected during online grant and bursary applications, to ensure rapid payment is made to successful applicants. This information will be held for as long as necessary to fulfil the stated purpose, and then permanently deleted.

Use and disclosure
The Genetics Society’s policy is not to disclose any personal information that we hold on you to any unrelated third party, except where you have given your express consent for us to do so or where required by law.

Arrangements are occasionally made with suppliers of goods and services (such as other scientific societies for their mailings to be sent to members). All material is carefully vetted and the mailing list is never released to third parties. The Genetics Society may use your email address for the purpose of notifying you about products, services, events or activities of relevance to you. If you tell us that you do not wish us to use your personal information for a particular purpose, we will not do so.

Email addresses of people who place electronic orders with RSB on behalf of the Genetics Society are used for reply purposes only unless specifically stated otherwise. We also collect email addresses from people who subscribe to our email lists. If you do not want to receive email from us in the future please let us know by sending an email to theteam@genetics.org.uk

Personal information collected on this website will be used only for the purpose stated (such as the processing of grant applications) and such information will be held for as long as necessary to fulfil the stated purpose. Personal data collected during the process of membership application will be kept indefinitely, in a secure database, for the purpose of lapsed membership campaigns.

The Genetics Society (or its committee members/representatives) may, from time to time, email you with additional information considered to be relevant to your professional/scientific interests, but only to those who have given their agreement to receiving such communications.

Security
Information that you supply to the Genetics Society is held securely and strict security procedures are followed to prevent unauthorized access or use.

Information to improve our site
We also collect information automatically about your visit to our site. This information is used to help us follow browsing preferences on our site so that we can regularly improve our website and enable more advanced features of our website.

Cookies on our site
A cookie is a text-only string of information that a website transfers to the cookie folder of the browser on your computer’s hard disk so that the website can remember who you are. The law relating to cookies changed on 26 May 2011. The new rules require that cookies can only be placed on machines where the user has given their consent.

Where relevant, this website uses cookies to store login session information during your login session. If you choose to remember your login, then the cookie will be retained on your computer after you log out. By logging in to the system you are – by necessity – accepting these cookies.

The Genetics Society website uses cookies for essential functions such as login and account management. We also use Google analytics to monitor website usage and to make relevant improvements. If you do not want to be tracked by Google analytics then please follow Google’s opt-out instructions. More information about cookies and how to opt out of using them is available at www.allaboutcookies.org

Please note that you will not be able to login to mySociety without using cookies.

Access to personal information
You can seek access to the personal information we hold about you, by contacting us. You should include your name, address and telephone number. The Genetics Society may charge a fee of £10 for responding to an access request. If the information we hold about you is inaccurate, incomplete or outdated, please inform us so that we can correct it.

How to contact us:

The Genetics Society
1 Naoroji Street
London
WC1X 0GB

Tel: +44 (0)20 3925 3672

theteam@genetics.org.uk