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Data privacy policy

Contact information

The Swiss Clinical Trial Organisation (SCTO) is an independent organisation established under the initiative of the Swiss National Science Foundation and the Swiss Academy of Medical Sciences. The SCTO is organised as an association within the meaning of Art. 60 et seq. of the Swiss Civil Code and has its registered office in Bern.

Effingerstrasse 35
3008 Bern
+41 031 307 10 40
info@scto.ch

Representative in the European Union

European Clinical Research Infrastructure Network (ECRIN)
5–7 rue Watt
75013 Paris, France
legal@ecrin.org

Data Processing (Data and Purpose)

Websites

When you access our websites (scto.ch, sctoplatforms.ch, and annualreport.scto.ch), information of a general nature is automatically collected. This information is recorded in the server log file and includes the type of web browser, the operating system used, the domain name of your internet service provider, your IP address, and the like. This information is collected for the following purposes:

  • to ensure a trouble-free connection to the website;
  • to ensure the smooth use of our website;
  • to evaluate system security and stability; and
  • to serve other administrative purposes.

These purposes underpin our legitimate interest in data processing and provide, where necessary, the legal basis for its execution.

When accessing specific pages, a so-called cookie is set. This is a small text file that is automatically deleted from your computer at the end of the browser session. This file is used solely to enable the use of certain applications. With most web browsers, you may change the settings so that your browser does not accept new cookies or you may have all cookies deleted. If your browser blocks all cookies, there is no guarantee that you can fully access all of the functions on this website.

Use of Google Analytics

Our website uses the web analysis service Google Analytics. Google Ireland Ltd (registered office in Ireland) is the provider for Google Analytics and the processor. In fulfilling these obligations, Google Ireland relies upon Google LLC (registered office in the United States) as its processor (both referred to as Google). The processing of personal data is subject to a data processing agreement with Google Ireland Limited. If, in the context of the services listed below, personal data are processed in so-called third countries (in particular in the United States by Google), the EU’s standard contractual clauses apply.

The following types of data, for example, may be collected: information related to the operating system and browser, your IP address, the website you accessed prior to ours (referrer URL), and the time and date of your visit to our website. The information generated by this text file about the use of our website is transmitted to and stored on a Google server in the United States. We have activated the IP anonymisation function for this website; as a result, Google will truncate your IP address within the European Union’s member states or within Switzerland before transmitting it to Google in the United States. Only in exceptional cases is the full IP address transmitted to and truncated on a Google server in the United States. We have entered into a data processing agreement with Google LLC that is based on the EU’s standard contractual clauses.

You may prevent cookies from being stored by adjusting the corresponding setting for your browser. Moreover, you may prevent data that are collected by a cookie and related to your use of the website (including your IP address) from being transmitted to and processed by Google by downloading and installing the browser add-on available via this link.

The above-mentioned data processing is undertaken based on the consent you provided upon accessing our website.

Use of YouTube plug-ins

This website uses YouTube plug-ins. Our service provider is Google Ireland Limited in Dublin, Ireland. The video portal is operated by YouTube LLC in the United States. We have entered into a data processing agreement with our service provider. If personal data are processed in so-called third countries (i.e. in countries outside of Switzerland or the EU, for example in the United States), the EU’s standard contractual clauses apply. When you visit one of our web pages that is equipped with a YouTube plug-in, a connection is established to YouTube’s servers. As a result, YouTube is informed about which of our web pages you have visited.

If you are logged in to your YouTube account, you enable YouTube to link your browsing activities directly with your personal profile. You may prevent this by logging out of your YouTube account.

The above-mentioned data processing is undertaken based on the consent you provided upon accessing our website. 

Contact form and e-mail

Please note that security flaws can occur when transferring data over the internet (e.g. when communicating via e-mail). Absolute protection against third-party access is not possible. For security reasons, our websites use SSL encryption for requests made via the contact form. It is possible to identify an encrypted connection by looking at your browser’s address bar: “http://” becomes “https://” and a lock symbol appears. When SSL encryption is activated, third parties are unable to read data you send us.

When you make a request via the contact form or an e-mail, we save your contact data and information in order to process your request. The legal basis for this lies in the initiation or the execution of a contract. Provided that no contractual relationship exists or is entered into, we delete the data as a rule within one year – unless you have consented to having it stored for a longer period of time.

Form for downloading our tools

When you download a tool from our website, you have the option of providing your e-mail address. We will use this e-mail address to ask you to complete a short survey. In addition, we will use your e-mail address to inform you about new tools available on our website. We do this until you withdraw your consent (preferably via e-mail).

Newsletter

To send our newsletter, we use Mailchimp from The Rocket Science Group LLC, 675 Ponce de Leon Ave NE Suite 5000, Atlanta, GA 30308, USA (dba Mailchimp). This enables us to directly contact subscribers and analyse their behaviour in order to improve our services. Mailchimp receives your personal data and processes data on our behalf to the extent necessary to send our newsletter. For this purpose, we have entered into an agreement with Mailchimp that is based on the EU’s standard contractual clauses (SCCs). You can find more information at https://mailchimp.com/legal/data-processing-addendum/. 

We transmit your e-mail address and – if you have chosen to provide them – your first and last names to Mailchimp. In addition, Mailchimp uses cookies and other tracking methods to collect the following personal data: information about your device (IP address, device information, operating system, browser ID, information about the application you use to read your e-mails) and additional information about your hardware and internet connection. Moreover, usage data is collected, for example the time and date, when you opened an email/a campaign and browser activities (e.g. which e-mails/websites were opened). Mailchimp requires this data in order to ensure the systems’ security and reliability, to comply with the terms of use, and to avoid misuse. This lies within Mailchimp’s legitimate interests and serves to fulfil the contract. In addition, Mailchimp analyses performance data, such as delivery statistics for e-mails and other communication data. This information is used to produce statistics on the services’ use and performance.

The above-mentioned data processing is undertaken based on your consent. You may withdraw your consent at any time. Every e-mail with our newsletter contains an unsubscribe link. In addition, it is possible to withdraw consent via the contact options provided. Your data is processed only as long as consent remains in place. Irrespective of this, your data is deleted when our contract with Mailchimp is terminated unless legal requirements stipulate that your data remains saved. 

Partners in our network

If you are a part of our network (e.g. a member of an SCTO board, an SCTO platform, an SCTO working group, SwissPedNet, or ECRIN), we collect your name, job title, employer, address, e-mail address, and, in some cases, telephone number.

These data are required to cultivate our network and ensure effective collaboration (i.e. to send our newsletter, event invitations, and other communications). For these purposes, your data is transmitted to the following service providers:

  • Rocket Science Group, LLC (Mailchimp, to send our newsletter)
  • Eventtia (to send invitations to events)
  • bexio Ltd (for customer relationship management).

We process your data as long as you wish to remain part of our network or as long as you are a member. If you enter into a contractual or membership relationship with us, we store your data for ten years after that relationship concludes. The legal basis for this lies in our legitimate interest to cultivate our network. If a contractual or membership relationship exists, the legal basis for data processing is the execution of the contract or the fulfilment of a legal obligation (e.g. list of members and statutory bodies).

Participants at our events

When you complete a registration form for our events, we collect the information provided therein, in particular:

  • your name, contact information, and professional details
  • dietary restrictions.

We compile a list of participants for each event, which includes participants’ names, details of their organisation, and their current position. The list of participants is available to those attending the same event. In addition, prior to the event we set out name tags for participants. Your data is saved for the purpose of sending you invitations to future events.

For managing the registration process and generating invoices, certificates, and participant lists, we use the Eventtia platform from the French joint-stock company Eventtia, which is registered in Paris, France. You can find more information about data processing at https://www.eventtia.com/en/privacy-policy.

When required for the purpose of facilitating event management, information may also be transmitted to other third parties such as (non-exhaustive list):

  • catering providers
  • hotels
  • transport companies (e.g. airlines and railway companies).

Data processing is undertaken for the purpose of fulfilling our contract with you, where applicable, or based on our legitimate interest to know who attends our events.

Suppliers and business partners

If you are one of our vendors or business partners, we collect your name, your company's name, your postal address, and the account details you provide for payments. 

If you contact us via means other than our website, we collect your first and last names, your company’s name, and your company’s postal address. For invoicing purposes, we collect the bank data you provide.

This data processing is undertaken for the purpose of executing our contract with you and is carried out by our processor bexio Ltd.

Cloud service provider

We use the following cloud service providers to save and process your personal data for the above-mentioned purposes:

  • Microsoft 365 (including Exchange, SharePoint, Teams, and OneDrive): These services are provided by Microsoft Ireland Operations Limited at One Microsoft Place, South County Business Park, Leopardstown, Dublin 18, Ireland; the software comes from Microsoft Corporation in the United States. Data from Microsoft Exchange, SharePoint, Teams, and OneDrive is stored solely on servers located in Europe. If, in exceptional cases, data are processed in countries without an adequate level of data protection, the EU’s standard contractual clauses apply. You can find more information at https://privacy.microsoft.com/en-gb/privacystatement.
  • bexio Ltd: registered addressAlte Jonastrasse 24, 8640 Rapperswil, Switzerland. In addition to the information given above, you can find further information about data privacy in bexio’s privacy policy:  https://www.bexio.com/en-CH/policies/privacy-policy.

Data storage

As a rule, we save data and our files for ten years after the corresponding activity or relationship ends unless we previously indicated a different time period. 

Your rights to your data

You have the right to request information about the personal data we have processed about you. If we process your personal data on the basis of your consent, you have the right to revoke this consent at any time with future effect. Furthermore, you may – to the extent legally permissible – demand the correction, deletion, or restriction of the processing of your personal data. Finally, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the competent data protection authority.