We, KWS SAAT SE & Co. KGaA (hereafter also referred to as “KWS”, “we” or “us”) appreciate your interest in our company and thank you for visiting our website. KWS takes the protection of your personal data very seriously. We handle your personal data confidentially and in accordance with legal regulations on data protection and with the Privacy Policy on this website. In the following, you will find information concerning which data we store and when, as well as how, we use this data.
1. Data processing controller
The controller of the data processing according to Art. 4 No. 7 GDPR is KWS SAAT SE & Co. KGaA, Grimsehlstrasse 31, 37574 Einbeck, Germany.
2. Contact details
KWS SAAT SE & Co. KGaA
Grimsehlstrasse 31
37574 Einbeck, Germany
Telephone: +49 (0)5561 311-1412
Fax: +49 (0)5561 311-500
Email: dataprotection@kws.com
3. Purposes and legal basis of processing
a) Informative visit of our website
In cases of purely informational use of the website, in other words if you do not register or otherwise submit information to us, we only collect the personal data that your browser sends to our server. If you wish to look at our website, we process the following data, which are technically necessary for us to show you our website and ensure its stability and security:
- IP address
- Date and time of the request
- Time zone difference from Greenwich Mean Time (GMT)
- Content of the request (specific site)
- Access status/HTTP status code
- Amount of data transferred each time
- Website from which the request comes
- Browser
- Operating system and its interface
- Language and version of the browser software
These pieces of information are analyzed exclusively for statistical purposes.
Legal basis of processing is Art. 6 (1) f) GDPR. Legitimate interests pursued by us are the provision of our online service and ensuring data security.
b) Tracking
This website uses various technologies to collect and save data for purposes of marketing and optimization. These data can be used to create user profiles under a pseudonym.
This website uses Google Analytics, a web analysis service from Google LLC (“Google”). The information produced by the cookie when you use this website is, as a rule, transmitted to a Google server in the US and saved there. As part of the IP anonymization, your IP address will first be truncated by Google within an EU Member State or another country that is party to the Agreement on the European Economic Area. Only in exceptional cases is the full IP address transmitted to a Google server in the US and truncated there. On behalf of the operator of this website, Google will use this information to evaluate your use of the website, to put together reports about website activities, and to provide further services connected to use of the website and the Internet to the website operator. The IP address transmitted by your browser in the context of using Google Analytics will not be combined with other data maintained by Google.
You can find more information on usage terms and conditions and data protection at: https://policies.google.com/?hl=en&gl=fr. Please note that on this website Google Analytics was expanded by the code “anonymizeIp,” in order to guarantee an anonymized collection of IP addresses (“IP masking”).
Legal basis of processing is Art. 6 (1) a) GDPR.
To revoke your consent to the processing of your data within the framework of Google Analytics, please click on the blue hexagon in the lower left corner of the browser to adjust the settings in the cookie banner.
c) Newsletter
You will only be sent an e-mail newsletter if you have explicitly ordered the newsletter in question on our website. If you no longer wish to receive an e-mail newsletter, you can unsubscribe using the link that appears at the end of every newsletter. Legal basis of processing is Art. 6 (1) a) GDPR.
d) Recommendations on Facebook, G+, Twitter, e-mail, and WhatsApp
You can easily share the information on the KWS website on Facebook, G+, Twitter, e-mail, and WhatsApp using the relevant plugins. These “social bookmark plugins” are Internet bookmarks with which users of this kind of service can collect links and news items. On the KWS website, these are only connected as a link to the services in question. Only after clicking on the associated graphic you will be transferred to the website of the respective provider, i.e. only then your user information will be transferred to the respective provider. Information about handling of your personal data by these websites can be found in the providers’ data protection statements.
4. Cookies
We use cookies on our websites. Cookies are small text files that can be placed on your hard drive when you visit a website. These text files are created and sent to you by the web server with which you have made a connection through your web browser (e.g. Internet Explorer, Firefox, Google Chrome). Cookies cannot run any programs or infect your computer with viruses. Their purpose is to make your whole Internet service more user-friendly and effective. Our websites use the following kinds of cookies. Their scope and how they work is explained as follows:
- Transient cookies (a)
- Persistent cookies (b)
a) Transient cookies are automatically deleted when you close the browser. These include session cookies in particular. They save a “session ID “with which various requests by your browser can be allocated to the whole session. This means your computer can be recognized again when you return to our website. The session cookies are deleted when you log out or close your browser.
b) Persistent cookies are automatically deleted after a predetermined period, which can vary depending on the cookie. You can delete the cookies in the security settings of your browser at any time.
c) You can configure your browser settings according to your preferences and, for example, opt out of third-party cookies or all cookies. However, please note that you might not be able to use all functions of this website.
d) The flash cookies we use are not captured by your browser, but rather by your flash plugin. We also use HTML5 storage objects that are placed on your terminal. These objects save the necessary data independently of the browser you use and have no automatic expiration date. If you do not wish to have flash cookies processed, you must install an add-on for that purpose, e.g. “Ghostery” for Mozilla Firefox (https://addons.mozilla.org/de/firefox/addon/ghostery/) or the Adobe-Flash-Killer-Cookie for Google Chrome. You can prevent the use of HTML5 storage objects by putting your browser in private mode.
5. Recipients of personal data
For the operation of our website and for the provision of personalized services, KWS also employs subsidiaries from the KWS group or external service providers who support us in processing orders, operating the website, providing personalized services and providing information to customers. These companies may only use your personal data in fulfilling their tasks on our behalf and are obligated to comply with the relevant data protection regulations.
Transmission of personal data to state institutions and authorities takes place only in accordance with binding national legal provisions or if legal or criminal proceedings require them to be passed on. They will not be passed on for any other purposes.
6. Transmission to third countries
Personal data that we process in the context of the procedures described above are also transmitted by us to recipients within the meaning of Art. 4 No. 9 GDPR, who process your personal data outside the territory of the European Union. In that regard, a transmission to and subsequent processing of your personal data takes place also in third countries, for which there is no adequacy decision of the European Commission. We have therefore ensured the appropriate protection of your personal data with the relevant recipients through "suitable guarantees" (Article 46 GDPR), by concluding standard contractual clauses, as far as no derogation applies. You can request a copy of these warranties from us (contact details under No. 1/2).
7. Retention period
In general, we will only store your data for as long as is necessary to perform a service that you have requested or to which you have consented. If there are statutory retention periods, your data will be stored in accordance with these legal specifications.
8. Your rights as a data subject
You have the following rights in relation to us regarding your personal data as far as the respective legal requirements are met:
- Right of access,
- Right to rectification,
- Right to deletion,
- Right to restriction of data processing,
- Right to data portability.
Right to object
Individual right to object
You have the right to object, on grounds relating to your particular situation, at any time to processing of personal data concerning you which is based on Art. 6 (1) f) GDPR, including profiling based on those provisions. We will then no longer process the personal data for those purposes unless we can demonstrate compelling legitimate grounds for the processing which override your interests, rights and freedoms or the processing serves the establishment, exercise or defence of legal claims.
Right to object to processing for direct marketing purposes
In some cases we process your data for direct marketing. You have the right to object to the processing of your personal data for those purposes at any time. This applies to profiling as far as it is associated with such direct marketing. If you object to the processing for direct marketing purposes, your personal data will not be processed for those purposes any longer.
- Withdrawal of consent: If you gave your consent to the processing of your personal data you can withdraw your consent at any time with future effect. The lawfulness of the processing of your personal data until your withdrawal will not be affected.
If you wish to exercise these rights, please contact us under the contact details mentioned above.
You also have the right to lodge a complaint with a data protection supervisory authority, particularly one in the member state of your habitual residence, work place or the place of the suspected violation, if in your opinion the processing of your personal data is unlawful.
9. External Links
Our online service occasionally contains links that lead to the websites of third parties. If this is not easily recognizable, we indicate that it is an external link. KWS has no influence on the content or form of the websites of external providers. This Privacy Policy therefore has no relevance there.
10. Amendments to this Privacy Policy
We reserve the right to change or revise this Privacy Policy from time to time. In this regard, please note the current version of our Privacy Policy.
Einbeck, April 2021
