Datenschutzerklärung

Privacy Policy

1. Information on the collection of personal data and contact details of the controller

1.1 We are pleased that you are visiting our website and thank you for your interest. Below we inform you about the handling of your personal data when using our website. Personal data includes all data with which you can be personally identified.

1.2 Since we offer our services to companies throughout Europe, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) applies here. The controller responsible for data processing on this website within the meaning of the GDPR is Bellevue SME Advisors GmbH, c/o huser treuhand und partner GmbH, Kantonsstrasse 25, 8807 Freienbach, Switzerland, Tel.: +41 44 500 2787, E-Mail: paul@bellevue-advisors.ch

The person or entity responsible for processing personal data is the one that alone or jointly with others determines the purposes and means of the processing of personal data.

1.3 This website uses SSL or TLS encryption for security reasons and to protect the transmission of personal data and other confidential content (e.g. orders or inquiries to the controller). You can recognize an encrypted connection by the character string “https://” and the lock symbol in your browser’s address bar.

2. Datenerfassung beim Besuch unserer Website

Bei der bloß informatorischen Nutzung unserer Website, also wenn Sie sich nicht registrieren oder uns anderweitig Informationen übermitteln, erheben wir nur solche Daten, die Ihr Browser an unseren Server übermittelt (sog. „Server-Logfiles“). Wenn Sie unsere Website aufrufen, erheben wir die folgenden Daten, die für uns technisch erforderlich sind, um Ihnen die Website anzuzeigen:

Unsere besuchte Website
Datum und Uhrzeit zum Zeitpunkt des Zugriffes
Menge der gesendeten Daten in Byte
Quelle/Verweis, von welchem Sie auf die Seite gelangten
Verwendeter Browser
Verwendetes Betriebssystem
Verwendete IP-Adresse (ggf.: in anonymisierter Form)

Die Verarbeitung erfolgt gemäß Art. 6 Abs. 1 lit. f DSGVO auf Basis unseres berechtigten Interesses an der Verbesserung der Stabilität und Funktionalität unserer Website. Eine Weitergabe oder anderweitige Verwendung der Daten findet nicht statt. Wir behalten uns allerdings vor, die Server-Logfiles nachträglich zu überprüfen, sollten konkrete Anhaltspunkte auf eine rechtswidrige Nutzung hinweisen.

3. Cookies

To make our website attractive and to enable the use of certain functions, we use cookies – small text files stored on your device. Some of these cookies are automatically deleted after closing the browser (“session cookies”), while others remain longer on your device and allow the storage of page settings (“persistent cookies”). You can find the storage duration in your web browser’s cookie settings overview.

If personal data is also processed by individual cookies we use, processing is carried out in accordance with Art. 6 (1) lit. b GDPR either to perform the contract, according to Art. 6 (1) lit. a GDPR if consent has been given, or according to Art. 6 (1) lit. f GDPR to safeguard our legitimate interests in ensuring the best possible functionality of the website as well as a user-friendly and effective design of the website visit.

You can set your browser to inform you about the placement of cookies and decide individually about their acceptance, or exclude acceptance for certain cases or in general.

Please note that if you do not accept cookies, the functionality of our website may be limited.

4. Contact

When contacting us (e.g. via contact form or email), personal data will be processed solely for the purpose of handling and responding to your inquiry and only to the extent necessary. The legal basis for this data processing is our legitimate interest in responding to your request in accordance with Art. 6 (1) lit. f GDPR. If your contact aims at concluding a contract, the additional legal basis for processing is Art. 6 (1) lit. b GDPR. Your data will be deleted once it can be inferred from the circumstances that the matter in question has been conclusively resolved and provided that no statutory retention obligations apply.

5. Data processing when opening a customer account

In accordance with Art. 6 (1) lit. b GDPR, personal data will continue to be collected and processed to the extent necessary if you provide it to us when opening a customer account. Which data is required for opening the account can be found in the input mask of the corresponding form on our website. You can delete your customer account at any time by sending a message to the above address of the controller. After deletion of your customer account, your data will be deleted provided that all contracts concluded via it have been fully processed, there are no legal retention periods to the contrary, and there is no legitimate interest on our part in further storage.

6. Use of customer data for direct advertising

- Newsletter dispatch via Brevo (formerly Sendinblue)

Our email newsletters are sent via the technical service provider Sendinblue GmbH, Köpenicker Str. 126, 10179 Berlin (hereinafter referred to as Brevo), to whom we pass on the data you provided when registering for the newsletter. This transfer takes place in accordance with Art. 6 (1) lit. f GDPR and serves our legitimate interest in using a promotional, secure, and user-friendly newsletter system. The data you enter for the purpose of receiving the newsletter (e.g., email address) is stored on Brevo’s servers in the EU.

Brevo uses this information to send and statistically evaluate the newsletters on our behalf. For evaluation purposes, the emails sent contain so-called web beacons or tracking pixels, one-pixel image files stored on our website. This allows us to determine whether a newsletter message was opened and which links were clicked, if any. Technical information is also recorded (e.g., time of retrieval, IP address, browser type, and operating system). The data is collected exclusively in pseudonymized form and is not linked to your other personal data; direct personal reference is excluded. This data is used solely for the statistical analysis of newsletter campaigns. The results of these analyses can be used to better tailor future newsletters to the interests of recipients. If you wish to object to data analysis for statistical evaluation purposes, you must unsubscribe from the newsletter.

Furthermore, Brevo may use this data in accordance with Art. 6 (1) lit. f GDPR based on its own legitimate interest in the needs-based design and optimization of the service as well as for market research purposes, for example to determine from which countries recipients come. However, Brevo does not use the data of our newsletter recipients to write to them itself or to pass it on to third parties.

We have concluded a data processing agreement with Brevo obliging Brevo to protect our customers’ data and not to disclose it to third parties.

You can view Brevo/Sendinblue GmbH’s privacy policy here:

https://www.brevo.com/de/legal/privacypolicy/

7. Data processing for order handling

7.1 Insofar as necessary for contract processing for payment purposes, the personal data we collect will be passed on to the credit institution commissioned in accordance with Art. 6 (1) lit. b GDPR.

If, on the basis of a corresponding contract, we owe you updates for goods with digital elements or for digital products, we process the contact data you provided when ordering (name, address, email address) to personally inform you, within the legally prescribed period and via an appropriate communication channel (e.g., by post or email), about upcoming updates in accordance with our legal information obligations pursuant to Art. 6 (1) lit. c GDPR. Your contact data will be used strictly for the purpose of notifications about updates owed by us and will be processed by us only to the extent necessary for the respective information.

7.2 To fulfill our contractual obligations to our customers, we work with external partners (for webinars, e.g., Zoom, Teams, etc.). If necessary, we pass on your name and email address to them.

8. Web analytics services

Google (Universal) Analytics

This website uses Google (Universal) Analytics, a web analytics service of Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, 4 Barrow St, Dublin, D04 E5W5, Ireland ("Google"). Google (Universal) Analytics uses so-called "cookies", text files that are stored on your device and enable an analysis of your use of the website. The information generated by the cookie about your use of this website (including the truncated IP address) is usually transmitted to a Google server and stored there; this may also involve transmission to servers of Google LLC in the USA.

This website uses Google (Universal) Analytics exclusively with the extension "_anonymizeIp()", which ensures anonymization of the IP address by truncation and excludes direct personal reference. By means of this extension, your IP address is shortened by Google within member states of the European Union or in other contracting states of the Agreement on the European Economic Area before transmission. Only in exceptional cases is the full IP address transmitted to a Google LLC server in the USA and shortened there. On our behalf, Google will use this information to evaluate your use of the website, to compile reports on website activities, and to provide us with other services related to website and internet usage. The IP address transmitted by your browser within the scope of Google (Universal) Analytics is not merged with other Google data.

Google Analytics also enables, via a special function called “demographic characteristics,” the creation of statistics with statements about the age, gender, and interests of site visitors based on an evaluation of interest-based advertising and third-party information. This allows the definition and differentiation of user groups of the website for the purpose of target group–optimized marketing. However, data sets collected via “demographic characteristics” cannot be assigned to any specific person.

Details on the processing initiated by Google Analytics and Google’s handling of data from websites can be found here: https://policies.google.com/technologies/partner-sites

All of the above processing, in particular the setting of Google Analytics cookies for reading information on the device used, will only be carried out if you have given us your express consent in accordance with Art. 6 (1) lit. a GDPR. Without this consent, Google Analytics will not be used during your visit to the site.

You can revoke your consent at any time with effect for the future. To exercise your revocation, please deactivate this service in the “cookie consent tool” provided on the website. We have concluded a data processing agreement with Google for the use of Google Analytics, obliging Google to protect the data of our site visitors and not to pass it on to third parties.

For the transfer of data from the EU to the USA, Google relies on the so-called standard contractual clauses of the European Commission, which are intended to ensure compliance with the European level of data protection in the USA.

Further information on Google (Universal) Analytics can be found here: https://policies.google.com/privacy?hl=de&gl=de

9. Site functionalities

9.1 Use of YouTube videos

This website uses the YouTube embedding function to display and play videos from the provider “YouTube,” which belongs to Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, 4 Barrow St, Dublin, D04 E5W5, Ireland (“Google”).

The extended data protection mode is used, which, according to the provider, only initiates the storage of user information when the video(s) are played. If playback of embedded YouTube videos is started, the provider “YouTube” uses cookies to collect information about user behavior. According to YouTube, among other things, these serve to record video statistics, improve user-friendliness, and prevent abusive actions. If you are logged in to Google, your data will be directly associated with your account when you click a video. If you do not wish the association with your YouTube profile, you must log out before activating the button. You have the right to object to the creation of these user profiles; to exercise this right, you must contact YouTube. In the course of using YouTube, personal data may also be transmitted to servers of Google LLC. in the USA.

Regardless of the playback of embedded videos, a connection to the Google network is established each time this website is accessed, which may trigger further data processing operations beyond our control.

All of the processing described above, in particular reading information on the device used via the tracking pixel, will only be carried out if you have given us your express consent in accordance with Art. 6 (1) lit. a GDPR. Without this consent, YouTube videos will not be used during your visit to the site.

Further information on data protection at “YouTube” can be found in the YouTube Terms of Use at https://www.youtube.com/static?template=terms as well as in Google’s Privacy Policy at https://www.google.de/intl/de/policies/privacy

9.2 Use of Vimeo videos

Plugins of the video portal Vimeo by Vimeo, LLC, 555 West 18th Street, New York, New York 10011, USA are integrated on our website. When you access a page of our website that contains such a plugin, your browser establishes a direct connection to Vimeo’s servers. The content of the plugin is transmitted by Vimeo directly to your browser and integrated into the page. Through this integration, Vimeo receives the information that your browser has accessed the corresponding page of our website, even if you do not have a Vimeo account or are not currently logged in to Vimeo. This information (including your IP address) is transmitted from your browser directly to a Vimeo server in the USA and stored there.

If you are logged in to Vimeo, Vimeo can directly assign your visit to our website to your Vimeo account. If you interact with the plugins (such as pressing the start button of a video), this information is also transmitted directly to a Vimeo server and stored there.

If you do not want Vimeo to directly assign the data collected via our website to your Vimeo account, you must log out of Vimeo before visiting our website.

For the purpose and scope of data collection and the further processing and use of data by Vimeo, as well as your rights and settings options for protecting your privacy, please refer to Vimeo’s privacy policy: https://vimeo.com/privacy

For Vimeo videos embedded on our site, the tracking tool Google Analytics by Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, 4 Barrow St, Dublin, D04 E5W5, Ireland, is automatically integrated. This is Vimeo’s own tracking, to which we have no access and which cannot be influenced by us. Google Analytics uses so-called “cookies” for tracking — text files stored on your computer that enable an analysis of your use of the website. The information generated by the cookie about your use of this website is generally transmitted to a Google server and stored there; this may also involve transmission to servers of Google LLC. in the USA.

All of the processing described above, in particular reading information on the device used via the tracking pixel, will only be carried out if you have given us your express consent in accordance with Art. 6 (1) lit. a GDPR. Without this consent, Vimeo videos will not be used during your visit to the site.

10. Rights of the data subject

10.1 The applicable data protection law grants you the following rights against the controller regarding the processing of your personal data (rights of access and intervention), whereby the respective prerequisites for exercising these rights are referenced to the stated legal basis:

Right of access pursuant to Art. 15 GDPR;

Right to rectification pursuant to Art. 16 GDPR;

Right to erasure pursuant to Art. 17 GDPR;

Right to restriction of processing pursuant to Art. 18 GDPR;

Right to notification pursuant to Art. 19 GDPR;

Right to data portability pursuant to Art. 20 GDPR;

Right to withdraw consent granted pursuant to Art. 7 (3) GDPR;

Right to lodge a complaint pursuant to Art. 77 GDPR.

10.2 RIGHT TO OBJECT

IF WE PROCESS YOUR PERSONAL DATA ON THE BASIS OF OUR OVERRIDING LEGITIMATE INTEREST IN THE CONTEXT OF A BALANCING OF INTERESTS, YOU HAVE THE RIGHT AT ANY TIME, FOR REASONS ARISING FROM YOUR PARTICULAR SITUATION, TO OBJECT TO THIS PROCESSING WITH EFFECT FOR THE FUTURE.

IF YOU EXERCISE YOUR RIGHT TO OBJECT, WE WILL STOP PROCESSING THE DATA CONCERNED. HOWEVER, FURTHER PROCESSING IS RESERVED IF WE CAN DEMONSTRATE COMPELLING LEGITIMATE GROUNDS FOR THE PROCESSING WHICH OUTWEIGH YOUR INTERESTS, FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS, OR IF THE PROCESSING SERVES THE ASSERTION, EXERCISE OR DEFENSE OF LEGAL CLAIMS.

IF YOUR PERSONAL DATA IS PROCESSED BY US FOR DIRECT ADVERTISING, YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO OBJECT AT ANY TIME TO THE PROCESSING OF PERSONAL DATA CONCERNING YOU FOR THE PURPOSE OF SUCH ADVERTISING. YOU CAN EXERCISE THE OBJECTION AS DESCRIBED ABOVE.

IF YOU EXERCISE YOUR RIGHT TO OBJECT, WE WILL STOP PROCESSING THE DATA CONCERNED FOR DIRECT ADVERTISING PURPOSES.

11. Duration of storage of personal data

The duration of the storage of personal data is determined by the respective legal basis, the processing purpose and – where applicable – additionally by the respective statutory retention period (e.g. commercial and tax law retention periods).

When processing personal data on the basis of explicit consent pursuant to Art. 6 (1) lit. a GDPR, this data will be stored until the data subject withdraws their consent.

If there are statutory retention periods for data processed in the context of contractual or quasi-contractual obligations on the basis of Art. 6 (1) lit. b GDPR, this data will be routinely deleted after the retention periods have expired, provided it is no longer required for the performance of the contract or initiation of a contract and/or there is no legitimate interest on our part in further storage.

When processing personal data on the basis of Art. 6 (1) lit. f GDPR, this data will be stored until the data subject exercises their right to object pursuant to Art. 21 (1) GDPR, unless we can demonstrate compelling legitimate grounds for the processing which outweigh the interests, rights and freedoms of the data subject, or the processing serves the establishment, exercise or defence of legal claims.

When processing personal data for the purpose of direct advertising on the basis of Art. 6 (1) lit. f GDPR, this data will be stored until the data subject exercises their right to object pursuant to Art. 21 (2) GDPR.

Unless otherwise stated in the other information in this declaration regarding specific processing situations, stored personal data will otherwise be deleted when it is no longer necessary for the purposes for which it was collected or otherwise processed.