Introduction
This Privacy Policy explains how CIRCLES OF IMPACT – Association for Collaboration, Knowledge Transfer, Innovation, and Solidarity of Women Worldwide (ZVR 1133532995) collects, uses, and protects your personal data when you visit our website circlesofimpact.net. This policy complies with Austrian data protection laws, including the Austrian Data Protection Act (DSG) and the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
Data Controller
The data controller responsible for the processing of your personal data is:
CIRCLES OF IMPACT – Association for Collaboration, Knowledge Transfer, Innovation, and Solidarity of Women Worldwide
ZVR 1133532995
Email: team@circlesofimpact.net
What Personal Data We Collect and Why
Website Visitor Data
When you visit our website, we automatically collect certain information about your device, including information about your web browser, IP address, time zone, and some of the cookies that are installed on your device. This information is used for security purposes and to improve website functionality.
Comments
When visitors leave comments on the website, we collect the data shown in the comment form, as well as the visitor’s IP address and browser user agent string to help spam detection. This processing is based on our legitimate interest in protecting our website from abusive comments and spam.
Media
If you upload images to the website, you should avoid uploading images with embedded location data (EXIF GPS). Visitors to the website can download and extract any location data from images on the website.
Contact Forms
If you use our contact forms, we collect the personal data you provide, such as your name and email address, to respond to your inquiries. This processing is based on your consent or our legitimate interest in responding to your inquiry.
Cookies
A cookie is a small file that is stored on your device when you visit our website. We use the following types of cookies:
- Necessary cookies: These are essential for the website to function properly.
- Comment cookies: If you leave a comment on our site, you may opt-in to saving your name, email address, and website in cookies. These cookies will be stored for one year.
- Account-related cookies: If you have an account and log in to this site, we will set a temporary cookie to determine if your browser accepts cookies. This cookie contains no personal data and is discarded when you close your browser. When you log in, we also set up cookies to save your login information and display options. Login cookies last for two days, and display option cookies last for a year. If you select “Remember Me,” your login will persist for two weeks. When you log out of your account, the login cookies will be removed.
- Content editing cookies: If you edit or publish an article, an additional cookie will be saved in your browser. This cookie includes no personal data and simply indicates the post ID of the article you just edited. It expires after 1 day.
Embedded Content from Other Websites
Articles on this site may include embedded content (e.g., videos, images, articles, etc.). Embedded content from other websites behaves in the same way as if the visitor had visited the other website.
These websites may collect data about you, use cookies, embed additional third-party tracking, and monitor your interaction with that embedded content, including tracking your interaction with the embedded content if you have an account and are logged in to that website.
Legal Basis for Processing
We process your personal data on the following legal bases:
- Your consent (Art. 6(1)(a) GDPR)
- Performance of a contract with you (Art. 6(1)(b) GDPR)
- Compliance with a legal obligation (Art. 6(1)(c) GDPR)
- Our legitimate interests (Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR), such as improving our website and services
Data Recipients
We do not sell, trade, or otherwise transfer your personal information to outside parties except in the following cases:
- Service providers who assist us in operating our website, conducting our business, or servicing you
- Authorities when required by law or to protect our rights
- In the event of a merger, acquisition, or any form of sale of some or all of our assets
When you request a password reset, your IP address will be included in the password reset email.
Data Retention
We will retain your personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes for which it was collected, including for the purposes of satisfying any legal, accounting, or reporting requirements.
- Comments: When you leave a comment, it is stored indefinitely along with its metadata. This allows us to recognize and approve any follow-up comments automatically instead of holding them in a moderation queue.
- Account data: For users who register on our website, we also store the personal information they provide in their user profile. All users can see, edit, or delete their personal information at any time (except they cannot change their username). Website administrators can also see and edit that information.
Your Rights
Under Austrian data protection law and the GDPR, you have the following rights:
- Right to information: You have the right to request information about your personal data we process.
- Right to access: You can request a copy of your personal data.
- Right to rectification: You can request correction of your personal data if it is inaccurate or incomplete.
- Right to erasure: You can request the deletion of your personal data under certain circumstances.
- Right to restrict processing: You can request the restriction of processing of your personal data under certain circumstances.
- Right to data portability: You can request to receive your personal data in a structured, commonly used, and machine-readable format.
- Right to object: You can object to the processing of your personal data under certain circumstances.
- Right to withdraw consent: You can withdraw your consent at any time where we rely on consent to process your personal data.
To exercise these rights, please contact us at team@circlesofimpact.net.
Data Security
We have implemented appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect your personal data against accidental or unlawful destruction, loss, alteration, unauthorized disclosure, or access.
Data Transfers
We generally process your data within the European Economic Area (EEA). If we need to transfer your personal data to countries outside the EEA, we will ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place to protect your personal data.
Automated Decision-Making
Visitor comments may be checked through an automated spam detection service.
Changes to This Privacy Policy
We may update our Privacy Policy from time to time. Any changes will be posted on this page with a revised date.
Contact Information
If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, please contact us at:
CIRCLES OF IMPACT – Association for Collaboration, Knowledge Transfer, Innovation, and Solidarity of Women Worldwide
Email: team@circlesofimpact.net
Supervisory Authority
You have the right to lodge a complaint with the Austrian Data Protection Authority (Datenschutzbehörde):
Austrian Data Protection Authority (Datenschutzbehörde)
Barichgasse 40-42
1030 Vienna
Telephone: +43 1 52 152-0
Email: dsb@dsb.gv.at
Last updated: April 1, 2025