Privacy Policy

Part A: Information about this policy

1. This is the privacy policy of Rapid Formations Limited (company registration number 08683949), trading as Rapid Formations “RF”. RF is the controller of personal data in accordance with data protection legislation, which means that it is responsible for all personal data collected by it or on its behalf.
2. RF is fully committed to ensuring the protection and security of all personal data provided to it and has created this policy to give you transparency regarding how your personal data will be collected and processed and the legal rights that you have in respect of it.
3. This policy relates to all users of this website and all customers who have purchased goods or services. For the purposes of the Privacy and Electronic Communications (EC Directive) Regulations 2003, all such users and customers are treated as “corporate subscribers” as RF does not provide services to individuals.
4. You must read this policy before using the website or making any purchase of RF’s goods or services.

Part B: Your rights in relation to personal data

1. You have certain rights under UK data protection law, which allow you to retain control over your personal data and how it is used. You can exercise these rights at any time.
2. Below is a short summary of your rights. If you would like further information on any of them, click on the relevant hyperlink, which will take you to the Information Commissioner’s Office website.
   • Right of access: you are entitled to request access to and receive a copy of your personal data.
   • Right to rectification: you are entitled to have incomplete or inaccurate personal data rectified.
   • Right to erasure: you are entitled to have your personal data erased in certain circumstances, including where there is no justifiable reason for it to continue to be held or used, or it has been used unlawfully.
   • Right to restrict processing: you are entitled to request a restriction on the use of your personal data in certain circumstances. Some of these include where you would like us to verify its accuracy, or where you do not want it erased.
   • Right to object: you are entitled to object to the use of your personal data where our legal basis for doing so is a legitimate interest, or where you do not want us to use your personal data for direct marketing purposes.
   • Right to data portability: you are entitled to request the transfer of your personal data from us to either yourself or a third party. Please note that this will apply only to automated information that you initially consented to RF using, or where RF have used the personal data to perform a contract with you.
   • Right to withdraw consent: where RF relies on consent to use your personal data, you are entitled to withdraw this consent at any time. RF only relies on consent to share your personal data with its referral partners. Please note that if your consent is withdrawn, RF may be unable to provide certain products and services to you.
3. If you would like to exercise any of the above rights, please contact us at info@rapidformations.co.uk using the subject line “Exercise of Data Protection Rights”.
4. Where you wish to exercise your rights, there is generally no fee payable. However, if the request is excessive, repetitive, or without reasonable grounds, RF may charge a reasonable fee to enable it to comply with the request, or refuse to comply with the request entirely.
5. RF is committed to ensuring that all requests to exercise rights are handled fairly and efficiently. We will aim to respond to all legitimate requests within 1 month, but please note that this may take longer when we need further information or the request is complicated.
6. When you submit a request to exercise your rights, RF may implement security measures that require you to confirm your identity before proceeding or releasing any personal data.

Part C: RF’s requirements in relation to personal data

1. You will need to provide personal data to RF where it is required under the terms of the contract for services, or it must be provided in accordance with the law.
2. All personal data provided to RF must be kept up-to-date and accurate. Should your personal data change, e.g. if you move house and your address has changed, please inform RF of this change as soon as possible.
3. If RF requires personal data and you do not provide it, RF will likely be unable to provide any services to you and cancel your contract with RF.
4. RF may also use recording and monitoring procedures to record, monitor and store any communications you have with us. This includes all communications, whether by phone or email. These procedures are used for crime prevention and training purposes, as well as to record any instructions you give us.
5. RF also collects and uses data that is not classed as personal data, as you cannot be identified from it, e.g., aggregated or anonymised data. RF uses this type of data to help develop the business, the website, and its products and services.

Part D: How we collect, use and store your personal data

1. Personal data is any information from which you can be identified. The collection and use of personal data is usually required to enable businesses to provide you with their goods or services and to help them operate effectively. Below, you will find information on how RF collects and uses your personal data.

Step 1: justifying the collection and use of your personal data

1. RF may only collect and use your personal data in accordance with data protection legislation. This legislation states that RF must have a legal basis to enable it to do so.
2. The legal bases that RF rely on are as follows. RF collects and uses your personal data:
   • To deliver a contractual service to you.
   • To comply with a legal obligation.
   • Where you have provided consent. Please note that RF only uses this legal basis for sharing personal data with its referral partners.
   • To pursue a legitimate interest of RF or a third party. This legitimate interest is always balanced against your interests, so that RF will not use your personal data if its interests are overridden by the impact on you (unless permitted by law).

Step 2: collecting your personal data

1. To use your personal data, RF must first collect it. There are a number of ways that RF may collect your personal data. These include:
   • Through your interaction with RF. For example, when you create an account, fill out any online forms, order from or communicate with RF.
   • Using automated technology which collects the data for RF. This kind of technology includes the use of cookies. RF has a separate Cookies Policy which will provide you with further information on its use of cookies.
   • From third parties and public sources, such as Companies House, the Electoral Register, payment processing providers, and Google Analytics.
2. RF does not knowingly collect data relating to children (as RF’s website, products and services are not intended for children) or any special categories of personal data.
3. The types of personal data RF collects include Identity Data, Contact Data, Financial Data, Technical Data, Usage Data, Marketing and Communication Data, Transaction Data, and Profile Data. A description of each type of data is below in Part J of this policy.

Step 3: using your personal data

1. The following information shows why RF uses your personal data and the legal basis it relies upon to do so. It also shows you which types of personal data we use.

Step 4: storing your personal data

1. Once RF has collected your personal data, it will be retained for as long as necessary to fulfil the purpose(s) for which it was collected, subject to any legal or regulatory requirements.
2. RF decides the necessary period of retention by weighing the type and amount of personal data, its sensitivity, and the risk of harm if it were to be used or disclosed unlawfully against the applicable legal and regulatory requirements and the purpose for which the personal data has been collected (including whether the purpose can be achieved without keeping the personal data).
3. In accordance with the law, RF must keep certain categories of its customers’ personal data for at least six years after they cease to be customers. This is for tax and legal purposes and will include Contact Data, Transaction Data, Financial Data and Identity Data. If you have made a complaint to RF or litigation is reasonably foreseeable, RF may retain your personal data for longer than this six-year period.
4. In certain circumstances, you may be able to request that RF delete your data. Please see Part B for more information on your legal right to erasure.
5. RF may anonymise your personal data so that it is no longer “personal.” Where data is anonymised, RF may use it indefinitely.
6. RF recognises the importance of keeping your personal data secure and strictly follows industry standards with regard to safeguarding your personal data. Robust security measures are in place to protect the security of your personal data.
7. RF also restricts access to your personal data on a need-to-know basis. This means it is only accessible to employees, staff, agents, consultants, etc., where necessary. Such parties are bound by confidentiality obligations and must only use your personal data in accordance with RF’s instructions.
8. Although RF is fully committed to securing your personal data, it cannot guarantee that personal data submitted via the Internet or its servers will be absolutely secure, as there are inherent risks associated with using this technology. However, to mitigate any potential harm, RF has in place robust procedures to deal with any suspected data breaches.
9. In the event of a personal data breach, RF will follow the legal requirements to notify you and the ICO.

Part E: Marketing and opting out

1. RF may send you direct marketing messages via email and text. RF does not require your consent to send direct marketing messages as you are a corporate subscriber, but you may opt-out at any time.
2. You will receive direct marketing messages if you have requested information from RF or purchased goods or services from RF and have not opted out of receiving direct marketing.
3. To opt-out, please contact us or click the opt-out links within the marketing messages. Please note that opting out of direct marketing messages does not affect service messages that RF may need to send you. This means that you will still receive necessary messages for administrative purposes, such as confirming your order and providing payment reminders.

Part F: Sharing your personal data

1. The personal data collected by RF may be shared with third parties. These third parties must comply with UK data protection law and keep your personal data secure and confidential.
2. The third parties that your personal data may be shared with include:
   • Other companies within RF’s corporate group, including parent companies, subsidiaries, and sister companies. RF will transfer your personal data when needed to administer and develop products and services.
   • RF’s referral partners. For example, referrals to partners who provide bank account or website services. RF will only do this where you have requested the referral by clicking on any of the referral partners’ links on RF’s website, or ordering or requesting the referral as an additional service during the order process or at checkout. If you request a referral, you will be asked to complete a form into which you must input your personal data. The form will state the name of the referral partner with whom your personal data will be shared, and you will be asked to consent to sharing your personal data and allow the referral partner to contact you directly. You have the right to withdraw your consent at any time (see Part B for details).
   • RF’s third party suppliers. RF uses third party service providers to operate the business. Those providers fall into the following categories:
     1. Those who provide credit and identity checks.
     2. Those who provide services relating to IT and RF’s website, for example, SEO facilities and web development services.
     3. Those who provide financial services, including payment processing and bank and merchant account services.
     4. Those who provide advertising and marketing services.
     5. Those who provide delivery services.
   • Review websites. RF may ask its customers to give a review/feedback on their experience of using the business and its products and services. Where this is the case, personal data such as your name, email address, and order number are temporarily shared with Trustpilot. This enables Trustpilot to send you an invitation to leave the review.
   • RF’s professional advisers. When RF needs to seek professional advice, your personal data may be shared with relevant professionals, such as lawyers, insurance providers, consultants, and accountants.
   • Law enforcement, HMRC and other regulatory bodies and authorities. RF will share your data with these entities where requested and to comply with the law.
   • Third parties in relation to a corporate restructure, sale, merger, or other disposal of RF’s business. This includes third parties to whom RF may sell the business or parts of it, third parties with whom RF merges, or from whom RF acquires business.
3. RF’s service providers may sometimes be located outside the UK, necessitating an international transfer of your personal data. This may be to countries that do not have the same data protection law standard as the UK. Where an international transfer is required, RF will protect your personal data by ensuring that it:
   • only transfers your personal data to countries that the UK has deemed to provide an adequate level of protection for personal data; or
   • using specific standard contractual terms between RF and the service provider which are approved for use in the UK. You may request a copy of these contractual safeguards by contacting us.

Part G: Third party links on RF’s website

1. There may be third party links, plug-ins and applications on RF’s website. Where you click on these, they may allow third parties to share or collect your personal data.
2. You should ensure that if you are redirected to a third party, you familiarise yourself with their privacy policy, as RF has no control over or liability in respect of these third-party websites or applications.

Part H: How to contact us for queries and complaints

1. We are happy to answer any queries you may have in relation to the use of your data. Please send all queries to info@rapidformations.co.uk with the subject line “Data Protection Query”.
2. You have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner's Office (“ICO”), the UK's data protection regulator. You can find more information on the ICO and how to make a complaint here.
3. If you have a complaint about how we have used your data, we would appreciate the opportunity to resolve it before involving the ICO. Please send all complaints to info@rapidformations.co.uk with the subject line “Data Protection Complaint.”

Part I: Updates to this policy

1. RF reviews and updates this policy occasionally in line with legal and other requirements. Please check this policy periodically to ensure you are familiar with the most up-to-date version.

Part J: Definitions used in this policy

• Contact Data means all contact details, including billing addresses, delivery addresses, email addresses and telephone numbers.
• Financial Data means all personal data relating to your bank account and payment card details.
• Identity Data means any personal data relating specifically to your identity - full names, previous names, citizenship, passport number, date of birth, gender and usernames, for example.
• Marketing and Communications Data means all personal data relating to your marketing and communication preferences.
• Profile Data means personal data related to your account and/or profile, including usernames and passwords, purchases or orders you make, your interests, preferences, feedback, and survey responses.
• Technical Data means IP addresses, your login data, browser type and version, time zone setting and location, browser plug-in types and versions, operating system and platform, device ID and other technology on the devices you use to access RF’s website.
• Transaction Data means details of your transactions with RF, including all payments to and from you and details of any products or services you have purchased.
• Usage Data means personal data which includes information about how you use the RF website, how you interact with it and how you use RF’s products and services.