GFA Consulting Group GmbH, which operates this website, takes the protection of your personal data very seriously. We treat your personal data confidentially in accordance with statutory data protection regulations and this Data Privacy Statement. It is possible to use our website without providing any personal data. Any personal data (for example name, address, or email address) that is collected on our website is collected on a voluntary basis insofar as this is possible. This data will not be disclosed to any third party without your express consent. Please note that data transmission via the internet (e.g., in the case of communication by email) may be subject to security gaps. It is not possible to protect such data completely against access by third parties.

Purpose of data collection, processing, or use.

GFA Consulting Group is an international, independent consulting firm in the fields of technical and developmental collaboration, with its headquarter in Hamburg. GFA activities include project planning, project management, evaluation in agriculture and forestry, resource protection, climate change, and energy projects, labor and human resource development, decentralization and private sector development, water, and sanitation, financial system development, and health. Within the context of these activities, personal data is collected, processed, used, and, where applicable, transmitted for the purpose of obtaining, implementing, and billing orders. In the staff department, personal data is collected, processed, used, and, where applicable, transmitted for internal purposes (personnel and payroll management, recruitment, travel management) and also to meet the requirements under statutory obligations.

Description of affected groups and their related data/data categories.

Within the context of normal business activities, addresses, contractual and payment information, and data concerning electronic information for clients, employers, consultants as well as freelance experts, and employees of partner consulting companies are collected, processed, and used. In the staff department (head office employees, visiting staff, national staff, integrated professionals, family members, applicants, former employees), additional information concerning qualifications and applications, duration of employment, remuneration, social security information, contact details, bank details, work documents are collected, processed, and used.

Recipients/categories of recipients, to whom the data may be disclosed.

Responsible for internal administrators (bookkeeping, accounting, contracts department, project management, telecommunications, and IT); external clients (GIZ, KfW, Ministries, World Bank, EU, Asian and other development banks, etc.). For staff management: any internal department involved in carrying out respective business processes (project management and administrative departments). Public authorities on the basis of statutory regulations (social insurance carriers, tax authorities, health insurance companies); bank institutions (for salary transactions); creditors (in the case of wage/salary garnishment); travel agencies.

Standard periods for the deletion of data.

Personal data is deleted on a regular basis when it is no longer needed to fulfill a contract, if the person in question has not provided their separate approval to retain said data or if statutory retention obligations and deadlines do not stipulate that data be retained for a longer period.

Planned transmission of data to third countries.

In general, no personal data will be transmitted to third countries by electronic means. Exceptions to this are possible when there is a specific legal basis for such a transmission.

Your rights.

You may at any time request information about the use of your personal data (according to § 15 DSGVO) or request the verification, correction, or deletion of your personal data (§§ 16 and 17 DSGVO). You may also at any time request the restriction of the use or processing of your personal data (§§ 18 and 19 DSGVO), request the transmission of your personal data to third parties (§ 20 DSGVO), or object to the use of your personal data (§ 21 DSGVO). If you want to exercise any of the above-mentioned rights, please send an e-mail to: [email protected]. We will endeavor to take the necessary measures as soon as possible. To that purpose, you will receive an access form to be completed, allowing you to indicate which rights you wish to exercise with regard to your personal data. You also have the right to file a complaint against the use of your personal data. The competent complaints board is the Data Protection Supervisory Authority (Datenschutzaufsichtsbehörde) of the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg.

Contact form.

If you send us an inquiry using the contact form, we shall store the information you provide in the inquiry form, including the contact information that you provide, so that we can process your inquiry, and in the case, there is a follow-up inquiry. The data is processed according to Art. 6 paragraph 1 (b) of the EU GDPR for the purpose of receiving the query formulated in the contact form. This data will never be disclosed without your consent.

Objection to promotion mail.

The use of the contact information included in the Legal Notice to send unsolicited advertising and informational materials is herewith prohibited. The operators of this website expressly reserve the right to take legal steps in the event that unsolicited advertising materials are sent, specifically through spam e-mail.

Newsletter data.

If you wish to receive the newsletter offered on the website, we need your email address as well as information that would allow us to verify that you are the owner of the email address provided and that you agree to receive the newsletter. We do not collect any additional data. This data will only be used to send the requested information and will not be disclosed to third parties. You may revoke your consent to the storage of the data, your email address and the use thereof to send the newsletter at any time by simply clicking the “Unsubscribe” button contained in the newsletter, or by writing us directly at [email protected].