Data protection declaration – information on the processing of personal data

This document informs you about how we process personal data.

Introduction and structure of the document
We, the company MEZ GmbH (hereinafter “the company”, “we” or “us”), thank you for visiting our website and your interest in our company and our services. Your personal data will only be processed in accordance with the provisions of German and European data protection law.
Data protection law obliges us, as the body responsible for data processing, to ensure the protection of your personal data through a variety of measures. One of these obligations is to inform you transparently about the type, scope, purpose, duration and legal basis of data processing (see Articles 13 and 14 EU GDPR). We will also address you as the person affected by data processing as “customer”, “user”, “you”, “you” or “data subject”. In this data protection declaration we inform you about how your personal data is processed by us.
Our data protection declaration is structured modularly. It consists of a general part for all processing of personal data and processing situations that come into play and a special part, the content of which only relates to the processing situation specified there. It is possible that we use this online document to inform you about processing processes that do not primarily take place on the website. You can find these in the special part of the document. If you want to quickly navigate in the document, many browsers offer a search function using the “CTRL-key+f” key combination.

Definitions
Following the example of Article 4 EU GDPR, this document is based on the following definitions:
“Personal data” (Art. 4 No. 1 EU GDPR) is all information that relates to an identified or identifiable natural person (“data subject”). A person can be identified if they are directly or indirectly, in particular by reference to an identifier such as a name, an identification number, an online identifier, location data or with the help of information about their physical, physiological, genetic, psychological, economic, cultural or social identity characteristics can be identified. Identification can also be achieved by linking such information or other additional knowledge. The origin, form or embodiment of the information is not important (photos, video or audio recordings can also contain personal data).
“Processing” (Art. 4 No. 2 EU GDPR) is any process in which personal data is handled, whether with or without the help of automated (i.e. technology-based) procedures. This includes, in particular, collecting (i.e. procurement), recording, organizing, classifying, storing, adapting or changing, reading out, querying, using, disclosing by transmission, disseminating or otherwise making available, and comparing , the linking, restriction, deletion or destruction of personal data, as well as the change of a goal or purpose on which data processing was originally based.
“Controller” (Art. 4 No. 7 EU GDPR) is the natural or legal person, authority, institution or other body that alone or jointly with others decides on the purposes and means of processing personal data.
“Third party” (Article 4 No. 10 EU GDPR) is any natural or legal person, authority, institution or other body other than the data subject, the controller, the processor and the persons authorized under the direct responsibility of the controller or processor are to process the personal data.
“Processor” (Art. 4 No. 8 EU-GDPR) is a natural or legal person, authority, institution or other body that processes personal data on behalf of the person responsible, in particular in accordance with his instructions (e.g. IT service provider). In the sense of data protection law, a processor is not a third party.
“Consent” (Art. 4 No. 11 EU GDPR) of the data subject means any voluntary, informed and unambiguous expression of will in the specific case in the form of a statement or other clear confirmatory act with which the data subject understands indicates that she agrees to the processing of personal data concerning her.

Name and address of the person responsible for processing
The body responsible for processing your personal data within the meaning of Art. 4 Nr. 7 EU GDPR, as well as contact details and other information about our company, please see the legal notice on our website.

Contact details of the data protection officer
Our data protection team, consisting of data protection coordinators and our data protection officer, is available to you at any time if you have any questions or as a contact person on the subject of data protection.

You can reach the data protection team:

– By post to our address given in the legal notice with the addition “Data Protection Team”
– By email at datenschutz@mezcrafts.com

Your rights
You can assert your rights as a data subject regarding your processed personal data at any time using the contact details provided at the beginning. You will make our request easier if you contact the data protection team directly.
As a data subject, you have the right:
– in accordance with Art. 15 EU GDPR, to request information about your data processed by us. In particular, you can obtain information about the purposes of processing, the category of data, the categories of recipients to whom your data has been or will be disclosed, the planned storage period, the existence of a right to correction, deletion, restriction of processing or objection, and the existence of a right to lodge a complaint , request the origin of your data, if it was not collected by us, as well as the existence of automated decision-making including profiling and, if necessary, meaningful information about its details;
– in accordance with Art. 16 EU GDPR, to immediately request the correction of incorrect data or the completion of your data stored by us;
– in accordance with Art. 17 EU GDPR, to request the deletion of your data stored by us, unless the processing is carried out to exercise the right to freedom of expression and information, to fulfill a legal obligation, for reasons of public interest or to assert, exercise or defend is required by legal claims;
– in accordance with Art. 18 EU GDPR, to request the restriction of the processing of your data if you dispute the accuracy of the data or the processing is unlawful;
– in accordance with Art. 20 EU GDPR, to receive the data you have provided to us in a structured, common and machine-readable format or to request its transmission to another person responsible (“data portability”);
– to object to the processing in accordance with Article 21 of the EU GDPR, provided that the processing takes place on the basis of Article 6 (1) (e) or (f) of the GDPR. This is particularly the case if the processing is not necessary to fulfill a contract with you. Unless it is an objection to direct advertising, when exercising such an objection we ask you to explain the reasons why we should not process your data as we do. In the event of your justified objection, we will examine the situation and will either stop or adjust data processing or show you our compelling legitimate reasons on the basis of which we continue processing. For many services on our websites that process personal data on the basis of Article 6 Paragraph 1 Letter f of the EU GDPR, the objection can be implemented technically using technologies present or to be installed in the browser, e.g. by blocking JavaScripts or cookies ;
– in accordance with Art. 7 Para. 3 EU GDPR, your consent given once (also before the EU GDPR came into force, i.e. before May 25, 2018) – i.e. your voluntary, informed manner and unambiguously through a statement or other clear confirmatory If you have given us your consent to the processing of the personal data in question for one or more specific purposes, you can revoke your consent at any time. This means that we are no longer allowed to continue the data processing that was based on this consent in the future
– in accordance with Art. 77 EU GDPR, to complain to the data protection supervisory authority responsible for us about the processing of your personal data in our company.

Legal basis for data processing
In principle, any processing of personal data is only permitted by law if the data processing falls under one of the following justifications:

Art. 6 Para. 1 lit. a EU-GDPR (“Consent”): If the data subject has voluntarily, informedly and unambiguously indicated by a statement or other clear confirmatory act that he or she consents to the processing of data concerning him or her consents to personal data for one or more specific purposes;
Art. 6 Para. 1 lit. b EU GDPR (“Contract”): If the processing is necessary to fulfill the contractification of a contract to which the data subject is a party or is necessary to carry out pre-contractual measures at the request of the data subject;
Art. 6 Para. 1 lit. c EU GDPR (“legal obligation”): If the processing is necessary to fulfill a legal obligation to which the controller is subject (e.g. a legal retention obligation);
Art. 6 Para. 1 lit. d EU GDPR: If the processing is necessary to protect the vital interests of the data subject or another natural person;
Art. 6 Paragraph 1 Letter e EU GDPR: If the processing is necessary for the performance of a task that is in the public interest or in the exercise of official authority vested in the person responsible
Art. 6 Para. 1 lit. f EU GDPR (“Legitimate interests”): If the processing is necessary to protect the legitimate (in particular legal or economic) interests of the controller or a third party, provided that the conflicting interests or rights of the data subject do not outweigh them (especially if it involves a minor). To the extent that the processing of personal data is based on Article 6 Paragraph 1 Letter f of the EU GDPR, the purposes mentioned also represent our legitimate interests.
Below we provide the applicable legal basis for the processing processes we carry out. Processing can also be based on several legal bases.

Data deletion and storage period
For the processing processes we carry out, we indicate below how long the data will be stored by us and when it will be deleted or blocked. In the case of consent, the data deletion and storage period specified in the consent query is decisive. Unless an express storage period is stated below, your personal data will be deleted or blocked as soon as the purpose or legal basis for storage no longer applies. In principle, your data will only be stored in the Federal Republic of Germany, in a member state of the European Union (EU) or in another contracting state to the Agreement on the European Economic Area (EEA). Possible exceptions to this are set out in the following sections and processing processes. However, storage may take place beyond the specified time in the event of an (imminent) legal dispute with you or other legal proceedings or if storage is required by legal regulations to which we as the controller are subject ( e.g. § 257 HGB, § 147 AO). If the storage period prescribed by statutory regulations expires, the personal data will be blocked or deleted, unless further storage by us is necessary and there is a legal basis for this.

Data security: website, email, fax
We use technical and organizational security measures to protect your data against accidental or intentional manipulation, partial or complete loss, destruction or against unauthorized access by third parties (e.g. TLS encryption for our website), taking into account the state of the art, implementation costs and the scope, context and purpose of the processing, as well as the existing risks (including their likelihood and effects) for the data subject. Our security measures are continuously improved in line with technological developments.
For secure data transmission on the Internet, we use the hybrid encryption protocol Transport Layer Security (TLS), more commonly known by its predecessor, Secure Sockets Layer Software (SSL). This software encrypts the information you submit. All data protection-relevant information is stored in encrypted form in a protected database.

We would like to point out that the confidentiality of email cannot be proven. Although we offer transport encryption (TLS) via our mail servers, confidentiality may depend on various mail relay servers over which we have no control: whether they also use TLS and whether they evaluate the emails is beyond our control Influence.

If you send us a fax, the transmission takes place via the Internet Protocol (FoIP). The transmission is technically identical to sending an email or website data. We do not know whether an IP-based service encrypts data, so the confidentiality of the data sent is not guaranteed. We recommend not sending sensitive data by fax.

We will be happy to provide you with further information on this upon request. Please contact our data protection team.

Collaboration with contractors workers
As with every larger company, we also use external service providers to process our business transactions, e.g. for the areas of IT, logistics, telecommunications: parcel delivery, sending letters or emails, analyzing our databases, advertising measures, processing payments, sales and so on Marketing. These service providers have access to personal data needed to carry out their tasks. However, you may not use this data for any other purposes. Processors only work according to our instructions and are contractually obliged to comply with data protection regulations in accordance with Article 28 of the EU GDPR. Processors are not third parties.

Requirement for the transfer of personal data to third countries
As part of our business relationships, your personal information may be shared or disclosed to third parties. These can also be located outside the European Economic Area (EEA), i.e. in third countries. Such processing takes place exclusively to fulfill contractual and business obligations and to maintain your business relationship with us. We will inform you about the details of the transfer in the relevant places below. Accordingly, we usually indicate the headquarters of the company that offers a service.
In some third countries, the European Commission certifies data protection comparable to the EEA standard through so-called adequacy decisions. The Commission has adopted adequacy decisions for the following countries and territories: Andorra, Argentina, Canada, Faroe Islands, Guernsey, Israel, Isle of Man, Japan, Jersey, New Zealand, Switzerland, Uruguay, the Republic of Korea and the United Kingdom (as of Dec. 2021).
However, in other third countries to which personal data may be transferred, there may not be a consistently high level of data protection due to a lack of legal regulations. If this is the case, we ensure that data protection is generally sufficiently guaranteed. This is possible through binding corporate regulations, European Commission standard contractual clauses for the protection of personal data, certificates or recognized codes of conduct.

Automated decision making
We do not intend to use personal data collected from you for any automated decision-making process (including profiling).

Obligation to provide personal data
We do not make the conclusion of contracts with us dependent on you first providing us with personal data. In principle, you as a customer have no legal or contractual obligation to provide us with your personal data; However, it may be that we can only provide certain offers to a limited extent or not at all if you do not provide the necessary data. If this is exceptionally the case in the context of the products or processing processes presented below, you will be informed of this separately.
Legal obligation to transmit certain data
We may under certain circumstances be subject to a special statutory or legal obligation to make lawfully processed personal data available to third parties, in particular public bodies (Art. 6 Para. 1 lit. c EU GDPR).

Changes to the privacy policy
As data protection law continues to develop, as well as technological or organizational changes, this document is regularly checked for any need for adjustments or additions. We reserve the right to change this data protection declaration at any time with effect for the future, taking into account the applicable data protection regulations. The changes will be published here. Current status: December 20, 2023

Information on the processing of personal data in special processing processes
The following sections describe processing processes grouped according to different categories of persons whose data is processed (“data subjects”).

Website visitors
You can find information about our company and the services we offer at www.mezcrafts.com including the associated subpages (hereinafter collectively: “websites”). When you visit our websites, your personal data is processed.
Your data will only be processed for as long as necessary to achieve the processing purposes mentioned above; The legal bases specified in the context of the processing purposes apply accordingly. Third parties used by us will store your data on their system for as long as is necessary in connection with the provision of services for us in accordance with the respective order.
Following categoryRecipients, who are usually processors, may have access to your personal data:
Service providers for the operation of our website and the processing of the data stored or transmitted by the systems (e.g. for data center services, payment processing, IT security). The legal basis for the transfer is then Article 6 Paragraph 1 Letter b or Letter f EU GDPR, as long as it does not concern processors;
State bodies/authorities, insofar as this is necessary to fulfill a legal obligation. The legal basis for the transfer is then Article 6 Paragraph 1 Letter c EU GDPR;
Persons employed to carry out our business operations (e.g. auditors, banks, insurance companies, legal advisors, supervisory authorities, parties involved in company acquisitions or the establishment of joint ventures). The legal basis for the transfer is then Article 6 Paragraph 1 Letter b or Letter f EU GDPR.
In addition, we will only pass on your personal data to third parties if you have given your express consent to do so in accordance with Article 6 (1) (a) of the EU GDPR.

Personal data processed on the website/log data
When you use the websites for information purposes, we collect, store and process the following categories of personal data. When you visit our websites, a so-called log data record (so-called server log files) is stored temporarily and anonymously on our web server. This consists in particular of:
– the page from which the page was requested (so-called referrer URL)
– the name and URL of the requested page
– the date and time of the call
– the description of the type, language and version of the web browser used
– the IP address of the requesting computer
– the amount of data transferred
– the operating system
– the message as to whether the call was successful (access status/HTTP status code)
– the GMT time zone difference
The processing of log data serves statistical purposes and to improve the quality of our website, in particular the stability and security of the connection (legal basis is Art. 6 Para. 1 lit. f EU GDPR).
It is possible that we process further information that your operating system, browser and/or other technologies provide to our web servers at short notice to provide the websites. The legal basis for this is also Article 6 Paragraph 1 Letter f EU GDPR.

Services to store information on your device or to access information already stored on your device (cookies, plugins, JavaScript…)
On our websites we use services and technologies to store information on your device and/or technologies to access information that is already stored on your device. These technologies can be, for example, cookies. Cookies are text files and/or entries in the browser’s own database, which assigns the browser you are using using a characteristic string. Certain information flows between the place that sets the cookie and your device.
Cookies and other services may contain data that makes it possible to recognize the device used. In some cases, cookies and other technologies only contain information about certain settings that are not personally identifiable.
You can refuse or technically prevent some services if your browser allows this. However, we would like to point out that in this case you will not be able to fully use all of the functions of our website.
The help function in the menu bar of most web browsers explains, for example, how to prevent your browser from accepting new cookies, how to have your browser notify you when you receive a new cookie or how to delete all cookies received. You can also change your browser so that special technologies that the services require are not executed in your browser (e.g. JavaScript). To the extent that the services on our websites process personal data on the basis of Article 6 Paragraph 1 Letter f of the EU GDPR, the objection can therefore be technically implemented via these browser functions and technologies.
With regard to their function, services are differentiated between:
Technical services: These are essential to move around the website, use basic functions and ensure the security of the website; they do not collect information about you for marketing purposes or remember which websites you have visited;
Performance services: These collect information about how you use our website, which pages you visit and, for example, whether errors occur when using the website; they do not collect any information that identifies you eren – all information collected is anonymous and is only used to improve our website and find out what interests our users;
Advertising, targeting & sharing services, social media plugins: These serve to offer the website user tailored advertising on the website or offers from third parties and to measure the effectiveness of these offers. These services can also serve to improve the interactivity of our website with other services (e.g. social networks).
What all services have in common is that they store information on your device and/or access information that is already stored on your device.
In contrast to the functional distinction between services, the legislature only distinguishes between two purposes of services:
1. Services that are necessary to carry out the transmission of a message over a public telecommunications network and/or are strictly necessary so that the provider of a telemedia service can provide a telemedia service expressly requested by the user. The necessity can be based on technical, legal, economic, operational and/or contractually agreed reasons.
2. Services for all other purposes.
Any use of services that are technically, legally, economically, operationally and/or contractually necessary to provide an expressly requested service may be based on a legal basis other than consent in accordance with Article 6 (1) (a) of the EU GDPR be.

General services on the website
We currently use the following services described above. If the processing is based on consent in accordance with Article 6 Paragraph 1 Letter a of the EU GDPR, we also state the way in which consent is requested.

Consent management tool / consent management provider / “cookie banner”
We use services to request and manage consent for individual services.

Service: Borlabs Cookie
This website uses the Borlabs Cookie service, a consent management tool. The service asks for consent so that certain services on the website can be used. These consents are obtained and documented in accordance with data protection regulations. The service provider is Borlabs – Benjamin A. Bornschein, Rübenkamp 32, 22305 Hamburg (Borlabs).
The service sets a necessary cookie (“borlabs cookie”). The following information is stored in the “borlabs cookie”: runtime, version, domain and path of the WordPress website, consent and UID (a randomly generated ID). The data is stored until you delete the cookie yourself or the storage period of one year is reached.
Data is processed in order to obtain legally required consent and, if necessary, within the scope of our legitimate interest in making our website legally compliant and low-risk (legal basis Art. 6 Para. 1 lit. c and, if applicable, lit. f EU GDPR).

Google (and, where applicable, Alphabet) services, products and technologies
In this section we have summarized services offered by Alphabet Inc. (a listed US holding company) and in particular by Google, which is part of the holding company. Using these services may result in data being transferred to a third country (USA). For the USA, there is an adequacy decision by the EU Commission dated July 10, 2023, which determines an adequate level of data protection for transfers to companies that participate in the EU-USA data protection framework. The data transfer to the USA is also based on the EU Commission’s standard contractual clauses. Details can be found here: https://policies.google.com/privacy/frameworks and https://privacy.google.com/businesses/controllerterms/mccs/

Service: Google Tag Manager
We use the Google Tag Manager service on our websites, operated by Google Ireland Limited, registration number: 368047, Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland. Processing only takes place if you have given your consent in accordance with Article 6 Paragraph 1 Letter a of the EU GDPR. Additional information about this possible processing can be found when asking for consent in the consent management tool.
If consent is given, we can use Google Tag Manager to reload JavaScript instructions and other services. Information is transferred to Google servers and stored there. Server locations are also in the USA. Google may pass on this information to contractual partners. You can find more information about Google Tag Manager at: https://www.google.com/analytics/terms/tag-manager/

Service: Curator.io
We use the Curator.io service, a social media tool, on our website. The service provider is Curator.io, 69 Ruthven Street, Bondi Junction, NSW 2022 Sydney, Australia.
Using the service may result in data being transferred to a third country come (Australia). Data transfer to Australia is based on the EU Commission’s standard contractual clauses.
Social media tools are used for planning, designing and organizing social media accounts on an operator’s various portals. In addition, they are used to define target groups, monitor developments and analyze how social media strategies are received by the audience. The social media software thus supports social media analysis. Processing will only occur if you consent to this data processing (via our consent banner on the website). The legal basis for this is Article 6 Paragraph 1 Letter f EU GDPR. Our legitimate interest lies in the attractive and efficient design of our website. If we use a consent management tool, we may decide to base the processing on the consent in accordance with Article 6 Paragraph 1 Letter a. to support EU GDPR. You can find out more about consent in the consent management tool.
Further information can be found in the provider’s data protection information at the following URL: https://curator.io/privacypolicy.

Applicant
You can apply to us in various ways. Regardless of how you apply to us, your applicant data will only be processed to process your application and will be stored for a maximum of six months after the selection process has ended and then deleted unless you give us your consent for further processing in a talent pool.
As part of an application, we process the following personal data from you:
– all data that you provided to us during the application process (e.g. in your application documents or interviews)
– if necessary, additional data that we have legitimately collected during the application process (e.g. from public sources such as professional networks)
– This may also include special categories of personal data (e.g. severely disabled status, racial and ethnic origin, religious or ideological beliefs or trade union membership), provided that these have been transmitted to us in one of the two ways mentioned.
The legal basis is the decision on the establishment of an employment relationship or, after the employment relationship has been established, for its implementation in accordance with Section 26 Paragraph 1 BDSG-new and Article 6 Paragraph 1 Letter b EU GDPR. After the selection process has ended, we will retain all data for a further six months in order to be able to legally respond to such allegations in the event of possible disputes regarding the application process. This time-limited storage takes place on the basis of Article 6 Paragraph 1 Letter f of the EU GDPR.

Service: Application by email
You have the option of applying to us via email. Please send your application documents to bewerbung@mezcrafts.com. We would like to point out that we cannot guarantee the confidentiality of your data when applying via email. Although we offer transport encryption (TLS) through our mail server, confidentiality may depend on various mail relay servers over which we have no control. Whether they also use TLS and whether they evaluate the emails is beyond our knowledge and influence. If you have concerns about this, please send your application by post.
Business partners and information seekers
You have the option of contacting us by telephone, fax or email. Please also note the section “Data security: website, email, fax”.
When you contact us by telephone, we collect information for caller identification (caller ID). This means that if your phone number is not suppressed or withheld, we will see the phone number from which you are calling us. The telephone number, call date and call time are automatically stored by our telephone system and are only used to call you back if you have asked us to do so or if your call is canceled due to technical problems. This data will be deleted after 4 weeks at the latest. We do not record calls.
If you contact us via email, this will be saved and used for the purpose you communicated to us in the email (e.g. ordering a product). The same applies to contacting us by fax.
If you order products from us or request information materials, we will create a customer account for you. The customer account contains the following data:
– The name and contact details of the company for which you are placing the order
– Your first and last name as contact person
– For every order processed via this customer account, we store:
– Date of order and delivery
– Ordered products
– current order status
This data is required to process your order and/or inquiry d are only processed for this purpose (Art. 6 Para. 1 lit. b or lit. f EU GDPR). Unless otherwise stated, the deletion periods for this data are based on the legal retention obligations to which we are subject.

Informants, whistleblowers
We offer a whistleblower or whistleblowers communication channels to receive information regarding suspected violations of legal regulations that apply to us. Personal data can also be processed. The categories of personal data depend on the person providing the information.
The information provided is used, among other things, for the purpose of checking and documenting the reports, for internal investigations (including passing it on to external lawyers, auditors or other professionals bound by professional secrecy as well as to those responsible in other parts of the corporate group – if applicable) and, if necessary, for passing on to state authorities (e.g. police, public prosecutor’s office or courts).
The storage period depends on the legal requirements, typically three years after the conclusion of a procedure.
We guarantee that all persons who provide information will be processed confidentially. This is based on the legal requirements of the Whistleblower Protection Act in Sections 8 and 9. In principle, we accept anonymous tips, but we cannot guarantee the anonymity of the person providing the tip as part of a procedure.
The legal basis for processing is the fulfillment of legal obligations (Art. 6 Para. 1 lit. c EU GDPR).

Service: yourIT whistleblowing system
We use the yourIT Whistleblowing System service, provided by yourIT GmbH, Häselstr. 10, 72336 Balingen, Germany.
The whistleblowing system is operated as part of the activity as a data protection officer and provides the legally required reporting channels, i.e. reports in text form via an email address specifically set up to receive and process reports in accordance with the HinSchG, a whistleblowing hotline via a Telephone switchboard, as well as the option, at the whistleblower’s request, to meet in person (both on site and via a video conference). Part of the system is a digital exchange platform, which ensures confidentiality towards the whistleblower. The service is part of the internal reporting center for whistleblowers and is subject to legal requirements. Transfers and processing are based on the legal basis of fulfilling legal obligations (Art. 6 Para. 1 lit. c EU-GDPR) and in particular Section 8 HinSchG.