1. INTRODUCTION

The European Biodiversity Partnership Biodiversa+ is a network of national and regional organisations programming and funding pan-European research that offers innovative opportunities for the conservation and sustainable management of biodiversity. In the implementation of its activities, Biodiversa+ sometimes has to collect and process personal data (i.e. information that can be used to identify or be reasonably associated with a specific person).

The protection of your personal data is an important matter for Biodiversa+. Therefore, Biodiversa+ Joint Controllers (all the Biodiversa+ partners together) developed a data privacy policy complying with the General Data Protection Regulation (EU) 2016/679 and has taken technical and organisational measures to ensure that data protection regulations are observed both by us and by external service providers.

To be compliant with this Regulation, Biodiversa+ is committed to protecting your privacy and personal data and ensuring you have a positive experience when using our website, receiving our newsletters, participating in our consultations and surveys, visiting our social media channels or participating in any of our activities. In addition, Biodiversa+ has established other policies to protect personal data directly collected in the context of our Joint Calls by establishing a General Data Policy for all the users of our Electronic Proposal Submission System (EPSS).

On our website, personal data is collected and stored only to the extent that it is technically necessary and only if you: are a member of the Biodiversa+ boards, subscribe to a newsletter mailing list, register for an event, submit partner searches, events or news or participate or are involved in a research and innovation funded project. Personal data that we collect are never used for commercial reasons. Your personal data will only be publicly available/visible if you have previously agreed to this.

This privacy policy provides you with a complete overview of how Biodiversa+ guarantees the protection of your data, what kind of data are collected and how it is used. It applies worldwide and covers all data that you provide to us.
In case of issue with your personal data, please feel free to contact the Biodiversa+ partner in charge of your personal data and the following email address: biodiversa(at)fondationbiodiversite.fr (see section 5).

 

2. WHAT TYPE OF DATA DO WE PROCESS AND HOW WILL WE USE THE INFORMATION COLLECTED?

We fully respect your right to privacy in relation to your interactions with the Biodiversa+ website and endeavour to guarantee transparency in our dealings with you as to what information we will collect and how we will use your information. Also, we only collect and use personal information where we are legally entitled to do so and never collect or process data for commercial uses.
Please note that each time we collect data, we endeavour to only collect relevant data.

 

For the Biodiversa website

Biodiversa+ uses cookies on its website. Once you open our website, you will be informed on the use of these cookies and have the possibility to accept all the cookies, some of the cookies or reject all the non-strictly necessary cookies. Please note that the cookies are only set after we received your consent. Below, you will find the list of cookies used on the Biodiversa+ website:

  • Strictly necessary cookies: these cookies ensure the proper functioning of the Biodiversa+ website, as such these cookies cannot be refused.
  • Performance and Analytics cookies: these cookies allow Biodiversa+ to know how many visits are received on our webpages. This allow us to know what most interests our users and help us monitor the impact of our activities. These cookies collected by Google Analytics are only used anonymously by Biodiversa+ who cannot trace this data back to a specific individual. This data is not merged with other data sources. When opening the Biodiversa+ website, you can refuse these cookies.
  • Functionality cookies: These cookies are used to enhance the functionality of the website but are non-essential to their use. However, without these cookies, certain functionality (like videos) may become unavailable. When opening the Biodiversa+ website, you can refuse these cookies.

The Belgian Biodiversity Platform (one of the Biodiversa+ Joint Controllers) is the Controller responsible for the website.

 

For our newsletters distribution and mailing lists

Biodiversa+ spreads newsletters and uses a mailing list to communicate on its activities.

If you wish to receive our news and be part of our mailing list, please subscribe on our website. You will then be asked to provide your email address, your first and last name, your organisation type, name and scale and your country and your consent to share your personal data. This information is collected to help us send you newsflash and e-mails that are of the most relevant for you.

Consent will be the legal basis used to process your personal data. At any time, you will have the possibility to withdraw your consent by clicking on “Unsubscribe” at the bottom of all the emails you will receive from us. You also have the possibility to update your personal data by clicking on “Update your preferences” at the bottom of each email you will receive. Your personal data will be processed until you no longer want to receive our news and decide to “Unsubscribe”.

Please note that your personal data will be collected using Mailchimp, an American processor, contracted by the Belgian Biodiversity Platform (BelSPO). Mailchimp is used to manage the Biodiversa+ mailing list; its servers are located in the United-States. When contracting Mailchimp, the Belgian Biodiversity Platform (BelSPO) signed Standard Contractual Clauses as well as a Data Processing Addendum with Mailchimp to ensure your personal data protection, in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation. Installation and configuration of Mailchimp is managed by the Belgian Biodiversity Platform (BelSPO), one of the Biodiversa+ Joint Controllers.

After being collected, your data will be processed by BelSPO and the Biodiversa+ Operational Team (BelSPO, FRB, AEI/FECYT, ANR).
In case of questions on the Biodiversa+ mailing list, you can contact the Biodiversa+ Operational Team: biodiversa(at)fondationbiodiversite.fr and the Belgian Biodiversity Platform: contact(at)biodiversity.be.

For the Biodiversa Database

The Biodiversa database is a Current Research Information System (CRIS) that compiles information about past and current funding programs on biodiversity in Europe (including thematic and blue sky programs, grants, fellowships and studentships), research organisations, and project leading researchers active in biodiversity research.

 

Users of the Database

If you wish to use our database and consult its data you will have to create an account and accept our data usage agreement. To create this account, a user will need to provide the following personal data:

  • Login*
  • last name
  • first name
  • institution*
  • Country in which you live
  • Reason: why do you use the database
  • Email address* so that we will be able to contact you (to reset your password for instance)

Please note that in order to use this free service provided by Biodiversa+, you will also have to create a password that will be securely processed by the Belgian Biodiversity Platform (encrypted). You will have the possibility to reset your password at any time.

Your personal data will not be used for any commercial reasons and we will not send you any information that are not directly related with the Biodiversa+ Database.
If you wish to erase your account, please contact: biodiversa(at)fondationbiodiversite.fr

Once logged into the Biodiversa+ Database, please note that the Database only uses cookies that are essential for the functioning of your session. These cookies expire once you log out.

 

Researchers mentioned in the Database

If you are a researcher whose personal data are available on the Biodiversa+ Database, please note that your personal data were provided by national funding agencies which funded one of your research projects. These personal data were collected and are processed on our Database to pursue a mission of public interest1: help any scientist in the EU to identify potential resources and network opportunities to further develop their research, help the Biodiversa+ consortium in analysing the biodiversity funding landscape, and in identifying biodiversity research priorities to design common calls.

These personal data will only be stored in secured servers in the European Union (Belgium) and these personal data will only be disclosed to individual users of the Biodiversa+ database. Your personal data will never be used for any commercial reasons and a user of the Biodiversa+ database will have to abide by a Data Usage Agreement once using your personal data that states the following:

  • Re-use of data for commercial usage is forbidden. It is also forbidden to replicate its content in a mirror database.
  • Re-use of data for non-commercial usage is subject to prior acceptance by the Biodiversa+ Operational Team.
  • Re-use of data should be clearly acknowledged according to guidelines provided by Biodiversa+.

In case you would like to update your personal data or ask for their deletion, please feel free to contact Lise Goudeseune from Belgian Science Policy as mentioned in the home menu of the Biodiversa+ database: https://databases.biodiversa.eu/

Installation and configuration of the Biodiversa+ Database is managed by the Belgian Biodiversity Platform (BelSPO), one of the Biodiversa+ Joint Controllers.

 

For event registration and organisation

Biodiversa+ organises remote (e.g. webinars) or in person (e.g. conferences, workshop, etc.) events. For these events, Biodiversa+ will collect and process personal data in order to ensure the good preparation, organisation, run and follow-up of our meetings.
If you submit personal data to us via a website to register for an event this data will be treated as confidential and will only be shared with our partners involved in the organisation and for the sole purpose of this event.

The following personal data can be collected in the context of events: first and last name, gender, date of birth, country, email address, organization name, position in the organization, type of respondent, meal preferences (in case you will attend a lunch or a dinner during the meeting, meal preferences will be deleted one week after the meeting and process with great security and confidentiality).

Your personal data will be processed through online tools and through an Excel file stored in a secured device. Only the Biodiversa+ Operational Team (hosted by ERI/FECYT, ANR, BelSPO, FRB) and the Biodiversa+ partner in charge of organising the meeting will have an access to your personal data and will be the controllers of your personal data.

We may want to publish a list of attendees before and or after our events. Please note that we will always ask for your formal consent to share your data in the registration forms through which we will collect your personal data.

During events, pictures may be taken to promote and communicate on the Biodiversa+ activities. These pictures may be published on our website, and on social media (Twitter, LinkedIn).

When registering to the event online, a message will inform you that you implicitly accept the use of your name and/or image in the context of any report, presentation or other form of communication and dissemination in connection with the meeting. If you do not wish to allow us the use of your name and/or image, please inform the event organisers prior to the event. The event organisers will inform the communication team of your wishes.

Except for meal preferences (data deleted within one week after the event), your personal data will be deleted at the date that will be mentioned in the registration form that you filled out.

 

For presentations at events organised by Biodiversa+

If you accept to give a presentation at an event organised by Biodiversa+, your initial consent will be collected and shared with the Biodiversa+ partners in charge of the organisation, management and communication of the event. You are responsible for the personal data mentioned in your presentation. We may upload your presentation on our website if we have your consent.

You will be informed prior to the event by the organisers of the status of the meeting (internal or public) and if any online broadcast is foreseen to allow additional participation to external audience.

If live streaming is used to webcast some presentations to Biodiversa+ partners and the general public, the webcast will consist of slides, audio and possibly video. The organisers of the event will request your consent to live streaming of your presentation and following exchanges.

 

For our consultations and surveys

From time to time Biodiversa+ conducts consultations and surveys to: improve the services and activities we provide towards researchers and stakeholders, improve our communication tools, consult academic and non-academic stakeholders on our strategy, priorities and activities, better understand the needs of academic and non-academic stakeholders, etc.

If you submit personal data to us when participating to one of our consultations or surveys, this data will be treated as confidential and will only be shared with our partners involved in the organisation of the consultation or survey and for the sole purpose of the consultation or survey.
In case we would like to disclose personal data in the context of a survey or consultation, we will always ask for your formal consent to share your personal data in the forms through which will collect your answers to the survey and/or consultation.
Please note that we may also develop, share and/or publish analysis and/or reports based on the answers received in our surveys or consultations. Yet the data will be treated anonymously and it will not be possible in the analysis and/or reports to trace this data back to a specific individual (except if you gave a formal consent).

The following personal data may be collected in our surveys or consultations: first and last name, email address, name of organisation, position in the organisation, country, professional background, type of respondent. Your personal data will be deleted at the date mentioned in the consultation or survey form.

Your personal data will be processed through an online form (such as: EU survey, Google Forms, Microsoft Forms, Mailchimp) and through an Excel file stored in a secured device. Only the Biodiversa+ Operational Team and the Biodiversa+ partner in charge of organising the consultation or survey will have an access to your personal data.

 

For queries to Biodiversa+

When you send us personal data in the context of queries, it will be used solely for correspondence purposes. You consent to forwarding your personal data among Biodiversa+ to facilitate an appropriate response.

 

For our YouTube, Twitter and LinkedIn webpages

 

Youtube

The Biodiversa+ Joint Controllers use YouTube to spread videos that Biodiversa+ produces or the videos produced by the Biodiversa+ partners with a broad public. The objectives of these videos are to spread knowledge on Biodiversa+ and biodiversity related issues and inform you on the activities of the Biodiversa+ network.

If you visit our YouTube channel, watch, like or comment our videos, please note that you agree with the YouTube terms and conditions and may share at your own risk personal data shared in public on social platforms.
If you watch, like or comment our videos, please be aware that we may read your comments and use statistical indicators (number of likes and dislikes, number of views) to manage our communication strategy. If needed, we may delete your comments. These statistical indicators will never be used for commercial purposes.

We care about the security and protection of personal data of the users of the Biodiversa+ YouTube channel, so please note that we will not use any of your personal details obtained in this communication (comments for instance) and may delete your comment if it contains your personal data. We may also delete your comments if they contain hateful, racist, insulting or irrelevant content.

For more information on the use by YouTube of personal data please consult:

  • YouTube Terms of Service: https://www.youtube.com/static?template=terms
  • Google Privacy policy: https://policies.google.com/privacy?hl=en

Twitter

The Biodiversa+ Joint Controllers use Twitter to spread work and activities with a broad public.

If you visit our Twitter webpage (@BiodiversaPlus): https://twitter.com/BiodiversaPlus, like, share, tweet on our activities or publications, please note that you agree with the Twitter terms and conditions and may share at your own risk personal data shared in public on social platforms. Please note that we may process your personal data (who liked our tweet, retweet our posts, number of likes and retweet, etc.) for statistical purposes and improve our communication strategy. These statistical indicators will never be used for commercial purposes.

We care about the security and protection of personal data of the users of the Biodiversa+ Twitter profile, so please note that we will not use any of your personal details obtained in this communication without your formal consent (comments, public messages for instance) and may mask your comment if they contain your personal data. We may also mask your comments if they contain hateful, racist, insulting or irrelevant content.
For more information on the use by Twitter of personal data please consult:

  • Twitter Data Processing Addendum (Twitter and the Biodiversa+ profile on Twitter’s requirements regarding GDPR issues):
    https://privacy.twitter.com/en/for-our-partners/global-dpa
  • Twitter Privacy Policy: https://twitter.com/en/privacy

LinkedIn

The Biodiversa+ Joint Controllers use LinkedIn to spread work and activities with a broad public.

If you visit our LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/company/biodiversaplus, react, share and comment our posts, please note that you agree with the LinkedIn terms and conditions and may share at your own risk personal data shared in public on social platforms.
Please be aware that we may read your comments and use statistical indicators (number of reactions, nature of the reactions: like, bravo, love, instructive and interesting, number of views) to manage our communication strategy. These statistical indicators will never be used for commercial purposes.

We care about the security and protection of personal data of the users of the Biodiversa+ LinkedIn profile, so please note that we will not use any of your personal details obtained in this communication without your formal consent (comments for instance) and may report your comment for abusive content if they contain your personal data. We may also report an abusive comment on one of our post if they contain hateful, racist, insulting or irrelevant content.
For more information on the use by LinkedIn of personal data please consult:

  • LinkedIn Data Processing Agreement (agreement that governs the processing of personal data on LinkedIn, mentions the requirement
    of LinkedIn and of the creator of a LinkedIn profile): https://www.linkedin.com/legal/l/dpa (available in English, French, German, Spanish
    and Portuguese).
  • LinkedIn Privacy Policy: https://www.linkedin.com/legal/privacy-policy

3. WHO WE SHARE DATA WITH

We may disclose your personal information to any Biodiversa+ Controller under the control and direction of the Biodiversa+ Secretariat.

We may use a third-party service provider to send out our newsletter and administer our mailing list, to help us run the website or services available on the website. Any third parties who access your data in the course of providing services on our behalf are subject to strict contractual restrictions to ensure that your data is protected, in compliance with General Data Protection Regulation.

4. HOW DO WE STORE YOUR PERSONAL DATA?

All information you provide us with is stored on secured servers.
Where we have given you (or where you have chosen) a password which allows you to access certain parts of our Website, you are responsible for keeping this password confidential. We ask you not to share a password with anyone.

5. WHAT RIGHTS DO YOU HAVE?

As a data subject, you have the following rights:

  • the right to update your personal data or correct any mistakes in your personal data;
  • the right to ask us to stop contacting you;
  • rights in relation to automated decision taking;
  • the right to restrict or prevent your personal data being processed;
  • the right to have your personal data ported to another data controller;
  • the right to lodge a complaint with your supervisory authority
  • the right to complain to the Data Protection Controller of the controller in charge of our services if you believe we have not handled your
    personal data in accordance with the rules in vigour

Right to information

At any time, you have the right to obtain information on the data stored about you, its origin and recipients and the purpose of the storage. Information on the data stored can be obtained (email to Biodiversa+@fondationbiodiversite.fr).
Requests for your personal data must be made to us specifying what personal data you need access to, and a copy will be retained on our files. To help us locate the information, please give us as much information as possible about the type of information you would like to see.

Right to correct your personal data or correct any mistakes in your personal data

It is your responsibility that all of the personal data provided to us is accurate and complete. If any information you have given us changes, please let us know as soon as possible.
If you would like to do so, please:

  • Email us (to Biodiversa+(at)fondationbiodiversite.fr);
  • Include enough information to identify you (e.g. name, registration details); and
  • Specify which information is incorrect and what it should be replaced with.

If we are required to update your personal data, we will inform recipients to whom that personal data have been disclosed (if any), unless this proves impossible or has a disproportionate effort.

Right to erasure

In accordance with the Data Protection Legislation, you can ask us to erase your personal data where:

  • you do not believe that we need your personal data in order to process it for the purposes set out in this Policy;
  • if you had given us consent to process your personal data, you withdraw that consent and we cannot anymore legally process your personal data;
  • you object to our processing and we do not have any legal basis for continuing to process your personal data;
  • your data has been processed unlawfully or have not been erased when it should have been; or
  • the personal data have to be erased to comply with law.

Where you have requested the erasure of your personal data, we will inform recipients to whom that personal data have been disclosed, unless this proves impossible or involves disproportionate effort. We will also inform you about those recipients if you request it.

6. CHANGES TO THE POLICY

This Policy may be updated or changed from time to time at the Biodiversa+ Joint Controllers’ sole discretion. The date of the most recent revisions will appear on this page. If you do not agree to these changes, please do not continue to use this website to submit personal information. If material changes are made to the Policy, we will notify you by placing a prominent notice on the website or sending you a notification. We will not process your personal data in a manner not contemplated by this Policy without your consent.