Our Commitment to Privacy
We at Self Care Catalysts Inc. are committed to maintaining the security, confidentiality and privacy of your personal information. The objective of the Self Care Catalysts Inc. Privacy Policy is to promote responsible and transparent personal information management practices in a manner consistent with the provisions of the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (Canada).
Self Care Catalysts Inc. complies with the policies and standards set out by the Marketing Research & Intelligence Association http://www.mria-arim.ca. This organization sets standards to which members must adhere and which also protect your privacy.
If you have any concerns about how your privacy is protected at Self Care Catalysts Inc., please contact our Privacy Officer, Bob Waite, by mail or by e-mail at:
Mailing Address:
Attn: Privacy Officer
Self Care Catalysts Inc.
101 College Street, Suite 300
Toronto, Ontario, M5G 1L7
Email Address:
Scope
This Policy addresses personal information about identifiable individuals and does not apply to information collected, used or disclosed with respect to corporate or commercial entities.
This Policy does not impose any limits on our collection, use or disclosure of the following information:
- non-personally identifiable information;
- the name, title, business address and/or telephone number of an employee of an organization;
- other information about an individual that is publicly available and is specified by regulation pursuant to the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (Canada).
Self Care Catalysts Inc. is accountable and responsible for personal information under its control, and has designated a Privacy Officer to ensure compliance with this Privacy Policy by Self Care Catalysts Inc.
The Self Care Catalysts Inc. Privacy Officer, Bob Waite, can be reached by mail or by e-mail at:
Mailing Address:
Attn: Privacy Officer
Self Care Catalysts Inc.
101 College Street, Suite 300
Toronto, Ontario, M5G 1L7
Email Address:
Other individuals within Self Care Catalysts Inc. may be delegated to act on behalf of the Privacy Officer or to take responsibility for the day-to-day collection and/or processing of personal information.
Self Care Catalysts Inc. is responsible for personal information in its possession or control and shall use contractual or other means to provide a comparable level of protection while information is being processed or used by a third party.
Purposes
Self Care Catalysts Inc. shall identify the purposes for which personal information is collected at or before the time the information is collected.
Self Care Catalysts Inc. collects personal information from the public only for the following purposes:
- to conduct quantitative or qualitative marketing and social research;
- to understand respondent opinions to establish suitability for further quantitative and qualitative marketing and social research; and
- to meet legal and regulatory requirements.
When personal information that has been collected is to be used or disclosed for a purpose not previously identified, the new purpose shall be identified prior to use. Unless the new purpose is permitted or required by law, the consent of the respondent will be acquired before the information will be used or disclosed for the new purpose.
Self Care Catalysts Inc. may provide clients or other third parties with information from any survey, in aggregate form. In aggregate form it is impossible to identify an individual respondent’s personal information.
Consent
The knowledge and consent of an individual are required for the collection, use, or disclosure of personal information, except where inappropriate.
Participation by respondents in survey research is always voluntary. When a respondent agrees to participate in a survey, he/she gives consent to the interview by participating.
Generally, any personal information collected in the course of an interview is not disclosed to third parties. However, occasionally, a client sponsoring a research project may want to contact respondents directly. In these cases, Self Care Catalysts Inc. always explains the reason for the disclosure to the respondent and obtains express permission from the respondent before making any such disclosure.
A respondent is always free to choose whether or not to participate in a survey, free to choose not to answer any specific questions and free to discontinue participation at any time.
In obtaining consent, Self Care Catalysts Inc. shall use reasonable efforts to ensure that a respondent is advised of the identified purposes for which personal information will be used or disclosed. The identified purposes shall be stated in a manner that can be reasonably understood by the respondent.
Generally, Self Care Catalysts Inc. shall seek consent to use and disclose personal information at the same time it collects the information. However, Self Care Catalysts Inc. may seek consent to use and/or disclose personal information after it has been collected, but before it is used and/or disclosed for a new purpose.
In determining the appropriate form of consent, Self Care Catalysts Inc. shall take into account the sensitivity of the personal information and the reasonable expectations of its respondents.
The participation of a respondent in a quantitative or qualitative marketing or social research study may constitute implied consent for Self Care Catalysts Inc. to collect, use and disclose personal information for the identified purposes.
Limiting Collection of Personal Information
Self Care Catalysts Inc. shall limit the collection of personal information to that which is necessary for the purposes identified by Self Care Catalysts Inc. Self Care Catalysts Inc. shall collect personal information by fair and lawful means.
In conducting surveys, Self Care Catalysts Inc. limits the amount and type of personal information it collects. We collect only the amount and type of information needed for the purposes identified to individuals.
Self Care Catalysts Inc. collects personal information about an individual primarily from that individual or a member of that individual’s household. Except as permitted by law, Self Care Catalysts Inc. will only collect personal information from external sources, such as client organizations, if individuals have consented to such collection.
Limiting Use, Disclosure, and Retention of Personal Information
Self Care Catalysts Inc. shall not use or disclose personal information for purposes other than those for which it was collected, except with the consent of the individual or as required or permitted by law. Personal information shall be retained only as long as necessary for the fulfillment of those purposes.
Self Care Catalysts Inc. may disclose a respondent’s personal information to:
- a client of Self Care Catalysts Inc. where the respondent has consented to such disclosure;
- a third party engaged by Self Care Catalysts Inc. to perform functions on its behalf;
- a public authority or agent of a public authority if, in the reasonable judgment of Self Care Catalysts Inc., it appears that there is imminent danger to life or property which could be avoided or minimized by disclosure of the information; or
- a third party or parties, where the respondent consents to such disclosure or disclosure is required or permitted by law.
Self Care Catalysts Inc. shall keep personal information only as long as it remains necessary or relevant for the identified purposes or as required by law. Depending on the circumstances, where a respondent may have to be re-contacted for purposes of clarifying responses to a survey, or to seek additional responses, Self Care Catalysts Inc. shall retain the personal information for a period of time that is reasonably sufficient to allow this re-contact.
Self Care Catalysts Inc. shall maintain reasonable and systematic controls, schedules and practices for information and records retention and destruction which apply to personal information that is no longer necessary or relevant for the identified purposes or required by law to be retained. Such information shall be destroyed, erased or made anonymous.
Accuracy
Personal information shall be as accurate, complete, and up-to-date as is necessary for the purposes for which it is to be used.
Personal information used by Self Care Catalysts Inc. shall be sufficiently accurate, complete, and up-to-date to minimize the possibility that inappropriate information may be used to make a decision about a respondent.
Self Care Catalysts Inc. shall update personal information about respondents and employees as necessary to fulfill the identified purposes or upon notification by the individual.
Safeguarding Personal Information
Self Care Catalysts Inc. shall protect personal information by security safeguards appropriate to the sensitivity of the information.
Self Care Catalysts Inc. shall protect personal information against such risks as loss or theft, unauthorized access, disclosure, copying, use, modification or destruction, through appropriate security measures, regardless of the format in which it is held.
Self Care Catalysts Inc. shall protect personal information disclosed to third parties by contractual agreements stipulating the confidentiality of the information and the purposes for which it is to be used.
All of Self Care Catalysts Inc.’s employees with access to personal information shall be required to respect the confidentiality of that information.
Note that confidentiality and security are not assured when information is transmitted through e-mail or wireless communication.
Openness Concerning Policies and Procedures
Self Care Catalysts Inc. shall make readily available to individuals specific information about its policies and procedures relating to the management of personal information.
Self Care Catalysts Inc. shall make information about its policies and procedures easy to understand, including:
- the title and address of the person or persons accountable for Self Care Catalysts Inc.’s compliance with its Privacy Policy and to whom inquiries and/or complaints can be forwarded;
- the means of gaining access to personal information held by Self Care Catalysts Inc.;
- a description of the type of personal information held by Self Care Catalysts Inc., including a general account of its use; and
- a description of what personal information is made available to related organizations (e.g. subsidiaries).
Upon request, Self Care Catalysts Inc. shall inform an individual of the existence, use, and disclosure of his or her personal information and shall give the individual access to that information. An individual shall be able to challenge the accuracy and completeness of the information and have it amended as appropriate.
Upon written request to the Privacy Officer, Self Care Catalysts Inc. will inform an individual of the existence, use and disclosure of his/her personal information and shall be given access to that information
In certain situations, Self Care Catalysts Inc. may not be able to provide access to all the personal information that it holds about a respondent. For example, Self Care Catalysts Inc. may not provide access to information if doing so would likely reveal personal information about a third party or could reasonably be expected to threaten the life or security of another individual. Also, Self Care Catalysts Inc. may not provide access to information if disclosure would reveal confidential commercial information.
In order to safeguard personal information, a respondent may be required to provide sufficient identification information to permit Self Care Catalysts Inc. to account for the existence, use and disclosure of personal information and to authorize access to the individual’s file. Any such information shall be used only for this purpose.
Self Care Catalysts Inc. shall promptly correct or complete any personal information found to be inaccurate or incomplete. Any unresolved differences as to accuracy or completeness shall be noted in the individual’s file. Where appropriate, Self Care Catalysts Inc. shall transmit to third parties having access to the personal information in question any amended information or the existence of any unresolved differences.
Respondents and employees can obtain information or seek access to their individual files by contacting the Self Care Catalysts Inc. Privacy Officer.
Complaints
An individual shall be able to address a challenge concerning compliance with the above principles to the designated person or persons accountable for Self Care Catalysts Inc.’s compliance with the Self Care Catalysts Inc. Privacy Policy.
Self Care Catalysts Inc. shall maintain procedures for addressing and responding to all inquiries or complaints from its respondents regarding Self Care Catalysts Inc.’s handling of personal information.
Self Care Catalysts Inc. shall, on written request, inform its respondents about the existence of these procedures as well as the availability of complaint procedures.
The person or persons accountable for compliance with the Self Care Catalysts Inc. Privacy Policy may seek external advice where appropriate before providing a final response to individual complaints.
Self Care Catalysts Inc. shall investigate all complaints concerning compliance with its Privacy Policy. If a complaint is found to be justified, Self Care Catalysts Inc. shall take appropriate measures to resolve the complaint including, if necessary, amending its policies and procedures. The respondent shall be informed of the outcome of the investigation regarding his or her complaint.
Additional Information
For more information regarding the Self Care Catalysts Inc. Privacy Policy, please contact the Self Care Catalysts Inc. Privacy Officer, Bob Waite, by mail at:
Mailing Address:
Attn: Privacy Officer
Self Care Catalysts Inc.
101 College Street, Suite 300
Toronto, Ontario, M5G 1L7
Email Address:
Please visit the Privacy Commissioner of Canada’s website at http://www.privcom.gc.ca. For more information about the Marketing Research & Intelligence Association please visit http://www.mria-arim.ca.