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Legal matters/
Data protection declaration

Legal matters / Data protection declaration

Liability

Even though Swiss Export Risk Insurance SERV takes care to ensure that the information it publishes is correct, it is unable to guarantee that this information is correct, accurate, up-to-date, reliable or complete. 
In particular, SERV provides general information about SERV itself, its products and its services on its website (www.serv-ch.com). This information does not constitute and is no substitute for personalised advice. SERV expressly reserves the right to modify or delete some or all content at any time and without notice. 
SERV excludes all liability for any claims for tangible or intangible damages arising from accessing, using or failing to use published information, or from misusing the connection or based on technical failures.


 

Links and references

Links and references to third-party websites are outside the scope of SERV’s responsibility. Any information and services provided on linked websites are solely the third party’s responsibility. Users access and use of such websites are at their own risk. SERV has no influence whatsoever on the design, content and offerings of any linked website. 

Copyright

The information on SERV’s website is made available to the public. Unless otherwise stated, SERV exclusively owns the copyright and any and all other rights in/to the content, images, photos or other files located on SERV's websites. Downloading or copying content, images, photos or other files does not transfer any rights with respect to the content. The copyright holders’ prior written consent must be obtained before reproducing any elements. 

Use of the SERV logo

The SERV logo (including font) may not be used or reproduced without the written consent of SERV.

Data protection declaration

1. General information, scope

We are committed to protecting your privacy and the data you entrust to us. 
Under Article 13 of the Swiss Federal Constitution and the provisions of Swiss data protection law, every person has the right to privacy and the right to be protected against the misuse of their personal data. SERV complies with these provisions.
In this data protection declaration we provide you with information on how we process your personal data when you visit our website or use our online services, or, in very general terms, when we provide services or carry out any other activities for you. We also inform you about the rights of persons whose data we process.
Individual or additional activities may be governed by other data protection declarations, information or legal documents such as general terms and conditions or terms of use (especially in relation to the SERV application portal).
SERV is primarily subject to Swiss data protection law. Personal data is processed in accordance with the data protection requirements for federal bodies. Foreign data protection legislation may however also apply, in particular the European Union (EU General Data Protection Regulation, GDPR). 

2. Data protection responsibility, contact details

SERV is as a federal body entrusted with public responsibilities for processing personal data. 
You may direct any of your queries in connections with data protection or this declaration at any time by email or by mail to our Data protection officer:

Swiss Export Risk Insurance SERV
Data Protection
Genferstrasse 6
8002 Zürich
datenschutzserv-ch.com 

3. Collection and processing of personal data

3.1 Principles

We primarily process personal data which we require for and receive in the course of applying the Swiss Export Risk Insurance Act (SERVG) and its associated ordinance (SERV-V). In particular, this includes personal data relating to our clients, business partners and other parties in connection with the insurance and guarantee business and related activities thereto. 
We may also process personal data that we receive in connection with our general information services, training courses and other events (including client acquisition, marketing, etc.). We may also obtain such data from publicly accessible sources (e.g. internet, Commercial Register, media). 
Certain data is also collected whenever you visit our website. In addition, you have the option of entering data at various points on our website. 
We process personal data confidentially and with due care and only for the purposes described in this data protection declaration, only within the necessary scope, and in accordance with the applicable legal provisions. We only store personal data to the extent and for the duration that is necessary for us to provide our services or stipulated by law. 

3.2 Purpose of data processing in the context of insurance business

The documents and data that you submit or send in connection with an insurance or guarantee transaction are used to assess and process applications and corresponding requests. 
In this regard, SERV creates additional transparency for its clients within the framework of its obligations regarding official secrecy and protect data. In addition to an inserted provision on “official secrecy and data protection” in the General Terms and Conditions for all insurance products, we have also published an information sheet on our website. This information sheet sets out the legal basis for the protection of information sent to SERV, along with the reasons why it might be shared with third parties. Based on this information sheet, you provide us with your consent to disclose protected information (where necessary) for the scenarios described therein. 

3.3 General contact, forms, SERV application portal 

We process personal data which data subjects voluntarily provide themselves when contacting us (especially via post, E-mail, telephone, contact form, social media) or in connection with the SERV application portal, to the extent that this is necessary to achieve the processing purpose or fulfil SERV’s mandate. 
We may store personal data in an address book, customer relationship management (CRM) system or by virtue of similar resources. If you provide us with data regarding other people, you are obliged to ensure data protection is complied with respect of such people and also to ensure that the personal data provided to us is correct. 

3.4 Newsletter subscription

If you have registered for the newsletter on our website and given your consent to receive the same in the automated confirmation E-mail subsequently sent out (double opt-in), we will add your contact details to the corresponding mailing list. This data is used solely for the purpose of distributing our newsletter. We use Mailchimp to send and manage the newsletter.
This tool enables us to analyse and measure our distribution performance. For example, we are able to ascertain how many recipients have opened the newsletter. This is necessary to enable us to tailor our newsletter content more closely to the needs of our recipients and thereby fulfil our legal mandate to provide information about existing insurance options to the best of our ability. If you do not wish to consent to this, please unsubscribe from the newsletter. You may unsubscribe from the newsletter at any time in your settings. A corresponding link is to be found in the footer of every newsletter and in the confirmation E-mail that you receive after registering for the first time.

3.5 Conference calls and video meetings

We use audio and video conferencing services to communicate online and hold virtual meetings, webinars and conduct training courses. The terms of use and data protection declarations of any such services that we use apply in addition to this data protection declaration. If you voluntarily participate in a conference call or video meeting, we recommend that you permanently mute the microphone and blur the background or use a virtual background. 
When using audio and video conferencing services, different types of personal data may be processed and disclosed to such service providers. The scope thereof will also depend on which in-formation is provided by the participants. The following data may be processed in this context: username, general information about service preferences, information about the device and the network/internet connection of every user, e.g. IP address(es), MAC address, other device identifi-ers (UDID), device type, type and version of operating system, client version, information about the use of or other interaction with the services (usage information), other information that the user uploads, provides or creates while using the service, and metadata that is used for the mainte-nance of the service provided. Further personal data – as is common with respect to collaborative tools - may also be shared between SERV and the participants (e.g. chat messages, images, files, audio/video recordings, contact details, and metadata that is used for the maintenance of the ser-vice provided). If you participate in an online meeting without registering, only a minimum of data will be processed. Online meetings will only be recorded with prior notice, and the recordings will only be stored locally. 

3.6 Application data

We publish job vacancies on our website. When you apply for one of these positions, you are redi-rected to an external portal, use of which is subject to the data protection provisions published therein.

4. Cookies, tracking and other technologies related to the use of the SERV website 

4.1 Cookies

We use cookies and similar technology on our website. In particular, to allow us to make our website more attractive and enable or improve the use of certain functions. 
A cookie is a small text file that is automatically sent to your computer and saved automatically by the used web browser on your computer or mobile device when you visit our website. This allows us to recognise you when you next visit our website, although we will not be aware of your identity. In addition to cookies that are only used during a session and are then deleted after you leave the website (session cookies), cookies that store user settings and other data over a certain period of time can also be used (permanent cookies). However, you can configure your browser to block cookies, only store them for a session or delete them otherwise ahead of time. Most browsers are configured to accept cookies.  

4.2 Storage for web analytics purposes/server log files/performance and coverage measurement

When you access our website, we may use services and programs to determine how our site or our online services are being used. 
In general no personal data is stored when you access our site. We only record non-personal usage data that are processed in a way to allow us to track trends and thus improve our services (log files). Usage data is not interconnected with personal data. The only exception is if you contact us voluntarily. When you register your E-mail address, it is added to a separate database that is in no connection to the anonymous log files. You may cancel your registration again at any time.
We in particular use Google Analytics, a web analytics service provided by Google, Inc., embedded by Google Tag Manager.
By virtue of Google Analytics we are able to measure and evaluate the use of the website (non-personal related). For this purpose also permanent cookies are used, which the service provider placed. The service provider does not receive any personal data from us, nor does it store any IP addresses. However, it may track your use of the website, combine this information with data from other websites that you have visited and that are also tracked by the service provider, and use the findings for its own purposes (e.g. targeted advertising). If you have registered with the service provider yourself, the service provider will know your identity. The service provider is then responsible for processing your personal data in accordance with its data protection provisions. The ser-vice provider will only share information with us on how our website is used (no personal information about you). 
We have activated IP anonymisation on this website. This means that the IP addresses of visitors to the SERV website, which Google Analytics necessarily needs to send to the Google Analytics servers, are automatically shortened by the last three digits within a very short time. 

Further information can be found here: https://marketingplatform.google.com/about/analytics/terms/us/ 

You can deactivate Google Analytics via the following link: https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout

5. Embedded content and third-party terms of use

Articles on our website may contain embedded content from third-party providers (e.g. videos, images, posts, etc.). Embedded content from other websites behave in such a way as if the visitor had visited the other website. These websites may collect data about you, use cookies, embed additional third-party tracking services and document your interaction with the embedded content, including your interaction with the embedded content if you have an account and are registered on that website.
Please also note that we assume no liability for the content of linked websites (e.g. social plugins such as LinkedIn, Vimeo, Google Maps, etc.); these can usually be identified by the corresponding symbols/logos. If a link takes you to the website of a third-party provider, then its terms of use and data protection provisions shall apply.

6. Transfer of personal data to third parties

Your personal data will not be shared with, sold to or otherwise transferred to third parties unless this is necessary for the purpose of performing the contract or fulfilling our legal obligations. 
SERV may thus use third parties to process personal data, process it in conjunction with third parties or, if necessary, transfer it to them. Such third parties are mainly specialist providers whose services we use. 
We may also transfer personal data to third parties where we are obliged to do so on the basis of legal provisions or an enforceable official or court order. 

7. Retention and storage of personal data

We process and store your personal data for as long as we need it to fulfil our contractual and legal obligations or otherwise fulfil the processing purposes. This means, for example, that we may store it for the duration of the business relationship (from initial contact through to completion) and beyond this in accordance with our legal retention and documentation obligations. Personal data may also be stored for the period during which claims may be asserted against SERV, and for as long as we are otherwise obliged or authorised to store it or need to do so in order to serve other legitimate business interests (e.g. for evidence or documentation purposes). 

8. Data security

We implement appropriate technical and organisational security measures to protect your data against accidental or intentional manipulation, partial or total loss, destruction or unauthorised access and/or misuse by third parties. The security measures meet current technical standards. 
For security reasons, we use encrypted data communication based on TLS or SSL encryption when you visit our website or the SERV application portal. You can recognise an encrypted connection by the fact that the address bar in the browser changes from http:// to https:// and a pad-lock symbol is displayed. TLS or SSL encryption are activated for the purpose that data that is transferred to us cannot be read by third parties. 

9. Rights of data subjects

As a concerned data subject, you have certain rights in relation to the personal data about you that we process. 
In particular, you have the right to know whether we are processing your personal data, and if so which data (“right to be informed”). You may send your request to the address provided in Section 2.

10. Amendments

SERV may modify or make additions to this data protection declaration at any time and without notice. The most recent version published on our website is the valid version.

dated July 17th, 2023