HSS UK | Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh UK
You are at:»Privacy Policy

Privacy Policy

HINDU SWAYAMSEVAK SANGH (UK)

Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh (UK) (Registered Charity No: 1202635) takes the issue of privacy very seriously and is committed to protecting and respecting all personal data held on individuals. This policy explains how Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh (UK) collects and uses the personal information provided.

1. Who are we?

Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh (UK) (referred as HSS (UK) from here on) is the “data controller” for the purposes of the Data Protection Act 2018 and (from 25 May 2018) the UK General Data Protection Regulation (“Data Protection Law”).  This means that we are responsible for, and control the processing of, your personal information.

2. What type of personal data do we collect and why?

2.1. Registered Members (swayamsevaks/sevikas) and Karyakartas

We collect personal data in a variety of ways; however, the key source of data is from the Registration Form when an individual becomes a member of HSS (UK). We may hold personal data (including special category data) about members on our membership database and local databases. We believe it is important to be open and transparent about how we will use your personal data.

Information we may hold about you includes the following:

  • name and contact details
  • details of your experience, qualifications, occupation
  • details of HSS (UK) events and activities you have taken part in
  • details of next of kin
  • age/date of birth
  • details of any health conditions
  • details of disclosure checks
  • any complaints we have received about the member
  • ethnic background and native languages
  • nationality
  • photos and/or videos

We need this information to communicate with you and to carry out any necessary checks to make sure that you can work with young people. We also have a responsibility to keep information about you, both during your time as a swayamsevak/sevika and/or karyakarta and afterwards (due to our safeguarding responsibilities).

2.2. Donors

We benefit from donations from our members as well as members of the local community who support our work, and we hold personal data about these donors so that we can process donations and orders and inform donors about our work and campaigns and how they can support us further. We may hold the type of information as set out in 2.1.

2.3. External Organisations

We may also hold personal data from various leaders of local/national community/political/service-based organisation who we have a relationship with in order to update them on the various activities and work we undertake. We may hold the type of information as set out in 2.1.

2.4. Customers and visitors

We also hold personal data from customers and visitors to our Hindu Sahitya Kendra, online bookshop and via the HSS (UK) website. We may hold the type of information as set out in 2.1 and also including the following:

  • purchase history
  • payment details

2.5 Employees (past, present and future)

As an employer, we need to keep information relating to each member of staff who has a contract with us. This will include the pre-employment stage, references, and records relating to the time they worked for us, including probationary, appraisal and disciplinary information.

We also hold information that allows us to pay salaries and work with other payroll and pension providers. We may hold the type of information as set out in 2.1 and also including the following:

  • information that allows us to pay salaries and work with other payroll and pension providers
  • probationary, appraisal and disciplinary information

2.6. CCTV

Our offices and shops throughout the country operate a CCTV network to help prevent and detect crime and safeguard (protect) young people and others. If we can identify somebody from a CCTV image, the image must be processed as personal data.

3. Why we use your personal data?

  • To keep you informed or get in touch with you regarding any of our activities or those that may be related to our activities.
  • To undertake public relations activities.
  • To keep a record of your relationship with us.
  • To process your donations or purchases or to claim Gift-Aid on your donations.
  • Mandatory / Regulatory processing (Attendance register, DBS, First Aid, other relevant certifications) and administrative tasks.
  • To administer the volunteering arrangement where you volunteer with us.

4. What is the legal basis for processing your personal data?

We will only use your personal information when the law allows us to. Most commonly, we will use your information in the following circumstances:

  • Where you have provided your consent;
  • Where we need to comply with a legal obligation (such as health and safety legislation and under statutory codes of practice);
  • Where it is necessary for our legitimate interests.  Under “legitimate interests” we can process your personal information if: we have a genuine and legitimate reason to carry out our activities and conduct events.

5. Sharing your personal data

We will not sell or rent your information (including web browsing activity) to third party organisations, and we will not share your personal information for others to use for the purposes of marketing.

In line with key objectives, events and activities of HSS (UK), we may disclose your personal data to certain third-party organisations who are processing data solely in accordance with our instructions (called ‘data processors’). This includes companies and/or organisations that work with us or on our behalf to deliver our objectives, events, activities and certifications (for example providers of mail management, payment providers, event organisers, agencies used to conduct DBS checks) as well as professionals we use such as insurers, auditors or accountants. We only use those data processors who can guarantee to us that adequate safeguards are put in place by them to protect the personal data they process on our behalf.

We may run an event or activity in partnership with another organisation and your details may need to be shared, should this be the case you will be notified in such circumstance.

We may disclose your information if required to do so by law (for example, to comply with applicable laws, regulations and codes of practice or in response to a valid request from a competent authority); or, in order to enforce our conditions of sale and other agreements.

6. How long do we keep your personal data?

We only keep it as long as is reasonable and necessary for the relevant activities and events. We are legally required to hold some personal data to fulfil statutory obligations, for example the collection of Gift Aid and DBS disclosure.

7. Your rights and your personal data

Unless subject to an exemption, you have the following rights with respect to your personal data: –

Access to your personal information: The right to request a copy of your personal data which HSS (UK) holds about you. You can make a request for access free of charge. Please make all requests for access in writing to info@hssuk.org and provide us with evidence of your identity.

Rectification: The right to request us to correct or change any personal data if it is found to be inaccurate or out of date.

Right to object: You can object to our processing of your personal information where we are relying on a legitimate interest and there is something about your particular situation which makes you want to object to processing on this ground. Please contact us as noted above, providing details of your objection.

Restriction: The right, where there is a dispute in relation to the accuracy or processing of your personal data, to request a restriction is placed on further processing.

Erasure: The right to request your personal data is erased where it is no longer necessary for HSS (UK) to retain such data.

8. Changes to our Policy

We shall review this privacy from time to time and may update it. If we do so, the updated version will be uploaded here on our website so please check it from time to time.

Contact Details

To exercise all relevant rights, queries or complaints please in the first instance email us on info@hssuk.org.

============================================

Issue Date: January 2025