VIB privacy policy

The importance of protection of personal data

Privacy policy

VIB attaches great importance to the protection of your personal data and complies with the provisions of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

 

Scope of this privacy policy

 

This privacy policy applies to the collection and processing of personal data by VIB vzw, a Belgian non-profit organisation with registered offices at Rijvisschestraat 120, 9052 ZWIJNAARDE, Belgium.

 

For certain areas or processes VIB may have developed additional guidelines or procedures that describe more in detail which measures apply for the protection of personal data. This is for instance the case for the protection of personal data in the context of recruitment processes.

 

The personal data that we collect and/or process

 

VIB collects and processes different types of personal data. These can be limited personal data or more elaborate personal data such as in the context of its human resource management.

 

It may concern personal data that you have provided to us, for instance via web forms, via contractual agreements, via business cards or other ways of exchanging contact information, or data that we obtain via the use of our websites, or via research material that has been made available to us to which certain personal data may be attached.

 

Website 

On the VIB website at different points it is requested to submit certain personal data. This is for instance the case when you request a brochure or other information. When you submit these personal data, we will always ask your explicit consent to allow the processing of these data for the purposes of keeping you informed about relevant activities that VIB organizes, or to contact you by e-mail or regular post in the context of information campaigns that are organized by VIB. In case you submit personal data in the context of a health research project or ask a question via patiĆ«[email protected], these data will only be used by VIB for that purpose and not for any other purpose.

The website of VIB does not collect personal data via cookies or other software. The website can however contain hyperlinks to other websites. VIB is not responsible for the privacy policy of these other websites and third parties.

 

The use of personal data by VIB  

VIB collects and processes personal data in the context of the regular activities it performs as a life sciences research institute.

 

More specifically VIB also processes personal data for the following purposes:

  • To assist you and inform you about specific fields of research and collection issues;
  • To enable its role as an employer;
  • To collect relevant data for its life sciences research;
  • To communicate with you by means of sending press releases, (electronic) newsletters, e-mails and/or regular post;
  • To enable VIB to fulfill its financial obligations;
  • To enable the establishment of business relationships;
  • To answer your questions via social media, e-mail, by regular post or by phone;
  • To improve our website.

In case we would want to use your personal data for additional purposes, we will ask your explicit consent.

Legal grounds

 

VIB only processes personal data if an appropriate legal ground applies. Depending on the goal, personal data are being processed because:

  • You give your consent;

In this context we wish to note that when you deliberately provide your contact information to us, we will see this as an explicit consent to VIB to process your contact details for managing your relationship with VIB in the context of its regular activities.

  • It is necessary for the execution of an agreement;
  • There is a legal obligation to do so;
  • It is necessary for the protection of your vital interests;
  • It concerns a task of public interest;
  •  It is necessary for the purposes of legitimate interests pursued by VIB.

 

Proving personal data to third parties  

Personal data are managed by VIB and are treated as strictly confidential. Your data will only be used for the specific purposes for which VIB possesses these data. Your personal data will not be provided to third parties, unless there is an appropriate legal ground for it, or you have given your explicit consent.

Security of personal data  

VIB secures your personal data to prevent abuse and unauthorized access to your personal data.

 

Duration of storage of personal data  

VIB will not store personal data indefinitely. When certain personal data are no longer necessary for the purposes for which they were collected, and VIB no longer needs them in order to fulfill certain obligations, or to respond to certain inquiries or claims, VIB will remove these personal data.

 

Your rights

In compliance with the GDPR you have the right to:

1. Consult the personal data that VIB has stored about you.

2. Correct the personal data that VIB has stored about you.

3. Object to certain forms of personal data processing.

4. Have your personal data erased. 5. Have the personal data that VIB has stored about you transferred to another organization.

Besides this, you also have the possibility to submit a complaint to the Privacy Commission (www.privacycommission.be).

 

Changes to this privacy policy  

VIB has the right to change its privacy policy. The most recent version of this policy will always be placed on the website. It is therefore recommended to check the privacy policy on the website on a regular basis.

 

Contact information

  You can also always contact us if you are of the opinion that our website or our operations are not in conformity with our privacy policy or the GDPR. You can contact us for this via e-mail: [email protected]    tel: +32 9 244 66 11 or by regular post VIB Communication Rijvisschestraat 120 9052 GENT BELGIUM