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Privacy
Please read this privacy policy to understand how we collect and use your personal data.
Summary
Science for Animal Welfare is a charity registered in England No 207996 and a company limited by guarantee (company number 00579991). Our registered office is The Old School, Brewhouse Hill, Wheathampstead, Herts, AL4 8AN, United Kingdom.
In line with data protection laws, the charity recognises its legal obligations relating to how it collects, stores and processes personal information. Science for Animal Welfare does not sell or exchange supporters’ details with any other organisation for their own purposes. We only share data with processors working on Science for Animal Welfare’s behalf. We respect your privacy and value your support and interest in improving animals’ lives.
This privacy policy explains how we collect personal information, what purposes we use it for, how we comply with data protection laws and your data rights.
How does Science for Animal Welfare collect my information?
When you give information to Science for Animal Welfare directly
You may give us information about yourself by responding to Science for Animal Welfare communications, filling in forms on our website (www.scienceforanimalwelfare.org) or by corresponding with us by phone, email or otherwise. This includes information you provide when you enquire about our activities, donate to Science for Animal Welfare, become a member, register for an event, and if you report a problem with our website.
Membership applications ask for some additional voluntary information such as occupation, interest in animal welfare, and membership of other organisations. Providing this information is optional and if you choose to provide it, we may use it to inform our Board of Trustees and to enable Science for Animal Welfare to identify individuals who have specific expertise which may be of use to the Board. For example, identifying members who may be invited to join or provide advice to the Board.
When Science for Animal Welfare collects information indirectly
If you provide your personal information to an independent fundraising site and indicate that you wish to support Science for Animal Welfare, they may share your information with us for this purpose.
Website cookies
Cookies are small text files stored on your device when you visit a website. They contain an identifier used to store basic information and settings relating to your device and preferences. Cookies are useful because they enable our website to ‘recognise’ you via your device and recall your settings and preferences from previous visits.
We use cookies on this website. For more detail, please read our Cookie Policy.
How does Science for Animal Welfare use personal information?
Personal information may be used by Science for Animal Welfare for the following purposes.
| Purposes for processing personal information | Lawful basis for this processing |
| To provide you with the services, products or information you asked for | Contract – We need to use your data to provide these services to you in line with a contract or agreement |
| To administer your donation, including processing gift aid | Contract – We need to use your personal information to provide these services to you in line with a contract or agreement |
| To keep a record of your relationship with us | Legitimate interest – we may need to use your data to help us deal with any enquiries you may raise |
| To manage your marketing preferences. If you have given us your consent, we may contact you about our work | Consent – if you have agreed to receive these communications from us |
| To manage charitable activities such as events, publications, administration of grants, awards, scholarships, running the mentoring and LINKs schemes | Legitimate interests – these are legitimate activities which require the use of personal information |
Keeping you updated on our work
We believe that it is important to keep our members and supporters updated about how your support is making a difference to our work as well as sharing opportunities that may be of interest to you. When you provide your details to us, we will normally ask if you agree to receive these communications.
You can change your preferences at any time by emailing us at info@scienceforanimalwelfare.org. We also provide the opportunity to ‘unsubscribe’ in our emails.
If you provide your postal address, Science for Animal Welfare may send you correspondence by post about our work, unless you have told us that you do not wish to receive such information.
Keeping your personal information safe
We take the protection of your personal information very seriously and we take appropriate steps to ensure your personal data are stored in a secure environment to prevent any unauthorised access.
Sharing of personal information
We sometimes use external service providers to process personal data on our behalf and when we do so, we have appropriate agreements in place to ensure your information is protected. Any data transfers between us and external service providers are conducted by secure means.
Science for Animal Welfare is sometimes required to disclose your details to the Police, regulatory bodies or legal advisors for specified lawful purposes.
Science for Animal Welfare may be required to share your personal data (such as names and email addresses) with venue staff, security services, caterers and event hosts for the purpose of organising and delivering an event.
Science for Animal Welfare may transfer personal information outside the EU when it is necessary for the administration of its scientific activities (for example, to administer grants, events, etc).
How long will Science for Animal Welfare keep my personal information?
Science for Animal Welfare will keep your personal information for as long as is necessary for the relevant activity.
Contact information, for receipts of information about charitable activities and support, will be stored for seven years and then destroyed.
Information provided in this application and any supporting documents will be kept by the Charity
for an indefinite period for the purposes of recording charitable activity and to allow review of funding
decisions. Copies of unsuccessful applications will be kept for seven years (Limitation Act 1980).
Information provided for meetings/symposia registration will be used by the charity for the purpose of administering meetings and will be deleted after seven years unless held for other purposes (eg membership records).
Changing your communication preferences
If you wish Science for Animal Welfare to stop processing your personal data, and if the information is not necessary for the purpose you provided it to us for (for example, processing your donation or registering you for an event) we will do so. You can review your information, ask us to stop contacting you, and amend your details at any time by contacting Science for Animal Welfare. We will action your request without delay and within one month.
Your personal information rights
You have a number of rights under UK data protection laws:
- Informed: You have the right to be informed about how we handle your personal data. This privacy policy is one of the ways we do this.
- Access: You have the right to ask for a copy of the personal data we hold about you and the purposes for which we are using it.
- Rectification: You have the right to ask us to change any personal details which are incorrect and need updating.
- Erasure: You have the right to ask us to erase your personal details. We will assess any deletion request on a case-by-case basis and in some cases, we may refuse requests to erase your details.
- Object: You have the absolute right to object to receiving direct marketing communications from us. You also have the right to raise an objection about other ways we are handling your personal information.
- Restriction: You have the right to ask us to restrict or suppress your personal information. This would mean we’d store it but not use it.
- Portability: You have the right to obtain and reuse your personal data for your own purposes across different services.
If you’d like to exercise any of these rights or have any other query, please contact us.
How to raise a complaint
If you believe the way in which we’ve handled your personal information may have infringed data protection law, you can raise a formal complaint using the contact details provided. Please provide as much information as possible about the nature of your complaint and the outcome you’re seeking. We’ll acknowledge we’ve received your complaint as soon as possible and aim to provide a full response within 30 days. Should a complaint require a more detailed investigation, we’ll let you know within 30 days when you can expect a response from us.
In most cases, the Information Commission Office (ICO) is likely to expect you to go through our complaints process first. If you’re unhappy with our response, you can raise a complaint with the ICO.
Changes to this Privacy Policy
Science for Animal Welfare reserves the right to change, modify or update this policy at any time without notice.
May 2026
Date of next review: May 2027
Feedback and Complaints Policy
At Science for Animal Welfare, we value feedback and take complaints seriously. We aim to provide high quality services and treat everyone with respect. If we fall short, we want to know so we can learn and put things right. We also want to hear about the things you feel we do well, or you want us to do more of.
Your continued goodwill is greatly valued by us, and we would expect to resolve any day-to-day difficulties or complaints informally and as quickly as possible. In the first instance, we ask you to raise any complaint directly with the member of staff concerned.
Share feedback with us
If you would like to tell us about something we have done well or would like to suggest something we can improve, please contact us and share your feedback.
Who may report a complaint?
Any person may report a complaint concerning the conduct of a member, about Science for Animal Welfare itself, its staff or Trustees.
How to report a complaint
You may report a complaint in writing by email, post or via our online form.
Please include:
- Your name and contact details
- The details of your complaint
- Any relevant documents or supporting information
- How you would like to be contacted
Reporting anonymously
You may make an anonymous report by not including your name and contact details with your complaint. If you decide to report anonymously, we will not be able to contact you about your complaint.
What happens next?
We will acknowledge your complaint, in writing by email or post within 10 working days following receipt.
Stage 1
We will try to resolve your complaint informally with those involved. We will respond with an explanation and the steps we have taken within 10 working days.
If you are dissatisfied with our response, you can escalate your complaint to stage 2.
Stage 2
For more complex complaints, the Chief Executive or a designated officer, may undertake an investigation.
Where a complaint relates to the Chief Executive or a Trustee, the Chair or Vice-Chair will be appointed to lead the investigation.
Where a complaint relates to the Chair or Vice-Chair, a Trustee will be appointed to lead the investigation.
We aim to provide a full response with an explanation and the steps we have taken within 20 working days.
Depending on the complexity of the complaint and investigation, it may take us longer to respond to you. Therefore, response times are indicative only. We will keep you informed of any delays.
Confidentiality
Except in exceptional circumstances, we will endeavour to maintain confidentiality. However, the nature of the complaint may mean it is not possible to maintain confidentiality, and each complaint will be assessed on a case-by-case basis. Where this is the case, we will explain the reasons to you.
Share feedback or report a complaint
Contacting Science for Animal Welfare
To contact Science for Animal Welfare to obtain information about our work, to amend your preferences or to ask us to stop sending you information, please contact us.