1. Home
    2. Chevron Forward
  2. Privacy Policy

Privacy Policy and Terms of Use

Overview

Swiss French School is a registered trademark of Swiss Language Group SA (hereinafter referred to as SLG) and is therefore subject to the general terms of the group's privacy policy.

Swiss Language Group SA (Place de la Gare 11a, Lausanne, 1003) ensures proper processing of personal data. This online data protection declaration (hereinafter referred to as the "privacy declaration") outlines how we process personal data collected when visiting our website.

Please regularly review this privacy declaration to ensure you have read the latest version. This privacy declaration was last updated on the date indicated at the end of the declaration.

In accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) effective since May 25, 2018, and the updated Swiss Data Protection Act (nLPD) effective since September 1, 2023, Swiss Language Group SA informs you that by accessing the Swiss French School website - swissfrenchschool.ch - and any of its pages, you acknowledge that we collect and use personal data as stated in this privacy declaration and terms of use.

By continuing to access or use this website or by using an email address provided on this website, you acknowledge and consent to the use of your personal data as described in this privacy declaration. Please do not access this website and do not send us your personal data if you do not wish us to store or use the data described in this privacy declaration.

Definition of Personal Data

Personal data refers to any information related to an identifiable individual. This includes data such as name, telephone number, physical address, or email address, among others, which you voluntarily provide when using our services (such as an online information request, any information given over the phone, receiving your results during an online level test on our website, or any information provided during a meeting that took place at one of our schools). At no point SLG will request data defined as sensitive under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) or the updated Swiss Data Protection Act (nLPD).

We combine this data with other information collected through cookies, such as visited internal pages, interactions with our social media channels, and/or SLG's online advertising.

What is a Cookie?

Cookies are used on all Swiss Language Group SA websites. These are small files that record certain settings via your web browser during interactions with a website. They create a unique identifier during your visit in order to identify your browser and IP address.

How Does SLG Use Cookies?

The majority of cookies we use are temporary and are deleted at the end of your session. A few permanent cookies may be used, but in compliance with privacy laws, they are deleted after their expiration date.

Cookies can be functional, allowing us to save your preferences such as language, region, or autofilling forms if your browser is set to do so. They can also be analytical, allowing us to record and analyze usage behavior of anyone visiting our website (solely for the purpose of improving user experience). Lastly, they can be used for advertising settings, ensuring that any ads shown to a user are relevant and haven't been viewed before.

The use of cookies on this website is done with your consent. Upon entering our website for the first time, you will have the option to accept, decline, or customize the cookie settings of our website. Please note that by clicking "accept," you consent to the above-described use of collected information. If you choose not to receive cookies, you might not be able to use certain features or pages of this website.

Cookies will not be used to monitor the website visits of a specific person. Cookies placed on your computer will not be stored longer than necessary for the indicated purposes. You can configure your computer's browser to notify you when a cookie is being saved to your hard drive. It is generally also possible to configure the browser to prevent cookies from being stored on your computer.

How Do We Collect Your Data?

We may collect personal data from you on Swiss Language Group SA websites in the following ways:

  • You provide us with personal information, including your contact details such as name, first name, email address, phone number, among others on features of Swiss Language Group SA websites, such as online forms on this site (e.g., contact function, subscription function, online test function) or by sending information to a Swiss Language Group SA email address or by providing us with information during a call or a meeting at one of our schools..
  • You provide us with additional personal information that we may request from you following any contact you establish with us on Swiss Language Group SA websites. However, you are not required to provide confidential or sensitive personal data about yourself or others. Please do not send such data to us.
  • If you access any Swiss Language Group SA websites or use the services available on these websites, your login data will be collected by our servers and/or through cookies that may be placed on your computer (see above).

How Is Your Data Used?

The data collected on Swiss Language Group SA websites is processed for the following purposes:

  • We will use your login data for statistical purposes and to manage and enhance the user-friendliness of the website through specific software (e.g., Google Analytics 4) or cookies (see cookie usage).
  • We will use your contact data to: (i) respond to inquiries you have about this website and inform you of any changes to this website, (ii) provide you with the information you have requested (subscription function), (iii) inform you about Swiss Language Group SA and other events.
  • We will use your contact details and other data to inform you about services and solutions of Swiss Language Group SA that may interest you (marketing activities), unless you inform us that you do not wish to receive promotional materials.
  • If you apply for a position within Swiss Language Group SA, we will use your application data (curriculum vitae and other information and documents you provide) solely for reviewing your application and for recruitment (see recruitment).

Use of Social Media Plugins

SLG uses social media plugins on its websites. These can be recognized by the corresponding social network logo.

They are only activated when you click on one of these logos in your browser. Once you click, your browser establishes a direct connection with the social media server, allowing third-party providers to record interactions. If you are logged into one of these social media channels, the provider may link the visit to our website with your profile. This also happens when you engage with an engagement button (such as "Like," "Follow," "Tweet," "Share," among others).

If you wish to prevent a social media channel from collecting data from your visit to our website, ensure you are not logged into any of them or consider using specialized online add-ons designed to prevent such action (such as NoScript or Ghostery).

Data Disclosure to Third Parties

We will not disclose your personal data to third parties except for the following:

  • (1) Disclosure of data to other companies within Swiss Language Group SA for the purposes stated above;
  • (2) Disclosure of data if legally required or ordered by an authority or court;
  • (3) Disclosure of data to external service providers who support Swiss Language Group SA in data processing or other aspects. Notably, our CRM platform, HubSpot, which enables us to securely and regulatedly handle all data. Moreover, in compliance with the updated Swiss Data Protection Act (nLPD), it allows us to maintain a record of processing activities.
  • (4) Disclosure of data to third parties during business reorganizations, transfers, or acquisitions;

We will not sell, rent, distribute, or make your contact or other data available to a third party.

Email Storage

All incoming and outgoing electronic messages are protected by legal, technical, and organizational measures. They can only be accessed in justified cases in accordance with applicable laws and regulations (e.g., court order, suspicion of criminal behavior, breach of regulatory obligations, and substantial breach of employment contract). Access is granted only to employees in defined functions (e.g., litigation, legal, compliance, risk). The steps of the process and the search criteria used are pre-defined. All emails are deleted after a limited period of time. If you do not wish for Swiss Language Group SA to retain private emails, we strongly advise you not to send non-professional private emails to Swiss Language Group SA email accounts.

Data Security and Privacy

Swiss Language Group SA applies and ensures that service providers implement appropriate technical and organizational security measures to protect personal data against accidental or unlawful destruction, loss, alteration, disclosure, or unauthorized access and any other form of unlawful processing. Accessing and entering information on our sites occurs over an open and unprotected Internet network.

This data transfer takes place in an unencrypted form. Therefore, we are unable to guarantee the security of your data during transfer to the website. You acknowledge awareness of the risks of unencrypted data transmission over the Internet. Swiss Language Group SA will not be liable for damages caused by such transfer.

For this reason, please do not send confidential or sensitive personal data. You can communicate with us via email. Emails sent over the Internet are neither confidential nor secure. They can be viewed by third parties, lost, intercepted, or altered. Emails may be transferred beyond national borders, even if the sender and recipient are in the same country.

Any company within Swiss Language Group SA will not be responsible for damages suffered in connection with the use of emails or any other electronic messaging system when communicating with us.

How Long Is Your Data Retained?

Swiss Language Group SA retains the personal information collected on our websites for as long as required or permitted by law and regulations. Your personal data is then deleted from our systems.

Child Protection

SLG does not intend to collect personal data from individuals under the age of 18 on Swiss Language Group SA websites. Individuals under the age of 18 are advised to obtain permission from their parents or legal guardians.

Links to Websites

From Swiss Language Group SA websites, you can access websites operated by third parties ("External Websites"). This privacy policy does not apply to External Websites. External Websites are not monitored or managed by SLG. We are not responsible for the privacy policies of External Websites (see terms of use). Please read the privacy policy of each External Website before accessing or sending personal data to the site.

Your Rights Regarding Your Personal Data

You have the right to request a copy of your personal data collected online and stored on a Swiss Language Group SA website. You can also request rectification or deletion of your data in accordance with the updated Data Protection Act (nLPD). To do so, please send us your written request by email to [email protected] or by postal mail (Swiss Language Group SA - Marketing, Place de la Gare 11a, Lausanne, 1003). Remember to include a copy of your ID card or passport.

In case you wish to unsubscribe from a Swiss Language Group SA brand newsletter, click the link at the bottom of the newsletter (which says "unsubscribe"), or send a message using the contact box available on our websites, or contact us at [email protected].

Contact

If you have questions regarding the processing of your data or this privacy policy, please contact us using the general contact functionality provided on this website or contact us at [email protected].

Last Updated: August 30, 2023

© 2024 Swiss French School