Data Privacy Statement

The website provider uses server log files to automatically collect and store information that your browser automatically transmits to us.

This includes:

• Date and time of the request
• Name of the requested file
• Page from which the file was requested
• Access status (file transferred, file not found, etc.)
• Type of browser and operating system used
• Complete IP address of the requesting computer
• Volume of data transferred

This data is not combined with data from other sources. Data is processed in line with Art. 6 (1) (f) of the GDPR based on our legitimate interest in improving the stability and functionality of our website.   

For reasons of technical security, in particular to defend against attempts to attack our web server, this data is stored by us temporarily. This data does not allow us to identify specific individuals. After seven days at the latest, the data is anonymised by shortening the IP address at the domain level, at which point it is no longer possible to associate the data with an individual user. Data in anonymised form is processed for statistical purposes; there is no comparison with other databases or transfer to third parties, even in excerpts. Information on the number of page views at our website is only released as part of the server statistics that are included in the activity report we publish every two years.

When you visit our website, we may store information on your computer in the form of cookies. Many cookies contain a so-called cookie ID. A cookie ID is a unique identifier of the cookie. It consists of a string of characters by which web pages and servers can be assigned to the specific internet browser in which the cookie was stored. This enables the websites and servers visited to distinguish the individual browser of the data subject from other internet browsers that contain other cookies. A specific internet browser can be recognised and identified via the unique cookie ID.

Through the use of session cookies, the controller can provide the users of this website with more user-friendly services that would not be possible without the setting of cookies. Without consent, we only use technically necessary cookies on the legal basis of legitimate interest pursuant to Art. 6 (1) (f) of the GDPR.

We only use personal cookies to improve our website or for marketing/advertising purposes with your consent. During your first visit, you can voluntarily agree to tracking or analysis via the cookie banner that appears. Your data may be passed on to partners or third-party providers. These cookies will only be stored if you explicitly agree to this; the legal basis is then your consent pursuant to Art. 6 (1) (a) of the GDPR.

You can change your settings for the use of cookies at any time by clicking on "Change cookie settings" in the footer.

Cookies on mobile devices

If you are visiting our site using a mobile device (smartphone or tablet PC), you must click on this link instead, in order to prevent tracking by Google Analytics within this website in future.

We use the technologies of Google Ireland Ltd., Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland ("Google") presented below. The information collected automatically by the Google technologies about your use of our website is usually transmitted to a server of Google LLC, 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway Mountain View, CA 94043, USA, and saved there. No adequacy decision of the European Commission is in place for the USA. Our cooperation is based on standard data protection clauses of the European Commission.

If your IP address is collected by the Google technologies, it is shortened through the activation of IP anonymisation prior to being saved on Google's servers. Only in exceptional cases will the full IP address be transmitted to a Google server and shortened there. If nothing different is stated for the individual technologies, the data is processed on the basis of an agreement concluded for the respective technology between joint controllers as per Art. 26 of the GDPR. You can find further information on data processing by Google in Google's privacy notices: https://policies.google.com/privacy?hl=de

Google Tag Manager

This website uses Google Tag Manager. Google Tag Manager does not collect personal data. The tool triggers other tags that in some cases may collect data. Google Tag Manager does not access this data. If disabled at domain or cookie level, it will remain in effect for all tracking tags implemented with Google Tag Manager. Google’s privacy policy for this tool can be found here: https://www.google.com/analytics/terms/tag-manager/

Google Analytics

Data (IP address, time of visit, device and browser information and information about your use of our website) is automatically collected and saved for the purpose of website analyses using Google Analytics, from which user profiles are created using pseudonyms. Cookies may be used for this purpose. Your IP address is never combined with other data from Google.

For the purpose of the optimised marketing of our website, we have activated the data sharing settings for "Google products and services". This means Google can access the data collected and processed by Google Analytics and then use it to improve the Google services. This data sharing with Google through these data sharing settings occurs on the basis of an additional agreement between data controllers. We have no influence on subsequent data processing by Google.

We also use the extension function of Google Analytics, "Google Optimize", to prepare and conduct tests.

For web analysis, so-called "cross-device tracking" is enabled using the extension function of Google Analytics, "Google Signals". If your Internet-capable devices are linked to your Google account, and you have activated the "personalised advertising" setting in your Google account, Google can create reports on your usage behaviour (especially cross-device user figures), even if you switch devices. In this respect, no personal data is processed by us. We merely obtain statistics created by Google Signals.

Through the extension function of Google Analytics, the so-called DoubleClick cookie is enabled so that your browser is recognised when visiting other websites for web analysis and advertising purposes. Google will use this information to compile reports on website activities and to provide other services associated with website usage.

Google Ads

For advertising purposes in Google search results and on the websites of third parties, the so-called Google Remarketing cookie is placed upon visiting our website, which automatically enables advertising based on your interests through the collecting and processing of data (IP address, time of visit, device and browser information and information about your use of the website) and using a pseudonymous cookie ID and based on the pages visited by you. Data processing beyond this only occurs if you have activated the "personalised advertising" setting in your Google account. In this case, if you are logged in to Google during your visit to our website, Google uses your data along with Google Analytics data to create and define target group lists for cross-device remarketing. The legal basis is Art. 6 (1) (1) (a) of the GDPR.

Google Signals

We use the web analysis service Google Signals on this website based on your consent as per Art. 6 (1) (a) of the GDPR. Google Signals is an enhancement of Google Analytics, a web analysis service of Google Ireland Limited ("Google").
If you are logged into a Google service, your website visits can be tracked across different devices by means of cross-device tracking. Here Google uses the data of users who have activated the "personalised advertising" option in their Google account settings for reports, which Google gives to us. The reports contain the cross-device user figures and the different user groups.
We use Google Signals with activated IP anonymisation. This means that the IP addresses of users within the member states of the EU and the European Economic Area are shortened. This shortening prevents personal identification. Therefore, no conclusions can be drawn about the identity of an individual user. Consequently, we merely obtain anonymised statistical evaluations. More particularly, we do not perform any profile building. However, it may be that personal data is collected by Google itself, although we have no influence on this. You can find out more information in Google's privacy statement: https://policies.google.com/technologies/ads?hl=de.
Data collection through Google Signals can be revoked at any time by the website visitor deactivating "personalised advertising" in their Google account: https://support.google.com/ads/answer/2662922?hl=de.

Google reCAPTCHA

For the purpose of protection against misuse of our web forms and against spam through automated software (so-called bots), Google reCAPTCHA collects data (IP address, time of visit, browser information and information about your use of our website) and conducts an analysis of your use of our website using so-called JavaScript and cookies. Other cookies saved by Google services in your browser are also evaluated. Personal data entered into the input fields of forms is not read or saved.

On our website we also use so-called conversion tracking with the LinkedIn Insights Tag – a tool from LinkedIn Ireland, Wilton Plaza, Wilton Place, Dublin 2, Ireland. For this purpose, the LinkedIn Insight Tag is integrated into our web pages, and a cookie is placed on your device by LinkedIn. We collect this data only with your consent as per Art. 6 (1) (a) of the GDPR, which you can revoke at any time. Through this mechanism, LinkedIn is notified that you have visited our web pages and your IP address is also collected. Timestamps and events such as page impressions are also saved. This allows us to perform statistical analyses of the use of our website so that we can continuously improve it. For instance, we can see through which LinkedIn banner or interaction on LinkedIn you came to our website. As a result, we can better control the display of advertising.

You can find more information on conversion tracking at https://www.linkedin.com/help/linkedin/answer/67595/linkedin-conversion-trackingubersicht. Please note that the data can be saved and processed by LinkedIn so that a connection can be made to the respective user profile and LinkedIn can use the data for its own advertising purposes. You can find more information on this in LinkedIn's privacy statement at https://www.linkedin.com/legal/privacy-policy. You can prevent the analysis of your usage behaviour by LinkedIn and the displaying of interest-based recommendations at https://www.linkedin.com/psettings/guest-controls/retargeting-opt-out.

Social plugins from Facebook and LinkedIn

Social buttons from social networks are used on our website. They are integrated into the page simply as HTML links, so that a connection to the servers of the respective provider is not yet established when accessing our website. When you click on one of the buttons, the website of the respective social network opens in a new window in your browser. There you can press the "like" or "share" button, for example.

Online presence on Facebook and LinkedIn

If you have granted your consent to this to the respective social media operator as per Art. 6 (1) (1) (a) of the GDPR, when visiting our online presences on the aforementioned social media, your data is automatically collected and saved for the purposes of market research and advertising, from which usage profiles are created using pseudonyms. These can be used, for example, to switch advertising banners inside and outside the platforms which are presumed to match your interests. Cookies are usually used to this end. For detailed information on the processing and use of the data by the respective social media operator, contact options and your rights and setting options in this regard for the protection of your privacy, please refer to the privacy notices of the provider linked to below. Should you still require any assistance in this regard, you can also get in touch with us.

Tracking via the Facebook Pixel on this website is activated. Click here to deactivate tracking

We use the so-called double opt-in procedure for sending our newsletter; i.e. we will only send you a newsletter via email if you have previously explicitly confirmed that you would like us to activate the newsletter service. We will then send you a notification email prompting you to confirm that you wish to receive our newsletter by clicking on a link in the email. When you subscribe to our newsletter we will save your IP address and the date of subscription. This serves solely for the purpose of proof in case your email address is misused by a third party to register you for the receipt of our newsletter without your knowledge or authorisation. If in the future you no longer wish to receive our newsletter, you can unsubscribe at any time without any costs being incurred other than the transmission costs at the basic rates.

We have implemented technical and administrative security precautions to protect your personal data against loss, destruction, manipulation and unauthorised access. All our employees, as well as service providers who work for us, are obligated to comply with the valid data protection laws.

Whenever we collect and process personal data, it is encrypted before it is transmitted. This means that your data cannot be misused by any third parties. Our protection measures are subjected to constant, on-going improvement processes and our data privacy statements are constantly updated. Please ensure that you have the latest version.

Rights of the data subject

You have a right at all times to information, rectification, erasure or restriction of processing of your stored data, the right to object to processing and the right to data portability or to lodge a complaint according to the requirements of data protection law.

Right to information

You have the right to obtain information from us as to whether and to what extent we process your personal data.

Right to rectification

You have the right to demand rectification of any incomplete or inaccurate personal data that we process.

Right to erasure

You have the right to demand that we erase your data if we process any of them unlawfully, or if the processing excessively interferes with your legitimate data-protection interests. Please note that there may be reasons why we might not be able to effect immediate erasure – e.g., in the case of data storage requirements stipulated by law.

Regardless of whether you exercise your right to erasure, we will immediately and completely erase your data as long as there is no transactional, contractual or legal retention requirement that would prevent this.

Right to restriction of processing

You have the right to demand that we restrict the processing of your data if

• you contest the accuracy of the data, in which case the restriction will apply for a period enabling us to verify the accuracy of the data,
• the processing is unlawful but you decline erasure of the personal data and instead request the restriction of its use,
• we no longer need the personal data for designated purpose, but you need the data in order to exercise or defend legal claims, or
• you have objected to the processing of your personal data.

Right to data portability

You have the right to receive the personal data concerning you, which you have provided to us, in a structured, commonly used and machine-readable format. Furthermore, you have the right to transmit that data to another controller without hindrance from us, provided

• that we are processing this data on the basis of a revocable consent issued by you or to meet the requirements of a contract between us, and
• this processing is carried out by automated means.

If technically possible, we can directly transmit your data to another controller upon your request.

Right to object

If we process your data on the basis of justified interests, you can object to this processing at any time; this would also apply to profiling based on these provisions. We will then no longer process your data unless we can demonstrate compelling legitimate reasons for processing that override your interests, rights and freedoms or the processing is for the purpose of asserting, exercising or defending legal claims. You may object at any time to the processing of your data for the purposes of direct marketing without providing a reason.

Right to lodge a complaint

If you believe that we are processing your data in violation of German or European data protection law, we ask that you contact us so that we can resolve the matter. Of course, you also have the right to contact the supervisory authority responsible for you, the respective state office for data protection.

If you intend to assert one of the above rights against us, please contact our data protection officer. In case of doubt, we may request additional information to confirm your identity.