ERG Media | Privacy Policy Effective Date of Current Policy: August 23, 2023 This Privacy Policy is intended to meet requirements globally, including those in North America, Europe, APAC, and other jurisdictions.  We are committed to protecting your privacy and we comply with the GDPR and the UK data protection rules (together wit

This Privacy Policy explains how ERG Media B.V., together with its subsidiaries ERG Media S.r.l. (Italy) and ERG Media Japan GK (Japan) (collectively, “ERG Media,” “we,” “us,” or “our”), collects, uses, shares, and protects your personal data when you:

• visit erg.media or any of our associated websites (collectively, the “Site”);
• purchase our publications or other products.

This policy is intended to satisfy the requirements of the EU General Data Protection Regulation (Regulation (EU) 2016/679, “GDPR”), the UK Data Protection Act 2018 and UK GDPR, the California Consumer Privacy Act as amended by the CPRA (“CCPA”), Japan’s Act on the Protection of Personal Information (“APPI”), and other applicable data protection laws.

This policy does not apply to third-party websites, services, or applications linked from our Site, nor to personal data we process on behalf of our clients as a data processor (which is governed by the relevant client agreement). We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any third party services you access.

The data controller responsible for your personal data is:
ERG Media B.V.
Registered in the Netherlands
Email: hello@erg.media

Depending on your location or the nature of your interaction, processing may also be carried out by ERG Media S.r.l. (Italy) or ERG Media Japan GK (Japan) as joint controllers or independent controllers for specific processing activities.

Where we process personal data on behalf of a client (for example, attendee data for a client event), we act as a data processor and processing is governed by a data processing agreement between ERG Media and the client. In such cases, the client is the data controller.

Data You Provide Directly

• Identity data: name, date of birth, job title, company name, username or similar identifier
• Contact data: email address, postal address, telephone number
• Financial data: payment card details, billing address (processed by our payment service provider; we do not store full card numbers)
• Transaction data: details of products and services you have purchased from us
• Communications data: feedback, correspondence, survey responses, project briefs, and any information you include when contacting us or engaging our services
• Employment data: CV/resume, cover letter, portfolio, and interview notes if you apply for a role
• Event data: attendance records, dietary requirements, and travel details for events we organise

Data We Collect Automatically

• Technical data: IP address, browser type and version, operating system, device type, screen resolution, time zone setting
  
• Usage data: pages viewed, clickstream data, access times, referring URL, session duration
  
• Location data: approximate geographic location derived from your IP address
  

Data from Third Parties

• Analytics providers (e.g. Google Analytics)
• Advertising networks
  
• Social media platforms, where you interact with our social media features
  
• Our clients, where they provide us with contact details of their stakeholders in the course of a project
  

The following table summarises why we process your data and on what legal basis. Where we rely on legitimate interests, we have conducted a balancing test and concluded that our interests are not overridden by your rights.

We use cookies and similar technologies (pixel tags, web beacons, local storage) to operate our Site, measure performance, and deliver personalised content and advertising.

Categories of Cookies

• Strictly Necessary: Required for the Site to function (e.g. shopping cart, authentication). Cannot be disabled.
  
• Performance / Analytics: Help us understand how visitors use the Site (e.g. Google Analytics). We use anonymised IP where possible.
  
• Functionality: Remember your preferences (e.g. language, region, currency).
• Advertising / Targeting: Used to deliver ads relevant to your interests across platforms.

Managing Cookies

When you first visit the Site, you will be presented with a cookie consent banner allowing you to accept or reject non-essential cookies. You can change your preferences at any time via our cookie settings panel or by adjusting your browser settings.

To opt out of Google Analytics specifically, visit tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout.

Our Site may include interactive social media features (e.g. Instagram embed, LinkedIn widget, Facebook Like). These features may collect your IP address and set cookies, and are governed by the privacy policy of the respective platform. We do not control these features and are not responsible for their data practices.

We do not sell your personal data. We share personal data only in the following circumstances:

• Group companies: ERG Media B.V., ERG Media S.r.l., and ERG Media Japan GK for internal administration, service delivery, and coordinated project work.
  
• Service providers: Third parties processing data on our behalf (payment processors, shipping carriers, IT hosting, email platforms, analytics providers, print and production partners), bound by data processing agreements.
  
• Clients: Where we perform agency services, we may share relevant project data (e.g. event attendance, campaign performance metrics) with the commissioning client, as agreed in the service contract.
  
• Professional advisors: Lawyers, accountants, auditors, and insurers providing professional services to us.
  
• Advertising partners: Where you have consented, for targeted advertising.
  
• Law enforcement and regulators: Where legally required or necessary to protect rights, prevent fraud, or ensure safety.
  
• Business transfers: In connection with a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets. We will notify you of any such change.

Because we operate through entities in the Netherlands, Italy, and Japan, and work with clients and partners globally, your personal data may be transferred to and processed in countries outside your country of residence, including countries that may not provide the same level of data protection.

Where we transfer personal data from the EEA, UK, or Switzerland to a country that has not been deemed to provide an adequate level of protection, we implement appropriate safeguards, including:

• European Commission Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) under Decision 2021/914 • UK International Data Transfer Agreement or UK Addendum to EU SCCs • Supplementary measures following a transfer impact assessment where required

You may request a copy of the relevant safeguards by contacting hello@erg.media.

We retain personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes for which it was collected, or as required by law. Our standard retention periods are:

When data is no longer needed, we securely delete or anonymise it.

We implement technical and organisational measures appropriate to the risk, including encryption in transit (TLS), access controls, regular security assessments, and staff training. No method of internet transmission is completely secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

You are responsible for keeping your account credentials confidential. Notify us immediately at hello@erg.media if you suspect unauthorised access.

Depending on your location, you may have the following rights regarding your personal data. To exercise any of these rights, contact hello@erg.media.

Rights Under GDPR and UK GDPR

• Access: Obtain confirmation of whether we process your data and request a copy.
• Rectification: Have inaccurate data corrected or incomplete data completed.
  
• Erasure: Request deletion where there is no compelling reason for continued processing.
  
• Restriction: Request restricted processing in certain circumstances.
  
• Portability: Receive your data in a structured, machine-readable format.
• Object: Object to processing based on legitimate interests, including direct marketing.
  
• Automated decision-making: Not be subject to solely automated decisions with legal or significant effects.
  
• Withdraw consent: Withdraw consent at any time without affecting lawfulness of prior processing.
  

Right to lodge a complaint: You may lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority. For the Netherlands: Autoriteit Persoonsgegevens (autoriteitpersoonsgegevens.nl). For the UK: Information Commissioner’s Office (ico.org.uk). For Italy: Garante per la protezione dei dati personali (garanteprivacy.it).

Rights Under CCPA/CPRA (California Residents)

If you are a California resident, you have additional rights:

• Right to Know: Request categories and specific pieces of personal information collected.
  
• Right to Delete: Request deletion of collected personal information.
  
• Right to Correct: Request correction of inaccurate personal information.
  
• Right to Opt Out of Sale/Sharing: We do not sell personal information. You may opt out of sharing for cross-context behavioural advertising.
  
• Non-Discrimination: We will not discriminate against you for exercising these rights.
  

We do not use or disclose sensitive personal information for purposes beyond those permitted under the CCPA.

Rights Under APPI (Japan)

If you are a resident of Japan, you may request disclosure, correction, cessation of use, or deletion of your personal information, and cessation of provision to third parties, in accordance with the APPI. Contact hello@erg.media.

We may send marketing communications where you have given consent (e.g. newsletter subscription) or where you are an existing customer or client and we contact you about similar products or services (soft opt-in) and you have not opted out.

Every marketing email includes an unsubscribe link. You can also update preferences via your account or by emailing hello@erg.media.

Our Site and services are not directed at individuals under the age of 16 (or the applicable age of digital consent in your jurisdiction). We do not knowingly collect personal data from children. If you believe we have collected data from a child, contact us immediately and we will delete it.

ERG Media regularly produces, organises, and documents events for itself and its clients. We may capture photographs and video at these events.

For individual portraits or identifiable images intended for marketing or promotional use, we will seek your explicit consent and an image rights release.

For general event coverage and group photography, we rely on our legitimate interest (or our client’s legitimate interest) in documenting and promoting the event. If you do not wish to appear in such imagery, please inform the photographer at the event or contact us afterwards at hello@erg.media.

In the course of delivering creative agency services, ERG Media may process personal data on behalf of its clients (for example, managing guest lists, coordinating attendee logistics, or running branded campaigns). In these cases:

• The client is the data controller and ERG Media acts as a data processor.
  
• Processing is governed by a data processing agreement (DPA) between ERG Media and the client.
  
• If you have questions about how your data is processed in connection with a specific client project or event, please contact the relevant client directly or reach out to us and we will direct your inquiry appropriately.
  

We may update this policy to reflect changes in our practices, legal requirements, or operations. Material changes will be posted on the Site with a revised effective date and, where appropriate, notified by email.

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or wish to exercise your rights:
ERG Media B.V.

Registered in the Netherlands
Email: hello@erg.media

We aim to respond to all legitimate requests within one month. If your request is complex, we may extend this by up to two further months, and will notify you accordingly.