The purpose of this privacy policy is to inform visitors to our website and our customers persons interested about how personal data (data) is processed. Please also see below the information on the joint responsibility pursuant to Art. 26 Para. 2 Sentence 2 of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
Responsible body for the processing of data on this website:
Solar Promotion International GmbH, Kiehnlestraße 16, 75172 Pforzheim
Tel.: +49 7231 58598-0
Email:
info(at)solarpromotion.com
If you have any questions about data protection, please contact our data protection officer:
VdE Service GmbH
Mr. Sandro Berger
Eduard-Pfeiffer-Straße 48
70192 Stuttgart
Tel.: +49 (0)711 22 333-26
Email:
datenschutzbeauftragter(at)solarpromotion.com
When you visit this website, we will process your IP address, the date and time of your visit, information about the browser used including language settings and operating system, the address of the website from which you came to our website (referrer URL) as well as information about the files you accessed. Your browser automatically transfers this data to your internet provider, and your internet provider transfers it to us.
Why do we process this data?
We process this data so that you can load our website, to allow us to check and, if necessary, restore system security and stability, as well as for the purpose of obtaining statistics (see below). We are not able to assign this data to a particular person. The legal basis for this processing operation is Article 6 para 1(f) of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). We have a legitimate interest in ensuring that our website is properly displayed on your screen, and in being able to identify and rectify the cause of any faults.
How long is this data stored for? Do I have to provide this data?
The data is stored in log files and automatically anonymized after 7 days.
There is neither a legal nor a contractual obligation for you to provide this data, nor is it required in order to conclude a contract with us. However, for technical reasons it would not be possible to visit our website without these data being processed.
We use cookies on our website. Cookies are small files that contain an ID number. Cookies are stored on your computer or mobile device when you access our website. When you access our website again, the ID number allows your computer or mobile end device to be recognized.
Why are cookies used?
Thanks to session cookies, you do not have to re-submit data on our website, even if you have visited other websites in the meantime. The purpose of these session cookies is to make using our website easier. Session cookies are used solely to improve user-friendliness. We also employ persistent cookies in order to collect statistical data on the use of our website, and to evaluate this for the purposes of optimizing our services (see II.3.).
In particular, the cookies listed below are used for the following purposes:
The legal basis is Article 6 para 1(f) GDPR. We have an interest in enabling the user-friendly use of our website and in optimizing our website and/or documenting user decisions.
In addition, with your consent, we use the following cookies for the following purposes:
The legal basis is Article 6 para 1(a) GDPR.
How long is this data stored for?
The following cookies will be erased after you close your browser.
Our persistent cookies are retained for the following duration:
Do I have to provide this data?
You can visit our website without cookies requiring consent being used. There is no obligation to consent to the use of these cookies (see II.3.).
Most internet browsers accept cookies automatically. You can set your browser so that it does not accept cookies. You have to change the settings on each browser and each end device that you use separately.
How are cookies and privacy settings managed?
We use the consent management service Usercentrics from Usercentrics GmbH, Sendlinger Str. 7, 80331 Munich, Germany (Usercentrics). This enables us to obtain and manage the website users’ consent to data processing.
The processing is necessary for compliance with a legal obligation (Article 7 Para. 1 GDPR) to which we are subject (Article 6 Para. 1 Sentence 1 (c) GDPR).
The following data is processed for this purpose:
Without processing, the website’s functionality cannot be guaranteed.
Usercentrics is the recipient of your personal data and acts as a processor on our behalf. The data is processed within the European Union. Further information on objection and removal options vis-à-vis Usercentrics can be found at https://usercentrics.com/privacy-policy/
The data will be deleted after 3 years.
Please note our general information on the deletion and deactivation of cookies.
We use Google Analytics, an analytics tool provided by Google LLC (Google). This tool creates pseudonymous usage profiles for visitors to our website. Google uses persistent cookies (see II. 2.). The information created by the cookie about the use of our website is processed by Google in the USA. This information is the data described under II. 1. above. Google also processes the search term you used to find our website via a search engine. We use Google Analytics with enabled IP anonymization. Google will shorten your IP address within the European Union and the European Economic Area. Only in exceptional cases is the full IP address transferred to the USA before being anonymized. For more information on Google Analytics, please visit the following Google website: https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/6004245?hl=en .
Why do we process this data?
This data is processed for the purpose of market research and to tailor the design of our website to meet user requirements. Google processes this data on our behalf in order to evaluate the use of our website and to compile reports on activities on our website.
The legal basis is your consent in accordance with Article 6 para 1(a) GDPR.
How long is this data stored for? Do I have to provide this data?
The data will be held for 14 months.
There is no obligation for you to provide this data, nor is it necessary for the conclusion of a contract with us. You can prevent cookies from being stored and Google Analytics from being used by changing your browser settings (see II.2.). Furthermore, you can prevent the processing of data generated by the cookie by downloading and installing the plug-in available from the following link: https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout?hl=en . Alternatively, or if using a browser on a mobile device, you may withdraw your consent under 3.5.
Our website uses Google Ads conversion tracking provided by Google LLC, 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, USA.
If you have reached our website via an advertisement placed by Google, Google Ads will place a cookie on your computer. The conversion tracking cookie is set when a user clicks on an ad placed by Google.
If the user visits certain pages within our website and the cookie has not expired, both Google and we can recognize that the user was directed to those pages after clicking on the advertisement. A different cookie is assigned to each Ads customer so that cookies cannot be traced via webpages owned by an Ads customer. We do not collect or process any personal data as part of the advertising measures mentioned. We do not receive any additional data from using this advertising medium; in particular, the identification of users based on this information is not possible.The information collected using the conversion cookies helps in compiling conversion statistics.
These cookies generally expire after 30 days and are not used to identify individuals.
The legal basis for the integration of Google Ads and the resulting transfer of data to Google is your consent in accordance with Article 6 para 1 sentence 1(a) GDPR.
Personal data, including your IP address, is transmitted to Google in the USA whenever you visit our website. Google stores this personal data. Google may transfer the personal data collected through this technical process to third parties. Further information about data protection at Google is available at
https://policies.google.com/privacy?hl=en
.
There is no obligation for you to provide this data, nor is it necessary for the conclusion of a contract with us.
You can prevent cookies from being stored and Google Ads from being used by changing your browser settings (see II.2.). Alternatively, you may withdraw your consent under 3.5.
This website also uses the Custom Audiences remarketing function from Facebook Inc. ("Facebook"). This allows users of the website to be shown interest-related advertisements (Facebook Ads) when they visit the social network Facebook or other websites that also use the same process. The intention behind this is to show you advertisements which are interesting to you, in order to make our website more interesting for you.
The marketing tool used (Besucheraktions-Pixel) automatically establishes a direct connection between your browser and the Facebook server. We cannot influence how and to what extent your data is used by Facebook via these tools. We therefore provide the information we have at this point: Integrating Facebook Custom Audiences provides Facebook with the information that you visited a particular page on our website, or that you clicked on one of our advertisements. If you have registered with a Facebook service, Facebook will be able to make a connection between your visit to the page and your account. Even if you have not registered with Facebook, or if you are not logged in, there is a possibility that the service provider will be able to identify and save your IP address and other identifiers. A cookie may be stored on your computer for that purpose.
For more information on how Facebook processes data, please visit https://www.facebook.com/about/privacy .
The legal basis for processing your data is the consent you have given in accordance with Article 6 para 1 sentence 1(a) of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). You can withdraw this consent at any time with effect for the future by customizing your privacy settings under 3.5.
On our website we use the LinkedIn Insight Tag for conversion tracking by LinkedIn Ireland Unlimited Company, Wilton Place, Dublin 2, Ireland; "LinkedIn".
The LinkedIn Insight Tag places a unique LinkedIn browser cookie (conversion cookie) in your browser to enable the collection of the following data for this cookie: Metadata such as IP address, time stamp and page events (e.g. page visits).
These cookies have limited validity. If you visit certain pages within our website and the cookie has not expired, both we and LinkedIn can recognize that you were directed to that page after clicking on the advertisement.
The LinkedIn Insight Tag allows LinkedIn to collect data on website visits, including URL, referrer URL, IP address, and device and browser features (user agent) as well as the time stamp. This data is transmitted to LinkedIn, the IP addresses are shortened or hashed (if they are used to reach members on different devices). The direct LinkedIn member identification numbers are removed within seven days in order to pseudonymize the data. The remaining pseudonymized data are then deleted by LinkedIn within 180 days.
LinkedIn does not share any personal data with us. It merely offers summary reports about the website’s target group and the performance of the advertisement. The information collected using the conversion cookie is used to compile conversion statistics. These inform us about the total number of users who click on one of our advertisements and who have been taken to a page with a conversion tracking tag. The retargeting function provided by LinkedIn helps us show visitors to our website target group-specific advertisements for our products and services outside of our website without being able to identify the user.
LinkedIn members can set the use of their personal data for advertising purposes in their account settings.
The legal basis for data processing is the consent you have given in accordance with Article 6 para 1 sentence 1 (a) of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). You can withdraw this consent at any time with effect for the future by customizing your privacy settings under 3.5.
For more information about cookies and the LinkedIn privacy policy, please visit https://www.linkedin.com/legal/cookie-policy and https://www.linkedin.com/legal/privacy-policy .
You can edit your privacy settings at any time using the link below. You can also withdraw your consent to cookies that require consent (see 3.1-3.4) by clicking on the link below. If you use several end devices or browsers, you will need to click on this link from each end device and in each browser.
When using the websites, the content visited during a browser session is analyzed in order to create an anonymous usage profile. In this usage profile, information about the content of the pages visited is stored.
Why do we process this data?
Based on this anonymous usage profile, website content particularly relevant to the user is selected and displayed in a prioritized manner. The legal basis is the legitimate interest of the website operator according to Article 6 (1) (f) GDPR.
How long is this data stored and do I have to provide it?
This usage profile will be stored in the session cookie which will be deleted when the session is closed. In this context, no personal data is processed beyond the session itself. There is neither a legal nor a contractual obligation for you to provide this data, nor is it required in order to conclude a contract with us. However, for technical reasons it would not be possible to visit our website without these data being processed.
If you have a Facebook account, you can register with the ticket shop on our website by clicking on the “Sign in with Facebook” button. You will then be transferred to Facebook, where you can register by entering your Facebook login data. We only use your Facebook user name, first name and last name for registration in our ticket shop. To find out how Facebook processes your data and your rights in this context, please refer to the Facebook privacy policy. We do not have any influence over how Facebook processes your data. Conversely, it is possible that data may be transferred to Facebook from our website. If you do not agree to this type of data transfer between Facebook and us, please do not use your Facebook account to register with us. The legal basis for data transfer to and from Facebook is your consent (Article 6 para 1(a) GDPR).
This data is provided voluntarily. Registration using Facebook is not necessary for the conclusion of a contract with us.
If you have a Google account, you can register with the ticket shop on our website by clicking on the “Sign in with Google” button. You will then be transferred to Google, where you can register by entering your Google login data. We only use your Google user name, first name and last name for registration in our ticket shop. To find out how Google processes your data and your rights in this context, please refer to the Google privacy policy. We do not have any influence over how Google processes your data. Conversely, it is possible that data may be transferred to Google from our website. If you do not agree to this type of data transfer between Google and us, please do not use your Google account to register with us. The legal basis for data transfer to and from Google is your consent (Article 6 para 1(a) GDPR).
This data is provided voluntarily. Registration using Google is not necessary for the conclusion of a contract with us.
If you have a LinkedIn account, you can register with the ticket shop on our website by clicking on the “Sign in with LinkedIn” button. You will then be transferred to LinkedIn, where you can register by entering your LinkedIn login data. We only use your LinkedIn user name, first name, last name and email address for registration in our ticket shop. To find out how LinkedIn processes your data and your rights in this context, please refer to the LinkedIn Privacy Policy. We do not have any influence over how LinkedIn processes your data. Conversely, it is possible that data may be transferred to LinkedIn from our website. If you do not agree to this type of data transfer between LinkedIn and us, please do not use your LinkedIn account to register with us. The legal basis for data transfer to and from LinkedIn is your consent (Article 6 para 1(a) GDPR).
This data is provided voluntarily. Registration using LinkedIn is not necessary for the conclusion of a contract with us.
If you purchase tickets for exhibitions or other events via our ticket shop or on the door, we will process the data you have provided as part of the transaction.
Why do we process your data?
We process your data for the purposes of contract performance or in order to take steps prior to entering into a contract before an exhibition or other event. In particular, we process your email address in order to be able to send you order confirmations and online tickets, and so that we can inform you of any changes concerning the exhibition. We will process your (company) name and your postal address for the purposes of dispatching tickets, if applicable, invoicing and accurately assigning your order to your company. In addition, we will process your data when you enter the exhibition grounds in order to check whether you have a valid ticket for the relevant exhibition. The legal basis for the data which you have entered into the required fields is Article 6 para 1(b), and for the data you have provided on a voluntary basis is your consent according to Article 6 para 1(a) GDPR.
We will use your data to send you advertising for services comparable to the ones you ordered from us by post or by email, provided you have been our customer in the previous three years and have given us your postal address or your email address. You have the right to withdraw your consent at any time if you do not wish to receive information about our services (see V.) The legal basis is Article 6 para 1(f) GDPR. We have a legitimate interest in sending out direct marketing.
Furthermore, we process your data in order to conduct market and opinion research for our own purposes. The legal basis is Article 6 para 1(f) GDPR. We have a legitimate interest in optimizing our services and adapting them to better suit your needs.
If you have booked and attended an exhibition / conference, we would ask you after this exhibition / conference about your satisfaction with this exhibition / conference. To do this we will send you an e-mail to the e-mail address provided at the time of booking, containing a link to a survey via the platform Survey Monkey of SurveyMonkey Europe UC, 2nd Floor, 2 Shelbourne Buildings, Shelbourne Road, Dublin, Ireland.
As part of the customer satisfaction survey using Survey Monkey software, please also refer to Survey Monkey's privacy policy, available at
https://www.surveymonkey.com/mp/legal/privacy-policy/
.
If you do not wish to be asked, in particular by e-mail, about customer satisfaction of the exhibitions / conferences you have booked and visited, you can object to this use of your data at any time (see V.). The legal basis is Article 6 (1) (f) GDPR. We have a legitimate interest in optimizing our services and adapting them to your needs.
How long is the data stored for?
We are permitted to hold your data for as long as is necessary for the performance of a contract. We are allowed to store much of your data at least until a contract has been performed, and subsequently within the statutory limitation period of 3 years. We are allowed to hold data until the maximum limitation period expires in order to assert or defend legal claims, if necessary. If we are obliged to store certain data, we are authorized to hold this data until the end of the retention period laid down in Section 257 of the German Commercial Code and Section 147 of the German Tax Code. The legal basis is Article 6 para. 1 (c) GDPR in conjunction with these laws. These retention periods can be up to 10 years.
Do I have to provide this data?
Our events constitute voluntary services. However, in order to register, we require your email address, your company name and your invoice address as a minimum, as we would otherwise be unable to send you participation certificates and invoices. Further information is not required for participating in events. You are providing your name on a voluntary basis for the purpose of allowing us to address you personally.
Payment system Klarna
In order to offer you Klarna’s payment methods, we might in the checkout pass your personal data in the form of contact and order details to Klarna, in order for Klarna to assess whether you qualify for their payment methods and to tailor those payment methods for you. Your personal data transferred is processed in line with Klarna’s own privacy notice.
When you register for a webinar or download a white paper or a market study, we will process the data you enter for the purposes of contract performance and taking steps prior to entering into a contract. This means, in particular, that we process your email address in order to be able to send you a participation certificate or a download link. We will process your (company) name and your postal address for the purposes of invoicing and accurately assigning your order to your company. The legal basis for the data which you have entered into the required fields is Article 6 para 1(b), and for the data you have provided on a voluntary basis is your consent pursuant to Article 6 para 1(a) GDPR.
In addition, we use your data in order to send you email advertising and – if you have provided your postal address – to send you advertising by post (see also II.9 above and see V. below regarding your right to object).
Our webinars and download services are provided on a voluntary basis. However, in order to register, we require your email address, your company name and your invoice address as a minimum, as we would otherwise be unable to send you participation certificates, download links or invoices. Further information is not required. You are providing your name on a voluntary basis for the purpose of allowing us to address you personally. For information about the retention period, see II.9 above.
If you have subscribed to a newsletter, we will process the data you provided when subscribing to the newsletter.
Why do we process your data?
We process your email address and your postal address for the purpose of regularly sending you our newsletter. Once you have subscribed to the email newsletter, we will send you an email with a confirmation link in order to verify your email address. The legal basis is the consent you gave to us when subscribing to the newsletter (Article 6 para 1(a) GDPR).
How can I unsubscribe from the newsletter? How long is the data stored for?
If you no longer wish to receive the newsletter, you can withdraw your consent to receiving the newsletter at any time without stating any reasons by sending an email to unsubscribe[at]thesmartere.com (for more information about the right to withdraw your consent, see V.).
The data which you provided when subscribing to the newsletter will be deleted without delay once you have withdrawn your consent or unsubscribed from the newsletter. If you are also our customer, partner or employee, this data may be retained for a longer period for other purposes, provided it is needed to perform a contract or employment contract, or is subject to statutory retention obligations.
Do I have to provide this data?
Our newsletter service is provided on a voluntary basis. However, we require your email address in order to send you our email newsletter, and to send you our newsletter by post we need your postal address. Further information is not required for receiving the newsletter. You are providing your name on a voluntary basis for the purpose of allowing us to address you personally. If you have subscribed to an email newsletter, providing your postal address is voluntary and serves the purpose of allowing us to inform you about events near you.
If you have consented to receiving marketing material by email or to being contacted over the telephone, e.g. when downloading registration documents, we or our processors will contact you by email or telephone to provide information about exhibitions and conferences.
The legal basis is the consent you gave to us (Article 6 para 1(a) GDPR).
If you no longer wish to receive any marketing material, you can withdraw your consent at any time without stating any reasons by sending an email to
unsubscribe[at]thesmartere.com
(for more information about the right to withdraw your consent, see V.). The data you provided will be deleted without delay once you have withdrawn your consent. If you are also our customer or partner, this data may be retained for a longer period for other purposes if it is required for the performance of contractual or employment relationships or for compliance with statutory retention obligations.
We will need your email address to send you marketing material. Further information is not required to receive this information by email. You are providing your name and telephone number on a voluntary basis for the purpose of allowing us to contact you personally.
We process the data you have provided in our contact form or sent to us by email in order to be able to process and answer your query.
Why do we process this data?
Under Article 6 para 1(a) GDPR, we are allowed to process data that you enter into our contact form provided you have given your consent to such processing by clicking the “submit” button. If you enter any sensitive information containing special categories of data (e.g. racial or ethnic origin, political opinion, religion or beliefs, trade union membership, genetic or health status or sexual orientation) into the “message” field, you are giving your consent for this data to be processed. If you transmit this data to us by email, the legal basis is Article 6 para 1(f) GDPR. If you are also our customer, Article 6 para 1(b) GDPR also applies as a legal basis.
How long is the data stored for? Do I have to provide this data?
The data will be erased no later than 3 months after we receive your query, unless we are entitled or obliged to store the data for a longer period under statutory provisions in conjunction with Article 6 para. 1 (c) GDPR. If you are also our customer, the retention periods under II. 6. apply.
There is no obligation for you to provide this data, nor is it necessary for the conclusion of a contract with us. Use of the contact form requires an email address to be entered, however, because otherwise we will not be able to respond. If you enter any additional data, you do so on a voluntary basis.
To inform potential customers about our exhibitions and conferences, we send marketing material via mail, including to people who have not yet had any contact with us.
To do so, we process the following data: first name, surname, address
We also use data from publicly accessible sources.
The legal basis is Article 6 para 1(f) GDPR. We have a legitimate interest in sending out direct marketing. This overrides the interest of data subjects in the protection of their data, as the data is publicly available and therefore not subject to high standards of protection.
You have the right to withdraw your consent at any time if you do not wish to receive information about our services (see V.).
Your data will then no longer be used to send you marketing material.
On this website, we use the YouTube embedding function to display and play videos from the provider YouTube, which is owned by Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, 4 Barrow St, Dublin, D04 E5W5, Ireland (hereinafter Google). We use the extended data protection mode, which means that videos are not accessed via youtube.com, but via youtube-nocookie.com. According to the provider, the extended data protection mode ensures that user information is only stored when the video(s) is/are played. When you start playing an embedded YouTube video, the provider YouTube uses cookies to collect information about your user behavior. According to YouTube, these are used, among other things, to collect video statistics, improve user friendliness and prevent any improper behavior. If you are logged in to a Google account, your data will be directly associated with your account.
Data may also be transmitted to the servers of Google LLC. in the USA.
Why do we process this data?
Google stores your data (even for users who are not logged in) as usage profiles and evaluates them. Such an evaluation is carried out in accordance with Article 6 (1) (f) GDPR on the basis of Google's legitimate interests in showing personalized advertising, market research and/or needs-based website design. In addition, our legitimate interest in connection with the integration of the videos according to Article 6 (1) (f) GDPR lies in the evaluation of user behavior, design of our website in response to user interest and the exploitation of the financial potential of our website.
How long is this data stored and do I have to provide it?
We do not store any data in connection with playing YouTube videos. For information on data saved by Google, please see the provider’s privacy policy under the heading of YouTube:
https://www.google.de/intl/de/policies/privacy .
If you do not want the assignment with your profile at YouTube, you must log out of Google before activating the button.
You have the right to object to the creation of these user profiles, but to do so, you must contact YouTube directly.
Visit https://adssettings.google.com/authenticated to opt out.
Generally speaking, we obtain your data from you. In some cases, data may originate from one of the following sources:
We transfer some of the above-mentioned data to the following data processors for the following purposes:
Data processors will only process data under our instruction; they will not do so for their own purposes.
In certain cases, some of your data may be transferred to the following recipients for the purposes described below, either if you have given your consent to this (Article 6 para 1(a) GDPR, if we have a legal obligation to do so (Article 6 para. 1 (c) GDPR, or if it is necessary in order to safeguard our legitimate interests (Article 6 para 1(f) GDPR):
Where the processors or other recipients are located outside the EU or the European Economic Area, an adequate level of data protection shall be established by concluding standard contractual clauses adopted by the European Commission with the respective contractual partner
Under the provisions of Article 15 GDPR, you have the right to request information on whether we process your personal data and on which data we process. You have the right to request the rectification and completion of incomplete personal data pursuant to Article 16 GDPR. Under the provisions of Article 17 GDPR, you have the right to have your data deleted, or under the provisions of Article 18 GDPR, to have it made unavailable. Pursuant to Article 21 GDPR, you have the right to receive any data transmitted to us on the basis of consent or a contract, provided that the data is processed by automated means. If you wish, and if this is technically possible, we will transfer this data to a third party. In certain circumstances, your rights may be limited, or excluded, by law.
If we process data to safeguard our own interests exclusively on the basis of Article 6 para 1(f) GDPR, you have the right to object to your data being processed for reasons arising from your particular situation. Should you object, we will no longer process the data concerned unless we can demonstrate compelling legitimate grounds for the processing thereof, grounds which override your interests, rights and freedoms, or unless such processing serves for the enforcement of legal claims.
Furthermore, you may withdraw your consent to the use of your data for advertising purposes at any time without incurring any costs other than the cost of transmitting the notification at the basic rate. You have the right to object to being sent advertising emails at any time free of charge, for example by clicking on the unsubscribe button at the end of such an email. You also have the option to object by writing an email to unsubscribe[at]thesmartere.com .
If you have given your consent to data processing, you have the right to withdraw that consent at any time. Withdrawing your consent will not affect the legality of processing until such withdrawal is received. You can object by writing an email to unsubscribe[at]thesmartere.com . Under 3.5, you may withdraw your consent to the use of cookies requiring consent at any time. Once your objection has been received, your data will no longer be processed. This shall not apply if we have the legal right or obligation to do so.
You have the right to lodge complaints in connection with data protection to a data protection authority, in particular to: Landesbeauftragter für Datenschutz und Informationsfreiheit, Königstraße 10a, D-70173 Stuttgart.
Date: March, 2024