Privacy Notice

About this Privacy Notice

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ECOassure Environmental Advisory (Pty) Ltd (“ECOassure”, “we”, “us” or “our”) respects the privacy of the people and organisations with whom we interact. This Privacy Notice explains how we collect, use, store, share and protect personal information and how data subjects may exercise their rights under the Protection of Personal Information Act 4 of 2013 (“POPIA”).

 

This Notice applies to personal information processed through our business operations, professional services, website, enquiries, client and supplier relationships, project activities, stakeholder engagement and other lawful business interactions.

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Responsible Party

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ECOassure Environmental Advisory (Pty) Ltd is the responsible party where it determines the purpose and means of processing personal information.

Registered name: ECOassure Environmental Advisory (Pty) Ltd
Registration number: 2026/456997/07
Trading name: ECOassure
Country: South Africa
Website: www.ecoassure.co.za
Information Officer: Simon Peter Clark
Information Officer email: simon.clark@ecoassure.co.za

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Whose Personal Information We May Process

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Depending on the nature of our interaction or the services being provided, we may process personal information relating to:

 

Clients and prospective clients; client representatives and personnel; landowners, occupiers and affected property holders; interested and affected parties and other stakeholders; government and regulatory officials; specialists, consultants and subcontractors; suppliers and service providers; professional and business contacts; website visitors and persons submitting enquiries; employees, contractors and prospective personnel where applicable; and other persons whose information is legitimately required for a project, regulatory process or business activity.

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Personal Information We May Collect

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Depending on the circumstances, ECOassure may collect and process:

Names, identity or passport details and contact information; business and employment details; correspondence and communications; property, landownership and land-use information; stakeholder comments, representations and participation records; project-related information; professional qualifications and specialist information; supplier and contractor information; financial and payment information where necessary for legitimate business purposes; website enquiry information and technical information associated with use of our website; and any other information reasonably required to perform our services, meet legal obligations or conduct legitimate business activities.

 

We will only collect personal information that is reasonably necessary and relevant for the purpose for which it is processed.

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How We Collect Personal Information

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We may collect personal information:

 

Directly from the data subject; from clients or their authorised representatives; from landowners, stakeholders, specialists, consultants, contractors and project participants; from government departments, regulators and other public authorities; from publicly available sources and official registers; through our website, email, telephone and other communication channels; and during site visits, stakeholder engagement, environmental assessment, compliance monitoring and other professional activities.

 

Where information is obtained from a third party, ECOassure will process it only where permitted by law and where it is reasonably necessary for a legitimate business, contractual, regulatory or professional purpose.

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Why We Process Personal Information

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ECOassure may process personal information for purposes including:

 

Responding to enquiries and preparing proposals; entering into and administering contracts; providing environmental, sustainability, GIS, advisory and related professional services; undertaking environmental assessment and regulatory processes; conducting stakeholder and public participation activities; managing landowner and property-related engagement; performing environmental compliance monitoring and auditing; managing specialists, consultants, suppliers and subcontractors; maintaining project and business records; issuing invoices and managing financial administration; meeting statutory, regulatory, professional and contractual obligations; managing complaints, disputes and legal claims; protecting ECOassure’s legitimate business interests; maintaining information security and business continuity; and communicating relevant information about our services where permitted by law.

 

We will not process personal information for a purpose that is incompatible with the purpose for which it was collected unless permitted or required by law.

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Lawful Basis for Processing

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ECOassure processes personal information in accordance with POPIA and where one or more lawful grounds apply.

 

Depending on the circumstances, processing may be necessary to perform a contract or take steps requested before entering into a contract; comply with an obligation imposed by law; protect a legitimate interest of the data subject; pursue the legitimate interests of

 

ECOassure or a third party where permitted by law; perform a public-law duty where applicable; or take place with the data subject’s consent.

 

Where processing is based on consent, the data subject may withdraw that consent, subject to legal and contractual limitations and reasonable notice.

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Special Personal Information and Children’s Information

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ECOassure does not intentionally collect special personal information or personal information relating to children unless it is necessary for a legitimate project, legal or regulatory purpose and the processing is authorised by POPIA or other applicable law.

 

Where such information is required, ECOassure will apply appropriate safeguards and limit processing to what is necessary.

 

Sharing of Personal Information

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ECOassure may share personal information where reasonably necessary with:

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Clients and authorised client representatives; government departments, regulators and competent authorities; environmental assessment practitioners and other professional advisers; specialists, consultants and subcontractors; suppliers and service providers; professional bodies; legal, accounting, insurance and other professional advisers; information technology, cloud, communications and document-management service providers; and other parties where disclosure is required or authorised by law.

 

ECOassure does not sell personal information.

 

Where third parties process personal information on our behalf, we will take reasonable steps to ensure that appropriate confidentiality, security and data-protection requirements apply.

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Cross-Border Processing

Some technology, cloud, communications or other service providers used by ECOassure may process or store information outside South Africa.

 

Where personal information is transferred outside South Africa, ECOassure will take reasonable steps to ensure that the transfer complies with POPIA, including the requirements applicable to transborder information flows.

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Information Security

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ECOassure implements reasonable and appropriate technical and organisational safeguards designed to protect personal information against loss, damage, unauthorised destruction, unlawful access, interference, modification or disclosure.

 

Our safeguards may include access controls; password and authentication controls; endpoint and device security; secure cloud and document-storage arrangements; backup and recovery controls; confidentiality requirements; controlled access to project information; incident management procedures; and periodic review of information-security risks.

 

No information system can be guaranteed to be completely secure. ECOassure will nevertheless maintain safeguards appropriate to the nature of the information and the reasonably foreseeable risks.

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Information Incidents and Breaches

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Where ECOassure has reasonable grounds to believe that personal information has been accessed or acquired by an unauthorised person, we will investigate and respond in accordance with our internal incident procedures and applicable law.

 

Where required by POPIA, ECOassure will notify the Information Regulator and affected data subjects as soon as reasonably possible, subject to lawful restrictions.

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Retention and Destruction

 

ECOassure retains personal information only for as long as reasonably necessary for the purpose for which it was collected or subsequently processed, or for a period required or permitted by law, contract, professional requirements or legitimate business needs.

 

When personal information is no longer required, it will be securely destroyed, deleted or de-identified in accordance with applicable requirements and ECOassure’s records-management practices.

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Data Subject Rights

 

Subject to POPIA and other applicable law, a data subject may request confirmation of whether ECOassure holds personal information about them; request access to their personal information; request correction or deletion of inaccurate, irrelevant, excessive, outdated, incomplete, misleading or unlawfully obtained information; object to certain processing; withdraw consent where processing relies on consent; request deletion or destruction where legally applicable; and lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator.

 

ECOassure may require appropriate proof of identity before processing a request.

 

Certain rights may be limited where ECOassure is required or permitted by law to retain or process the information.

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Direct Marketing

ECOassure may communicate with existing clients and business contacts about relevant professional services where permitted by law.

 

Electronic direct marketing to prospective clients will be undertaken only where permitted by POPIA.

 

Recipients may opt out of marketing communications at any time using the unsubscribe mechanism provided or by contacting ECOassure.

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Website, Cookies and Online Services

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The ECOassure website may collect limited technical information required for website operation, security, analytics and performance.

Cookies and similar technologies may be used where necessary for website functionality or where otherwise permitted by law.

 

Where third-party website, analytics, hosting or communication services are used, those providers may process limited information in accordance with their own terms and privacy arrangements.

 

Users may manage cookies through their browser or device settings, subject to the effect this may have on website functionality.

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Automated Decision-Making

 

ECOassure does not currently make decisions that produce legal or similarly significant effects on individuals solely through automated processing of personal information.

 

Should this change, appropriate safeguards will be implemented in accordance with POPIA.

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Information Officer and Privacy Enquiries

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Questions, requests or concerns regarding personal information processed by ECOassure should be directed to:

Information Officer: Simon Peter Clark
Organisation: ECOassure Environmental Advisory (Pty) Ltd
Email: simon.clark@ecoassure.co.za
Website: www.ecoassure.co.za

 

Please provide sufficient information to enable ECOassure to identify the relevant records and respond appropriately.

 

Complaints to the Information Regulator

 

A data subject who is dissatisfied with ECOassure’s handling of personal information may lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator of South Africa.

 

Current contact details for the Information Regulator are available from its official website.

 

Changes to this Privacy Notice

 

ECOassure may update this Privacy Notice periodically to reflect changes in legislation, regulatory guidance, business activities, technology or our information-management practices.

 

The current version will be published on the ECOassure website or otherwise made available on request.

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