Privacy Policy

Privacy Notice – Link Hamson Ltd

In order to support our customers and work with our suppliers, we collect and process personal information. This privacy policy sets out how Link Hamson collects and use information about our customers and suppliers in the course of our business.

Personal Information Collected by Link Hamson Ltd

At Link Hamson, the majority of the information that is collected and processed is non-personal data, relating to the technical specifications and arrangements for the supply of our products to our business customers.
Link Hamson does not deal with consumers.

Personal Information about our trade contacts

In order to manage our trade customer and supplier relationships, Link Hamson will collect and process personal information about individuals within the customer or supplier business including: name, occupation, company, title, direct telephone and mobile phone numbers, office address and telephone number and business email address. Where a supplier or customer is trading as sole traders or partnership, all the information that is processed by Link Hamson about that business will be treated in the same way.
Customers and Suppliers may contact Link Hamson by phone, email or in person to enquire about Link Hamson’s products, and data may be captured and recorded by Link Hamson personnel.

How we use your information

Employees and other workers

We collect and maintain personal and sensitive information about employees, contractors and other workers we employ, as well as job applicants and former employees. This information includes: name, contact details, gender, proof of identity, proof of qualifications, bank details, nationality, criminal records check, references, health questionnaire, next of kin.

As an employer we use your data to fulfil our statutory obligations, such as paying salaries, tax, national insurance, health & safety in the workplace, which may also involve sharing information with third parties such as but not limited to: insurers, professional advisors, recruitment agencies, HMRC, DWP, pension and life assurance companies, and other relevant parties.

Information provided to us during the job application process will be retained by us as part of your employee file for the duration of your employment plus 6 years following the end of your employment. This includes your criminal records declaration, fitness to work, accidents at work, records of any security checks, references and eligibility to work in the UK.

If you are unsuccessful at any stage of the process, the information you have provided until that point will be destroyed and deleted from our records after 6 months. We do not collect more information than we need to fulfil our stated purposes and will not retain it for longer than is necessary.

Information on Link Hamson ‘Customers’ is used to respond to enquiries about Link Hamson products and services; to manage and administer an order or business account; to handle payments for orders; to manage delivery of completed orders; to deal with quality and warranty issues, repairs and support the products.

Information on Link Hamson ‘Suppliers’ is used to manage the business relationship to benefit Link Hamson and its customers, to place and manage delivery of orders for goods and services, to deal with any supply or quality issues; to manage payments.

Link Hamson does not envisage processing special categories of personal data relating to its customers and suppliers in its normal routine business activities, unless such information is volunteered by the customer or supplier.

The new data processing laws require Link Hamson to set out the lawful legal basis for collecting and using personal data. One or more of these bases may apply:

Link Hamson processes information for the purpose of conducting negotiations to enter into a contract, and perform a contract with customers and suppliers;

Link Hamson will process information to support its legitimate business interests where this will not impinge on the privacy of individuals, including to monitor performance and ensure that its high standards of performance and delivery are maintained across the business; to grow and develop the business; to manage and administer the business including business performance, and Link Hamson may use information for marketing and promotional purposes. Link Hamson Ltd takes reasonable steps to limit the personal data to the extent necessary to support a specific reporting functionality, and ensures that where personal data about customers or suppliers is required to be shared, that this sharing is undertaken in accordance with the requirements of the General Data Protection Regulations and UK data protection laws.

How long information is retained

Information on Link Hamson Suppliers: Link Hamson will retain personal information about contacts at its suppliers whilst Link Hamson continues to have an active relationship and for as long as Link Hamson maintains a copy of each order. Link Hamson will continue to store business information on the supplier’s business and its relationship with Link Hamson, including details of all products & services supplied to enable Link Hamson to manage its warranty commitments to its customers.

Information on Link Hamson Customers: Link Hamson will retain personal information about contacts indefinitely following delivery of each order to enable Link Hamson to manage any warranty or support issues.

Information on enquiries: Link Hamson will hold a record of all personal information on contacts for enquiries placed, for up to 24 months to ensure legitimate supply chain information is retained.

In the case of customers and suppliers, Link Hamson will retain information for as long as is necessary for Link Hamson to protect and defend its legal rights.

Keeping in Touch

Link Hamson will continue to contact customers and suppliers in connection with specific business orders as part of its routine business activities.

From time to time, Link Hamson may contact customers with details of products that may be of interest. If an individual does not wish to receive any further marketing communications, please contact
cbooth@linkhamson.com

Protecting and sharing your information

At Link Hamson Ltd, all of our activities are handled internally. Customer and Supplier accounts are managed in electronic and paper records, which are stored in our UK office

Link Hamson Ltd does not sell data to third parties for marketing purposes; however, it may sell or provide copies of the data in its possession or control if bought or sold where this data is part of the assets of Link Hamson Ltd to ensure continuity for the benefit of our customers.

Link Hamson may share personal information about customers with credit reference agencies to verify identity; assess the customer’s financial position when considering requests for commercial credit terms or as part of any fraud-prevention activities. This is to protect Link Hamson’s legitimate business interests, and enable it to enforce its legal rights.

Website (www.linkhamson.com )

‘Cookies’ are used on this site, but only to keep track of the contents of your shopping cart once you have selected an item. The cookies are stored on your computer as a text file. You can alter your browser settings to refuse or limit the cookies you accept. No sensitive information is stored as a cookie.

We use Google Analytics, Google AdWords Conversion tracker, other Google services and a shopping basket memory that place cookies on a browser across the website. These cookies help us increase the website’s effectiveness for our visitors. These cookies are set and read by Google and ourselves only. To opt out of cookie usage, please visit this page but please be aware that changes to these settings may prevent the website from functioning properly.

Individual Rights

Under the data protection law individuals have certain rights in certain circumstances including the right to:

• Withdraw consent where that is the legal basis of processing
• Access personal data that is processed by Link Hamson Ltd
• Rectify inaccuracies in personal data held by Link Hamson
• Request data is erased or restrict certain processing activities
• Obtain a copy of your data in a commonly used electronic form; and
• Object to certain processing of your personal data by Link Hamson

Not all of these rights will apply at all times. Please see the ICO website for further information on the above rights: https://ico.org.uk/

If you have any concerns about how Link Hamson handles your data, please contact cbooth@linkhamson.com to allow Link Hamson to investigate your concerns. Individuals also have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office.

Changes to the Policy and Contact Us

Link Hamson Ltd may change its privacy policy from time to time, and will notify relevant individuals where this policy changes, and post information on-line. This policy was published on 24 May 2018.

If you have any questions about how we use information, or the terms of this policy, please contact us by telephone at +44 1494 439786, or by email to cbooth@linkhamson.com