Personal data protection (GDPR)

Verein Deutscher Ingenieure e.V. President: Dr.-Ing. Volker Kefer

Director: Dipl. Wirtsch.-Ing. Ralph Appel (VDI-Platz 1, 40468 Düsseldorf, Germany)

Telephone: +49 (0) 211 6214-0

Fax: +49 (0) 211 6214-575

Congress Main Organizer: Mrs. Dr. Dagmar Dirzus

Register number / Düsseldorf Register of Associations – VR 4161 Revenue tax identification number: DE119 353 789 

If you have any questions concerning the VDI, please contact e-mail: vdi@vdi.de

We are very pleased about your interest in the Verein Deutscher Ingenieure e.V. (Association of German Engineers e.V.) and its regional organisations (regional associations, district associations), as far as they are presented on the pages of „www.vdi.de“. Together we will shortly be referred to as „VDI“. Data protection is of particular importance for the presidium and the management of the VDI as well as for the boards and offices of its regional organisations. A use of the web site of the VDI is basically possible without any indication of personal data. However, if a data subject wants to make use of special services of the VDI via our website, processing of personal data may be necessary. If the processing of personal data is required and there is no other legal basis for such processing, we generally obtain the consent of the data subject.

The processing of personal data, such as the name, address, e-mail address or telephone number of a data subject, is always in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and in accordance with the additional national data protection provisions applicable to the VDI. By means of this privacy policy we would like to inform the public about the nature, extent and purpose of the personal data collected, used and processed by us. Furthermore, data subjects are informed of their rights under this privacy policy.

As a controller, the VDI has implemented numerous technical and organisational measures to ensure the most complete protection possible for personal data processed via this website. Nevertheless, Internet-based data transmissions can generally have security holes, so that absolute protection cannot always be guaranteed. For this reason, every person concerned is free to submit personal data to us in alternative ways, for example by e-mail.

The privacy policy of the VDI is based on the terminology used by the European directive and regulatory authority in the adoption of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Our privacy policy should be easy to read and understand, both for the public and for our members, prospects, other customers and business partners. In order to guarantee this, we would like to explain terms used here in advance.
We use the following terms in this privacy policy, including but not limited to:

a) Personal data

Personal data is any information relating to an identified or identifiable natural person (hereinafter the „data subject“). A natural person, who is considered to be identifiable, can be identified directly or indirectly, in particular by association with an identifier such as a name, an identification number, location data, an online identifier or one or more special features, which express the physical, physiological, genetic, mental, economic, cultural or social identity of this natural person.

b) Data subject

Data subject is any identified or identifiable natural person whose personal data is processed by the controller.

c) Processing

Processing means any process or series of operations related to personal data, such as collecting, organising, storing, adapting or modifying, reading, querying, using, with or without the aid of automated procedures; disclosure by submission, dissemination or other form of provision, reconciliation or association, restriction, erasure or destruction.

d) Restriction of processing

Restriction of the processing is the marking of stored personal data with the aim to limit their future processing.

e) Profiling

Profiling is any kind of automated processing of personal data that consists in using that personal information to evaluate certain personal aspects relating to a natural person, to analyse or predict in particular aspects relating to job performance, economic situation, health, preferences, interests, reliability, behaviour, whereabouts or relocation of that natural person.

f) Pseudonymisation

Pseudonymisation is the processing of personal data in such a way that personal data can no longer be attributed to a specific data subject without the need for additional information, provided that such additional information is kept separate and subject to technical and organisational measures to ensure that the personal data cannot be assigned to an identified or identifiable natural person.

(g) Controller or person responsible for the processing of data

The controller or person responsible for the processing of data is the natural or legal person, public authority, agency or other entity that, alone or in concert with others, decides on the purposes and means of processing personal data. Where the purposes and means of such processing are determined by Union law or the law of the Member States, the controller or the specific criteria for his designation may be provided for under Union or national law.
Those responsible here are the VDI e.V. Executive Board who are authorised to represent (https://www.vdi.de/meta-navigation/impressum/) and, as far as additional processing is carried out by our district associations or by us as their processor, their authorised representatives, who you can respectively be found in the imprint.

h) Processor

The processor is a natural or legal person, public authority, agency or other entity that processes personal data on behalf of the controller.

i) Recipient

Recipient is a natural or legal person, public authority, agency or other entity to whom personal data is disclosed, whether or not it is a third party. However, authorities which may receive personal data under Union or national law in connection with a particular mission are not considered as recipients.

j) Third parties

Third party is a natural or legal person, public authority, agency or entity other than the data subject, the controller, the processor and the persons authorised under the direct responsibility of the controller or the processor, authorised to process the personal data.

k) Consent

Consent is any voluntarily given and unambiguously expressed in the form of a statement or other unambiguous confirmatory act by the data subject for the particular case, by which the data subject indicates that he/she gives consent to the processing of the personal data concerning him/her.

The persons responsible within the meaning of the General Data Protection Regulation, other data protection laws in the Member States of the European Union and other provisions of a data protection character are:

Controller:

Verein Deutscher Ingenieure e.V. (VDI e.V.)
VDI-Platz 1
40468 Düsseldorf
Deutschland
Tel. 02116214-0
E-Mail: vdi@vdi.de

Website: www.vdi.de

Data Protection Officer:

TÜV Technische Überwachung Hessen GmbH

Verein Deutscher Ingenieure e.V. (VDI e.V.)
die Datenschutzbeauftragte
VDI-Platz 1
40468 Düsseldorf
Germany
E-Mail: datenschutz@vdi.de

The websites of the VDI use cookies. Cookies are text files that are stored on a computer system via an Internet browser.

Many websites and servers use cookies. Many cookies contain a so-called cookie ID. A cookie ID is a unique identifier of the cookie. It consists of a string through which Internet pages and servers can be assigned to the specific Internet browser in which the cookie was stored. This allows visited websites and servers to distinguish the individual’s browser from other internet browsers that contain other cookies. A particular web browser can be recognised and identified by the unique cookie ID.

By using cookies, the VDI can provide users of this website with more user-friendly services that would not be possible without the cookie setting.

By means of a cookie, the information and offers on our website can be optimised for the user. Cookies allow us, as already mentioned, to recognise the users of our website. The purpose of this recognition is to make it easier for users to use our website. For example, the users of a website that uses cookies do not need to re-enter their credentials each time they visit the website, as this is done by the website and the cookie stored on the user’s computer system. Another example is the cookie of a shopping basket in the online shop. The online shop remembers the items that a customer has placed in the virtual shopping cart via a cookie.

The data subject can prevent the setting of cookies through our website at any time by means of a corresponding setting of the Internet browser used and, thus permanently contradict the setting of cookies. Furthermore, already set cookies can be deleted at any time via an internet browser or other software programs. This is possible in all common internet browsers. If the data subject deactivates the setting of cookies in the Internet browser used, not all functions of our website may be fully usable.

The website of the VDI collects a series of general data and information each time the website is accessed by a data subject or an automated system. This general data and information is stored in the log files of the server. The (1) browser types and versions used, (2) the operating system used by the accessing system, (3) the internet page from which an accessing system accesses our website (so-called referrers), (4) the sub-web pages which can be accessed via (5) the date and time of access to the website, (6) an Internet Protocol address (IP address), (7) the Internet service provider of the accessing system and (8) other similar data and information used in the event of attacks on our information technology systems, can be collected.

When using this general data and information, the VDI does not draw any conclusions about the data subject. Rather, this information is required to (1) correctly deliver the contents of our website, (2) to optimise the content of our website and to advertise it, (3) to ensure the continued functioning of our information technology systems and the technology of our website, and (4) to provide law enforcement authorities with the information necessary for law enforcement in the event of a cyberattack. This anonymously collected data and information is, therefore, statistically and further evaluated by the VDI with the aim of increasing data protection and data security in the VDI in order to ultimately ensure the best possible level of protection for the personal data we process. The anonymous data of the server log files are stored separately from all personal data provided by a data subject.

The data subject has the possibility to register on the website of the data controller by providing personal data. The personal data to be sent to the controller is derived from the respective input mask used for the registration. The personal data entered by the data subject shall be collected and stored solely for internal use by the controller and for his own purposes. The controller may arrange for the transfer to one or more processors, such as a parcel service, who also uses the personal data only for internal use attributable to the use by the controller.

By registering on the website of the controller, the IP address assigned by the Internet service provider (ISP) of the data subject and the date and time of registration are also stored. The storage of this data takes place considering that only in this way the misuse of our services can be prevented, and these data in case of need make it possible to clarify committed offenses. In this respect, the storage of this data is required to secure the controller. There is no disclosure of these data to third parties, unless there is a legal obligation to pass on or the disclosure serves the law enforcement.

The registration of the data subject voluntarily providing personal data, serves the data controller to provide the data subject with content or services that, due to the nature of the case, can only be offered to registered users. Registered persons are free to modify the personal data given at registration at any time or to delete it completely from the database of the data controller.

The controller shall, at any time upon request, provide information to each data subject as to which personal data about the data subject is stored. Furthermore, the data controller corrects or deletes personal data at the request or note of the data subject, insofar as this does not conflict with any statutory storage requirements. All employees of the controller are available to the data subject as a contact person in this context.

On the website of the VDI, users are given the opportunity to subscribe to various VDI newsletters. Which personal data are transmitted to the data controller when the newsletter is ordered results from the input mask used for this purpose.

The VDI informs its members, interested parties, customers and business partners at regular intervals by means of a newsletter about its offers. A VDI newsletter can only be received by the data subject if (1) the data subject has a valid e-mail address and (2) the data subject registers for the newsletter. For legal reasons, a confirmation e-mail will be sent to the e-mail address entered by a data subject for the first time for newsletter mailing using the double-opt-in procedure. This confirmation email is used to check whether the owner of the e-mail address as the data subject authorised the receipt of the newsletter.

The personal data collected in the context of registering for the newsletter will be used exclusively to send our newsletter. Subscribers to the newsletter may also be notified by e-mail if this is necessary for the operation of the newsletter service or registration, as might be the case in the event of changes to the newsletter or technical changes. There will be no transfer of the personal data collected to third parties as part of the newsletter service. Subscription to our newsletter may be terminated by the data subject at any time. The consent to the storage of personal data that the data subject has given us for the newsletter dispatch can be revoked at any time. For the purpose of revoking the consent, there is a corresponding link in each newsletter. It is also possible to unsubscribe from the newsletter at any time, directly on the controller’s website, or to inform the controller in a different way.

The VDI newsletters contain so-called counting pixels. A counting pixel is a miniature graphic that is embedded in such emails that are sent in HTML format to enable log file recording and log file analysis. This allows a statistical evaluation of the success or failure of online marketing campaigns. Based on the embedded counting pixel, the VDI can detect if and when an e-mail was opened by an affected person and which links in the e-mail were opened by the data subject.

Such personal data collected via the counting pixels contained in the newsletters will be stored and evaluated by the controller in order to optimise the delivery of newsletters and to better adapt the content of future newsletters to the interests of the data subject. This personal data will not be disclosed to third parties. Data subjects are at any time entitled to revoke the separate declaration of consent made via the double-opt-in procedure. After revocation, this personal data will be deleted by the controller. The VDI automatically treats a cancellation of the newsletter as a revocation of the consent form.

Due to legal regulations, the VDI website contains information that enables you to contact us quickly and communicate directly with us, which also includes a general address of the so-called electronic mail (e-mail address). If a data subject contacts the data controller by e-mail or through a contact form, the personal data provided by the data subject will be automatically saved. Such personal data, voluntarily transmitted by an individual to the controller, is stored for the purpose of processing or contacting the data subject. There is no disclosure of this personal data to third parties.

The VDI offers users the opportunity to leave individual comments on individual blog posts on a blog located on the website of the controller. A blog is a web-based, usually public-accessible portal in which one or more people, who are called bloggers or web bloggers, can post articles or write down thoughts in so-called blog posts. The blog posts can usually be commented on by third parties.

If a data subject leaves a comment in the blog published on this website, not only the comments left by the person concerned, but also information on the time of the commentary input and the username (pseudonym) chosen by the person concerned are saved and published. Furthermore, the IP address assigned by the Internet service provider (ISP) of the data subject is also logged. This storage of the IP address is made for security reasons and in the event that the data subject violates the rights of third parties or posts illegal contents by submitting a comment. The storage of these personal data is, therefore, in the own interest of the controller, so that in case of a breach of law, where appropriate, he can contribute to the clarification of the facts. There is no disclosure of this personal data to third parties, unless such disclosure is required by law or serves the legal defence of the controller.

The VDI offers a newsletter via WhatsApp Messenger, which can be subscribed to for free at www.vdi.de/whatsapp. With the VDI Newsletter, subscribers get the latest news from the VDI world directly on their smartphone.

By sending a start message to Verein Deutscher Ingenieure e.V. (hereinafter referred to as the sender), you consent in accordance with article 6, paragraph 1 lit. a GDPO that the sender uses your personal data (e.g., name and surname, telephone number, messenger ID, profile picture, messages) for the direct communication and the required data processing using the WhatsApp Messenger. For the use of this service, an existing messaging account with the provider WhatsApp is needed.

Responsible provider of WhatsApp Messengers is

WhatsApp, Inc., 1601 Willow Road, Menlo Park, California 94025, USA, with the privacy statement available at www.whatsapp.com/legal/

You understand that the provider receives personally identifiable information (including communication metadata) that is also processed on non-EU servers (such as the United States) in which an adequate level of data protection cannot be guaranteed. However, WhatsApp Inc is certified under the Privacy Shield Agreement, providing a guarantee to comply with European privacy legislation. Further information can be found in the privacy policy of the WhatsApp Messengers. The sender has neither exact knowledge nor influence on the data processing by the offeror.

Your consent to this data processing is always revocable by entering „STOP“ in the respective messenger.

In order to have all data removed which is stored by you with our service provider, send a message with the text „DELETE ALL DATA“ via your messenger.

To provide this service, the technical service provider WhatsBroadcast GmbH, Herzog-Heinrich-Str. 9, 80336 Munich is used as a processor of the sender.

a) Privacy Policy for the use of Google Analytics:

This website uses Google Analytics, a web analytics service provided by Google Inc. („Google“). Google Analytics uses so-called „cookies“, text files that are stored on your computer and that allow an analysis of the use of the website by you. The information generated by the cookie about your use of this website is usually transmitted to a Google server in the USA and stored there. However, if IP anonymisation is activated on this website, your IP address will be shortened by Google beforehand within member states of the European Union or other parties to the Agreement on the European Economic Area.

Only in exceptional cases will the full IP address be sent to a Google server in the US and shortened there. On behalf of the operator of this website, Google will use this information to evaluate your use of the website, to compile reports on website activity and to provide other services related to website activity and internet usage to the website operator. The IP address provided by your browser as part of Google Analytics will not be merged with other Google data.

You can prevent the storage of cookies by a corresponding setting of your browser software; however, please note that if you do this, you may not be able to use all features of this website to the fullest extent possible. In addition, you may prevent the collection by Google of the data generated by the cookie and related to your use of the website (including your IP address) as well as the processing of this data by Google by downloading the browser plug-in available under the following link and install:
http://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout?hl=de.

Google Optimize

For the purpose of web analytics we use the Google Optimize tool. This in Google Analytics built-in tool allows for A/B and multivariate testing to optimise the website for visitors. For further information see  https://support.google.com/optimize/answer/6230273

b) Using Google Remarketing:

This website uses Google Inc.’s remarketing feature. This feature is designed to present interest-based ads to web site visitors within the Google Network. A so-called „cookie“ is stored in the browser of the website visitor, which makes it possible to recognise the visitor when he or she visits websites that belong to the advertising network of Google. On these pages, visitors may be presented with ads related to content that the visitor previously viewed on web pages using Google’s remarketing feature. Google says it does not collect any personal information during this process. However, if you still do not wish to use Google Remarketing, you can disable it by making the appropriate settings at www.google.com/settings/ads. Alternatively, you can disable the use of cookies for interest-based advertising through the Network Advertising Initiative by following the instructions atwww.networkadvertising.org/managing/opt_out.asp.

c) Google AdWords:

Our website uses Google Conversion Tracking. If you have reached our website via an advertisement sent by Google, Google AdWords will set a cookie on your computer. The conversion tracking cookie is set when a user clicks on a Google-served ad. These cookies lose their validity after 30 days and are not used for personal identification. If the user visits certain pages on our website and the cookie has not expired, we and Google may recognise that the user clicked on the ad and was redirected to this page. Each Google AdWords customer receives a different cookie. Cookies cannot be tracked through AdWords advertisers‘ websites. The information gathered using the conversion cookie is used to generate conversion statistics for AdWords advertisers who have opted for conversion tracking. Customers are told the total number of users who clicked on their ad and were redirected to a conversion tracking tag page. However, they do not receive any information that personally identifies users. If you do not want to participate in tracking, you can refuse the setting of a cookie – for example, via a browser setting that generally deactivates the automatic setting of cookies or sets your browser accordingly that cookies are blocked by the domain „googleleadservices.com“. Please note that you cannot delete the opt-out cookies as long as you do not want to record measurement data. If you have deleted all your cookies in the browser, you must set the respective opt-out cookie again.

We also use Google Analytics to evaluate data from the Double-Click cookie for statistical purposes. If you do not want this done, you can disable it through the Ads Preferences Manager (http://www.google.com/settings/ads/onweb/?hl=en).

d) Conversion measurement with the Facebook visitor action pixel

With your consent, we use the „visitor action pixel“ of Facebook Inc., 1601 S. California Ave., Palo Alto, CA 94304, USA („Facebook“) on our website. With its help, we can track users‘ actions after they’ve seen or clicked a Facebook ad. So, we can track the effectiveness of Facebook ads for statistical and market research purposes. The data collected in this way is anonymous for us, i.e., we do not see the personal data of individual users. However, this data is stored and processed by Facebook, about which we inform you according to our knowledge. Facebook can connect this data with their Facebook account and also for their own advertising purposes, according to Facebook’s data usage policy https://www.facebook.com/about/privacy/. You can enable Facebook and its affiliates to display ads on and off Facebook. For these purposes, a cookie may also be stored on your computer.
This consent may only be declared by users older than 13 years old. If you are younger, we ask that you ask your guardians for advice.
Please click here if you wish to revoke your consent: Withdraw consent

The controller shall process and store the personal data of the data subject only for the period necessary to achieve the purpose of the storage or, as the case may be, by the European directives or regulations or by any other legislator in laws or regulations which the controller was provided for.

If the storage purpose is omitted or if a storage period prescribed by the European directives and regulations or any other relevant legislator expires, the personal data will be routinely blocked or deleted in accordance with the statutory provisions.

a) Right to confirmation

Each data subject has the right, as granted by the European Directive and Regulatory Authority, to require the controller to confirm whether personal data relating to him/her is being processed. If a data subject wishes to make use of this right of confirmation, they can contact an employee of the controller at any time.

b) Right to information

Any data subject concerned by the processing of personal data shall have the right, granted by the European Directive and Regulatory Authority, to obtain from the data controller information free of charge on the personal data stored about him/her and a copy of that information at any time. Furthermore, European Directive and Regulatory Authority has provided the data subject with the right to information about the following:

• the processing purposes
• the categories of personal data being processed
• the recipients or categories of recipients to whom the personal data have been disclosed or are still being disclosed, in   particular to recipients in third countries or to international organisations
• if possible, the planned duration for which the personal data will be stored or, if this is not possible, the criteria for determining that duration
• the right of rectification or erasure of the personal data concerning them, or the limitation of the controller’s processing or the right to object to such processing
• the existence of a right of appeal to a supervisory authority
• if the personal data are not collected from the data subject: all available information about the origin of the data
• the existence of automated decision-making including profiling in accordance with Article 22 (1) and (4) GDPR and, at least in these cases, meaningful information about the logic involved, and the scope and intended impact of such processing on the data subject.

In addition, the data subject has a right of access as to whether personal data has been transmitted to a third country or to an international organisation. If that is the case, then the data subject has the right to obtain information about the appropriate guarantees in connection with the transfer.

If a data subject wishes to exercise this right to information, they may contact an employee of the controller at any time.

c) Right to rectification

Any data subject affected by the processing of personal data, has the right, granted by the European Directive and Regulatory Authority, to demand the immediate correction of inaccurate personal data concerning him/her. Furthermore, the data subject has the right to request the completion of incomplete personal data, including by means of a supplementary declaration, considering the purposes of the processing.
If a data subject wishes to exercise this right of rectification, he/she may contact an employee of the controller at any time.

d) Right to cancellation (right to be forgotten)

Any data subject affected by the processing of personal data shall have the right, granted by the European Directive and Regulatory Authority, to require the controller to immediately delete the personal data concerning him/her, provided that one of the following reasons is satisfied and the processing is not required:

• The personal data has been collected for such purposes or otherwise processed for which they are no longer necessary.
• The data subject revokes the consent on which the processing was based in accordance with Article 6 (1) (a) GDPR or Article 9 (2) (a) GDPR and there is a lack of any other legal basis for processing.
• The data subject submits an objection to the processing pursuant to Art. 21 (1) GDPR and there are no legitimate reasons for the processing or the data subject objects to the processing pursuant to Art. 21 (2) GDPR.
• The personal data were processed unlawfully.
• The deletion of personal data is required to fulfil a legal obligation under Union law or the law of the Member States to which the controller is subject to.
• The personal data was collected in relation to information society services offered pursuant to Art. 8 (1) GDPR.

If any of the above reasons are correct and a data subject wishes to arrange for the deletion of personal data stored by VDI, he/she may contact an employee of the controller at any time. The employee of the VDI will arrange for the extinguishing request to be fulfilled immediately.

If the personal data have been made public by the VDI and if the VDI as the person responsible is obliged to delete the personal data pursuant to Art. 17 (1) GDPR, the VDI will take appropriate measures, with consideration of the available technology and the implementation costs, also of technical nature, to inform other data controllers processing the published personal data that the data subject has requested the other data controllers to delete all links to such personal data or to make copies or replicas of such personal data as far as processing is not required. The employee of the VDI will arrange the necessary measures in individual cases.

e) Right to restriction of processing

Any data subject affected by the processing of personal data has the right, granted by the European Directive and Regulatory Authority, to require the controller to restrict the processing if one of the following conditions applies:

• The accuracy of the personal data is contested by the data subject for a period of time that enables the person responsible  to  verify the accuracy of the personal data.
• The processing is unlawful, the data subject refuses the deletion of personal data and instead requests the restriction of the use of personal data.
• The data controller no longer needs the personal data for the purposes of processing, but the data subject requires them to assert, exercise or defend his/her rights.
• The data subject has objected to the processing acc. Art. 21 para. 1 GDPR and it is not yet clear whether the legitimate reasons of the controller outweigh those of the data subject.

If one of the above conditions is met and a data subject wishes to request the restriction of personal data stored by VDI, he/she may contact an employee of the controller at any time. The employee of the VDI will cause a legally required limitation of the processing.

f) Right to data transferability

Any data subject affected by the processing of personal data has the right, granted by the European Directive and Regulatory Authority, to obtain the personal data concerning him/her, provided to a controller by the data subject, in a structured, common and machine-readable format used by the controller. He/she also has the right to transmit this data to another person without hindrance by the controller to whom the personal data was provided, provided that the processing is based on the consent pursuant to Art. 6 (1) (a) GDPR or Art. 9 (2) Subparagraph (a) of the GDPR or on a contract pursuant to Article 6 (1) (b) GDPR and processing by means of automated procedures, unless the processing is necessary for the performance of a public-interest or public-authority task which has been transferred to the responsible person.

Furthermore, the data subject, in exercising his/her right to data transferability under Article 20 (1) GDPR, has the right to obtain that the personal data are transmitted directly from one controller to another, insofar as this is technically feasible and if not the rights and freedoms of others are affected.

In order to assert the right to data transferability, the data subject can contact an employee of the VDI at any time.

g) Right to object

Any data subject affected by the processing of personal data has the right, granted by the European Directive and Regulatory Authority, to object at any time to the processing of personal data relating to him/her pursuant to Article 6 (1) (e) or f GDPR, for reasons arising from his/her particular situation. This also applies to profiling based on these provisions.

In the event of an objection, the VDI no longer processes the personal data unless we can prove that there are compelling legitimate reasons for processing that outweigh the interests, rights and freedoms of the data subject, or the processing serves the purpose of asserting, exercising or defending legal claims.

If the VDI processes personal data in order to operate direct mail, the data subject has the right to object at any time to the processing of personal data for the purpose of such advertising. This also applies to the profiling, as far as it is associated with such direct mail. If the data subject objects to processing for direct marketing purposes, the VDI will no longer process the personal data for these purposes.

In addition, the data subject has the right, for reasons arising out of his/her particular situation, to object to the processing of personal data relating to him or her for scientific or historical research purposes or for statistical purposes pursuant to Art. 89 (1) GDPR unless such processing is necessary to fulfil a public interest task.

In order to exercise the right to object, the data subject may directly contact an employee of the VDI. The data subject is also free, in the context of the use of information society services, notwithstanding Directive 2002/58/EC, to exercise his/her right of opposition by means of automated procedures using technical specifications. In any exercise of the rights of the data subject, VDI reserves the right to make appropriate determinations regarding the identity of the data subject in order to adequately minimise the risk of data misuse by unauthorised persons.

h) Automated decisions in individual cases including profiling

Any data subject affected by the processing of personal data shall have the right, as granted by the European Directive and Regulatory Authority, not to be subject to a decision based solely on automated processing, including profiling, which has a legal effect on him/her or, in a similar manner, significantly affects him/her, unless the decision (1) is necessary for the conclusion or performance of a contract between the data subject and the controller, or (2) is permitted by Union or Member State legislation to which the controller is subject, and that legislation provides for appropriate measures to safeguard the rights and freedoms as well as the legitimate interests of the data subject; or (3) with the express consent of the data subject.

If the decision (1) is required for the conclusion or performance of a contract between the data subject and the controller or (2) it takes place with the express consent of the data subject, the VDI shall take appropriate measures to safeguard the rights, freedoms and legitimate interests the data subject, including at least the right to obtain the intervention of a person by the controller, to express his/her own position and to challenge the decision.

If the data subject wishes to claim automated decision-making rights, he/she can contact an employee of the controller at any time.

Currently, such disruptive automated decisions are not provided for. However, we reserve the right to use such tools in the future if this is in the interest of the parties involved.

i) Right to revoke a data protection consent

Any person affected by the processing of personal data has the right, granted by the European Directive and Regulatory Authority, to revoke consent to the processing of personal data at any time.

If the data subject wishes to assert their right to withdraw consent, they may contact an employee of the controller at any time.

The controller collects and processes the personal data of applicants for the purpose of processing the application process. The processing can also be done electronically. This is particularly the case if an applicant submits corresponding application documents to the controller by electronic means, for example by e-mail or via a web form available on the website. If the controller concludes a contract of employment with an applicant, the data transmitted will be stored for the purposes of the employment relationship in accordance with the law. If no employment contract is concluded with the candidate by the controller, the application documents will be automatically deleted three months after the decision on the occupation, provided that deletion does not prejudice any other legitimate interests of the controller or if the candidate has agreed on a longer period. Other legitimate interest in this sense is, for example, a burden of proof in a procedure under the General Equal Treatment Act (GETA).

Art. 6 I lit. a GDPR provides the VDI with a legal basis for processing operations where we obtain consent for a particular processing purpose. If the processing of personal data is necessary to fulfil a contract of which the data subject is a party, as is the case, for example, in processing operations necessary to establish membership, supply goods or provide any other service or consideration, thus, the processing is based on Art. 6 I lit. b GDPR. The same applies to processing operations that are necessary to carry out pre-contractual measures, for example in cases of inquiries about our products or services. Insofar as VDI is subject to a legal obligation which requires the processing of personal data, such as the fulfilment of tax obligations, the processing is based on Art. 6 I lit. c GDPR. In rare cases, the processing of personal data may be required to protect the vital interests of the data subject or another natural person. This would be the case, for example, if a visitor to our office were injured and his or her name, age, health insurance or other vital information would be passed on to a doctor, hospital or other third party. Then the processing would be based on Art. 6 I lit. d GDPR. Processing operations based on this legal basis are not covered by any of the above legal bases if processing is necessary to safeguard a legitimate interest of VDI or a third party, provided the interests, fundamental rights and fundamental freedoms of the data subject do not prevail. Such processing operations are particularly allowed to us because they have been specifically mentioned by the European legislator. In that regard, he considered that a legitimate interest could be assumed if the data subject is a member, prospective customer or customer of the controller (recital 47, second sentence, GDPR).

Is the processing of personal data based on Article 6 I lit. f GDPR, our legitimate interest is the performance of our activities for the fulfilment of our statutory purposes (information, communication and networks) and for the fulfilment of the identifiable interests of other persons concerned. This applies in particular to the members and partners of VDI.

The criterion for the duration of the storage of personal data is the respective statutory retention and limitation period. After the deadline, the corresponding data will be routinely deleted, if they are no longer required for contract fulfilment, contract initiation or historical documentation (persons of contemporary history).

We inform you that the provision of personal information is in part required by law (such as tax regulations) or may result from contractual arrangements (such as membership or contract partner information). Occasionally it may be necessary for a contract to be concluded that a data subject provides us with personal data that must subsequently be processed by us. The data subject is required, for example, to provide us with personal data if VDI concludes a membership or other co-employment relationship (for example, voluntarily in committees of directors) or another contract. Failure to provide personal data would mean that the contractual relationship with the data subject could not be substantiated or carried out. Insofar as the justification or implementation is done digitally via our homepage or one of our communication platforms, the data subject will be informed in text form about the nature, purpose and legal basis of the data collection and processing. Before any other provision of personal data by the data subject, the data subject must contact one of our employees. Our employee will inform the individual on a case-by-case basis whether the provision of the personal data is required by law or contract or is required for the conclusion of the contract, whether there is an obligation to provide the personal data and the consequences of the non-provision of the personal data.

Currently, VDI does not use automated decision making or profiling. However, we reserve the right to use such tools in the future if this is in the interest of the parties involved.

Verein Deutscher Ingenieure e.V. (VDI e.V.)
Contact:
Vasiliki Magolidou
Data Protection Officer

E-Mail: datenschutz@vdi.de

VDI
Postfach 10 11 39
40002 Düsseldorf