Data protection

1. Data protection at a glance

General information

The following information provides a simple overview of what happens to your personal data when you visit this website. Personal data is any data that can be used to personally identify you. Detailed information on data protection can be found in our privacy policy listed below this text.

Data collection on this website

Who is responsible for data collection on this website?

Data processing on this website is carried out by the website operator. Their contact details can be found in the legal notice of this website.

How do we collect your information?

On the one hand, your data is collected when you provide it to us. This could include data that you enter in a contact form, for example. Other data is collected automatically or with your consent when you visit the website by our IT systems. In particular, this includes technical data (e.g. internet browser, operating system or time of page access). This data is collected automatically as soon as you enter this website.

What do we use your data for?

Some of the data is collected to ensure error-free provision of the website. Other data can be used to analyze your user behavior.

What are your rights with regard to your data?

You have the right to receive information about the origin, recipient and purpose of your stored personal data free of charge at any time. You also have the right to request that this data be corrected or deleted. If you have given consent to data processing, you can revoke this consent at any time for the future. You also have the right to request the restriction of the processing of your personal data under certain circumstances. You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the competent supervisory authority. You can contact us at any time at the address given in the legal notice if you have any further questions about data protection.

Analysis tools and third-party tools

When you visit this website, your surfing behavior can be statistically evaluated. This is done primarily with so-called analysis programs. Detailed information on these analysis programs can be found in the following privacy policy.

2. Hosting and Content Delivery Networks (CDN)

External Hosting

This website is hosted by an external service provider (hoster). The personal data collected on this website is stored on the host's servers. This may include IP addresses, contact requests, meta and communication data, contract data, contact details, names, website accesses and other data generated via a website.

The hoster is used for the purpose of fulfilling contracts with our potential and existing customers (Art. 6 para. 1 lit. b GDPR) and in the interest of a secure, fast and efficient provision of our online offering by a professional provider (Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR). Our host will only process your data to the extent necessary to fulfill its performance obligations and follow our instructions with regard to this data.

We use the following hosting provider:

Webflow, Inc.
398 11th Street, 2nd Floor
San Francisco, CA 94103, United States

Conclusion of an order processing contract

In order to ensure data protection-compliant processing, we have concluded an order processing contract with our host. This contract is retrievable here.

3. General information and mandatory information

Data protection

The operators of these pages take the protection of your personal data very seriously. We treat your personal data confidentially and in accordance with legal data protection regulations and this privacy policy.

When you use this website, various personal data is collected. Personal data is data that can be used to personally identify you. This privacy policy explains what data we collect and what we use it for. It also explains how and for what purpose this is done.

We would like to point out that data transmission over the internet (e.g. when communicating by e-mail) may have security gaps. It is not possible to completely protect data from access by third parties.

Note on the responsible body

The body responsible for data processing on this website is:

Growably UG (limited liability)
Reinoldstr. 6B
50676 Köln
Telephone: +49 1707068632
Email: team@growably.de

The responsible body is the natural or legal person who alone or together with others decides on the purposes and means of processing personal data (e.g. names, e-mail addresses, etc.).

Storage period

Unless a more specific storage period has been specified in this privacy policy, your personal data will remain with us until the purpose for data processing no longer applies. If you make a legitimate request for deletion or revoke your consent to data processing, your data will be deleted unless we have any other legally permissible reasons for storing your personal data (e.g. tax or commercial retention periods); in the latter case, the deletion will take place after these reasons no longer apply.

Note on data transfer to the USA

Among other things, our website includes tools from companies based in the USA. If these tools are active, your personal data can be transferred to the US servers of the respective companies. We would like to point out that the USA is not a safe third country within the meaning of EU data protection law. US companies are required to hand over personal data to security authorities without you as the person concerned being able to take legal action against this. It cannot therefore be ruled out that US authorities (e.g. secret services) process, evaluate and permanently store your data on US servers for monitoring purposes. We have no influence on these processing activities.

Withdrawal of your consent to data processing

Many data processing operations are only possible with your express consent. You can revoke any consent you have already given at any time. The legality of the data processing carried out up to the time of revocation remains unaffected by the revocation.

Right to object to data collection in special cases and to direct marketing (Art. 21 GDPR)

IF DATA PROCESSING IS BASED ON ART. 6 PARA. 1 LIT. E OR F GDPR, YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO OBJECT TO THE PROCESSING OF YOUR PERSONAL DATA AT ANY TIME FOR REASONS ARISING FROM YOUR PARTICULAR SITUATION; THIS ALSO APPLIES TO PROFILING BASED ON THESE PROVISIONS. THE RESPECTIVE LEGAL BASIS ON WHICH PROCESSING IS BASED CAN BE FOUND IN THIS PRIVACY POLICY. IF YOU FILE AN OBJECTION, WE WILL NO LONGER PROCESS YOUR PERSONAL DATA CONCERNED UNLESS WE CAN PROVE COMPELLING LEGITIMATE REASONS FOR PROCESSING WHICH OUTWEIGH YOUR INTERESTS, RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS OR THE PROCESSING SERVES TO ASSERT, EXERCISE OR DEFEND LEGAL CLAIMS (OBJECTION IN ACCORDANCE WITH ARTICLE 21 (1) GDPR). IF YOUR PERSONAL DATA IS PROCESSED FOR DIRECT MARKETING PURPOSES, YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO OBJECT AT ANY TIME TO THE PROCESSING OF PERSONAL DATA CONCERNING YOU FOR THE PURPOSE OF SUCH ADVERTISING; THIS ALSO APPLIES TO PROFILING INSOFAR AS IT IS ASSOCIATED WITH SUCH DIRECT MARKETING. IF YOU OBJECT, YOUR PERSONAL DATA WILL THEN NO LONGER BE USED FOR DIRECT MARKETING PURPOSES (OBJECTION UNDER ARTICLE 21 (2) GDPR).

Right to lodge a complaint with the competent supervisory authority

In the event of violations of the GDPR, the person concerned has the right to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority, in particular in the member state of their habitual residence, their place of work or the place of the alleged infringement. The right of appeal is without prejudice to other administrative or judicial remedies.

Right to data portability

You have the right to have data that we process automatically based on your consent or in fulfilment of a contract handed over to you or to a third party in a standard, machine-readable format. If you request the direct transfer of data to another person responsible, this will only be done if it is technically feasible.

SSL or TLS encryption

For security reasons and to protect the transmission of confidential content, such as orders or inquiries that you send to us as the site operator, this site uses SSL or TLS encryption. You can recognize an encrypted connection by the fact that the address line of the browser changes from "http://" to "https://" and by the lock symbol in your browser line. If SSL or TLS encryption is activated, the data that you send to us cannot be read by third parties.

Information, deletion and correction

Within the framework of the applicable legal provisions, you have the right to obtain free information about your stored personal data, its origin and recipient and the purpose of data processing and, if applicable, the right to correct or delete this data at any time. You can contact us at any time at the address given in the legal notice if you have any further questions about personal data.

Right to restrict processing

You have the right to request that the processing of your personal data be restricted. To do this, you can contact us at any time at the address given in the legal notice. The right to restrict processing exists in the following cases:

• If you dispute the accuracy of your personal data stored with us, we usually need time to verify this. For the duration of the examination, you have the right to request the restriction of the processing of your personal data.
• If the processing of your personal data was/is unlawful, you can request the restriction of data processing instead of deletion.
• If we no longer need your personal data, but you need it to exercise, defend or assert legal claims, you have the right to request the restriction of the processing of your personal data instead of deletion.
• If you have filed an objection in accordance with Article 21 (1) GDPR, a balance must be made between your interests and ours. As long as it is not yet clear whose interests prevail, you have the right to request the restriction of the processing of your personal data.

If you have restricted the processing of your personal data, this data — apart from storage — may only be processed with your consent or to assert, exercise or defend legal claims or to protect the rights of another natural or legal person or for reasons of important public interest of the European Union or a Member State.

Objection to promotional emails

The use of contact details published as part of the legal notice obligation to send unsolicited advertising and information material is hereby rejected. The operators of the pages expressly reserve the right to take legal action in the event of unsolicited sending of advertising information, such as spam emails.

4. Data collection on this website

Cookies

Our websites use so-called "cookies." Cookies are small text files and do not cause any damage to your device. They are either stored temporarily for the duration of a session (session cookies) or permanently (permanent cookies) on your device. Session cookies are automatically deleted at the end of your visit. Permanent cookies remain stored on your device until you delete them yourself or until they are automatically deleted by your web browser.

In some cases, cookies from third-party companies can also be stored on your device when you access our site (third-party cookies). These enable us or you to use certain services provided by the third-party company (e.g. cookies to process payment services).

Cookies have various functions. Many cookies are technically necessary, as certain website functions would not work without them (e.g. the shopping cart function or the display of videos). Other cookies are used to evaluate user behavior or to display advertising.

Cookies that are necessary to carry out the electronic communication process (necessary cookies) or to provide certain functions you require (functional cookies, e.g. for the shopping cart function) or to optimize the website (e.g. cookies to measure the web audience) are stored on the basis of Article 6 (1) (f) GDPR, unless another legal basis is specified. The website operator has a legitimate interest in storing cookies for the technically error-free and optimized provision of its services. If consent to the storage of cookies has been requested, the cookies in question are stored exclusively on the basis of this consent (Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR); the consent can be withdrawn at any time.

You can set your browser so that you are informed about the setting of cookies and only allow cookies in individual cases, exclude the acceptance of cookies in certain cases or in general, and activate the automatic deletion of cookies when you close the browser. If cookies are deactivated, the functionality of this website may be limited. If cookies are used by third-party companies or for analysis purposes, we will inform you separately as part of this privacy policy and, if necessary, request your consent.

Server log files

The provider of the pages automatically collects and stores information in so-called server log files, which your browser automatically transmits to us. These are:

• Browser type and version
• Operating system used
• Referrer URL
• Host name of the accessing computer
• Time of server request
• IP address

This data is not combined with other data sources. This data is collected on the basis of Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR. The website operator has a legitimate interest in the technically error-free presentation and optimization of its website — for this purpose, the server log files must be collected.

Contact form

If you send us inquiries via the contact form, your details from the enquiry form, including the contact details you provide there, will be stored by us for the purpose of processing the request and in case of follow-up questions. We will not share this data without your consent.

This data is processed on the basis of Art. 6 para. 1 lit. b GDPR, insofar as your request is related to the fulfilment of a contract or is necessary to carry out pre-contractual measures. In all other cases, processing is based on our legitimate interest in the effective processing of inquiries addressed to us (Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR) or on your consent (Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR) if this has been requested.

The data you enter in the contact form will remain with us until you request us to delete it, revoke your consent to storage or the purpose for data storage no longer applies (e.g. after your request has been processed). Mandatory legal provisions — in particular retention periods — remain unaffected.

Request by e-mail, telephone or fax

If you contact us by e-mail, telephone or fax, your request, including all resulting personal data (name, request), will be stored and processed by us for the purpose of processing your request. We will not share this data without your consent.

This data is processed on the basis of Art. 6 para. 1 lit. b GDPR, insofar as your request is related to the fulfilment of a contract or is necessary to carry out pre-contractual measures. In all other cases, processing is based on our legitimate interest in the effective processing of inquiries addressed to us (Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR) or on your consent (Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR) if this has been requested.

The data you send to us via contact requests will remain with us until you request us to delete it, revoke your consent to storage or the purpose for data storage no longer applies (e.g. after your request has been processed). Mandatory legal provisions — in particular statutory retention periods — remain unaffected.

Communication via WhatsApp

For communication with our customers and other third parties, we use, among other things, the instant messaging service WhatsApp. The provider is WhatsApp Ireland Limited, 4 Grand Canal Square, Grand Canal Harbour, Dublin 2, Ireland.

Communication is carried out via end-to-end encryption (peer-to-peer), which prevents WhatsApp or other third parties from gaining access to the communication content. However, WhatsApp has access to metadata that is created in the course of the communication process (e.g. sender, recipient and time). We would also like to point out that WhatsApp, according to its own statement, shares personal data of its users with its parent company Facebook based in the USA. Further details about data processing can be found in WhatsApp's privacy policy at: https://www.whatsapp.com/legal/#privacy-policy.

WhatsApp is used on the basis of our legitimate interest in communicating as quickly and effectively as possible with customers, interested parties and other business and contractual partners (Art. 6 (1) (f) GDPR). If appropriate consent has been requested, data processing is carried out exclusively on the basis of consent; this can be withdrawn at any time with effect for the future.

The communication content exchanged between and on WhatsApp remains with us until you request us to delete it, revoke your consent to storage or the purpose for data storage no longer applies (e.g. after your request has been processed). Mandatory legal provisions — in particular retention periods — remain unaffected.

We use WhatsApp in the "WhatsApp Business" variant. Data transmission to the USA is based on the standard contractual clauses of the EU Commission. Details can be found here: https://www.whatsapp.com/legal/business-data-processing-terms?lang=de. We have set up our WhatsApp accounts so that there is no automatic data synchronization with the address book on the smartphones in use. We have concluded an order processing contract with WhatsApp.

5. Analysis tools and advertising

Google Analytics

This website uses features of the web analysis service Google Analytics. The provider is Google Ireland Limited ("Google"), Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland.

Google Analytics allows the website operator to analyze the behavior of website visitors. In doing so, the website operator receives various usage data, such as page views, length of stay, operating systems used and origin of the user. This data may be summarized by Google in a profile that is assigned to the respective user or their device.

Google Analytics uses technologies that enable user recognition for the purpose of analyzing user behavior (e.g. cookies or device fingerprinting). The information collected by Google about the use of this website is usually transferred to a Google server in the USA and stored there.

This analysis tool is used on the basis of Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR. The website operator has a legitimate interest in analyzing user behavior in order to optimize both its website and its advertising. If appropriate consent has been requested (e.g. consent to the storage of cookies), processing is carried out exclusively on the basis of Article 6 (1) (a) GDPR; consent can be withdrawn at any time.

Data transmission to the USA is based on the standard contractual clauses of the EU Commission. Details can be found here: https://privacy.google.com/businesses/controllerterms/mccs/.

IP anonymization

We have activated the IP anonymization function on this website. As a result, your IP address will be shortened by Google within member states of the European Union or in other states party to the Agreement on the European Economic Area before transmission to the USA. Only in exceptional cases will the full IP address be transmitted to a Google server in the USA 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 the website operator with further services related to website activity and internet usage. The IP address transmitted by your browser as part of Google Analytics is not combined with other data from Google.

Browser plug-in

You can prevent Google from collecting and processing your data by downloading and installing the browser plug-in available at the following link: https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout?hl=de. More information about how Google Analytics handles user data can be found in Google's privacy policy: https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/6004245?hl=de.

Order processing

We have concluded an order processing contract with Google and fully implement the strict requirements of the German data protection authorities when using Google Analytics.

Storage period

Data stored by Google at user and event level, which is linked to cookies, user IDs (e.g. user ID) or advertising IDs (e.g. DoubleClick cookies, Android advertising ID), is anonymized or deleted after 14 months. Details can be found under the following link: https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/7667196?hl=de.

6. Plugins and Tools

Google Web Fonts (local hosting)

This site uses so-called web fonts, which are provided by Google, for the uniform display of fonts. The Google fonts are installed locally. There is no connection to Google servers. Further information about Google Web Fonts can be found at https://developers.google.com/fonts/faq and in Google's privacy policy: https://policies.google.com/privacy?hl=de.

Google reCAPTCHA

We use "Google reCAPTCHA" (hereafter "reCAPTCHA") on this website. The provider is Google Ireland Limited ("Google"), Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland.

The purpose of reCAPTCHA is to check whether data is entered on this website (e.g. in a contact form) by a person or by an automated program. For this purpose, reCAPTCHA analyses the behavior of the website visitor based on various characteristics. This analysis starts automatically as soon as the website visitor enters the website. For analysis, reCAPTCHA evaluates various information (e.g. IP address, time spent by the website visitor on the website or mouse movements made by the user). The data collected during the analysis is forwarded to Google. The reCAPTCHA analyses run completely in the background. Website visitors are not notified that an analysis is taking place.

The data is stored and analyzed on the basis of Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR. The website operator has a legitimate interest in protecting its web offerings from abusive automated spying and SPAM. If appropriate consent has been requested, processing is carried out exclusively on the basis of Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR; consent can be withdrawn at any time.

For more information about Google reCAPTCHA, please see the Google Privacy Policy and the Google Terms of Use at the following links: https://policies.google.com/privacy?hl=de and https://policies.google.com/terms?hl=de.

7. Audio and video conferencing

Data processing

Among other things, we use online conference tools to communicate with our customers. The tools we use in detail are listed below. If you communicate with us via video or audio conference via the internet, your personal data will be collected and processed by us and the provider of the respective conference tool.

The conference tools collect all data that you provide/use to use the tools (email address and/or your telephone number). In addition, the conference tools process the duration of the conference, the start and end (time) of participation in the conference, the number of participants and other "context information" in connection with the communication process (metadata).

In addition, the provider of the tool processes all technical data required to process online communication. This includes in particular IP addresses, MAC addresses, device IDs, device type, operating system type and version, client version, camera type, microphone or loudspeaker, and the type of connection. If content is exchanged, uploaded or made available in any other way within the tool, it is also stored on the servers of the tool providers. Such content includes, in particular, cloud recordings, chat/instant messages, voicemails, uploaded photos and videos, files, whiteboards, and other information that is shared while using the service.

Please note that we do not have full influence on the data processing processes of the tools used. Our options depend largely on the corporate policy of the respective provider. For more information on data processing through the conference tools, please refer to the privacy policies of the tools used in each case, which we have listed below this text.

Purpose and legal basis

The conference tools are used to communicate with prospective or existing contractual partners or to offer certain services to our customers (Art. 6 (1) (b) GDPR). Furthermore, the use of the tools serves to generally simplify and accelerate communication with us or our company (legitimate interest within the meaning of Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR). If consent has been requested, the relevant tools are used on the basis of this consent; the consent can be withdrawn at any time with effect for the future.

Storage period

The data collected directly by us via the video and conference tools will be deleted from our systems as soon as you request us to delete it, revoke your consent to storage or the purpose for storing the data no longer applies. Saved cookies remain on your device until you delete them. Mandatory statutory retention periods remain unaffected. We have no influence on the storage period of your data, which is stored by the operators of the conference tools for their own purposes. For details, please contact the conference tool operators directly.

Conference tools used

We use the following conference tools:

Zoom

We're using Zoom. The provider of this service is Zoom Communications Inc., 55 Almaden Boulevard, 6th Floor, San Jose, CA 95113, USA. Details on data processing can be found in Zoom's privacy policy: https://zoom.us/de-de/privacy.html. Data transmission to the USA is based on the standard contractual clauses of the EU Commission.

Conclusion of an order processing contract

We have concluded an order processing contract with the provider of Zoom and fully implement the strict requirements of the German data protection authorities when using Zoom.

8. Our social media sites

Data processing through social networks

We maintain publicly available profiles on social networks. The social networks we use in detail can be found below.

Social networks such as Facebook, Twitter, etc. can generally comprehensively analyze your user behavior if you visit their website or a website with integrated social media content (such as like buttons or advertising banners). Visiting our social media sites triggers numerous data protection-relevant processing processes. In detail:

If you are logged into your social media account and visit our social media presence, the operator of the social media portal can assign this visit to your user account. However, your personal data may also be collected if you are not logged in or do not have an account with the respective social media portal. In this case, this data collection is carried out, for example, via cookies that are stored on your device or by recording your IP address.

With the help of the data collected in this way, the operators of social media portals can create user profiles in which your preferences and interests are stored. In this way, you can be shown interest-based advertising within and outside the respective social media presence. If you have an account with the respective social network, interest-based advertising can be displayed on all devices on which you are logged in or were logged in.

Please also note that we are unable to track all processing processes on social media portals. Depending on the provider, further processing operations may therefore be carried out by the operators of the social media portals. For details, please refer to the terms of use and privacy policy of the respective social media portals.

Legal basis

Our social media pages are intended to ensure the broadest possible presence on the internet. This is a legitimate interest within the meaning of Article 6 (1) (f) GDPR. The analysis processes initiated by social networks may be based on different legal bases, which must be provided by the operators of the social networks (e.g. consent within the meaning of Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR).

Responsible person and enforcement of rights

If you visit one of our social media sites (e.g. Facebook), we are responsible, together with the operator of the social media platform, for the data processing processes triggered during this visit. In principle, you can assert your rights (information, correction, deletion, restriction of processing, data portability and complaint) both against us and against the operator of the respective social media portal (e.g. against Facebook). Please note that, despite joint responsibility with the social media portal operators, we do not have full influence on the data processing processes of the social media portals. Our options depend largely on the corporate policy of the respective provider.

Storage period

The data collected directly by us via the social media presence will be deleted from our systems as soon as the purpose for storing it no longer applies, you ask us to delete it, withdraw your consent to storage or the purpose for storing the data no longer applies. Saved cookies remain on your device until you delete them. Mandatory legal provisions — in particular retention periods — remain unaffected. We have no influence on the storage period of your data, which is stored by social network operators for their own purposes. For details, please contact the social network operators directly (e.g. in their privacy policy, see below).

Social networks in detail

Instagram

We have an Instagram profile. The provider is Instagram Inc., 1601 Willow Road, Menlo Park, CA, 94025, USA. Data transmission to the USA is based on the standard contractual clauses of the EU Commission. Details can be found here: https://www.facebook.com/legal/EU_data_transfer_addenduand https://help.instagram.com/519522125107875 and https://de-de.facebook.com/help/566994660333381.Details of how they handle your personal data can be found in Instagram's privacy policy: https://help.instagram.com/519522125107875.

LinkedIn

We have a profile on LinkedIn. The provider is LinkedIn Ireland Unlimited Company, Wilton Plaza, Wilton Place, Dublin 2, Ireland. LinkedIn uses advertising cookies. If you would like to disable LinkedIn advertising cookies, please use the following link: https://www.linkedin.com/psettings/guest-controls/retargeting-opt-out.Data transmission to the USA is based on the standard contractual clauses of the EU Commission. Details can be found here: https://www.linkedin.com/legal/l/dpa and https://www.linkedin.com/legal/l/eu-sccs.Details of how they handle your personal data can be found in LinkedIn's privacy policy: https://www.linkedin.com/legal/privacy-policy.

‍