Privacy Policy

Carat NV
Ambachtenstraat 7
2260 Westerlo
BE0445.993.726
privacy@carat-tools.com

1. Identity and contact details of the data controller

This Privacy Policy applies to all personal data processed by Carat nv, with website https://www.carat-tools.com (hereinafter “Carat”, “we”, “us” or “our”), which is the controller of the processing of your personal data.

Carat attaches great importance to your privacy and processes your personal data in accordance with European Regulation 2016/679 of 27 April 2016 on the protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data (hereinafter the “GDPR”), as well as any future or supplementary legislation implementing it.

For any further questions or comments regarding the way in which we handle your personal data, you can always contact us by email at privacy@carat-tools.com or by telephone on +32 (0)14 540 898.

2. Scope of this Privacy Policy

This Privacy Policy applies to the personal data we process in the context of our activities relating to the sale of tools, machines and related products, and in the context of visiting and using the website https://www.carat-tools.com (hereinafter “the Website”).

Our activities include, among other things, the production, import and distribution of tools and machines for sawing and drilling in stone, concrete and tiles, the HewiTool range for woodworkers, as well as the support of our distributors and customers with technical training, advice, demonstrations and other commercial support.

If you come into contact with Carat nv in various capacities (for example as a customer, distributor, supplier or job applicant), the relevant parts of this Privacy Policy may apply to you simultaneously, each within its own scope.

3. What does “processing personal data” mean?

The processing of personal data (hereinafter “data”) covers any processing of data that can identify you as a natural person. Which data this concerns is set out below. The concept of “processing” is very broad and covers, among other things, the collection, storage, use, transfer or sharing of your data.

4. Which data do we process?

We process only the data that is necessary for the purposes described below. Depending on your relationship with Carat, we specifically process the following categories of personal data:

4.1. Identification and contact data

In the context of our services and the performance of our agreements, we process the following data:

• First and last name

• Address details

• Telephone number

• Email address

We collect this data when you become a customer, distributor or supplier, when you place an order, when you contact us or when you take part in a training session, demonstration or event.

4.2. Order, delivery and payment data

For the processing of your orders, deliveries and payments, we process data such as your order and delivery details, invoicing and payment data and data relating to the products or services you purchase. Some of this data is necessary in order to process your payment and to deliver the goods and services to you correctly.

4.3. Data in the context of customer support, training and demonstrations

When you make use of our technical support, advice, training, demonstrations or other commercial support, we process the data you provide to us in that context, such as your contact details, the content of your question or request and data about your participation.

4.4. Data in the context of marketing and communication

If you so wish, or in the context of our existing customer relationship, we may process your name, company and email address in order to inform you about changes to our services and products and to send you commercial communications or a newsletter. You can unsubscribe from this at any time.

4.5. Technical data and cookies

When you visit the Website, we may process technical data, such as your IP address and browsing behaviour, through functional, analytical and tracking cookies. You can find more information about this in section 14 of this Privacy Policy and in our separate Cookie Policy.

5. For which purposes do we process your data?

We process your data solely for the following purposes:

• Processing your payment;

• Being able to call or email you where this is necessary to carry out our services;

• Delivering goods and services and managing your orders;

• Managing the customer relationship and providing technical support, advice, training and demonstrations;

• Informing you about changes to our services and products and, where applicable, sending our newsletter or commercial communications;

• Answering questions you put to us via the contact channels indicated on the Website;

• Ensuring the security, integrity and availability of the Website;

• Complying with legal obligations that apply to us.

We never sell your data to third parties and do not use it for commercial profiling for the benefit of third parties.

6. On what legal grounds do we process your data?

We process your data only insofar as it is based on one of the legal grounds listed in the GDPR:

Performance of a contract (Article 6.1.b GDPR)

The processing of your identification, contact, order, delivery and payment data takes place insofar as this is necessary for the performance of the agreement we conclude with you, in particular for the processing of your payment and the delivery of the ordered goods and services.

Consent (Article 6.1.a GDPR)

For sending our newsletter or commercial communications to persons with whom we do not yet have a customer relationship, and for placing non-essential cookies, we rely on your free, specific, informed and unambiguous consent. You can withdraw this consent at any time, including via the unsubscribe link at the bottom of every newsletter or by a simple request to privacy@carat-tools.com.

Legitimate interest (Article 6.1.f GDPR)

For managing our customer relationship, sending information and commercial communications to existing customers about similar products and services, and securing our Website and infrastructure, we rely on our legitimate interest. In each case we have weighed our interest against your rights and freedoms, and consider that these processing operations have no disproportionate impact on you.

Legal obligation (Article 6.1.c GDPR)

In certain cases we process your data in order to comply with legal or regulatory obligations that apply to us, for example in the context of our accounting and tax obligations or an investigation by a competent government authority.

7. Origin of the data

The data we process has generally been obtained directly from you at the time you become a customer or supplier, place an order, use our services or contact us. In certain cases, we may receive data via our distributors or business partners in the context of the performance of our agreements.

8. With whom do we share your data?

Carat provides your data to third parties only where this is necessary for the performance of our agreement with you or to comply with a legal obligation.

For certain services we rely on external service providers who act as processors on our behalf. With these processors we have concluded a data processing agreement that safeguards confidentiality and compliance with the GDPR. These include, among others:

• Our IT, hosting and software providers for making available and managing our systems and the Website;

• Our logistics partners and carriers for the delivery of the ordered goods;

• Our payment and accounting service providers for the processing of payments and invoicing;

• Our email and newsletter service provider for sending communications and newsletters.

We do not share your data with advertising networks, data brokers or similar parties.

9. How long do we keep your data?

Carat does not keep your personal data longer than strictly necessary to achieve the purposes for which your data is collected. We apply, among others, the following retention periods:

• Data of customers, distributors and suppliers: for the duration of the contractual relationship and thereafter for as long as necessary to comply with our legal obligations;

• Invoicing and accounting data: for the legally prescribed retention period (in principle ten years);

• Data of newsletter subscribers: until you unsubscribe or request deletion;

• Communications you send to us: for as long as necessary to handle your question or request, and thereafter in line with the usual retention periods for business correspondence.

10. Where do we keep your data and how is it protected?

Carat takes the protection of your data seriously and takes appropriate technical and organisational measures to prevent misuse, loss, falsification, unauthorised access, unwanted disclosure and unauthorised modification.

The data we process in principle remains within the European Economic Area (EEA). If, when using specific services or software tools, data were to be processed outside the EEA, this will only take place to countries for which the European Commission has adopted an adequacy decision, or subject to appropriate safeguards such as the European Commission’s Standard Contractual Clauses.

If you have the impression that your data is nevertheless not properly secured, or there are indications of misuse, please contact us at privacy@carat-tools.com.

11. What are your rights?

You have various rights with regard to the data we process about you. If you wish to invoke one or more of these rights, you can contact us at privacy@carat-tools.com.

a. Right of access and copy

You have the right to access your data and to obtain a copy of it, as well as to request further information about the processing of your data.

b. Right to amendment or rectification

You have the right to have incorrect or incomplete data corrected or completed.

c. Right to erasure (right to be forgotten)

You have the right to request that we erase your data without undue delay, insofar as we are not legally obliged to retain it or do not have another legitimate interest in keeping it.

d. Right to restriction of processing

You have the right to restrict the processing of your data, for example until there is certainty about its accuracy.

e. Right to withdraw your consent

Where the processing is based on your consent (such as for the newsletter), you have the right to withdraw that consent at any time. You can unsubscribe via the unsubscribe link at the bottom of every newsletter or by email to privacy@carat-tools.com.

f. Right to object

You have the right to object, on grounds relating to your particular situation, to the processing of your data that is based on our legitimate interest.

g. Right to portability

You have the right to receive the data you have provided to us yourself in a structured, commonly used and machine-readable form, and to transfer it to another controller.

h. Right to lodge a complaint

If you consider that we are processing your data unlawfully, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the Belgian Data Protection Authority or with your local privacy authority. Below you will find the contact details of the Belgian Data Protection Authority:

Gegevensbeschermingsautoriteit (Data Protection Authority)

Drukpersstraat 35, 1000 Brussels

contact@apd-gba.be

www.gegevensbeschermingsautoriteit.be

12. How can you exercise your rights?

You can exercise your rights by contacting us by email at privacy@carat-tools.com. To prevent misuse, we may ask you to identify yourself adequately before we act on your request. We will respond to your request as soon as possible, and in any event within the legal time limits.

13. Changes

We reserve the right to amend this Privacy Policy unilaterally at any time. The most recent version is always available on the Website. The date on which this Privacy Policy was last amended can be found at the top of this document. In the event of a substantial change, we will, where possible, directly inform the data subjects who may be affected by it.