Privacy Policy

Effective Date: 05 November 2025

At the Useful Simple Trust, we respect your privacy and are committed to safeguarding your personal information. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, share, and protect your personal information when you engage with us – whether as an employee, contractor, client, partner, or participant in our projects, events, or public activities.

1. Information we collect

We may collect the following types of information:

  • Name, contact details, date of birth, gender
  • Employment details, qualifications, work history
  • Financial information (e.g. bank details, NI number)
  • Health and disability information
  •  Equal opportunities data (e.g. ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation)
  • Dietary requirements for events
  • Visitor information for access control
  • Information shared during interviews, consultations, or public engagements

2. How we collect information

We collect data in various ways, including:

  • Directly from individuals (e.g. forms, documents)
  • Through recruitment and employment processes
  • During participation in projects, events, or consultations
  • Via third parties (e.g. background checks, references)

3. Why we process your data

We process personal data to:

  • Fulfil employment and contractual obligations
  • Comply with legal requirements
  • Manage projects and deliver services
  • Organise and facilitate events, talks, and consultations
  • Maintain workplace safety and access control
  • Monitor equal opportunities and inclusion
  • Communications, including sending marketing emails
  • Analyse website usage and trends

4. Sharing your information

We do not sell, rent, or lease your personal information to third parties. However, we may share your information in the following circumstances:

  • Internally with HR, managers, IT, and administration teams
  • With reception staff for visitor coordination
  • With clients or partners for project delivery or public engagement
  • With authorities when legally required
  • If our business is sold or merged, your personal information may be transferred as part of that transaction
  • With third-party service providers that help us operate our Sites or provide services, such as hosting services, benefits, occupational health, and marketing platforms

5. Data security

We use commercially reasonable security measures to protect the personal information you provide to us. However, no method of data transmission over the internet is 100% secure, so we cannot guarantee absolute security.

6. Data retention

We retain data only as long as necessary, based on:

  • Quantity, nature, and sensitivity
  • Risk of harm
  • Legal and operational requirement

Data may be anonymised for continued use beyond retention periods.

7. Your data rights

Depending on your location, you may have certain rights regarding your personal information, such as to:

  • Access, update, or delete your personal information,
  • Object to or restrict certain processing activities,
  • Withdraw consent (if processing is based on consent).

To exercise these rights, please contact us at info@usefulsimple.co.uk.

8. Personal data breaches and reporting procedures

In the event of a Personal Data Breach, The Useful Simple Trust will act promptly and in accordance with the Data Protection Legislation. Both the Trust and any relevant third parties shall comply with their respective obligations to report a Personal Data Breach to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) or other appropriate Supervisory Authority, and where applicable, to affected Data Subjects.

Regardless of whether notification to the ICO, Supervisory Authority, or Data Subjects is legally required, the Trust will inform any relevant party of the breach to ensure transparency and coordinated response.

We agree to provide reasonable assistance to third parties to facilitate the handling of any Personal Data Breach in an expeditious and compliant manner. This includes sharing relevant information, supporting investigations, and assisting with any required notifications or remedial actions.

If you suspect a breach or have concerns about the security of your personal data, please contact us immediately at info@usefulsimple.co.uk or call +44 (0)20 7307 9285.

9. Changes to this Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Any changes will be posted on this page with an updated ‘Effective Date’. We encourage you to review this Policy periodically to stay informed about how we are protecting your information.

10. Contact us

If you have any questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy, or how we handle your personal information, please contact us at:

Useful Simple Trust
info@usefulsimple.co.uk
+44 (0)20 7307 9285
Temple Chambers, 3-7 Temple Avenue, London EC4Y 0HP