About
Privacy Policy
Accountability
Sierra Club BC believes the future of this planet depends on the individual actions of thousands of people making choices with the environment in mind. Together, we can restore thriving ecosystems and a stable climate.
We are committed to protecting the privacy of all the individuals who support us in these efforts. We would not be able to carry out our work without the trust and confidence of our supporters. We strive to protect the privacy of our members and donors with secure online transaction processes, confidential membership processes, and abiding by our members’ wishes.
Collection of personal information
Personal information is any information about you as an identifiable individual. We collect the name, home address, personal telephone number and/or email address of our members and donors when someone donates to us, subscribes, or takes an action on our website such as signing a petition. We collect, store, and use the personal data relating to any transactions carried out between you and Sierra Club BC, such as making a donation, signing a campaign petition, subscribing to our website services, e-mail notifications and/or newsletters; and any other information that you choose to send to us. Donors also have the option to provide us with their credit card information, fax number, gender, age, income level, and campaign interests. This information is collected through membership forms, telephone member/donor services and our website. Occasionally, information is also collected in person at special events.
Purpose for collecting personal information
We only collect personal information, by fair and lawful means, necessary to fulfill the identified purposes. Personal information is collected for the following purposes:
- To maintain an accurate membership database.
- To organize fundraising activities, including solicitations to donate by mail and email.
- To conduct awareness and advocacy campaigns.
- To conduct internal surveys and focus groups.
- To notify members about Sierra Club BC activities, through email action alerts, an email newsletter, print newsletter, brochures, reports, petitions, and website educational and awareness resources.
- To provide third parties with aggregate statistical information about our users, e.g. providing journalists with the number of Sierra Club BC supporters in a community.
- Demographic information is collected to undertake targeted fundraising.
We obtain consent to use personal information for purposes listed above at the time of collection of information. Members and donors have the option to decline use of their personal information used for any purpose listed above. To obtain a copy of the Consent Form, please contact us by email at info@sierraclub.bc.ca, or phone (250) 386-5255.
Disclosure & retention of personal information
Sierra Club BC collects email addresses to provide members and donors with information. Email subscribers can unsubscribe at any time.
We do use a third-party mailing house to mail our direct mailings. In addition, credit card information, if provided by the member or donor, is shared with the bank. The third parties in these instances are contracted to comply with strict information privacy standards, including rules and guidelines of federal privacy legislation, and are required to destroy the information supplied after one use.
The personal information of members and donors is retained for an indefinite period and will be protected unless the member or donor requests Sierra Club BC to return or destroy certain or all their information.
Accuracy of personal information
We make every effort to accurately record all information. If you notice any errors or if your personal information has changed, please contact us at info@sierraclub.bc.ca to update your file. We will take reasonable steps to amend the same information if it is in the possession of a third party.
Security & protection of personal information
All personal information, such as e-mail addresses and financial information, collected on the Sierra Club BC website is knowingly and specifically supplied to us by the website user. Commerce functions on this site are protected by 128-bit Secure Socket Layer (SSL) encryption, the standard for web based commerce.
Membership and donation pages on the Sierra Club BC website are encrypted with a security certificate. The data collected on the website is transferred to a secure database, accessed only by password protection on a secure transmission line.
Personal information is stored in our database and in hard copy files. Electronic information stored in computers is password protected. Only a limited number of authorized Sierra Club BC personnel have access to the secured personal information.
Personal information contained in paper format is destroyed by shredding. Electronic information is destroyed by deletion. If the hardware is discarded, the hard drive is physically destroyed.
“Cookies” are bits of information sent to your computer from a website through your browser program. Cookies help you access pages faster and allow our server to recognize you as you move from page to page. If you choose not to accept cookies, some sections of our site — such as donating — may not be available to you. Sierra Club BC reads cookies specifically written for our website and does not use cookies to track a user’s internet history on other sites.
Canada’s Anti-Spam Legislation (CASL)
CASL is Canada’s Anti-Spam Legislation. Sierra Club BC is CASL compliant.
Sections [paragraph 6 (1)+(a)] of the legislation require implied or express consent to be obtained from recipients of non-exempt Commercial Electronic Messages (CEMs). We do not send non-exempt CEMs as defined by CASL. However, we do gain implied or express consent to send all electronic messages by email. Recipients can unsubscribe from our email list anytime by clicking “unsubscribe” at the bottom of the email, or by contacting social@sierraclub.bc.ca with a request to be unsubscribed.
For the purposes of this policy we define Commercial Electronic Messages (CEM) to be electronic messages that have as one of their purposes an encouragement to participate in a commercial activity, including messages that include:
- offers to purchase, sell, barter or lease a product, goods, a service, or land;
- offers to provide a business, investment or gaming opportunity;
- advertises or promotes anything referred to in paragraph (a) or (b); or
- promotes a person, including the public image of a person, as being a person who does anything referred to in any of paragraphs (1) to (2), or who intends to do so.
All online forms and paper petitions contain consent statements informing individuals that Sierra Club BC will be emailing them.
Access to personal information
Sierra Club BC’s Privacy Policy is available to anyone interested. It is available on the Sierra Club BC website (www.sierraclub.bc.ca/privacy-policy), or a hard copy can be obtained by contacting info@sierraclub.bc.ca.
Members and donors are entitled to access to their personal information that is in the possession of Sierra Club BC. If a member or donor wants to see their personal information, they are welcome to contact info@sierraclub.bc.ca. We will provide access to personal information (some exceptions might apply) and provide any assistance required in understanding the nature of personal information that is in our possession. There is no cost to gain access to personal information.
We may ask that the member or donor put their request in writing. If we are unable to give access, we will inform the member or donor within 30 days, in writing, with the reasons for not giving access.
If a member or donor wishes to make a formal complaint about our privacy practices, they may do so in writing to the attention of the Development Officer. The Development Officer will acknowledge receipt of the complaint, and ensure that it is investigated promptly and that the member or donor is provided with a formal decision and reasons in writing.
Google Analytics
Sierra Club BC’s website uses Google Analytics, a web analytics service provided by Google, Inc. (“Google”). Google Analytics uses cookies to help us analyse how users make use of our website. The information generated by the cookie about your use of our sites (including your IP address) will be transmitted to and stored by Google on servers in the United States. Google will use this information for the purpose of evaluating your use of our site, compiling reports on website activity for us and providing other services relating to website activity and internet usage. Google may also transfer this information to third parties where required to do so by law, or where such third parties process the information on Google’s behalf. Google will not associate your IP address with any other data held by Google. You may refuse the use of cookies by selecting the appropriate settings on your browser, however please note that if you do this you may not be able to use the full functionality of Sierra Club BC’s website. By using this website, you consent to the processing of data about you by Google in the manner and for the purposes set out above. Google’s privacy policy is available at: http://www.google.com/privacypolicy.html
URLs
Sierra Club BC utilizing URLs in electronic messages that may contain a unique ID that allows Sierra Club BC to identify individuals that have taken an action. In some electronic messaging Sierra Club BC will utilize shortened URLs to prevent broken links, allow for technological compatibility, and to track link clicks.
Policy updates & changes
Due to the fast-changing nature of online technologies, Sierra Club BC may change this policy from time to time. Changes may occur without warning and they will be reflected on this page.
Further inquiries
Your privacy is important to us. If you have any questions about Sierra Club BC’s privacy policy or concerns about the way personal information is being used, please contact our office:
Development Officer
Sierra Club BC
PO Box 8337 Central
Victoria, BC V8W 3R9
Tel: (250) 386-5255
Fax: (250) 386-4453
info@sierraclub.bc.ca
www.sierraclub.bc.ca
This policy is made under the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act.
Further information on privacy and your rights in regard to your personal information may be obtained from the Privacy Commissioner at:
Privacy Commissioner of Canada
112 Kent Street
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 1H3
Tel: (613) 995-8210
Toll-Free: 1-800-282-1376
Fax: (613) 947-6859
TTY: (613) 992-9190
Email: info@privcom.gc.ca
Web: www.priv.gc.ca
Photo Credits: Mya Van Woudenberg