In this privacy policy we inform you about how we, the Stiftung Avenir Suisse foundation (hereinafter also “Avenir Suisse,” “we,” and “us”), collect and process your personal data (hereinafter also “data” or “personal data”).

If you provide us with personal data relating to other persons (e.g. employees), we assume that you are authorized to do so and that the data are correct. By submitting data relating to other persons, you confirm that this is the case. Please make sure that the other persons are informed about this privacy policy.

In particular, this privacy policy provides you with information on:

1. Our contact data ↑

The Stiftung Avenir Suisse foundation is responsible under data protection law for data processing in accordance with this privacy policy. If you have any questions about this privacy policy, our use of your information or your rights, you can contact us at:

Avenir Suisse
Puls 5
Giessereistrasse 18
8005 Zurich
Email: datenschutz@avenir-suisse.ch

2. What data we collect and for what purpose ↑

2.1. Visiting the website (creation of log files) and other electronic offerings

Each time you visit our website (“Avenir Suisse website(s)” or “our website(s)”), the web server automatically collects data and information from the computer system of the calling computer. This includes in particular information about the browser type and version used, the user’s operating system, the user’s internet service provider, the referrer URLs (websites from which the user’s system accesses our website), websites that are accessed by the user’s system via the Avenir Suisse website, as well as the user’s IP address, access date and time and the client’s file request (file name and URL). These data are stored in our system’s log files (or with third parties) together with other data and collected only for the purpose of statistical analysis.

When you use other electronic offerings such as our Wi-Fi network or app(s), we collect certain technical data. Technical data also include the logs in which we record the use of our systems (log data). In some cases, we may also assign a unique identification number to your device (tablet, PC, smartphone, etc.) (an ID).

We use this data to ensure a smooth connection, to enable comfortable use of the website and other electronic offerings, to evaluate system security and stability, and for other administrative purposes. These data generally do not allow us to draw any conclusions about your identity. In the context of user accounts or registrations, however, they can be linked to other data categories and thus possibly to your person.

2.2. Marketing and newsletter, event registration

We may use your name and postal or email address(es) to provide our services and deliver newsletters, event information/invitations, publications, and the like. Newsletters are sent via our external software partner Salesforce, Inc., which is based in the United States. You will find information on how Salesforce, Inc., protects data here. By registering, you agree that we may transfer your data to our software partner, that we may track your opening and click behavior, and that we may contact you directly in individual cases. If required by law, we will obtain your consent before doing so, unless we have received your contact information in the context of our services and you have not expressly opted out of receiving such marketing communications. If you no longer wish to receive delivery of such information from us, you have the option of unsubscribing at any time using the contact details provided in each case. There is also a revocation link at the end of each email.

You have the option of registering for our events by providing your data on our registration form. When you do so the data you provide (last name, first name, email address, etc.) will be transmitted to us and stored. By registering, you agree that we may process this data as well as the content of discussions and audio and visual recordings made during the event, and that we may also make extracts of the data available to third parties (e.g., photos on social media). You also confirm that you have read and understood our privacy policy.

Insofar as we refer to third-party websites for product information, events, etc., and you visit these websites, the corresponding privacy policies of the respective website operators apply. We have no influence over these.

2.3. Contact by email

We offer you the possibility of contacting us via the email address(es) posted on our website. In this case we store the data transmitted. The digital communication (e.g. email) is in some cases unencrypted and unsecured. The risk remains with you.

2.4. Applications

Our vacancies are posted on our website and/or on external portals (including print media) and platforms. You can apply for vacancies directly by email or by post. In this case, this privacy policy applies. For the application process via external portals or platforms, the respective separate privacy policy shall apply.

2.5. In the context of business relationships

We process data related to you that we receive in the course of our business relationship with our customers, other business partners, and other persons involved. This includes, in particular, contact data such as your title, first name, last name, gender, date of birth, address, email address, telephone number, and other contact data, as well as the data communicated such as content exchanged in emails, other written correspondence, telephone conversations, video conferences, etc., and information about the type, time, and place of communication.

We may also use your data, in particular, to gear our communications precisely to your needs, for publications on our website, to improve the support we provide to our stakeholders, and for media releases about our affairs or the areas we work in.

To the extent permitted we also extract data from publicly available sources (e.g., the commercial register, media, internet, social media, etc.). In addition to data that you give us directly, these are data that we receive about you from third parties (official authorities, credit information, banks, address dealers, and other third parties), in particular information from public registers, information in connection with official and judicial proceedings, in connection with your professional functions and activities, information about you in correspondence and meetings with third parties, information that people around you (e.g. family, advisors, legal representatives, and employers) enabling us to conclude or execute contracts with or involving you (e.g., references and powers of attorney), your address and, if applicable, interests and other socio-demographic data (for marketing).

2.6. Other purposes

Other purposes include processing data to protect other legitimate interests. These other purposes cannot be named explicitly. They depend on the individual case.

3. Legal basis of data processing ↑

3.1. Within the scope of our services and for the fulfillment of contractual obligations

The processing of data is carried out for the purpose of providing our services to our customers, including pre-contractual measures as well as post-contractual support. The data collected in this way are used, for example, for the entire execution of our services, including any subsequent warranty claims, technical administration, etc. You will find further details of the purposes of data processing in the relevant contractual documents and terms and conditions.

3.2. In connection with balancing interests

To the extent necessary and permissible, we process your data beyond the actual fulfilment of the contract to protect legitimate interests of our own or of third parties. This includes:

  • Consulting and exchanging data with information agencies and other third parties (e.g., debt enforcement register);
  • Examining and optimizing procedures for analyzing needs for the purpose of direct customer contact as well as collecting personal data from publicly available sources for the purpose of customer acquisition;
  • Advertising or market and opinion research, insofar as you have not objected to the use of your data;
  • Asserting legal claims and defense in legal disputes;
  • Ensuring IT security and IT operations, including other measures to protect our employees and other persons and assets belonging to or entrusted to us, such as access controls, visitor lists, network and mail scanners, and telephone records;
  • Preventing and investigating criminal acts;
  • Measures for managing the business and developing products, services and the website on an ongoing basis;
  • Purchasing and selling business units, companies or parts of companies and other transactions under company law and the associated transfer of data, as well as measures for managing the business.

3.3. On the basis of your consent

Insofar as you have given us consent to process data for specific purposes, this processing is lawful on the basis of your consent. Once you have given consent you can revoke it at any time. Revocation of consent does not affect the lawfulness of the data processed until the revocation.

3.4. On the basis of legal requirements or in the public interest

In addition, we are subject to various legal obligations in connection with which we must process your data.

4. Data transfer and transmission abroad ↑

We will only disclose your data to third parties in the course of our business activities and for the purposes described in this privacy policy if we are required to do so by law, court order or official regulation, if disclosure is necessary for the assertion, exercise or defense of legal claims or for the performance of contracts and business activities, or on the basis of your consent. We also process data that we receive from third parties. These third parties include, in particular, the following categories of recipients/providers:

  • Legal entities associated with us (e.g. support foundations), associations or bodies. These can use the data in accordance with this privacy policy for themselves for the same purposes as we do. We may also disclose particularly sensitive data to these legal entities, associations or bodies.
  • Processors such as providers, service providers evaluating the utility of the website (marketing purposes), service providers for IT services (data management, data storage, technical support; newsletter dispatch, etc.), service providers in the field of recruitment, talent management, HR or other services;
  • External business partners (e.g., vendors, suppliers, subcontractors, banks, and collection agencies) and experts related to the contractual service;
  • Competitors, industry organizations, associations, organizations, and other bodies;
  • Acquirers and parties interested in acquiring business units, companies or other parts of the Avenir Suisse Group;
  • Media;
  • Domestic and foreign authorities, official agencies or courts;
  • Other parties in potential and actual legal proceedings.

We process personal data not only in Switzerland. Your data may be processed in the European Union as well as in any country in the world (including the United States). If the level of data protection in the country where the processing third party is located (including the United States) is deemed inadequate by Swiss standards, we provide adequate data protection ourselves by means of suitable guarantees (e.g., standard contractual clauses), unless a legal exception (e.g., your consent) exists, the recipient is not already subject to a legally recognized set of rules (e.g. CH-USA Data Privacy Framework) to ensure data privacy or we can rely on an exception. Such contractual arrangements (guarantees) compensate in part for weaker or lacking legal protection, but not all risks (e.g., the risk of government access abroad) can be completely ruled out.

Please also note that data exchanged via the internet is often routed via third countries. Your data can therefore end up abroad even if the sender and recipient are in the same country.

5. Data security ↑

We use appropriate technical and organizational measures on our systems to protect the data we store from loss, destruction, alteration, and unauthorized access by third parties.

The security measures of a technical nature include, for example, encryption (including login data) and pseudonymization of data, logging, access restrictions, and the storage of backup copies.

Our security measures are continuously adapted in line with technological developments. Absolute protection, however, cannot be guaranteed.

6. Cookies/tracking and other technologies ↑

6.1. Use of cookies

Our website uses cookies. Our interest in optimizing our website is to be regarded as legitimate. Cookies are text files that are stored in and/or by the internet browser on your computer system. We use cookies to make it more pleasant for you to use our offering.

We use so-called session cookies to recognize that you have already visited individual pages of our website. These are automatically deleted after you leave our site. We also use temporary cookies for the purpose of user-friendliness; these are stored on your device for a certain fixed period of time. If you visit our website again to use our services, it is automatically recognized that you have already been with us and which entries and settings you have made so that you do not have to enter them again.

We also use cookies to statistically record usage of our website and evaluate usage for the purpose of optimizing our offering for you and, if necessary, to display information tailored specifically to you (online marketing). These cookies are automatically deleted after a defined period of time.

The data collected in this way are pseudonymized by technical means by way of precaution. This means that it is no longer possible for us to assign the data to the user calling up the site. The data are not stored together with other data. When you first call up our website, an information banner will inform you about the use of cookies for analysis purposes. If cookies are deactivated for our website, it may no longer be possible to make full use of all the functions of the website.

The procedure for monitoring and deleting cookies depends on the browser you use. You will find information on this in the help menu of your browser (usually under the keyword “Privacy”).

In some cases and where permitted, we also build visible and invisible image elements into our marketing emails; by retrieving these from our servers, we can determine whether and when you have opened the email, enabling us to here also measure and better understand how you use our offerings and to tailor them better to you. You can block this in your email program.

By using our website and agreeing to receive marketing emails, you consent to the use of these techniques. If you do not want this, then you must set your browser or email program accordingly.

6.2. Analytics

On our website we use Google Analytics, a web analytics service provided by Google LLC (1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA, USA) and Google Ireland Ltd. (Google Building Gordon House, Barrow St, Dublin 4, Ireland), both together “Google,” whereby Google Ireland Ltd. is our processor. Google Analytics uses cookies (text files) and similar technologies to collect certain information about the behavior of individual users on or in the relevant website and the device used for this purpose (tablet, PC, smartphone, etc.), thus enabling use of the website to be analyzed.

The information these performance cookies generate on your use of this website (including your IP address) will be transferred to a Google server in the United States and stored there. We have configured the services in such a way that the IP addresses of users of the websites are truncated by Google within Europe before being forwarded to the United States so that they cannot be traced Google provides us with reports and in this sense can be considered our processor. However, Google also processes certain data for its own purposes. Google may, under certain circumstances, draw conclusions about the identity of visitors to the websites based on the data collected and therefore create personal profiles and link the data obtained with any existing user accounts of these persons. Google can also forward this information to third parties if this is required by the law or if third parties process this data on behalf of Google. If you consent to the use of Google, you explicitly agree to such processing, which also includes the transfer of personal data to the United States and other countries. You will find more information about how Google Analytics protects data here.

6.3. Social media

On our website we use so-called plug-ins from social networks such as X, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Spotify, etc. The corresponding buttons or icons are visible on our website. These elements are configured to be disabled by default. If you click on the buttons or icons, the operators of the respective social networks can register that you are on our website and where your location is, and can use this information for their own purposes. The processing of your data is the responsibility of the respective operator in accordance with its privacy policy. We do not receive any information about you from them.

If you communicate with us via such social networks or comment on or redistribute content from us, we collect corresponding information and process it in accordance with our privacy policy. On the basis of our own predominant interest, in some cases we also use the Hootsuite product for the purposes of analyzing and disseminatiing our content.

When you visit our social media sites, data (e.g., information about your user behavior) may also be transmitted directly to or collected by the relevant provider and processed together with other data already known to it (e.g., for marketing and market research purposes and for personalizing platform content). For more information on data processing by social network providers, the countries in which they process your data, and your rights, please refer to the privacy policies of the relevant social networks.

6.4. Salesforce

On the Avenir Suisse website we also use Salesforce Marketing Cloud Account Engagement Analytics (formerly Pardot), a marketing analytics service provided by our processor Salesforce, Inc., Mission St., San Francisco, CA 94105, USA, for marketing automation purposes (email marketing, social media marketing, mobile marketing, and online advertising), as well as the Predictive Response Inc. support service, an email marketing and campaign automation application that is exclusively integrated in Salesforce. Particularly if you subscribe to our newsletter, you explicitly agree to such processing, which also includes the transfer of personal data to the United States and other countries. You will find further information on data processing by Salesforce here and on data processing by Predictive Response Inc. here.

7. Duration of the processing of your personal data ↑

We process your data for only as long as necessary for the respective purpose and the fulfilment of our contractual and legal obligations, including legal retention obligations (usually 10 years), or if you have given us your consent to do so. We continue to process your data as long as we have a legitimate interest in storing it. This may be the case in particular if we need personal data to enforce or defend claims, for archiving purposes and to ensure IT security.

8. Your rights ↑

You have several choices when using this website. You can choose not to provide any data at all by not filling out any related forms or data fields on our website, blocking cookies, and not using any of the available personalized services.

If you choose to provide personal data or provide it to us in the course of our business relationship, under certain circumstances and to the extent provided for by applicable law you have the right of access, rectification of data, erasure of data, restriction of data processing, revocation of your consent and, if applicable, the right to data transfer and objection. Your rights are not absolute. We reserve the right to assert on our part the restrictions provided for by law. We will inform you accordingly.

If you wish to assert your rights against us, please attach appropriate proof of identity of your person.

9. Subject to change ↑

The privacy policy is not part of a contract with you. We reserve the right to change this privacy policy at any time, especially if we change our data processing or if new legislation becomes applicable. The currently applicable version is the version published on this website; previous versions are replaced by the new version.

Last updated: 2nd october 2023