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Privacy policy

This privacy policy ("the Privacy Policy") explains how your personal data will be collected and used in connection with Climate Springboard's business support programme designed to equip SME's in Scotland with the knowledge and tools to start their journey to Net Zero ("the programme").

Climate Springboard ("we" "our" "us") which is operated  by the Edinburgh Climate Change Institute within the University of Edinburgh, aims to support Scotland-based SMEs and charities in transitioning to net zero. This Privacy Policy outlines the data management strategies and practices used to handle personal data collected throughout the programme. 


Our programme is funded by a consortium of funders, who may receive anonymised outputs for monitoring and evaluation purposes (see Section 3 for more information on how we use your personal data in connection with the programme).  

1. Key points
  • Data collection: Data is collected when you register for the programme, contact us and complete feedback surveys.  
  • Data usage: We use your information to process requests, improve support and resources and conduct analysis to track trends in Scotland's net zero transition. 
  • Data sharing: Personal data may be shared with third party service providers under strict conditions for specific, time-bound projects. Analysis derived from personal data will be shared with external partners but where possible, this information will be anonymised.
  • Your Rights: You have the right to access, rectify, erase, restrict or object to processing your data, and to data portability, as per UK GDPR.
2. Information we collect

We may collect and process the following types of information in connection with the programme which may include personal data: 

  • Name, email, job title, organisation name, registered business address, and any other information you provide when registering for the programme. 
  • Company carbon footprint, net zero action plan and any other information you choose to provide us as part of the business support service.  

Feedback  

  • Quantitative and qualitative feedback on the programme through Microsoft polls or surveys.
  • Answers you provide to us during meetings with the Climate Springboard business support team. No comments will ever be directly attributed to participants without prior consent.

We do not collect special category data e.g. health, race, political opinions. 

3. How we use your information

We use your personal information for:

Operational information use:

  • Process application and administer attendance for our programme 
  • Respond to inquiries and requests e.g. feedback on net zero action plan 
  • Review, analyse and share interview transcripts, analysis and other information obtained in connection with the programme.

Analysis and monitoring use:

  • Improve our resources and services 
  • Conduct analysis to report trends to funders and stakeholders. 
  • Develop aggregated insights for future funders and third parties e.g. monthly training programme summary reports.  

Marketing and communication:

  • Send you updates about our services and events 
  • Provide personalised services and offers
  • Communicate news and industry insights relevant to you 
  • Invite you to participate in surveys to improve our offerings 
  • Generate aggregated statistics across all programme participants and by cohort to advertise reach and impact of the training.  

We may contact you at your business email address in connection with the above activities that we believe are relevant to your role or organisation, or where you have consented to us doing so.

You can opt out of receiving marketing communications from us at any time by contacting us at climatespringboard@ed.ac.uk. 

4. Sharing your information

We may require to share your information where relevant with the following to provide the training services of Climate Springboard:

Climate Springboard staff: To administer the training programme and support services. Staff are employed by the University of Edinburgh and are responsible for following all relevant data and security policies. 

Third party service providers: To deliver specific, time-bound projects Climate Springboard may occasionally employ and grant access to third party service providers. Third party service providers will only have access to the information required to complete their project and access is supervised by Climate Springboard. For more information about the third party providers we are currently working with, please contact climatespringboard@ed.ac.uk.

Programme funders: Anonymised and aggregated insights may be shared with partners to address barriers to net zero, for funding requirements and project evaluation. View a current list of our consortium of funders here. 

5. How long we keep your information

Retention Period: Data will be retained for 5 years from collection or until 2030 being the end of the programme (whichever comes first). 

Disposal: Data will be securely deleted after the retention period unless consent for further use is obtained.

6. International transfers

We normally store and process your personal data within the United Kingdom (and where relevant within the European Economic Area (EEA)). 

If we need to transfer your personal data to countries outside of the UK or EEA, we will ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place to protect your data, as required by data protection law. This may include:

  • using countries that have been formally recognised by the UK Government (or European Commission) as providing an adequate level of protection for personal data;
  • putting in place standard contractual clauses or international data transfer agreements approved for use in the UK;
  • relying on another valid safeguard or exemption permitted under data protection law.
7. Legal basis for processing

We rely on the following legal bases to process your data:

Contract: Where we have entered into a contract with you in connection with the programme. 

Consent: For sending optional marketing communication and additional data sharing, where applicable.  

Legitimate interest: To allow us to deliver the programme in accordance with our obligations and to provide you with the support you have requested by signing up to take part in the programme.  

Legal obligation: Where required to comply with the law. 

8. Your rights

You have the right to:

  • Request access to your data
  • Correct inaccuracies
  • Request erasure
  • Data portability (i.e. the right to ask us to put your data into a format that it can be transferred easily to a different organisation)
  • Restrict or object to processing
  • Withdraw consent at any time.
9. Data storage and security

Climate Springboard utilises the latest Microsoft software for our operations and programme delivery, and is continuously and automatically updated when working on University of Edinburgh owned devices. Microsoft Teams, SharePoint, and OneDrive are secure, and the data is encrypted (both at rest and in transit). They are GDPR compliant, and their servers are located in the UK/EU.  

  • Your data is stored in individual SharePoint folders, accessible only by Climate Springboard employees. 
  • Access is restricted and monitored to prevent unauthorised processing. 
  • Anonymisation and aggregation is employed where applicable for analysis and cannot be traced back to individuals, unless permission is specifically granted e.g. a case study.

 You can ready our full Cyber Security policy here.

10. How to contact us

If you have any questions about this policy, please contact the Climate Springboard Data Controller via climatespringboard@ed.ac.uk, who can escalate queries to the University of Edinburgh's Data Protection Officer. 

You can also contact the University of Edinburgh's Data Protection Officer at dpo@ed.ac.uk.  

11. Complaints 

You have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) as the supervisory authority in respect of the processing of your personal data. We would encourage you to expend our internal complaints procedure through our initial contact and the University Data Protection Officer, prior to contacting the ICO. Please email casework@ico.org.uk or call 0303 123 1113. Visit the ICO website for further contact information.  

Policy last reviewed: October 2025
Version number: 1.2
Next review date: August 2026