Guidelines on Privacy
Nature Alberta acknowledges the importance of philanthropy and the role it plays in Nature Alberta’s mission to Promote and protect Alberta’s natural history. Nature Alberta recognizes the goodwill of its supporters and pledges to maintain a high level of integrity and accountability. To achieve this end, Nature Alberta adheres to the Ethical Fundraising & Financial Accountability Code developed by the Canadian Center for Philanthropy and the Canadian Marketing Association’s Code of Ethics & Standards of Practice. (copies available upon request).
Nature Alberta strongly believes in the donor’s right to truthful information and privacy. The following outlines Nature Alberta's principles regarding personal privacy:
Accountability
Nature Alberta is responsible for protecting supporter information under its control.
a) It has designated a staff manager to be responsible for Nature Alberta’s adherence to the federal Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act.
Identifying Purposes
Nature Alberta will clearly identify the primary use of the personal information and ask permission before any secondary use of that personal information.
a) Nature Alberta collects personal information primarily to build relationships with its supporters.
b) Should personal information be collected during volunteer participatory activities, permission must be granted before any fundraising appeal use.
Consent
Nature Alberta recognizes that donors have control over the use of their information.
a) All new donors are given the opportunity to decline to have their name or other information used for any further marketing purposes by a third party.
b) Current donors have the opportunity to decline to have their names or other information used for marketing purposes by a third party at least every three years.
c) Nature Alberta removes a donor’s name from its existing housefile or trade list promptly upon request.
Limiting Collection, Disclosure and Duration of Retention
Nature Alberta shall limit collection of information to that which is necessary for the activities noted above.
a) Nature Alberta collects the contact information, donation history and special interests of its donors in order to build on its existing relationship with its supporters. (see below for specifics)
b) Nature Alberta is obligated to retain donor information for 7 years as per Revenue Canada tax receipting guidelines.
c) Nature Alberta may collect survey information as part of its volunteer participatory activities.
d) Any personal banking information is deleted from donor records upon their cancellation
from the pre-authorized payment program.
Limiting Use
Nature Alberta will control the use of information by third parties.
a) Nature Alberta does not rent its trade list.
b) Nature Alberta does exchange its trade list with other like-minded organizations from time to time.
c) Nature Alberta will only exchange lists with other privacy compliant organizations
d) Nature Alberta maintains a summary of trade lists exchanges over the last 12 months and will provide the information when queried about the potential use of personal information to third party.
Accuracy
Nature Alberta will ensure that information is accurate, complete and up-to date as is necessary for the purpose of continuing its contact with its support base.
a) Nature Alberta will endeavour to keep donor contact records up to date.
b) Nature Alberta will ensure that any requests regarding donor giving preferences. i.e. limiting the number of solicitations, no further requests, to not be solicited by telephone or other technology will be added to the personal record promptly.
c) Nature Alberta will not update records with contact information that is deemed not in the public domain i.e. unlisted telephone numbers etc.
Safeguards
Nature Alberta assures the security and confidentiality of private information.
a) The Nature Alberta donor database has electronic security passwords. Access to the database is
limited to select Nature Alberta staff during office hours and locked up when the office is closed.
b) The Nature Alberta computer system also has appropriate security systems in place.
c) Any paper files with confidential financial information are stored in locked filing cabinets.
d) Nature Alberta staff have signed a Code of Ethics.
e) Nature Alberta provides an annual training session on the proper handling and safeguarding procedures of personal information.
f) If Nature Alberta outsources data processing or enters into contracts that require handling of personal information, Nature Alberta will have written assurances that the firm abides by the law.
g) Confidential personal information is disposed of properly to prevent unauthorized use.
Access
Nature Alberta recognizes that donors have the right to access their information.
a) All Nature Alberta donors have the right to see their own donor record and to challenge its accuracy.
b) Nature Alberta will provide information about the potential use of personal information upon request.
c) All potential donors have the right to know the source of obtaining their name.
Openness & Proper Handling of Customer Complaints
Nature Alberta pledges to respond immediately to any queries about personal information or complaints regarding the use of personal information. Nature Alberta will also make readily available our privacy policies and practices relating to the management of personal information upon request. Information requests must be fulfilled within 30 days. The information will contain:
• the name and title of the Nature Alberta staff person accountable for the organization’s policies and to whom complaints/inquires are forwarded;
• the means of gaining access to personal information held in Nature Alberta donor files;
• a description of the type of information held by the organization and its intended use
• a description of what information is made available to related organizations
What Information is Collected & How is it Used?
Most of the information we collect comes directly from you as one of Nature Alberta supporters. In general, we collect 2 types of information:
• personal information; and
• anonymous information.
Personal information
We collect this information primarily to build relationships with our supporters. The information collected and maintained in your customer file includes:
- your name, mailing address, e-mail address, telephone number, donation history, donor preferences and special program interests
* Depending on your preferred giving pattern, additional information may be contained in your donor record – for example if you chose to donate on a pre-authorized plan, pertinent financial account information is held in your donor record.
Anonymous Information
We routinely collect “anonymous information” which is information that can not be directly traced back to specific individuals. For example our web servers may electronically collect information from Web site visitors. This type of anonymous information might typically include:
- specific web site pages visited, number of visitors, type of web browser being used etc.
At no time is personal information collected from our web site unless you choose to provide i.e. sign- up for e-newsletter or provide internet donation. (Please refer to Nature Alberta’s E-Donor Bill of Rights and Internet Privacy Policy for a more detailed description of Nature Alberta’s practices regarding its web site).
We also periodically gather anonymous information from donor surveys or readership surveys or draw demographic information from existing files for analytical purposes.
Disclosure of Information to Outside Parties
We strive to keep your personal information private at all times. Occasionally, we may need to undergo analysis on our database systems by a third party in which case we require and obtain written assurances that the firm abides by safeguard regulations set out in the privacy law.
Nature Alberta reaches out to current and prospective donors to stimulate giving. To reach out in a cost effective manner, charities, such as Nature Alberta, often target fundraising efforts to people who are most likely to give. Nature Alberta may collect and analyze information about groups of potential donors to assess their propensity and capacity to give.
There are occasions when we are required by law to allow access to donor records. For example, our external auditing firm or Revenue Canada’s auditors may request to look at a sample of representative donor records or receipts during the course of their review of our accounting procedures.
Accessing and Amending Your Information
As a donor you have the right to access, verify and amend personal information held in your record. Please provide Nature Alberta with a written request in order to access your record for review (form attached) or call us directly at 1-780-427-8124.
To help us keep your personal information current, we encourage you to make corrections whenever necessary. To amend personal contact information contained in your file please fill out the form attached or call us directly at 1-780-427-8124.
Contact Information
If you have any questions about Nature Alberta’s privacy policies outlined in this document or have a concern or complaint in regards to our information handling practices please call us directly at 1-780-427-8124.
