Privacy Policy

Version 1.1 (Dated: 23rd May 2018)

This policy applies to the following businesses:

Tensor plc which is a company registered in England (Company Number: 03670909) that manufactures, markets/sells, installs and maintains time, security and energy management solutions and systems, with registered offices at Hail Weston House, Hail Weston, St Neots, PE19 5JY
Tensor Systems Ltd which is a company registered in England (Company Number: 02718543) that is a subsidiary of Tensor plc
Tensor Time Systems LLP which is a partnership registered in England (Company Number: OC306959) that is a subsidiary of Tensor plc
Tensor Time & Energy LLP which is a partnership registered in England (Company Number: OC364239) that is a subsidiary of Tensor plc

Collectively, the above companies are defined as ‘Tensor’. The privacy policy explains how we use any personal information we collect about you when you use this website and our wider services. Further information in relation to job applicant privacy can be found below.

Glossary of Terms

What is personal data?

Personal data relates to any information about a natural person that makes you identifiable which may include (but is not limited to):

Names and contact information (i.e. email addresses and telephone numbers)
National Insurance Numbers
Employment history
Employee numbers
Credit history
Personal tax information
Payroll and accounting data

What is sensitive personal data?

Sensitive personal data refers to the above but includes genetic data and biometric data. For example:

Medical conditions
Religious or philosophical beliefs and political opinions
Racial or ethnic origin
Convictions and financial records
Biometric data (e.g. photo in an electronic passport)

What is a Data Controller?

For general data protection regulation purposes, the “data controller” means the person or organisation who decides the purposes for which and the way in which any personal data is processed. The data controller is Tensor plc, Hail Weston House, Hail Weston, St Neots, PE19 5JY. The data protection officer can be contacted by email at dpo@tensor.co.uk or by telephone at 01480 215530.

What is a Data Processor?

A “data processor” is a person or organisation which processes personal data for the controller.

What is Data Processing?

Data processing is any operation or set of operations performed upon personal data, or sets of it, be it by automated systems or not. Examples of data processing explicitly listed in the text of the GDPR are collection, recording, organising, structuring, storing, adapting, altering, retrieving, consulting, using, disclosing by transmission, disseminating or making available, aligning or combining, restricting, erasure or destruction.

What do we mean by Business to Business?

PLC, LTD, LLP incorporated partnerships, trusts and foundations, local authorities and government institutions.

What do we mean by Business to Consumer?

Private clients, sole traders, trusts and foundations.

What information do we collect about you and how?

Tensor, as a Data Controller, is bound by the requirements of the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR). You agree that we are entitled to obtain, use and process the information you provide to us to enable us to discharge our services and for other related purposes including:

Updating and enhancing customer and prospective customer records
Marketing and advertising purposes
Analysis for management purposes
Statutory returns
Legal and regulatory compliance
Crime prevention

We collect information about you when you fill in any of the forms on our website (i.e. sending an enquiry, sign up for our newsletter, etc.). Website usage information is collected using cookies. When submitting forms on our website we automatically collect and process the data via a third party and use the data in accordance with this policy and Tensor’s other internal data protection policies.

Analytics

How visitors use our website

We use Google Analytics and SEO Moz to store information about how visitors use our website so that we can make improvements and provide visitors with a better user experience.

Google Analytics and Moz are third-party information storage systems that records information about the pages you visit, the length of time you were on specific pages and the website in general, how you arrived at the site and what you clicked on when you were there. These cookies do not store any personal information about you (e.g. name, address, etc.) and we do not share the data. You can view their privacy policies below:

Google: http://www.google.com/intl/en/policies/privacy/
Moz: https://moz.com/privacy-policy

IP addresses

An IP or Internet Protocol Address is a unique numerical address assigned to a computer as it logs on to the internet. Tensor uses IPFingerprint web analytics for marketing purposes which collects information about your IP address, computer and your visits to and use of our websites. No personal details are captured through the collection of your IP address. IPFingerprint store IP address details securely and confidentially for the functioning of their service and never share these or any other secure details with third parties.

Internet-based advertising

We use Linkedin, Facebook and Twitter advertising services and as such there are tracking codes installed on our website so that we can manage the effectiveness of these campaigns. We do not store any personal data within this type of tracking.

Brochure downloads and media files

Any downloadable documents, files or media made available on our website is provided to users at their own risk. While all precautions have been undertaken to ensure only genuine downloads are available, users are advised to verify their authenticity using third party anti-virus software or similar applications. Tensor accepts no responsibility for third party downloads and downloads provided by external third party websites and advise users to verify their authenticity using third party anti-virus software or similar applications. Please note that for the purpose of downloading brochures from our website personal data (name and email address) is transmitted on a voluntary basis by a data subject to the data controller. The data is stored for the purpose of processing the download request or contacting the data subject. There is no transfer of this personal data to third parties.

OnePush Notifications

Tensor has implemented the OnePush Notification SDK throughout its websites for providing real-time notifications on website updates. The SDK enables Tensor to collect certain information from users of the SDK’s functionality (collectively, “SDK Information”), which generally helps provide developers with functionality to target and personalize the notifications they send to website users. This data collected includes but is not limited to:

Users mobile advertising identifiers, such as Apple IDFAs and Android Advertising identifiers
User email addresses
User IP address
Device push token
Precise location (e.g. GPS-level) data
Network information, language and time zone
Product preferences, and privacy preferences

OneSignal, Inc. and Tensor jointly own the SDK Information and share the personal data, and each Party shall be entitled (without further compensation to the other) to use, share, market, license, sell, store, and otherwise exploit the SDK Information to the maximum extent permitted by law, which shall include using the SDK Information for cross-app, cross-device, and other interest-based advertising, analytics and market research. Without limiting the foregoing, neither Party shall use SDK Information for any of the following purposes:

Employment eligibility
Credit eligibility
Health eligibility or information
Insurance eligibility, underwriting, or pricing

Online chat

Tensor uses the tawk.to website chat service across its websites. Like most internet-service operators, tawk.to collects non-personally-identifying information of the sort that web browsers, apps and servers typically make available, such as the browser type, language preference, geographical location, referring site, and the date and time of each visitor request. It also collects potentially personally identifying information like Internet Protocol (IP).

tawk.to’s purpose in collecting non-personally identifying information is to better understand how tawk.to’s visitors use its services, and to provide tawk.to users the ability to understand how their visitors use their services. From time to time, tawk.to may release non-personally-identifying information in the aggregate (e.g. by publishing a report on trends in the usage of its services). For more information on the tawk.to service’s privacy policy, please visit https://www.tawk.to/privacy-policy/.

Cookies notice

Like many companies, Tensor uses cookies on this website (the "Site"). Cookies are pieces of information shared between your web browser and a website. The use of cookies enables a faster and easier experience for the user. A cookie cannot read data off your computer’s hard drive. There are different kinds of cookies with different functions:

(i) Session cookies: these are only stored on your computer during your web session. They are automatically deleted when the browser is closed. They usually store an anonymous session ID allowing you to browse a website without having to log in to each page. They do not collect any information from your computer.

(ii) Persistent cookies: a persistent cookie is one stored as a file on your computer, and it remains there when you close your web browser. The cookie can be read by the website that created it when you visit that website again.

(iii) First-party cookies: the function of this type of cookie is to retain your preferences for a particular website for the entity that owns that website. They are stored and sent between Tensor’s servers and your computer’s hard drive. They are not used for anything other than for personalization as set by you. These cookies may be either Session or Persistent cookies.

(iv) Third-party cookies: the function of this type of cookie is to retain your interaction with a particular website for an entity that does not own that website. They are stored and sent between the Third-party’s server and your computer’s hard drive. These cookies are usually Persistent cookies.

Tensor uses third-party cookies on our Sites as listed below and also uses Google Analytics, a web analytics service provided by Google, Inc. (“Google”). Google Analytics uses cookies to help the website analyse how users use the site. The information generated by the cookie about your use of the website (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 the website, compiling reports on website activity, and providing other services relating to website activity and internet usage for Tensor and its affiliates. 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 this 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.

For information on all of these categories of cookies, and for more information generally on cookies please refer to aboutcookies.org. We use cookies for the following purposes:

Where strictly necessary

These cookies are essential in order to enable you to move around the Site and use its features, such as accessing secure areas of the Site. Without these cookies, services you have asked for, such as requesting information or logging into your account, cannot be provided. These cookies do not gather information about you that could be used for marketing or remembering where you have been on the internet.

Performance

These cookies collect information about how visitors use a Site, for instance, which pages visitors go to most often, and if they get error messages from web pages. They also allow us to record and count the number of visitors to the Site, all of which enables us to see how visitors use the Site in order to improve the way that our Site works. These cookies do not collect information that identifies a person, as all information these cookies collect is anonymous and is used to improve how our Site works.

Functionality

These cookies allow our Site to remember choices you make (such as your user name, language or the region you are in) and provide enhanced features. For instance, a Site may be able to remember your log in details, so that you do not have to repeatedly sign in to your account when using a particular device to access our Site. These cookies can also be used to remember changes you have made to text size, font and other parts of web pages that you can customise. They may also be used to provide services you have requested such as viewing a video or commenting on an article. The information these cookies collect is usually anonymised. They do not gather any information about you that could be used for advertising or remember where you have been on the internet.

Please consult your web browser’s ‘Help’ documentation or visit aboutcookies.org for more information about how to turn cookies on and off for your browser.

Can I turn off cookies?

Yes, but if you choose not to allow the use of cookies, your experience of our Site will be limited and many integral aspects of the Site will not work at all. To change your cookie settings, or if you want to be notified each time a cookie is about to be used, you should amend the settings provided in your web browser to prevent us from storing cookies on your computer hard drive. For information on how to disable cookies, please consult the “Help” tab of your browser via the menu bar. For further information on non-essential cookies used for targeting and banner advertising please see below.

Summary of cookies used

The table below is a list of the main cookies set by Tensor’s websites. Please note that we may modify or update our cookies. This list will be updated whenever this occurs.

How will we use the information about you and why?

Tensor takes your privacy seriously and will take every measure to safeguard personal data.

For Business to Business Clients and Contacts, our lawful reason for processing your personal information will be “legitimate interests”. Under “legitimate interests” we can process your personal information if: we have a genuine and legitimate reason and we are not harming any of your rights and interests.

For Business to Consumer Clients our lawful reason for processing your personal information will be “a contract with the individual” or a request to supply information (e.g. request for a brochure, sign-up to newsletter, etc.) which may also be via a user taking affirmative action. This also includes steps taken at your request before entering into a contract.

Our work for you may require us to pass your information to our third-party service providers, agents, subcontractors and other associated organisations for the purposes of completing tasks and providing the Services to you on our behalf. However, when we use third-party service providers, we disclose only the personal information that is necessary to deliver the Services and we have contracts in place that requires them to keep your information secure.

We collect information on our website to process your enquiry and also use this information to share updates with you about our services and/or products which we believe may be of interest to you. We will not share your information for marketing purposes with other companies so that they may offer you their products and services.

Transferring your information outside of Europe

As part of the services offered to you through this website, the information which you provide to us may be transferred to countries outside the European Union (“EU”). For example, some of our third-party providers may be located outside of the EU. Where this is the case we will take steps to make sure the right security measures are taken so that your privacy rights continue to be protected as outlined in this policy. By submitting your personal data, you agree to this transfer, storing or processing.

Where our third-party supplies are in the US we have ensured that their services fall under the “Privacy Shield” whereby participating companies are deemed to have adequate protection and therefore facilitate the transfer of information from the EU to the US. If you use our services while you are outside the EU, your information may be transferred outside the EU to provide you those services.

Security precautions in place about data collected

When you provide us personal information, we take steps to make sure that it is treated securely. Non-sensitive details (your email address, etc.) are sent normally over the Internet, and this can never be guaranteed to be 100% secure. As a result, while we strive to protect your personal information, we cannot guarantee the security of any information you transmit to us, and you do so at your own risk.

Once we receive your information, we make our best effort to ensure its security on our systems. Where we have given (or where you have chosen) a password that enables you to access certain parts of our websites, you are responsible for keeping this password confidential. We ask you not to share your password with anyone.

Marketing

We would like to send you information about our services and products which may be of interest to you. If you have consented to receive marketing or your details are already retained on our databases, you may opt-out at any point as set out below. You have a right at any time to stop us from contacting you for marketing purposes. To opt-out please email dpo@tensor.co.uk.

How long will we hold your data for?

Marketing: We will hold your data for a period of 10 years with a review every 5 years. You will have the opportunity to opt-out or update or delete data at any point should you need to do so and details are set out in this policy as to how to do that
Contracted Services: We will hold your data for a period of 7 years after contract termination in line with our regulatory requirements

Access to your information, correction, portability and deletion

What is a Subject Access Request?

This is your right to request a copy of the information that we hold about you. If you would like a copy of some or all your personal information, please email or write to us at the following address: Data Protection Officer, Tensor plc, Hail Weston House, Hail Weston, St Neots, PE19 5JY. We will respond to your request within one month of receipt of request.

We want to make sure your personal information is accurate and up to date. You may ask us to correct or remove information you think is inaccurate by emailing dpo@tensor.co.uk or writing to the above address.

Objections to processing of personal data

It is your right to lodge an objection to the processing of your personal data if you feel the “ground relating to your particular situation” apply. The only reasons we will be able to deny your request is if we can show compelling legitimate grounds for the processing, which override your interest, rights and freedoms, or the processing is for the establishment, exercise or defence of a legal claim.

Data portability

It is also your right to receive the personal data which you have given to us, in a structured, commonly used and machine-readable format and have the right to transmit that data to another controller without delay from the current controller if:

(a) The processing is based on consent or on a contract, and

(b) The processing is carried out by automated means.

Your right to be forgotten

Should you wish for us to completely delete all information that we hold about you for:

Email dpo@tensor.co.uk, or
In writing to: Data Protection Officer, Tensor plc, Hail Weston House, Hail Weston, St Neots, PE19 5JY

Other websites

Our website contains links to other websites. This privacy policy only applies to this website so when you link to other websites you should read their own privacy policies.

Complaints

If you feel that your personal data has been processed in a way that does not meet the GDPR, you have a specific right to lodge a complaint with the relevant supervisory authority. The supervisory authority will then tell you of the progress and outcome of your complaint. The supervisory authority in the UK is the Information Commissioner’s Office.

Changes to our Privacy Policy

We keep our privacy policy under regular review and we will place any updates on this web page. This privacy policy was last updated on 1st May 2018 and the Version number is 1.0 in line with the new GDPR guidelines.

How to contact us

Please contact us if you have any questions about our privacy policy or information we hold about you:

By emailing dpo@tensor.co.uk, or
Write to us at: Data Protection Officer, Tensor plc, Hail Weston House, Hail Weston, St Neots, PE19 5JY

For additional privacy policy and GDPR information, please click one of the below options to reveal.

: Tensor plc (Tensor) is committed to protecting and respecting your privacy. This policy together with Tensor’s end-user licence agreement as set out at https://www.tensor.co.uk/user-license-agreement/ (EULA) and any additional terms of use incorporated by reference into the EULA, (together Tensor’s Terms of Use) applies to your (your or you) use of:
The Tensor Mobile SSM mobile application software and the data supplied with the software (App) available from Google Play; iTunes and Windows Store (App Site), once you have downloaded a copy of the App onto your mobile telephone or handheld device (Device)
Any of the services accessible through the App (Services) that are available on the App Site or other sites of Tensor’s (Services Sites), unless the EULA states that a separate privacy policy applies to a particular Service, in which case that privacy policy only applies
This policy sets out the basis on which any personal data Tensor collects from you, or that you provide to Tensor, will be processed by Tensor. Please read the following carefully to understand Tensor’s views and practices regarding your personal data and how Tensor will treat it. For the purpose of the Data Protection Act 1998, the data controller is Tensor plc, Hail Weston House, Hail Weston, St Neots, PE19 5JY.
Information Tensor may collect from you
Tensor may collect and process the following data about you:
Information you give Tensor (Submitted Information): You may give Tensor information about you by filling in forms on the App Site and the Services Sites (together Tensor’s Sites), or by corresponding with Tensor (for example, by e-mail or chat). This includes information you provide when you register to use the App Site, download or register an App, subscribe to any of Tensor’s Services, search for an App or Service, share data via an App’s social media functions, enter a competition, promotion or survey, and when you report a problem with an App, Tensor’s Services, or any of Tensor’s Sites. The information you provide to Tensor may include your name, address, e-mail address and phone number, the Device’s phone number, age, username, password and other registration information.
Information Tensor collects about you and your device: Each time you visit one of Tensor’s Sites or use one of Tensor’s Apps, Tensor may automatically collect the following information:
(a) technical information, including the type of mobile device you use, a unique device identifier (for example, your Device’s IMEI number, the MAC address of the Device’s wireless network interface, or the mobile phone number used by the Device), mobile network information, your mobile operating system, the type of mobile browser you use, time zone setting, (Device Information);
(b) details of your use of any of Tensor’s apps or your visits to any of Tensor’s Sites including, but not limited to, traffic data, location data, weblogs and other communication data, whether this is required for Tensor’s own billing purposes or otherwise and the resources that you access (Log Information).
Location information: Tensor may also use GPS technology to determine your current location. Some of Tensor’s location-enabled Services require your personal data and use of GPS technology to determine your location, for the feature to operate. You can withdraw your consent at any time by switching off location data.
If you contact Tensor, Tensor may retain a record of that correspondence.
Unique application numbers: when you install or uninstall a Service containing a unique application number or when such a Service searches for automatic updates, that number and information about your installation (e.g. the type of operating system) may be sent to Tensor.
Cookies
Tensor uses cookies to distinguish you from other users of the App, App Site, Appstore or Service Site. This helps Tensor to provide you with a good experience when you use the App or browse any of the sites and also allows Tensor to improve the App and Tensor’s Sites.
Uses made of the information
Tensor use information held about you in the following ways:
Submitted Information: To assist in the use of the App, authentication of the user, compliance with EULA and support, bug fixes, analytics and development of the App.
Device information: To assist in the correct operation and usage of the App, authentication of the user, compliance with EULA and support, bug fixes, analytics and development of the App.
Content Information: To confirm user credentials and assist in the security management of the App.
Log information: To assist with support, bug fixes, analytics and developing the app.
Location information: To operate the GPS features of App and assist with support, bug fixes, analytics and developing the App.
Tensor may associate any category of information with any other category of information and will treat the combined information as personal data in accordance with this policy for as long as it is combined.
Where Tensor stores your personal data
The data that Tensor collects from you may be transferred to and stored at, a destination outside the European Economic Area (EEA). It may also be processed by staff operating outside the EEA who work for or are sub-contracted to Tensor. These staff may be engaged in the fulfilment of your request and the provision of support services. By submitting your personal data, you agree to this transfer, storing or processing. Tensor will take all steps reasonably necessary to ensure that your data is treated securely and in accordance with this privacy policy.
All information you provide to Tensor is stored on Tensor’s secure servers. Any payment transactions carried out by Tensor or Tensor’s chosen third-party provider of payment processing services will be encrypted. Where Tensor has given you (or where you have chosen) a password that enables you to access certain parts of Tensor’s Sites, you are responsible for keeping this password confidential. Tensor asks you not to share a password with anyone.
Unfortunately, the transmission of information via the internet is not completely secure. Although Tensor will do our best to protect your personal data, Tensor cannot guarantee the security of your data transmitted to Tensor’s Sites; any transmission is at your own risk. Once Tensor has received your information, Tensor will use strict procedures and security features to try to prevent unauthorised access.
Tensor may collect and store personal data on your Device using application data caches and browser web storage (including HTML 5) and other technology.
Your rights
You have the right to ask Tensor not to process your personal data for marketing purposes. Tensor will usually inform you (before collecting your data) if Tensor intends to use your data for such purposes or if Tensor intends to disclose your information to any third party for such purposes. You can exercise your right to prevent such processing by checking certain boxes on the forms Tensor uses to collect your data. You can also exercise the right at any time by contacting Tensor at Tensor plc, Hail Weston House, Hail Weston, St Neots, PE19 5JY or accounts@tensor.co.uk
Tensor’s Sites may, from time to time, contain links to and from the websites of Tensor’s partner networks, advertisers and affiliates (including, but not limited to, websites on which the App or the Services are advertised). If you follow a link to any of these websites, please note that these websites and any services that may be accessible through them have their own privacy policies and that Tensor does not accept any responsibility or liability for these policies or for any personal data that may be collected through these websites or services, such as contact and location data. Please check these policies before you submit any personal data to these websites or use these services.
Access to information
The Data Protection Act 1998 gives you the right to access information held about you. Your right of access can be exercised in accordance with that Act. Any access request may be subject to a fee of £10 to meet Tensor’s costs in providing you with details of the information Tensor holds about you.
Changes to the Privacy Policy
Any changes Tensor makes to our privacy policy in the future will be posted on this page and, where appropriate, notified to you by e-mail or when you next start the App or log onto one of the Services Sites. The new terms may be displayed on-screen and you may be required to read and accept them to continue your use of the App or the Services.
Contact
Questions, comments and requests regarding this privacy policy are welcomed and should be addressed to Tensor plc, Hail Weston House, Hail Weston, St Neots, PE19 5JY or accounts@tensor.co.uk.
: Tensor's products
All of Tensor’s products are sold with no data (personal or otherwise) populated with Tensor currently not offering a fully managed/hosted solution or service. Any personal data either resides within a customer’s premises or at a location chosen or controlled by our customers.
Any personal data that is then used to populate Tensor’s products is under the control of our customers (i.e. our customers are the data processor and/or data controller) and therefore our customers must ensure that they have appropriate GDPR policies in place and appropriate data protection policies in order to protect any personal data. Equally, if our customers choose to externally host elements of their IT infrastructure including personal data records held within Tensor’s software, then our customers must ensure that an appropriate Data Processing Agreement is in place with all necessary safeguards implemented by the organisation hosting the personal data.
Many questions have been raised regarding biometric data which is classed as ‘special data’ under GDPR. Biometric data should be secured in the same way as personal data. There is an argument however that the loss of fingerprint biometric data (i.e. such as the biometric data stored within Tensor’s products) is deemed a very low risk and certainly much lower than the loss of other types of personal data due to the biometric data being encrypted to AES256 encryption levels and that the actual fingerprint is never stored. Tensor stores the mathematical location of up to 50 minutiae including on each finger with the minutiae swirl direction and so it is impossible to replicate a full fingerprint in an attempt to identify an individual from the fingerprint biometric data stored by Tensor.
Tensor is planning to release a cloud-based option for some of our products which may offer a hosted and fully managed solution on behalf of our customers. Under these circumstances, Tensor would then become the data processer on behalf of our customers and therefore this would present a different scenario and require further documentation to be provided by Tensor to process and store customers’ personal data on their behalf.
Support
Tensor does require access at times to customer data of which some may be deemed as personal data, to carry out our support duties under both our warranty and maintenance service offerings. Tensor has amended some of our internal procedures on how customer data is handled to further protect customer data and ensure that customer data is not unnecessarily shared within Tensor and is kept as much as possible in single locations under the direct control of Tensor’s IT department.
Tensor has also implemented automatic purging of customer data & files that have not been accessed for 60 days or more in order to comply with GDPR. If any of our customers require Tensor to enter a Data Processing Agreement, please email or post these to our Data Protection Officer at Tensor plc, Hail Weston House, Hail Weston, St Neots, PE19 5JY or dpo@tensor.co.uk. Alternatively, Tensor has a standard Data Processing Agreement that can share with our customers that may be of assistance.
Please also contact Tensor’s Data Protection Officer if you require further information regarding Tensor’s GDPR policies.
Tensor's internal IT systems and data protection
Following an 18-month IT infrastructure review which included implementation of further IT systems and policies, Tensor gained external certification to demonstrate that we are a secure organisation who has sound infrastructure and IT based data protection measures in place. Tensor was awarded the CyberEssentials certification during February 2018 (certificate no. IASME-A-05294) and are aiming to undertake the CyberEssentials+ certification during 2018.
The Cyber Essentials certification programme is a UK Government-backed scheme that guides businesses in protecting themselves against cyber threats; allowing organisations to demonstrate to customers and partners that cyber security is taken seriously.
Supported by industry as a whole, the certification aims to ensure that security controls are in place and working effectively ensuring risks are mitigated from online threats through the secure configuration of an organisation’s computing resources. For more information, please go to https://www.cyberessentials.ncsc.gov.uk/.
: As part of our recruitment process, Tensor collects and processes personal data relating to job applicants. Tensor is committed to being transparent about how it collects and uses that data and to meeting its data protection obligations.
Data controller: Tensor plc, Tensor Systems Ltd, Tensor Time & Energy LLP, Energy Software Development LLP (‘Tensor’), Hail Weston House, Hail Weston, St Neots, PE19 5JY
Data protection officer email: dpo@tensor.co.uk
Dated: 1st May 2018
Version: 1.1
What information does Tensor collect?
Tensor collects a range of information about you. This includes:
Your name, address and contact details, including email address and telephone number
Details of your qualifications, skills, experience and employment history
Information about your current level of remuneration, including benefit entitlements
Whether or not you have a disability or medical condition for which Tensor needs to make reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process, and
Information about your entitlement to work in the UK
Tensor may collect this information in a variety of ways. For example, data might be contained in application forms, CVs or resumes, obtained from your passport or other identity documents, or collected through interviews or other forms of assessment.
Tensor may also collect personal data about you from third parties, such as references supplied by former employers and information from criminal records and financial checks to comply with Tensor’s security screening requirements. Tensor will seek information from third parties if we are considering a job offer as part of the pre-vetting phase. Further information will be sought by Tensor if a job offer is accepted.
Data will be stored in a range of different places, including on Tensor’s central Administration system, in our HR/Personnel systems and on other IT systems (including email).
Why does Tensor process personal data?
Tensor needs to process data to take steps at your request prior to entering into a contract with you. We may also need to process your data to enter into a contract with you.
In some cases, Tensor needs to process data to ensure that it is complying with its legal and trade industry obligations. For example, Tensor is required to check a successful applicant’s eligibility to work in the UK before employment starts.
Tensor has a legitimate interest in processing personal data during the recruitment process and for keeping records of the process. Processing data from job applicants allows Tensor to manage the recruitment process, assess and confirm a candidate’s suitability for employment and decide on whom to offer a job. Tensor may also need to process data from job applicants to respond to and defend against legal claims.
Tensor may process special categories of data, such as information about ethnic origin, sexual orientation or religion or belief, to monitor recruitment statistics. We may also collect information about whether or not applicants are disabled to make reasonable adjustments for candidates who have a disability. Tensor processes such information to carry out its obligations and exercise specific rights in relation to employment.
To comply with BS 7858, Tensor is obliged to seek information about criminal convictions/offences and to conduct a financial/credit check. Where Tensor seeks this information, it does so because it is necessary for us to carry out our obligations and exercise specific rights in relation to employment.
If your application is unsuccessful, Tensor may retain your personal data on file in case there are future employment opportunities for which you may be suited. By completing a Tensor ‘Employment Application Form – FORM64’ you provide consent for Tensor to retain your data for this purpose and you are free to withdraw your consent at any time.
CVs that are sent speculatively may also be kept on file for future recruitment exercises.
Who has access to data?
Your information may be shared internally for the purposes of the recruitment exercise. This includes members of the HR and recruitment team, interviewers involved in the recruitment process, managers and IT staff if access to the data is necessary for the performance of their roles.
Tensor will not share your data with third parties unless your application for employment is successful and it makes you an offer of employment. Tensor will then share your data with former employers to obtain references for you, Disclosure Scotland to obtain necessary criminal records checks, Credit Check Services for financial/credit checks and financial institutions to process payroll payments and pension contributions.
The information which you provide to Tensor may be transferred to countries outside the European Union (“EU”). For example, some of our third-party providers may be located outside of the EU.
Where this is the case Tensor will take steps to make sure the right security measures are taken so that your privacy rights continue to be protected as outlined in this policy.
By submitting your personal data, you agree to this transfer, storing or processing. Where our third-party supplies are in the US we have ensured that their services fall under the “Privacy Shield” whereby participating companies are deemed to have adequate protection and therefore facilitate the transfer of information from the EU to the US.
How does Tensor protect data?
Tensor takes the security of your data seriously. We have internal policies and controls in place to ensure that your data is not lost, accidentally destroyed, misused or disclosed, and is not accessed except by our employees in the proper performance of their duties. Tensor is also CyberEssentials accredited.
For how long does Tensor retain data?
If your application for employment is unsuccessful, Tensor will hold your data on file for 12 months after the end of the relevant recruitment process. If you agree to allow Tensor to keep your personal data on file, Tensor will hold your data on file for a further 12 months for consideration for future employment opportunities. At the end of that period (or once you withdraw your consent), your data is deleted or destroyed.
If your application for employment is successful, personal data gathered during the recruitment process will be transferred to your personnel file and retained during your employment. The periods for which your data will be held will be provided to you in Tensor’s privacy notice.
Your rights
As a data subject, you have a number of rights. You can:
Access and obtain a copy of your data on request
Require Tensor to change incorrect or incomplete data
Require Tensor to delete or stop processing your data, for example where the data is no longer necessary for the purposes of the processing, and
Object to the processing of your data where Tensor is relying on its legitimate interests as the legal ground for processing
If you would like to exercise any of these rights, please contact dpo@tensor.co.uk. If you believe that Tensor has not complied with your data protection rights, you can complain to the Information Commissioner.
What if you do not provide personal data?
You are under no statutory or contractual obligation to provide data to Tensor during the recruitment process. However, if you do not provide the information, Tensor may not be able to process your application properly or at all.