Our privacy policy for your data protection
This privacy policy explains how we use any information collected from you as you use this website, including our use of cookies. The MCA is committed to protecting and preserving the privacy of our visitors when visiting our website or communicating with us.
We may change this policy from time to time so please check this page occasionally to ensure you’re happy with any changes. Continued use of the website implies acceptance of the policy.
How do we collect information?
The MCA collects and processes data about you when:
- information is collected from member firm representatives to ensure individuals receive relevant information
- you provide information by filling in an application form downloaded from our website www.mca.org.uk
- you register for member access to the MCA website or register for events
- you sign up to receive email newsletters
- you complete surveys that we use for research purposes
- you make purchases from the MCA website
- you visit our website, leaving information about your computer and visits
- you contact us via phone, email or in person, when we may keep your contact details
The information is used to manage member access and offer you the option to subscribe to various MCA interest groups and distribution lists. You may choose to opt out of these at any time.
If you make a purchase from us, your card information is not held by us, it is collected by our third-party payment processors, who specialise in the secure online capture and processing of debit/credit card transactions. If you have any questions regarding secure transactions, please contact us.
How is your information used?
We may use your information:
- to provide you with information relating to membership of the MCA, information related to our website, services which you request from us or for the registration of events;
- to provide you with information on other services that we feel may be of interest to you in line with those you have previously expressed an interest in via our website, interest groups or events;
- to seek your views or comments on the services we provide;
- for our internal purposes including statistical or survey purposes, site performance and evaluation to improve our website;
- to administer this website;
As a member organisation we have obligations to ensure all our members receive certain information, including on governance matters.
We will hold your personal information on our systems for as long as it is necessary for the relevant activity, or as long as it is set out in our contract with the Member firm.
MCA members
If you are a current member of the MCA, opting out of promotional emails will not stop all communication from us. By becoming a member of the MCA, your firm is signing you up to receive certain information related to the organisation. It is a constitutional requirement for us to send this information to you.
MCA non- members
If you are a non-member of the MCA, such as a commercial partner or someone who once attended an event, you can choose to opt in or out of further contact with us.
We also receive non-member data through networking (e.g. business cards) and add these details, if relevant, onto our database. We also on occasion purchase ‘opt-in’ data (lists from reputable providers) for promotional campaigns.
Who has access to your information?
The MCA will not sell, share or lease the personal information we collect about you with any third parties unless we have your permission or are required by law to do so. We may use your personal information to send you promotional information about third parties which we think you may find interesting.
Security precautions in place to protect the loss, misuse or alteration of your information
When you give us personal information, we take steps to ensure that it’s treated securely on all our systems. In order to prevent unauthorised access or disclosure, we have put in place suitable physical, electronic and managerial procedures to safeguard and secure the information we collect online.
Where we have given you (or where you have chosen) a password which enables you to access certain parts of the MCA website, you are responsible for keeping this password confidential. We ask you not to share your password with anyone.
Use of cookies on the MCA website
Like many other websites, the MCA website uses cookies. ‘Cookies’ are small pieces of information sent by an organisation to your computer and stored on your hard drive to allow that website to recognise when you visit. Cookies are sometimes used to improve the website experience of a visitor to a website and help deliver a better and more personalised service.
There are different types of cookies based on their use:
- Some cookies we use to remember your preferences for tools found on our website, so you don’t have to re-enter them each time you switch a page or each time you visit. They will remember your user login, the language you prefer and help speed up your searches.
- Some are created and used by web analytics software (such as Google Analytics) to track how many individual unique users we have and how often they visit the website. Unless you are signed into the site, these cookies cannot be used to identify you personally. If you are logged in, the login process links you to your stored membership record that includes your username and email address.
- When you register with us, we generate cookies which signal whether you are signed in or not. We use these cookies to determine which account you are signed in with, and if you should get access to a service.
You may refuse to accept cookies by activating the setting on your browser which allows you to refuse the setting of cookies. However, if you select this setting you may be unable to access certain parts of our website. Unless you have adjusted your browser setting so that it will refuse cookies, our system will issue cookies when you log into our website.
Links to other websites
Our website may contain links to other websites of interest. However, once you have used these links to leave our site, you should note that we do not have any control over that other website. Therefore, we cannot be responsible for the protection and privacy of any information which you provide whilst visiting such sites and such sites are not governed by this privacy statement. You should exercise caution and look at the privacy statement applicable to the website in question.
How do I opt out?
You have the choice about whether or not you wish to receive information from us. If you no longer want to receive direct marketing communications from us then you can change your preferences or completely unsubscribe in one of two ways:
- Click the ‘unsubscribe’ or ‘change preferences’ link at the bottom of newsletters and emails sent to you
- Email info@mca.org.uk or telephone 020 7645 7950 and we will process your request within 7 days