Notice

Beyond Boundaries: Privacy Notice

Updated 4 September 2026

 1. Your data

1.1 The data

We collect personal data directly from applicants and scheme participants, including:

• Personal and contact details: Name, work email address, department, grade, and Civil Service profession.
• Special category and diversity data: Ethnicity, health or disability details, sexual orientation, social mobility data, and religious or philosophical beliefs.
• Line manager details: Name and work email address.
• Operational and developmental data: Working pattern availability, learning agility baselines and progression metrics, line manager evaluations, job satisfaction monitoring, workshop attendance, and post-programme career transitions or promotions.

1.2 Purpose

Your personal data is collected and processed to:

• Administer applications, rank candidates based on survey responses, and manage departmental ringfenced places in line with positive action provisions under the Equality Act (2010).
• Share candidate application lists with departmental Single Points of Contact for candidate notification, chasing unacknowledged communications, and reserve list management.
• Group successful participants into cohorts of approximately 50 and match them with coaches based on working patterns and operational availability.
• Deliver the 12 month development programme, track workshop attendance, and provide post-programme coaching support for a further six months.
• Conduct post-programme evaluation surveys to measure scheme impact, long-term career mobility, and diversity trends across the Civil Service.

1.3 Legal basis of processing

• Personal data: Article 6(1)(e) of the UK GDPR (Public Task), as processing is necessary for the performance of a task carried out in the public interest or in the exercise of official authority vested in the Data Controller (the delivery and management of Civil Service talent development initiatives).
• Special category data: Article 9(2)(g) of the UK GDPR, processing is necessary for reasons of substantial public interest, read alongside Schedule 1, Part 2, Paragraph 6 of the Data Protection Act 2018 (Statutory etc. and government purposes) for general processing of special category data and Schedule 1, Part 2, Paragraph 8 of the Data Protection Act 2018 (Promoting or monitoring equality of opportunity or treatment) for processing of special category data solely for the purpose of improving equality of opportunity or treatment with no direct impact on specific individuals.

1.4 Recipients

• Unsuccessful applicants: Personal data, other than information retained relating to diversity, other than information retained relating to diversity, is retained in identifiable form for twelve months following the application and selection window before being securely anonymised.
• Successful participants: Personal data (including names, candidate emails, and line manager emails) is retained in identifiable form for two years. This covers the 12 month active programme plus the 12 month post-programme coaching and impact evaluation period.
• Diversity information for all applicants will be retained for two years, and then anonymised such that no specific individual will be identifiable from the remaining data.
• Long term retention: Following the two year retention period, all direct personal identifiers are permanently removed. The fully anonymised dataset is retained in GRID for longitudinal statistical analysis, diversity monitoring, and reporting.

2. Your rights

Under UK data protection law, you have rights including:

• The right to access your personal data.
• The right to request correction of inaccurate data.
• The right to request restriction of processing under certain circumstances.
• The right to object to processing where applicable.

3. International transfers

As your personal data is stored on our IT infrastructure, and shared with our data processors who provide email, data storage, survey and booking services, it may be transferred and stored securely outside the UK. Where that is the case it will be subject to equivalent legal protection through an adequacy decision, or reliance on a UK International Data Transfer Agreement.

4. Complaints

If you consider that your personal data has been misused or mishandled, you may make a complaint to the Information Commissioner, who is an independent regulator. The Information Commissioner can be contacted at:

Information Commissioner’s Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF
0303 123 1113
Email: casework@ico.org.uk

Any complaint to the Information Commissioner is without prejudice to your right to seek redress through the courts.

4. Contact details

The data controller for your data will vary depending on the data being collected:

• the data controller for your profile, email services, evaluations, feedback, coaching and mentoring is the Cabinet Office
• the Cabinet Office and the department that employs you are joint data controllers for your learning record, learning and development plans, bookings and management information

The contact details for the lead data controller are:

Government Skills Data Team
Government Skills Group
Cabinet Office
1 Horse Guards Rd
London
SW1A 2HQ
Email: GovSkillsData@cabinetoffice.gov.uk

Please contact us if you have any queries relating to your rights and how we use your personal data.

Beyond Boundaries Team
Government Skills Group
Cabinet Office
70 Whitehall
London
SW1A 2AS
Email: Beyond.Boundaries@Cabinetoffice.gov.uk

The contact details for the lead data controller’s data protection officer are:

Data Protection Officer
Cabinet Office
Room 405
70 Whitehall
London
SW1A 2AS
Email: dpo@cabinetoffice.gov.uk

The data protection officer provides independent advice and monitoring of Cabinet Office’s use of personal information.

6. Changes to this privacy policy

If this privacy notice changes in any way, we will place an updated version on this page. Regularly reviewing this page ensures that you are always aware of what information we collect, how we use it and under what circumstances, we share it with other parties.