Guidance

Privacy Notice for A Modern Civil Service

Updated 16 December 2024

© Crown copyright 2024

This publication is licensed under the terms of the Open Government Licence v3.0 except where otherwise stated. To view this licence, visit nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3 or write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gov.uk.

Where we have identified any third party copyright information you will need to obtain permission from the copyright holders concerned.

This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/privacy-notice-for-civil-service-modernisation-mailing-list/privacy-notice-for-civil-service-modernisation-mailing-list

This notice sets out how we will use your personal data, and your rights. It is made under Articles 13 and/or 14 of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

Your data

Purpose

The purpose for which we are processing your personal data is to:

  • distribute newsletters and updates about Civil Service change- these include the monthly newsletter and additional ad hoc updates to all those signed up as Civil Service Unit Community 
  • we also use data to measure engagement with our communications
  • we share contact details of champions with other champions in the network to connect members by recorded data (including department, region and interests)

In the case of images, videos and A Modern Civil Service Stories content, the purpose for which we are processing your personal data is for publication and promotion purposes in: 

  • our hub site
  • newsletters 
  • blogs
  • event publications

We also anonymously collect data to measure the diversity and success of the community. This is not personal data and we cannot identify you from it.

The data

We will process the following personal data in our email, web and survey communications:

  • email addresses
  • names
  • organisations
  • regions
  • grades
  • interests (as defined by the sign up form)
  • IP address
  • whether emails are opened and links clicked, and inferred geo-location
  • stories/entries for our A Modern Civil Service Stories campaign
  • photographs
  • video 

The legal basis for processing your personal data is it is necessary for the purposes of the legitimate interests pursued by the controller by a third party. In this case, the third parties concerned are SmartSurvey and Mailchimp.

In the case of images, video and audio, the legal basis for processing your personal data is your consent.

Recipients

Your personal data will be shared by us through these providers:

  • newsletter and email creation and distribution software
  • survey and polling software

In the case of images, video and audio, which we may use in print or online, it may also be shared with:

  • civil servants working in event, promotion and publicity related roles
  • contracted agencies (where necessary to perform their contracted duties)

As your personal data will be held on our IT infrastructure, it will also be shared with our data processors who provide email and document management and storage services to us.

Retention

Your personal data will be kept by us for the life of the five Change Priorities Programme, which is expected to run until the end of 2024.

On an annual basis, we will contact you to confirm if you would like your A Modern Civil Service Stories and images and to remain on our channels/in our survey database. 

You can opt out of any of our communications at any time. To do so, please send in an email with subject line ‘Unsubscribe me’ to amoderncivilservice@cabinetoffice.gov.uk.

Where personal data have not been obtained from you

Your personal data were obtained by us because you have either opted to become a member of A Modern Civil Service community, or have engaged with the programme in some forms.

Your rights

You have the right to request information about how your personal data are processed, and to request a copy of that personal data.

You have the right to request that any inaccuracies in your personal data are rectified without delay.

You have the right to request that any incomplete personal data are completed, including by means of a supplementary statement.

You may have the right to request that your personal data are erased if there is no longer a justification for them to be processed.

You have the right in certain circumstances (for example, where accuracy is contested) to request that the processing of your personal data is restricted.

In relation to images, audio and video: you have the right to withdraw consent to the processing of your personal data at any time by emailing us at amoderncivilservice@cabinetoffice.gov.uk.

You have the right to object to the processing of your personal data.

International transfers

As your personal data is stored on our IT infrastructure, and shared with our data processors, it may be transferred and stored securely outside the UK. Where that is the case it will be subject to equivalent legal protection through the use of Model Contract Clauses or an adequacy decision.

Contact details

The data controller for your personal data is the Cabinet Office. The contact details for the data controller are:

Cabinet Office
70 Whitehall
London
SW1A 2AS

0207 276 1234

Cabinet Office Public Enquiries: Contact Form

The contact details for the data controller’s Data Protection Officer are: dpo@cabinetoffice.gov.uk

The Data Protection Officer provides independent advice and monitoring of Cabinet Office’s use of personal information.

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

casework@ico.org.uk

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

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