Youth Climate and Nature Panel: privacy notice
Published 14 July 2026
© Crown copyright 2026
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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/youth-climate-and-nature-panel-privacy-notice/youth-climate-and-nature-panel-privacy-notice
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 UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR).
This privacy notice explains how DESNZ will process personal data collected as part of the recruitment and appointment process for the Youth Climate and Nature Panel.
Your data
We will process the following personal data:
- name
- date of birth
- contact details (phone number and email address)
- address
- occupation/employment status and employer name
- education between 11-16
- housing situation
We will process the following special category data *:
- gender
- ethnicity
- physical and/or mental health conditions
The special category data will be collected to ensure that we are appointing a diverse group of panel members.
*The UK GDPR defines special category data as personal data revealing racial or ethnic origin; personal data revealing political opinions; personal data revealing religious or philosophical beliefs; personal data revealing trade union membership; genetic data; biometric data (where used for identification purposes); data concerning health; data concerning a person’s sex life; and data concerning a person’s sexual orientation.
Purpose
The purposes for which we are processing your personal data are to manage the recruitment process for the Youth Climate and Nature Panel, assess applications, select and appoint panel members.
Legal basis of processing
The legal basis for processing your personal data under Article 6 of the UK GDPR is:
Article 6 (1) (e)Public task: 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 specifically to support DESNZ’s work on public engagement and policy development through the Youth Climate and Nature Panel.
Special category data will collected for the assessment, recruitment and appointment of a diverse panel and will be supported by relevant policy and safeguarding measures.
The condition for processing your special category data under Article 9 of the UK GDPR is:
2 (g) Processing is necessary for reasons of substantial public interest for the exercise of a function of a government department and an Appropriate Policy Document is in place.
The substantial public interest condition is provided under Schedule 1 Part 2 Paragraph 8 of the Data Protection Act 2018 (Equality of Opportunity or Treatment)
Recipients
Your personal data will be shared by us with Defra and external assessors where necessary as part of the recruitment process.
As part of our IT infrastructure, your personal data will be stored in the UK on systems provided by our data processors - Microsoft 365 Services. This does not mean we actively share your personal data with these entities; rather, they are technical service providers who host infrastructure supporting our IT systems.
We may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to help us process applications; however, all applications will be read by a human.
Retention
Unsuccessful applicants’ personal data will be deleted following outcome of application.
Successful applicants’ personal data will be kept/retained for a period of three years following the launch of the panel.
International Transfers
Your data will be processed in the UK.
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 by emailing youthpanel@energysecurity.gov.uk
You have the right to object to the processing or use of your personal data.
You have the right to request that any incomplete personal data are completed
You 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.
To exercise your rights please contact the Data Protection Officer using the contact details below.
Contact details
The data controller for your personal data is the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ).
Contact the DESNZ DPO:
DESNZ Data Protection Officer
Department for Energy Security and Net Zero
3-8 Whitehall Place
London
SW1A 2EG
If you are unhappy with the way we have handled your personal data, please write to the department’s Data Protection Officer in the first instance using the contact details above.
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 UK independent regulator.
Contact the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO):
Any complaint to the Information Commissioner is without prejudice to your right to seek redress through the courts.
Updates to this notice
If this privacy notice changes in any way, we will place an updated version on this page. Regularly reviewing this page ensures you are always aware of what information we collect, how we use it, and under what circumstances we will share it with other parties. The ‘last updated’ date at the bottom of this page will also change.
If these changes affect how your personal data is processed, we will take reasonable steps to let you know.
Last update: 14 July 2026