Applications User Privacy Notice
Privacy Notice for Best Companies Applications
Last updated: 10/06/2024
This version of our privacy notice is intended for those who use our Best Companies applications, which include the ‘Dashboard’, the Workplace Insight Tool (WIT) and MC3.
Individuals accessing these applications are doing so to support the organisation that has purchased Best Companies services.
Please see the sections on the individual applications below for more detailed information.
Our full privacy notice can be accessed here: https://www.b.co.uk/compliance/privacy-notice
Who are Best Companies?
Best Companies are the workplace engagement people. Our primary purpose is to help make the world a better workplace. Employees truly engaged, are happier, more productive, and more invested in an organisation’s success.
Organisations choose to work with us to measure and improve levels of engagement within the organisation through our b-Heard survey and data insights. For those organisations that wish to be recognised, they can choose to be evaluated for a Best Companies accolade - accreditation/and or a place on the Best Companies to Work For lists.
Please visit our website at www.b.co.uk/about to find out more.
Best Companies, Hamilton House, Rackery Lane, Wrexham, LL12 0PB
For any general queries, or help whilst using our applications, please contact support@b.co.uk
Registered with the Information Commissioners Office, Registration reference: Z8349843
What data do we collect, how do we collect it and why?
The data that Best Companies collects varies for each of our applications, please read the relevant statements below to understand what data we will collect for the application you are using. The data is used to provide the services, individual reporting and occasionally to provide direct feedback to Best Companies.
For our applications, Best Companies is the data controller. We only process personal data where there is a lawful basis to do so.
Please see our full privacy notice for more details: https://www.b.co.uk/compliance/privacy-notice
All Applications
Communication
As a user of our applications, we may contact you with information related to the services being delivered. Please note that where it is ‘Service Information’, you are not able to opt out of these communications. Where the contact is for marketing purposes, you have the option to opt out of future communications either by selecting unsubscribe, or contacting support@b.co.uk
Access
Authorised users of our applications will be provided a unique username and password by Best Companies. You must not share your login credentials with other individuals. All applications will show your last login date and time. We strongly advise you to monitor your login history, and should it appear incorrect, reset your password, and let us know.
Retention
Best Companies will keep your personal data in line with our set retention periods. We are required to retain account history, orders, and activity logs of those who have been granted access to our applications. Logs may be retained of account administrators for up to 6 years to support us and our customers with non-repudiation, security, service provision, legal obligation, and contractual requirement(s) and longer where an active subscription is being maintained.
Personal data processed for the services will be retained up to three years following the lapse of the subscription term. This may be anonymised earlier at the request of the organisation requesting the services, or where they no longer require us to retain the personal data.
Cookies
We will ask for your consent to our use of additional cookies, to include the collection of personal data by the 3rd parties named below. You may change your preferences at any time within the Cookie Settings in the footer of our website.
These cookies are text files that are installed as part of your and other actions taken when accessing our website or services; activities, interactions and other computer and connection information (such as IP address) relating to use of our website and services. This information is used to evaluate how users use our websites and to compile statistical reports on activity for us. We will use this information to improve our websites, by making them more user-friendly, more valuable, and easier to use.
For further information in relation to how we use cookies, please view our cookie policy: https://www.b.co.uk/compliance/cookie-policy.
Third party, Google Analytics, applied with your consent as part of the cookie banner. This software conducts tracking, location and page hits that assist us in the improvement and optimisation of the analysis of data supplied via the Best Companies platform for content enrichment, our marketing activities and lead generation purposes, including Google location API and any necessary notices or consents for the collection and sharing of the data with Google. Please view the Google privacy notice to view any necessary notices or consents for the collection and sharing of the data with Google.
Third party, Hotjar applied with your consent as part of the cookie banner. Requested to understand our users’ needs and to optimize the service and experience. Hotjar is a technology service that helps us better understand our users experience (e.g., how much time they spend on which pages, which links they choose to click, what users do and don’t like, etc.) and this enables us to build and maintain our service with user feedback. Hotjar uses cookies and other technologies to collect data on our users’ behaviour and their devices. This includes a device's IP address (processed during your session and stored in a de-identified form), device screen size, device type (unique device identifiers), browser information, geographic location (country only), and the preferred language used to display our website. Hotjar stores this information on our behalf in a pseudonymised user profile. Please view the Hotjar privacy notice for further information.
Third party, Microsoft Clarity, applied with your consent as part of the cookie banner. Clarity is a behaviour analytics tool. This helps us understand how our users are interacting with our website. Clarity helps us to improve our products, services, and the user experience. Microsoft uses cookies to collect data on our user’s behaviour and devices. This may include IP address, browser, device, operating system, and country. Microsoft may use the personal data it collects for any purpose in accordance with the Microsoft Privacy Statement, including to improve Microsoft’s products and services, including reporting and performance analysis;
and create user profiles for purposes that include advertising.
We will ask for your consent to our use of additional cookies, and you may change your preferences at any time within the Cookie Settings in the footer of our website.
The ‘Dashboard’
Personal Data being processed against you for this application is your user ID, Full name, activity, and contributions you make to the application. If you are assigned as the ‘Project Manager’ or ‘Contributor’ for your organisation, you will be granted access to the Best Companies ‘Dashboard’. Access to the Dashboard requires a unique username (email address) and password which is administered by Best Companies.
The ‘Update profile’ page displays the details we are holding about you. You may personalise your profile by uploading a profile image, editing your details and can also change your password.
Within the Best Companies Dashboard, you can get in touch directly by adding details of your query. This will create a support case which will be associated to you as a user and will be visible to Best Companies employees who will be required to access this to provide support.
The personal data within your profile page will be visible to all project managers and contributors with granted access, specific to your organisation. Best Companies employees may have a requirement to access your company Dashboard for account maintenance and support purposes.
The lawful basis for processing is Legitimate Interest.
The Workplace Insight Tool
Personal Data being processed against you for this application is your user ID, Full name, activity, and contributions you make to the application. Those assigned as a user of the Workplace Insight Tool (“WIT”), will be able to view the survey insights for your team/s or the organisation, dependent on the level of access granted.
Where you choose to add content to your Best Companies account, this may be visible to others within your organisation, where access is authorised and Best Companies employees on a requirement to access the account to provide the services. You will be able to change your password if required.
The lawful basis for processing is Legitimate Interest.
MC³
In the MC³ portal, a manager can view their overall MC³ scores as well as scores for each element (Considers, Cares, Motivates, and Converses) and each of their related sub-elements. Based on your survey results, the unique MC³ framework helps you identify great management in your organisation, as well as opportunities for improvement. It enables you to have effective conversations with the right people and creates a positive platform on which to develop better recognition, understanding and support.
Personal data is collected and processed from:
• Survey responses received form your direct reports
• Information provided from your employer
• Personal data collected directly from you
This may include where provided: First Name, Surname, Payroll Number, Email Address, Delivery Postcode (where a paper or login code by post survey is requested) Employment Group, Manager Name, Manager Payroll Number, Date of Birth, Start Date, Contracted Weekly Hours, Role, Annual Salary, Sex, working pattern, Job Grade/Level, whether you manage employees, reason for not surveying (if applicable).
The lawful basis for processing is Contract.
Information regarding our MC³ Product
MC³ is intended as a development tool for organisations to reflect on what they are getting from their managers and their relationship with their team. MC³ should be used and considered as a resource, and when reviewing data, the organisation should consider the wider context of the team. The purpose for MC³ is to help focus managers on those areas that will make them great people-managers.
UK Data Protection Legislation advises that you can carry out this type of decision-making when it is necessary for the lawful basis of performance of a contract. Therefore, where your organisation purchases the MC³ product, processing can be determined as necessary for the performance of a contract, between yourself and your employer. Your organisation will have a contract of employment, which will include clauses, or can reasonably refer to one or more of the following:
1. Managing a team
2. Completing the job function to a certain standard
3. Personal development
On balance, we have reasonably determined that MC³ benefits a manager by identifying where the individual is doing well and areas where they can focus to improve. This level of insight will not only benefit the organisation for meaningful conversations, but it can also really help the manager with their own personal development and becoming a better manager.
Your project manager within the organisation, to ensure individuals are aligned correctly to the reporting manager, will have reviewed the organisation hierarchy provided by the organisation for accuracy. Managers will be asked to verify their reporting structure at the end of the survey. MC³ is an automated decision-making process, should an individual disagree with the results, we are able to review manually. We recommend that organisations actively inform their managers that they have purchased the MC³ product and how to make best use of the learning outcomes.
We require a minimum number of survey responses, to provide MC³ reporting to ensure anonymity and meaningful reporting.
MC³ Manager Accreditation
The Best Companies MC³ Accreditation Mark serves as an endorsement of your professional integrity and recognition of your commitment to great leadership. The design reflects the year you were accredited, and your achievement having been recognised as either a One to Watch, 1 star, 2 star or 3 star rating. In order to publicise your MC³ accreditation you will be asked to accept our MC³ Terms of use and code of conduct, you will be asked to consent to Best Companies retaining your personal data for future verification purposes. We may contact accredited managers from time to time in relation to their achieved Accreditation.
Promoting your MC³ Accreditation
The MC³ Accreditation Mark indicates that you have gone through the Best Companies MC³ process and have been recognised as either a One to Watch, 1 star, 2 star or 3 star Accredited Manager. To ensure that the use of the Mark is reserved for individuals who have achieved the necessary standard we require that the MC³ Accreditation Mark is only used in accordance with our MC³ Code of Conduct and Terms of Use (available on request). These must be accepted prior to use. Once accepted, you may use your Accreditation Mark in a wide variety of places such as in your marketing literature, in advertising and on websites, at exhibitions and social media as well as on business premises. Please contact Best Companies if you have any queries regarding use of the Accreditation Mark. You must not use the Mark in such a way that it implies that a particular service or product is certified or has been tested by Best Companies nor should the Accreditation be used on product certificates or in any way that may misrepresent the MC³ Accreditation. In order to publicise an MC³ accreditation, you will be asked to consent to Best Companies retaining your personal data for future verification purposes. We may contact you if you are an accredited manager from time to time in relation to your achieved accreditation.
Where assigned an MC³ account, you will be able to access the application to view the survey insights for yourself (as a manager) and for any other managers you manage, as well as your Best Companies MC³ Accreditation Mark (if applicable).
You will be able to view your profile, to check that any details we are holding about you are accurate and make any changes if required. You can also change your password. You will also have the ability to control your profile’s visibility to other managers within your organisation.
Where you choose to add content to your Best Companies account, this may be visible to others within your organisation where granted access and Best Companies employees where they have a requirement to access the account to provide the services.
You may choose to create action plans and commitments within your account. These will be viewable by your manager, with a space for both parties to add comments and notes in relation to these. In the same way, you will be able to view any action plans and commitments created by any managers who directly report to you.
There may be the opportunity to share certain information (such as best practice) with other managers within your organisation within the application. If you are the recipient of such information, a notification may be generated to the sender to let them know that this has been accessed. This is to encourage collaboration and open up conversation between managers.
We may also invite you to share examples of what you’ve done as a manager, share feedback on the MC³ product, or submit an idea which will be associated to you as a user and will help Best Companies understand what managers feel they do well, with the aim of helping other managers improve and to help us improve our products and services. It may be useful for us to contact you to discuss your feedback, however you will have the opportunity to opt out of this if you prefer.
Who does Best Companies share your data with?
Best Companies use a select number of trusted external service providers for the provision of our services. These service providers are carefully selected and meet with high data protection and security standards. We only transfer information that is required for the services offered and we contractually bind them to keep any information we share with them as confidential and to process personal data only according to our instructions. These service providers are also known as data processors. Personal data is stored within the United Kingdom and European Economic Area (European Region) and not transferred outside of these areas. As part of the service provision some of the data processors may transfer the data to a different country than stated above e.g., for Geo-redundancy. For the avoidance of doubt the transfer will only be within the European region. For a list of the Best Companies data processors, please see our full privacy notice: https://www.b.co.uk/compliance/privacy-notice
Your Data, Your Rights
You have a right to be informed of personal data processed by Best Companies, a right to request rectification/correction, erasure and to object to the processing. You also have the right to request access to your personal data. Where Best Companies has made a decision about you based solely on automated processing, you have the right to request human review and to express your point of view and to contest the decision. We can only adhere to a request if we hold personal data about you and are able to identify you.
Please contact Best Companies privacy@b.co.uk in relation to any of the above rights.
You can register a complaint about the handling of your personal data with the ICO, who are the supervisory authority for UK GDPR: www.ico.org.uk/concerns
To understandmore about your rights, please see our full privacy notice: https://www.b.co.uk/compliance/privacy-notice
Protecting your Data
Best Companies is dedicated to protecting all personal data we receive in line with industry standards and best practise. To understand how we do this and to read our security statement, please see our full privacy notice: https://www.b.co.uk/compliance/privacy-notice
Compelled Disclosure
Best Companies reserves the right to use or disclose information provided if required by law or if the Company reasonably believes that use or disclosure is necessary to protect the Company’s rights and/or to comply with a judicial proceeding, court order, or legal process. We will ensure the confidentiality of all survey responses unless we are required to reveal them in exceptional circumstances (in which case we will maintain as high a level of confidentiality as possible in those circumstances) or as required by law.
Privacy Notice Changes
Best Companies may make changes to this privacy notice to align with our operations and evolving laws. If we make changes to this privacy notice, we will post those changes here and in other appropriate places. We reserve the right to modify this privacy notice at any time, so please review it regularly. If we make significant changes, we will notify you here, or by other reasonable means. This privacy notice is currently only available in English. In the event non-English translations of this privacy notice are provided, it is done so for convenience only. In the event of any ambiguity or conflict between translations, the English version shall always take precedence.
Contact
If you have any questions regarding this privacy notice, you can email or write to our Data Protection Officer (contact details below).
Email: privacy@b.co.uk
Post: Best Companies Ltd, Hamilton House, Rackery Lane, Llay, Wrexham, United Kingdom, LL12 0PB
To individuals situated in the EU, you may contact us directly in regard to requesting your individual rights, alternatively Best Companies has instructed Ametros Group as our EU Representative in accordance with Article 27 of the GDPR for EU supervisory authorities and EU citizens (contact details below).
Email: gdpr@ametrosgroup.com
Post: Ametros Ltd, Unit 3D, North Point House, North Point Business Park, New Mallow Road, Cork, Ireland.
For any other queries, or help whilst using our applications, please contact support@b.co.uk
