Applications User Privacy Notice
Privacy Notice for Best Companies Applications
Last updated: 7th April 2025
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 Elevate.
Please see the sections on the individual applications below for more detailed information. Our main privacy notice can be accessed here https://www.b.co.uk/compliance/privacy-notice
Who are Best Companies?
Best Companies have 25 years’ experience, in understanding and improving organisational health. We do this by sending our survey to every employee across your company. When you submit the survey to us we group the responses to ensure you cannot be identified. Organisations use Best Companies' data to drive engagement, retention and overall business performance.
Contact: Address: Best Companies, Hamilton House, Rackery Lane, Llay, Wrexham, Wales, UK, LL12 0PB
Data Protection Officer: Privacy@b.co.uk 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.
All Applications
Communication
As a user of our applications, we may contact you with information related to the services being delivered. Multi-factor Authorisation is available, our recommendation is to switch on. Authenticator is available, we recommend opting your organisation in to use for all applications. Please note where ‘Service Information’, you are unable 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. We strongly recommend your organisation switches on Two Factor Authentication for all application users. You must not share your login credentials with other individuals.
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 7 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 an employer 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.
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. Best Companies is the Data Controller of Administrator Activities.
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.
Elevate
The Elevate platform provides the most comprehensive measurement of manager effectiveness, focussing on three key drivers of success:
- Clarity Index: How connected is the team to the organisation and its purpose?
- Team Index: How effectively is the team managed? Is the team performing?
- Management Index: How engaged is each individual with their manager?
Elevate delivers personalised coaching based on focus areas surfaced in the data, empowering managers at every level to develop agile, high-performing teams.
Personal data is collected and processed from:
- Survey responses received from your direct reports
- Information provided from your employer
- Personal data collected directly from you
Data Driven Decision Making
Elevate delivers measurable and actionable insights that enable managers to connect their team with the vision and goals of their organisation. AI-data driven, Elevate delivers targeted goals, action planning, progress tracking, and reflection tools. The platform additionally delivers, tailored leadership development resources, blending traditional theories and modern coaching techniques to address specific focus areas. Elevate, is designed to be an intelligent tool which analyses how managers drive team clarity, performance, and individual relationship building.
Information regarding Elevate
Elevate is intended as a development tool to train and support high-performing managers and teams through improved organisational clarity, enhanced team cohesion, and successful relationship building. Elevate should be used and considered as a resource, and when reviewing data, the platform looks to consider the wider context of the team and the organisation.
Some of the activities in Elevate include automated processing and profiling. 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 Elevate, 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:
- Managing a team
- Completing the job function to a certain standard
- Personal development
On balance, we have reasonably determined that Elevate benefits a manager by identifying and providing resource on areas where a manager 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.
The project manager within the organisation, will identify team members to ensure individuals are aligned correctly to the reporting manager. Managers will be asked to verify their reporting structure when they first log into Elevate after each survey. They can only confirm this once. 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 Elevate product to make best use of the learning outcomes.
Elevate will also suggest insights where a manager does not have enough direct reports based on the organisation performance.
Manager Accreditation
The Best Companies Manager 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 Manager Accreditation you will be asked to accept our 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 Accreditation
The Manager Accreditation Mark indicates that you have gone through the Best Companies process and have been recognised as either a One to Watch, 1 star, 2 star or 3 star Accredited Manager. The Accreditation Mark is only used in accordance with our Mark 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 social platforms and your email signature.
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 Manager Accreditation.
Where you choose to add content to your Best Companies account, this may be visible to others within your organisation where granted access. Best Companies employees will also be granted restricted access, 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. In the same way, you will be able to view any action plans and commitments created by any managers who directly report to you.
We may invite you to share examples of what you’ve done as a manager, share feedback on the platform, or submit an idea which will be associated to you as a user and will support Best Companies support other managers and help us improve our products and services. We may from time to time contact you to discuss your feedback, however you will have the opportunity to opt out of this if you prefer.
Data Processors
Like most organisations we use other organisations to assist us with delivering our services. These are often referred to as Data Processors. They will process information in line with our instruction.
For more information please refer to our Data Processor Article
International Transfers
Service provision is provided from the United Kingdom and European Union (“European Region”). For the avoidance of doubt data transfers will only occur within the European Region. Where your employer operates outside the European Region, data will be transferred to the European Region.
Your Data, Your Rights
You have a right to be informed where your personal data is being processed and the 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; 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. All requests will be considered on a case-by-case basis, the decision and any actions taken will be completed within a month of the request. Where your employer is the Controller, we will not be able to take any action unless authorised to do so by your employer.
Please contact our Data Protection Officer at BestCompanies privacy@b.co.uk or your employer in relation to any of the above rights.
Under the GDPR, you have the right to complain about the handling of your personal data with a supervisory Authority, in the UK this is the Information Commissioners Office
Our EU Representative is Ametros Group
Email: gdpr@ametrosgroup.com
Post: Ametros Ltd, Unit 3D, North Point House, North Point Business Park, New Mallow Road, Cork, Ireland
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
For any other queries, or help whilst using our applications, please contact support@b.co.uk
