Privacy Policy
Effective Date: 17.11.2025

At Solidarity Works! International (“we,” “us,” or “our”), your privacy is very important to us. We are committed to protecting the personal data you share with us and to being transparent about how we collect, use, store, and protect it. This Privacy Policy explains, in simple language, what personal data we collect when you visit our website www.solidarityworksinternational.org, why we collect it, how we use it, and what rights you have regarding your personal data. It also explains the steps we take to keep your information safe.

1. Who is responsible for your data?
The organization responsible for your personal data is Solidarity Works! International UG (haftungsbeschränkt), located at Schlegelstr. 15, 10115 Berlin, Germany. If you have any questions about your personal data or about this Privacy Policy, you can contact us at info@solidarityworksinternational.org

Our Data Protection Officer, Dr. Reik Kirchhof, oversees all matters relating to personal data protection. You can also contact him at the same email address. As the data controller, we decide why and how your personal data is processed. We make sure that any processing of your personal data follows the law and that appropriate security measures are in place to protect it.

2. What personal data do we collect and why?
We collect personal data in a few different ways. When you send us a message using the contact form on our website, we collect your name, your email address, the name of your organization if you provide it, and the content of your message. We use this information solely to respond to your inquiry, to answer your questions, and to provide any follow-up information you may request. This means we do not use the information for marketing or share it with third parties for commercial purposes.

When you visit our website, our web servers automatically collect information about your visit. This includes your IP address, the date and time you visited, the type and version of your browser, and the pages you access. We use this information to ensure the website works correctly, to identify and solve technical problems, to maintain security, and to improve the experience of all visitors. The information collected is anonymized wherever possible, which means it cannot be linked to you personally.

Our website also uses cookies and other tracking technologies to provide better service. Some cookies are strictly necessary to make the website function properly. These include cookies that help maintain your session while navigating the site. We also use Google Analytics, a tool that helps us understand how people use our website. With Google Analytics, your IP address is anonymized, so it cannot be used to identify you personally. We also use Meta Pixel, which helps us see how visitors interact with our website, such as which pages are visited most often. This information helps us optimize our website and communication with the public. Non-essential cookies and tracking tools are only activated after you give your consent.

3. How and why we use your data
We use the information you provide to respond to messages sent via the contact form. This is necessary to answer your questions and, if relevant, to provide information about our work and projects. The legal basis for this processing is that it is necessary for pre-contractual or contractual purposes under Article 6(1)(b) GDPR.
The technical information collected by our servers, such as IP addresses and browser data, is used to keep our website secure and functional. This helps us prevent unauthorized access, identify errors, and make improvements. Processing this information is based on our legitimate interest in ensuring a safe and reliable website experience, as allowed under Article 6(1)(f) GDPR.

Data collected through Google Analytics and Meta Pixel is used to improve our website and services. By understanding how visitors interact with our website, we can make the site easier to use and ensure our content reaches the right audience. For Google Analytics, this processing is based on legitimate interest, while Meta Pixel and other tracking technologies are used only after you give explicit consent, according to Article 6(1)(a) GDPR.

4. How long we keep your data
We only keep personal data for as long as it is needed. Messages sent via the contact form are stored for twelve months so we can follow up on inquiries if necessary. Server log information is kept for six months, after which it is either anonymized or deleted. Cookies and tracking data remain only for the duration of the technology that sets them or until you withdraw your consent. We regularly review the data we hold and delete information that is no longer required.

5. Sharing and transferring your data internationally
Your personal data may be shared with trusted service providers. Contact form messages are stored in a secure database hosted in the United Kingdom. Email communication is handled via Proton Mail, based in Switzerland. Analytics and tracking information may be processed by Google and Meta in the United States.

When your data is transferred outside of the European Union or the European Economic Area, we make sure that strong legal safeguards are in place, such as the Standard Contractual Clauses approved by the European Commission. We only work with trusted partners and take reasonable steps to protect your personal information wherever it is processed.

We do not sell your personal data to anyone. Data is only shared to provide the services you requested or to improve our website and communication.

6. Your rights
You have several rights regarding your personal data. You can ask us to provide a copy of the data we hold about you. You can request that any inaccuracies are corrected or incomplete data is updated. Under certain circumstances, you can ask us to delete your data or to limit how we process it. You also have the right to object to processing, especially when it is based on legitimate interests rather than consent.

You can ask for your personal data in a structured, machine-readable format if you want to move it to another service. You can also withdraw consent for cookies and tracking at any time.

To exercise these rights, you can contact us at info@solidarityworksinternational.org. We aim to respond within one month. If you feel your rights have been violated, you can lodge a complaint with the Berlin Data Protection Authority at https://www.datenschutz-berlin.de.

7. Cookies and tracking
You can control cookies in your browser settings and delete them at any time. Please note that disabling some cookies may affect how the website functions. You can opt out of Google Analytics at https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout. For Meta Pixel, follow the instructions at https://www.facebook.com/policy/cookies.

We only activate non-essential cookies, such as Google Analytics or Meta Pixel, after you give your consent. You can change your consent preferences anytime through our website’s cookie settings.

8. Security
We take the security of your personal data seriously. We use technical measures, such as encryption, to protect emails and sensitive information. Access to personal data is limited to authorized personnel only. We also conduct regular security audits of our systems. These steps help prevent unauthorized access, misuse, or loss of your personal data.

9. Changes to this Privacy Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. The effective date at the top shows the latest version. Updates may be necessary to comply with new legal requirements, to improve our services, or to follow best practices in data protection. When changes are made, we encourage you to review this page for the most up-to-date information.