Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

Swandean Fresh Meats Limited ("we", "us", "our") is committed to protecting your privacy and personal data. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, and protect your personal information when you use our website and services, including when you apply for a trade credit account or submit a job application.

2. Who We Are

Company Name: Swandean Fresh Meats Limited

Contact Email: swandean@swandeanfoods.co.uk

We are the Data Controller for the personal data you provide to us. This means we determine how and why your data is processed.

3. What Information We Collect

Trade Credit Applications

When you apply for a trade credit account, we collect:

• Company information (name, registration number, trading address, legal status)
• Contact details (names, email addresses, telephone numbers, positions)
• Bank account details (bank name, address, sort code, account number)
• Credit information (requested credit limit, estimated annual spend)
• Payment preferences and delivery addresses
• Electronic signature for credit agreements

Job Applications

When you apply for employment with us, we collect:

• Personal information (name, email address, phone number)
• CV/Resume and cover letter
• Employment history and qualifications
• Right to work documentation (if requested at interview stage)
• References (if you progress to offer stage)
• Any other information you choose to provide in your application

4. How We Use Your Information

We use your personal data for the following purposes:

• Processing credit applications: To assess and approve your trade credit account application
• Credit checks: To perform credit reference checks as part of our risk assessment
• Contract fulfillment: To manage your account, process orders, and arrange deliveries
• Financial transactions: To process payments and send invoices/statements
• Recruitment: To assess your suitability for employment, conduct interviews, and process job offers
• Communication: To contact you regarding your account, orders, job applications, product recalls, or allergen information
• Legal compliance: To comply with legal obligations, including employment law and industry regulations

5. Legal Basis for Processing

We process your personal data based on:

• Contractual necessity: Processing is necessary to enter into and perform our contract with you
• Legitimate interests: We have a legitimate business interest in assessing creditworthiness and managing customer accounts
• Legal obligation: We must comply with financial, tax, and food safety regulations
• Consent: Where you have given explicit consent for specific processing activities

6. How We Share Your Information

We may share your personal data with:

• DocuSeal: Our document signing service provider, used to process credit applications and collect electronic signatures. DocuSeal acts as a Data Processor on our behalf.
• Netlify: Our website hosting and form processing service, which handles job application submissions securely
• Credit reference agencies: To assess creditworthiness and verify information
• Payment processors: To process financial transactions
• Reference providers: To verify employment history for job applicants (with your consent)
• Professional advisors: Such as accountants, HR consultants, and solicitors where necessary
• Legal authorities: Where required by law or to protect our legal rights

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information to third parties for marketing purposes.

7. Data Storage and Security

Your data is transmitted securely via HTTPS encryption. Credit application data is processed through our secure Netlify serverless functions and stored by DocuSeal (our Data Processor). Job applications and CVs are submitted via Netlify Forms with secure encryption. CV files are stored securely and access is restricted to authorized personnel involved in recruitment. We do not store credit application data on our own servers. We implement appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect your personal data against unauthorised access, loss, or misuse.

8. Data Retention

We retain your personal data for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in this policy, typically:

• Active customer data: For the duration of our business relationship
• Financial records: Minimum 6 years as required by UK tax law
• Credit applications: Up to 7 years for credit assessment purposes
• Job applications (unsuccessful): Up to 6 months from the end of the recruitment process, unless you consent to us keeping your details for future opportunities
• Job applications (successful): Retained as part of your employee record in accordance with employment law

9. Your Rights

Under UK GDPR and Data Protection Act 2018, you have the following rights:

• Right to access: Request a copy of the personal data we hold about you
• Right to rectification: Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete data
• Right to erasure: Request deletion of your data (subject to legal retention requirements)
• Right to restrict processing: Request limitation on how we use your data
• Right to data portability: Receive your data in a structured, machine-readable format
• Right to object: Object to processing based on legitimate interests
• Right to withdraw consent: Withdraw consent where processing is based on consent

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at swandean@swandeanfoods.co.uk

10. Cookies

Our website does not use tracking cookies or analytics at this time. If this changes, we will update this policy and obtain your consent where required.

11. Third-Party Links

Our website may contain links to third-party websites. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of these external sites. Please review their privacy policies before providing any personal information.

12. Children's Privacy

Our services are intended for businesses only. We do not knowingly collect personal data from individuals under 18 years of age.

13. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Any changes will be posted on this page with an updated "Last updated" date. We encourage you to review this policy periodically.

14. Contact Us

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us:

15. Complaints

If you believe we have not handled your personal data properly, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO), the UK's data protection supervisory authority: