Privacy policy

1. Privacy at a glance

General information

The following information provides a simple overview of what happens to your personal data when you visit our website. Personal data means all data by which you can be personally identified. Detailed information on the subject of data protection can be found in our privacy policy set out below.

Data collection on our website

Who is responsible for data collection on this website?

Data processing on this website is carried out by the website operator, whose contact details can be found in the legal notice of this website.

How do we collect your data?

Your data is collected, on the one hand, when you provide it to us. This may, for example, be data that you enter in a contact form. Other data is collected automatically by our IT systems when you visit the website. This is mainly technical data, such as the internet browser, operating system or time at which the page is accessed. This data is collected automatically as soon as you enter our website.

What do we use your data for?

Some of the data is collected in order to ensure error-free provision of the website. Within our online offering, we collect, process or use your personal data only if you send us an inquiry via email or the contact form and provide the data required to process your request. The provision of personal data is necessary in order to conduct a business relationship or to respond to your request. If the data is not provided, the business relationship or the response to your request may be partially or completely impossible. Other data may be used to analyze your user behavior.

What rights do you have regarding your data?

You have the right at any time to obtain information about the origin, recipients and purpose of your stored personal data. You also have the right to request the correction, blocking or deletion of this data. For this purpose, as well as for any further questions on the subject of data protection, you may contact us at any time using the address stated in section 3 (Data protection information). Furthermore, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the competent supervisory authority.

Analytics tools and third-party tools

When you visit our website, your browsing behavior may be statistically analyzed. This is mainly done using cookies and so-called analytics programs. The analysis of your browsing behavior is generally anonymous and cannot be traced back to you. You may object to this analysis or prevent it by not using certain tools. Detailed information can be found in the following privacy policy. We will inform you about the options for objection in this privacy policy.

Handling of applications

Applications, whether for advertised positions or unsolicited applications, may be submitted to us both by post and by e-mail.

The job advertisements explicitly refer to the e-mail address personal@sicon.eu, whose recipients are exclusively the management and, where applicable, the HR department. The processing of personal data from applications is based on the legal basis of Art. 88 GDPR in conjunction with Section 26 (1) BDSG.

Handling of applications received by e-mail:

Messages received in the inbox of personal@sicon.eu are filed in the “Applications” folder structure under the relevant category and stored on an internal, separately created server drive for particularly sensitive application-related data. After the application process has been completed, the data relevant to the position to be filled is filtered and sorted in tabular form in an applicant overview in order to support a clear and structured decision-making process.

Once a decision has been made regarding the filling of the position, all applicants, both successful and unsuccessful, are informed that the selection process has been completed and that the application data will be deleted. If the data is to be stored beyond this period because the candidate may be of interest for future vacancies, the required consent will be obtained in advance. Consent to the storage of your data is voluntary and may be withdrawn at any time.

In exceptional cases, applications, usually unsolicited applications, may not be sent to personal@sicon.eu but instead to known direct contacts or to info@sicon.eu. In these cases, the senders are informed directly of this circumstance, the application is forwarded internally and confidentially to the responsible person, as stated above, and handled with the appropriate sensitivity. Copies of the e-mails in folders, such as Sent Items, Deleted Items, etc., are permanently deleted. The data is not passed on to third parties.

Handling of applications received by post:

Applications received by post are submitted unopened to the management, who review them upon receipt and digitize and use them as described above. Digitization is carried out solely for the purpose of conducting the application process. The application is then stored in a locked cabinet until the selection process, analogous to the procedure described for e-mail applications, has been completed.

Applications from candidates who are not hired are returned to the senders at our expense. Applications from the person hired are stored in the personnel file in a locked cabinet. Upon request by the employee, the application documents will be handed over.

2. General information and information obligations

Data protection

The protection of your personal data is a matter of particular concern to us. We treat your personal data confidentially and in accordance with the statutory data protection regulations (GDPR and BDSG) in their respectively applicable version, as well as with this privacy policy.

When you visit this website, various personal data is collected. Personal data is information by which you can be personally identified. This privacy policy explains which data we collect, how we use it and for what purpose.

We would like to point out that data transmission on the internet, for example communication by email, may have security vulnerabilities. Although we take technical and organizational measures to protect your data against unauthorized access, loss or misuse, complete protection of data against access by third parties is not possible.

Information on the controller

The controller responsible for data processing on this website is:

SICON GmbH
Vordere Insbach 24-26
57271 Hilchenbach
Telephone: 02733 – 81176 – 0
Fax: 02733 – 81176 – 20
Email: info@sicon.eu
Website: www.sicon.eu

The controller is the natural or legal person who, alone or jointly with others, determines the purposes and means of processing personal data, such as names, email addresses or similar data.

Rights of data subjects

Within the framework of the applicable statutory provisions, you have the following rights at any time:

Withdrawal of your consent to data processing

Many data processing operations are only possible with your express consent. You may withdraw consent that has already been granted at any time by sending us an informal email. The lawfulness of the data processing carried out up to the time of withdrawal remains unaffected by the withdrawal.

Objection to processing

You have the right to object at any time to the processing of your personal data insofar as such processing is carried out on the basis of Art. 6(1)(e) or Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR. In the event of an objection, we will no longer process your personal data unless we can demonstrate compelling legitimate grounds for the processing or the processing serves the establishment, exercise or defense of legal claims.

Data portability

You also have the right to receive the personal data that you have provided to us and that we process automatically on the basis of your consent or for the performance of a contract in a commonly used, machine-readable format. At your request, this data will be transmitted directly to another controller where technically feasible.

Information, correction, deletion, restriction

Within the framework of the applicable statutory provisions, you have the right at any time to obtain information about the personal data concerning you that we process, its origin and recipients, and the purpose of the data processing. You also have the right to request the correction of inaccurate data and, where the statutory requirements are met, the deletion or restriction of the processing of this data. For this purpose, as well as for further questions concerning personal data, you may contact us at any time using the address stated in section 3 (Data protection information).

Complaint to the competent supervisory authority

In the event of a breach of data protection law, the data subject has the right to lodge a complaint with the competent supervisory authority. The competent supervisory authority is:

State Commissioner for Data Protection and Freedom of Information North Rhine-Westphalia
Postfach 20 04 44
40102 Düsseldorf
Telephone: 0211/38424-0
Email: poststelle@ldi.nrw.de

SSL or TLS encryption, security

For security reasons and to protect the transmission of confidential content, such as orders or inquiries that you send to us as the website operator, this site uses SSL or TLS encryption.

You can recognize an encrypted connection by the fact that the address line of the browser changes from “http://” to “https://” and a lock symbol appears in your browser line. If SSL or TLS encryption is activated, the data you transmit to us cannot be read by third parties.

To ensure the security of your personal data, we take appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect the data against unauthorized access, destruction, falsification, manipulation and loss.

Links to other online offerings

If we refer to other websites or third-party embedded content, such as videos, images, posts, etc., within our online offering by means of links, the operators of the third-party offerings or websites are responsible for compliance with data protection regulations. The content of other websites behaves exactly as if the visitor had visited the other website.

If you follow an external link or access embedded content, such as videos, the respective provider may collect personal data about you or use cookies. This happens as if you had visited the other website directly. Further information can be found in the privacy policies of the linked providers.

Objection to promotional emails

We hereby object to the use of contact data published within the scope of the legal notice obligation for the purpose of sending unsolicited advertising and information material. The operators of the website expressly reserve the right to take legal action in the event of unsolicited advertising information being sent, for example by spam emails.

3. Data protection information

If you have any further questions about data protection, you can contact us at privacy@sicon.eu.

4. Data collection on our website

Cookies

Our website uses a so-called cookie consent tool to obtain your consent to the storage of certain cookies on your end device or to the use of certain technologies and to document this in compliance with data protection requirements.

Technically necessary cookies are required in order to properly provide the website. Cookies are small text files that are stored on your computer and saved by your browser. Most of the cookies we use are so-called “session cookies”. They are automatically deleted at the end of your visit. Other cookies remain stored on your end device until you delete them. These cookies enable us to recognize your browser the next time you visit. You can configure your browser so that you are informed about the setting of cookies and allow cookies only in individual cases, exclude the acceptance of cookies in certain cases or generally, and activate the automatic deletion of cookies when closing the browser. If cookies are disabled, the functionality of this website may be restricted. Cookies that are required to carry out the electronic communication process or to provide certain functions you have requested, such as a shopping cart function, are stored on the basis of Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR. The website operator has a legitimate interest in storing cookies for the technically error-free and optimized provision of its services. If other cookies, such as cookies used to analyze your browsing behavior, are stored, they are dealt with separately in this privacy policy.

Non-technically necessary cookies are only set after your express consent has been given via our cookie consent tool. No data is transmitted to third parties before your consent has been given.

Server log files

The provider of the website automatically collects and stores information in so-called server log files, which your browser automatically transmits to us. These include in particular:

Browser type and browser version
Operating system used
Referrer URL
Hostname of the accessing computer
Time of the server request
IP address

This data is not merged with other data sources. This data is collected in order to ensure technically error-free operation of the website, to analyze system security and stability, and to optimize our offering. The basis for the data processing is Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR (legitimate interest).

Contact form

If you send us inquiries via the contact form, the data you provide, such as name, email address and message, will be processed exclusively for the purpose of handling your inquiry. Mandatory fields are marked as such because they are required to process your inquiry. All further information is provided voluntarily. We do not pass this data on without your consent.

By submitting the form, you confirm that you have read the privacy policy and consent to the processing of your data.

The processing of the data entered in the contact form is based on your consent pursuant to Art. 6(1)(a) GDPR, which you grant by submitting the form.

You may withdraw this consent at any time. An informal notification by email to us is sufficient for this purpose. The lawfulness of the data processing carried out up to the time of withdrawal remains unaffected by the withdrawal.

The data you enter in the contact form will remain with us until the purpose for storing the data no longer applies, for example after your inquiry has been fully processed, until you request deletion or until you withdraw consent that has been granted. Mandatory statutory provisions, in particular retention periods, remain unaffected.

Storage period

Personal data that has been provided to us via our website is stored only for as long as is necessary for the respective purpose for which it was entrusted to us. The data is then deleted unless statutory retention periods prevent deletion. In such cases, the data is processed exclusively to fulfill statutory retention obligations; the storage period for certain data may be up to ten years.

Use and disclosure of data

The personal data that you provide to us, for example by email or via the contact form, such as name, address and email address, is processed exclusively for correspondence with you and only for the purpose for which you provided the data to us.

We assure you that we will not pass on your personal data to third parties unless this is necessary to fulfill contractual or statutory obligations, we are legally obliged to do so, or you have given us your prior consent.

Google Analytics

This website uses Google Analytics, a web analytics service of Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland. This service is used exclusively after consent has been given (consent pursuant to Art. 6(1)(a) GDPR) via the cookie consent tool. Without your consent, Google Analytics is not activated and no data is transmitted.

Google Analytics uses so-called “cookies”, i.e. text files that are stored on your computer and enable an analysis of your use of the website. The information generated by cookies about your use of this website is generally transmitted to a Google server and stored there; data may also be transferred to servers of Google LLC in the USA. It cannot be ruled out that US authorities may access this data.

If IP anonymization is activated on this website, your IP address will first be shortened by Google within the member states of the European Union or in other contracting states to the Agreement on the European Economic Area. Only in exceptional cases will the full IP address be transmitted to a Google server in the USA and shortened there.

On behalf of the operator of this website, Google will use this information to evaluate your use of the website, to compile reports on website activity and to provide the website operator with further services associated with website use and internet use. The IP address transmitted by your browser as part of Google Analytics will not be merged with other Google data.

You may withdraw your consent to the use of Google Analytics at any time with effect for the future via the settings in the cookie consent tool on our website. In addition, you can prevent the storage of cookies by selecting the appropriate settings in your browser software; in this case, however, you may not be able to use all functions of this website to their full extent.

You can also prevent the collection of the data generated by the cookie and related to your use of the website, including your IP address, and the processing of this data by Google by downloading and installing the browser add-on available at the following link: http://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout?hl=de

Further information on data protection in connection with Google Analytics can be found at http://www.google.com/intl/de/analytics/privacyoverview.html and in Google’s general privacy policy: https://policies.google.com/privacy

Embedding of YouTube videos

We have embedded YouTube videos on our website, which are provided by the servers of Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland, and can be played directly from our website. YouTube videos are loaded only after your express consent has been given (two-click solution). No data is transmitted to YouTube before activation. When a video is accessed on our website, a connection to YouTube servers is established. YouTube is thereby informed which subpage of our website has been accessed. Data listed in the relevant section is also transmitted.

This occurs regardless of whether you are logged into a user account with YouTube or Google or not. If you are logged into Google, your data may be assigned directly to your account. If you do not wish this to happen, you must log out of your account before accessing an embedded video.

YouTube or Google stores your data and uses it for purposes of advertising, market research and/or the needs-based design of its offerings. An evaluation, including for users who are not logged in, may be carried out for the purpose of displaying personalized advertising.

You have the right to object to the creation of such user profiles, which you must exercise directly against YouTube or Google. Further information on the purpose and scope of data collection and processing by Google can be found in Google’s privacy policy at the following link: https://policies.google.com/privacy There you will also find further information about your rights and settings options to protect your privacy. Personal data may also be transmitted to Google LLC in the USA and processed there. The transfer takes place on the basis of an adequacy decision of the EU (EU-US Data Privacy Framework), provided that Google is certified accordingly. If no certification exists, data processing is carried out on the basis of standard contractual clauses of the European Commission pursuant to Art. 46 GDPR in order to ensure an adequate level of data protection.

Use and deployment of MailChimp

You have the option of subscribing to our newsletter via our website. For this purpose, we require your email address, your first and last name, and your declaration that you agree to receive the newsletter. Registration is carried out using the double opt-in procedure. As soon as you have registered for the newsletter, we will send you an email in which you must complete your registration via the confirmation link. The legal basis for sending the newsletter is your consent pursuant to Art. 6(1)(a) GDPR. The newsletters contain a link that allows you to update your personal data at any time.

The newsletters are sent using “MailChimp”, a newsletter mailing platform of the US provider The Rocket Science Group, LLC, 675 Ponce De Leon Ave NE #5000, Atlanta, GA 30308, USA. The email addresses of our newsletter recipients and further data described in this information are stored on MailChimp servers in the USA. MailChimp uses this data on our behalf to send and evaluate the newsletters. According to its own information, MailChimp uses this data to optimize and improve its own services, for example for the technical optimization of sending and displaying the newsletters. According to MailChimp, it does not use the data for its own advertising purposes or pass it on to third parties. MailChimp also processes data in the USA. It cannot be ruled out that US authorities may access this data. The transfer is carried out on the basis of standard contractual clauses of the European Commission pursuant to Art. 46 GDPR. You may terminate your subscription to the newsletter at any time by clicking “Unsubscribe from newsletter” at the end of the newsletter or by using the corresponding function on the website. In this case, your email address will be deleted from the newsletter distribution list. The lawfulness of data processing operations that have already taken place remains unaffected by the withdrawal.

With the help of MailChimp, we can analyze our newsletter campaigns. When you open an email sent with MailChimp, a file contained in the email, a so-called “web beacon”, connects to MailChimp servers in the USA. This makes it possible to determine whether a newsletter message has been opened and which links, if any, have been clicked. Technical information is also collected, such as the time of retrieval, IP address, browser type and operating system. This information is used for the statistical analysis of newsletter campaigns. We use the analyses exclusively to better understand the reading habits of our users and to optimize our content or tailor it to their interests.

SICON and XING

XING is one of the social networks and is operated by XING SE, Dammtorstraße 30, 20354 Hamburg, Germany. Members can manage their professional and private contacts and establish new contacts in this network. Organizations have the option of creating a page with a logo and short profile, publishing news and initiating discussion groups.

We use our XING short profile to draw attention to current job vacancies. Discussion groups are not currently operated.

When you visit our XING page, personal data is processed by the platform operator. We have no influence over the nature and scope of this data processing. Further information on data protection at XING can be found at the following link:

https://privacy.xing.com/de/datenschutzerklaerung

We ourselves do not collect or process any further personal data from your use of our XING company page. If, in individual cases, we process personal data, for example when you contact us directly via our XING profile, this is done exclusively for the purpose of handling your inquiry and within the framework of the statutory requirements.

SICON and kununu

Kununu is an online portal for employer reviews and is operated by kununu GmbH, Neutorgasse 4–8, 1010 Vienna, Austria. On the platform, employees can anonymously and seriously evaluate working conditions in their companies.

If you access one of our webpages that contains a kununu button, your browser establishes a direct connection to the servers of kununu. Personal data is processed by the platform operator. We have no influence over the nature and scope of this data processing; it is carried out under the sole data protection responsibility of kununu GmbH. Further information on data protection at kununu can be found at the following link:

https://privacy.xing.com/de/datenschutzerklaerung

We ourselves do not collect or process any further personal data from your use of our kununu company page.

SICON and LinkedIn

LinkedIn is a social network specifically tailored to the needs and search requests of professionals, employers and headhunters and is operated by LinkedIn Ireland Unlimited Company, Wilton Place, Dublin 2, Ireland.

We use our LinkedIn page to provide information about our company, current developments and job vacancies, and to get in touch with interested parties, customers and applicants.

When you visit our LinkedIn company page, LinkedIn processes users’ personal data. This may include in particular your IP address, device and browser information, and further data stored on your end device via cookies or similar technologies. This information is used, among other things, to provide us as page operator with aggregated statistical evaluations (“Page Insights”) regarding the use of our LinkedIn page.

We would like to point out that you use LinkedIn on your own responsibility. This applies in particular to the use of interactive functions such as commenting, sharing or sending messages. The data collected about you in this context is processed by LinkedIn and may be transferred to countries outside the European Union. Information on how to adjust your privacy settings, which data LinkedIn processes and which rights you have vis-à-vis LinkedIn can be found in LinkedIn’s privacy policy at: https://www.linkedin.com/legal/privacy-policy

LinkedIn uses aggregated statistics created on the basis of the use of our company page and processed on LinkedIn servers to generate the above-mentioned “Page Insights”. As the page operator, we do not have access to the underlying personal data, but only to anonymized statistical evaluations. For the processing of personal data in connection with “Page Insights”, there is joint responsibility between us and LinkedIn Ireland Unlimited Company pursuant to Art. 26 GDPR. LinkedIn provides the corresponding joint controller agreement at the following link: https://www.linkedin.com/legal/l/page-joint-controller-addendum

Under the General Data Protection Regulation, you as the data subject have, in particular, the rights to information, correction, objection, data portability and deletion. You can exercise your rights both against LinkedIn and against us. We forward inquiries that concern our LinkedIn company page and are addressed to us to LinkedIn insofar as they must be answered there.

We ourselves do not collect or process any further personal data from your use of our LinkedIn company page. If, in individual cases, we process personal data, for example when you contact us directly via our XING profile, this is done exclusively for the purpose of handling your inquiry and within the framework of the statutory requirements.

SICON and Facebook

Facebook is a social network operated by Meta Platforms, Inc. that enables people worldwide to connect, share content and comment. For users in the EU, Meta Platforms Ireland Limited, Merrion Road, Dublin 4, D04 X2K5, Ireland, is responsible.

For our information service, we use the technical platform and services of Meta and operate a Facebook company page. The profile there gives you in particular the opportunity to subscribe to our posts, comment on them, share them or mark them with “Like”.

When you visit our Facebook company page, Meta processes users’ personal data. This includes in particular data relating to your account, insofar as you are logged in, your IP address and further information stored on your end device, for example via cookies or similar technologies. Meta uses this information, among other things, to provide us as page operator with statistical evaluations regarding the use of our Facebook page (“Page Insights”). You can read which data Meta processes in detail and for which purposes in Meta’s privacy policy: https://www.facebook.com/privacy/policy/

We would like to point out that you use Facebook on your own responsibility. This applies in particular to the use of interactive functions such as commenting, sharing, rating or sending messages. The data collected about you in this context is processed by Meta and may be transferred to countries outside the European Union or the European Economic Area. Information on how you can adjust your privacy settings, manage or delete data can also be found at: https://www.facebook.com/privacy/policy/

Facebook uses so-called “Page Insights”. These are statistics created on the basis of the use of our company page and processed on Meta servers. As the page operator, we do not have access to the underlying personal data, but receive only aggregated, anonymized statistics. For the processing of personal data in connection with “Page Insights”, there is joint responsibility between us and Meta Platforms Ireland Limited pursuant to Art. 26 GDPR. Meta provides the corresponding agreement on joint responsibility (“Page Controller Addendum”) at the following link: https://www.facebook.com/legal/terms/page_controller_addendum

Under the General Data Protection Regulation, you as the data subject have, in particular, the rights to information, correction, objection, data portability and deletion. Information on contacting Meta about data protection topics can be found here: https://www.facebook.com/privacy/policy?section_id=13-HowToContactMeta

You can exercise your rights both against Meta Platforms Ireland Limited and against us. We forward inquiries regarding data processing in connection with visits to our Facebook company page that reach us to Meta insofar as they must be answered there.

We ourselves do not collect or process any further personal data solely from your use of our Facebook company page. If, in individual cases, we process personal data, for example when you contact us directly via our XING profile, this is done exclusively for the purpose of handling your inquiry and within the framework of the statutory requirements.

SICON and Instagram

Instagram is a social network focused on photo and video sharing that is operated by Meta Platforms. For users in the EU, Meta Platforms Ireland Limited, Merrion Road, Dublin 4, D04 X2K5, Ireland, is responsible. For our information service, we use the technical platform and services of Meta.

The Instagram profile of our company page gives you in particular the opportunity to subscribe to our posts, react to them, comment on them and share them.

When you visit our Instagram company page, Instagram processes users’ personal data. This includes in particular your IP address and further information stored on your end device, for example in the form of cookies or similar technologies. This information is used, among other things, to provide us as operator of the company page with statistical evaluations regarding the use of our Instagram page. Which data Meta receives in this context and how it is processed can be found in Instagram’s privacy information:

https://privacycenter.instagram.com/policy/

We would like to point out that you use Instagram on your own responsibility. This applies in particular to the use of interactive functions such as commenting, sharing or sending messages. The data collected about you in this context is processed by Meta Platforms Ireland Limited and may be transferred to countries outside the European Union or the European Economic Area. Information on how you can manage or delete information stored about you is provided by Instagram here: https://privacycenter.instagram.com/

Instagram uses so-called “Page Insights”. These are statistics created on the basis of the use of our company page and processed on Meta servers. As the page operator, we do not have access to the underlying personal data, but receive only summarized, anonymized statistics. For the processing of personal data in connection with “Page Insights”, there is joint responsibility between us and Meta Platforms Ireland Limited pursuant to Art. 26 GDPR. Meta provides the corresponding agreement on joint responsibility (“Page Controller Addendum”) at the following link: https://www.facebook.com/legal/terms/page_controller_addendum

Under the General Data Protection Regulation, you as the data subject have, in particular, the rights to information, correction, objection, data portability and deletion. Information on contacting Meta about data protection topics can be found here: https://privacycenter.instagram.com/policy/?section_id=13-HowToContactMeta

You can exercise your rights both against Meta Platforms Ireland Limited and against us. We forward inquiries regarding data processing in connection with visits to our Instagram company page that reach us to Meta insofar as they must be answered there.

We ourselves do not collect or process any further personal data solely from your use of our Instagram company page. If, in individual cases, we process personal data, for example when you contact us directly via our XING profile, this is done exclusively for the purpose of handling your inquiry and within the framework of the statutory requirements.