Updated 1 May 2025

PRIVACY POLICY

Future of Food is committed to protecting and respecting your privacy.

Future of Food Ltd ("we", "us" or "our") is committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we, as the data controller, collect, use, disclose and safeguard your personal data when you visit our websites, www.futureoffood.org.uk and www.collaborative.futureoffood.org.uk (the "Community Site", a branded white-label platform provided by Circle.so) or participate in our events (in-person or online). This policy complies with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and other applicable UK data protection laws.

We process personal data fairly and transparently, ensuring your rights are protected. If you have any questions about this policy or our data practices, please contact us using the details in Section 11.

If you enter the Future of Food Competition or subscribe to the Collaborative community (on either a Free or Paid subscription) you are agreeing to this Privacy Policy as an Individual and on behalf of your Company and its employees.

1. Who We Are (The Data Controller)

  • Controller: Future of Food Ltd, a company registered in England and Wales.

  • Contact Details: desk@futureoffood.org.uk | Future of Food Ltd, Shaftesbury, Dorset, UK.

  • Data Protection Officer (DPO): Not applicable. For data protection queries, contact us at the above email.

2. Personal Data We Collect

We collect personal data directly from you, automatically through our sites or during events. The categories include:

  • Personal Data Provided by You: Name, job title, email address, mobile number, company details, profile information (eg bio, headshot, social media addresses), payment details (for purchases, subscriptions), event registrations and any information you voluntarily provide when registering, subscribing, signing up for events, making purchases or contacting us.

  • Company Information Provided by you when you enter the annual Future of Food Competition or on sign up: Size of company, Website and Description (we may consolidate the text size thus amending given descriptions to fit the company page wordcount). You can amend this default text or opt-out anytime.

  • Derivative Data: Automatically collected server data, such as IP address, browser type, operating system, access times, pages viewed and usage metrics (eg interactions on the Community Site).

  • Social Media Data: Publicly available information and images (eg personal headshots) from your profiles on platforms like Instagram, LinkedIn, Meta (Facebook) and TikTok, if you choose to share them.

  • Event-Related Data: Photographs, videos or audio recordings of you, your brands, products, ideas or innovations captured at our in-person or online events (eg webinars, Zoom, Teams, podcasts).

  • Community Site Specific: Uploads, activity logs and contact details for profile display and communication (see Section 10 for more).

We do not collect sensitive personal data (eg health, racial origin) unless explicitly provided for a specific purpose with your consent.

3. Purposes of Processing and Legal Bases

We process your personal data for specific purposes, each with a legal basis under Article 6 of the UK GDPR:

  • We create and manage your account, process transactions (such as registrations or purchases) and send confirmations (eg event sign-ups or purchase receipts). This is necessary to perform our contract with you.

  • To improve our websites and user experience, we analyse usage trends, monitor activity and enhance features (eg through Circle.so analytics). This is based on our legitimate interests in improving services, balanced with your rights through a legitimate interests assessment.

  • We communicate with you by sending updates, promotions, event invitations and business-related messages. For marketing communications, we rely on your consent (obtained eg via opt out checkboxes). Transactional communications (eg order confirmations) are necessary for our contract with you, while service-related updates are based on legitimate interests.

  • We may create lookalike audiences for advertising by using hashed public social media data on platforms like Instagram, LinkedIn, Meta and TikTok. This is based on our legitimate interests in targeted marketing to similar audiences, balanced against your rights. You can opt out at any time by contacting us.

  • We use photographs, videos or audio of you, your brands, products, ideas or innovations from in-person or online events for promotional materials, social media or our websites. This is based on your consent (obtained at event registration or sign-up) or our legitimate interests in promoting our events and community, balanced against your rights. You can opt out at any time.

  • To ensure compliance and security, we monitor for violations of our Terms and Conditions and respond to legal requests from law enforcement or government agencies. This is necessary to comply with legal obligations or based on our legitimate interests in maintaining platform integrity.

  • On the Community Site, we store and display your profile data (eg name, bio) for networking purposes. This is based on your consent (provided at sign-up) or necessary for the contract to participate in the community.

For legitimate interests, we have conducted a balancing test to ensure our interests do not override your rights. If you object, see Section 7. For consent-based processing (eg marketing, event media), we obtain consent via checkboxes or similar mechanisms. You are not required to provide it for core services but it will default as consent given at sign up. You can opt-out anytime by emailing us.

4. Use of Photography and Media from Events

We may capture photographs, videos or audio recordings of attendees, their brands, expert information, products, ideas or innovations at our in-person or online events (eg conferences, webinars, Zoom calls, podcasts). These may be used for:

  • Promotional materials (eg brochures, websites, social media posts).

  • Event recaps, replays or highlights shared on our platforms or third-party platforms (eg Instagram, LinkedIn, Meta, TikTok).

  • Community engagement (eg showcasing innovations on the Community Site).

How We Obtain Consent:

  • At event registration or sign-up, your consent will be deemed given to capture and use such media. You can opt out at any time by contacting us (Section 11).

  • For online events, we will inform you if recording occurs, and you can disable your camera/microphone or opt out.

Opting Out: If you do not wish your image, brand or products to be used, email us at desk@futureoffood.org.uk with "Event Media Opt-Out" in the subject. We will remove or refrain from using your media where possible, though we cannot control third-party captures (eg other attendees’ photos).

Legal Basis: Consent or legitimate interests (promoting our events and community, balanced against your rights). We ensure media use respects your privacy and is not excessive.

5. Recipients of Your Personal Data

We do not sell your personal data. We share it only as necessary:

  • Service Providers (Processors): Third parties assisting our operations, such as:

    • Circle.so (for Community Site hosting and analytics).

    • Google LLC (for Google Analytics).

    • Payment processors (eg Stripe).

    • Advertising platforms (eg Meta, Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn) for lookalike audiences (hashed data only).

    • Media partners (eg event photographers or platforms hosting promotional content). These providers are bound by data protection agreements to keep data confidential and secure.

  • Subscribers to the websites: All Individual subscribers may view your personal profile details you supply and Company page information.  

  • Event Participants: In shared online events (eg webinars, Zoom, Teams), your email may be visible to other attendees. In in-person events your details maybe shared (eg Event Guide). Mobile numbers are only shared with your permission or in groups like WhatsApp. Event media may be publicly shared.

  • Legal Disclosures: To comply with laws, valid legal processes or government/law enforcement requests.

6. International Data Transfers

We may transfer personal data outside the UK (eg to the US for Google Analytics, Circle.so servers or event media hosting). These transfers rely on:

  • UK adequacy decisions (where applicable).

  • Standard contractual clauses (SCCs) approved by the UK Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), ensuring equivalent protection.

You can request details of transfer safeguards by contacting us (Section 11). No transfers occur without appropriate safeguards.

7. Retention Periods

We retain personal data only as long as necessary:

  • Account and transactional data: Duration of your relationship with us, plus 6 years for legal/tax records.

  • Usage analytics: 26 months (Google Analytics standard).

  • Marketing data: Until you withdraw consent or object.

  • Community profiles: Until account deletion or 2 years of inactivity.

  • Event media: Until you withdraw consent or for 5 years (for promotional purposes), whichever is sooner.

If no fixed period applies, we use criteria like ongoing business needs or legal requirements. We securely delete or anonymise data at the end of retention periods. Contact us to request erasure (subject to legal exceptions).

8. Your Rights Under UK GDPR

You have the following rights regarding your personal data (exercised free of charge, within 1 month, subject to legal limits):

  • Access: Obtain confirmation of processing and a copy of your data.

  • Rectification: Correct inaccurate or incomplete data.

  • Erasure ("Right to be Forgotten"): Request deletion if no longer needed, consent withdrawn or objection upheld (may terminate your account).

  • Restriction: Limit processing during disputes or verification.

  • Objection: Object to processing based on legitimate interests (we will stop unless compelling reasons override).

  • Portability: Receive your data in a structured, machine-readable format (for contract/consent-based data).

  • Withdraw Consent: At any time, without affecting prior lawfulness.

To exercise rights, email desk@futureoffood.org.uk with "GDPR Request" in the subject. We verify identity for security. Providing data may be necessary for contracts (eg event sign-up); non-provision may prevent participation, but no other consequences.

You can lodge a complaint with the ICO (www.ico.org.uk). We encourage resolving issues with us first.

No automated decision-making or profiling with legal effects occurs.

9. Cookies, Analytics and Tracking Technologies

Our sites use cookies and similar technologies (eg pixels) for functionality, analytics and marketing:

  • Essential Cookies: For site operation (eg login); no consent needed.

  • Non-Essential: Google Analytics, Circle.so analytics and ad pixels (Instagram, TikTok, Meta, Linkedin). These track behaviour to improve experiences and targeting.

We obtain consent for non-essential cookies via a banner at first visit (manageable anytime). Refuse or delete cookies via browser settings, which may affect functionality.

10. Community Site Specifics (Collaborative.FutureOfFood.org.uk)

The Community Site, powered by Circle.so, follows this policy. Additional details:

  • Data Stored on Device: None.

  • Tracking: Activity and uploads monitored for compliance and improvements (legitimate interests).

  • Data Stored: Profile data, contact details, usage metrics (provided at sign-up).

  • Data Shared: Not with third parties except legal requests or event visibility (as noted). Mobile numbers require permission.

  • Processing: Internal reports for service enhancement.

11. Security of Your Personal Data

We implement appropriate technical (eg encryption), administrative (eg access controls) and physical measures to protect data. However, no system is infallible - we cannot guarantee absolute security.

12. Third-Party Websites and Services

Our sites link to third-party sites (eg social media, Teams, Zoom). We are not responsible for their privacy practices or policies.

13. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this policy to reflect changes in practices or law. The new version will show Last Updated: and apply immediately upon posting. We will notify you of material changes (eg via email). Review periodically.

14. Contact Us

For questions, rights requests or opt-outs, email: desk@futureoffood.org.uk.