We care about protecting your privacy and personal data. In this privacy policy we will explain as transparently as possible which data we collect from you, why, and what we will do with this data. Please read this policy carefully and feel free to contact us with any questions or comments.

This privacy policy applies to all services provided by Flanders DC:

• The online services of Flanders DC: websites, applications and internet services giving you access to the content of Flanders DC;
• All other services with which you come into contact, such as counselling interviews, competitions, events, etc.

This privacy policy is the responsibility of Flanders DC, with its registered office at Diestsevest 76, 3000 Leuven. For any questions, comments or any complaints, please contact us via the above email address.

We may adjust our policy at certain times. We will communicate the amended terms as clearly as possible; they will take effect from the moment that they have been announced. In the event of important changes, we will inform you personally as much as possible and, if necessary, ask for your permission again.

We collect your personal data to be able to offer our users even better services.
With some personal details, we get to know our users better and we can ensure that we tailor our services as much as possible to your needs. In addition, we can use these personal details to easily contact you.

When you participate in a special campaign or promotion, you will be required to provide certain personal details. Your personal details will also be requested when you participate in a competition or when you download additional information. These data will be stored in our system.

Data we collect from you is stored in our system and treated in accordance with the provisions of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) of 27 April 2016 and with the law of 8 December 1992 on the protection of privacy with regard to the processing of personal data. Flanders DC takes the best possible security measures to prevent third parties from abusing your personal data. In the event of a breach of our IT systems, Flanders DC will immediately take all possible actions to minimize the damage.

Flanders DC gives you the following guarantees:

• Your personal data is only collected and processed to provide the information you requested or to realize the service you require (based on your permission and / or the implementation of an agreement), to monitor visitor behavior so that we can optimize our service (on the grounds of a legitimate interest).
• The processing of your personal data is limited to the intended objective. The data will only be kept for as long as necessary to be able to deliver our services, in accordance with the principles of the GDPR, or for the period necessary to meet the legal requirements (including in the field of accounting).
• Your personal data will only be disclosed to third parties who participate in the services provided via this website, within the European Economic Area. Flanders DC requires these recipients to take the necessary technical and organizational measures to protect personal data.

By entering your data on the website, you agree that Flanders DC will store this data on the servers that are owned or controlled by Flanders DC or its subcontractors. You further agree that we can store, use and scan copies of your data for a limited time: for technical maintenance, for testing and improving the website.

It is always possible to submit a complaint to the Data Protection Authority if you believe that your personal data is being processed incorrectly.

We only collect data that provide us with information about the services you use, and how. For example, we store your first and last name, email address, address and telephone number to be able to contact you more easily in connection with orders and invoices. We also save your IP address to be able to verify your identity and save your preferences. In addition, we save log file data (such as pages opened, mouse clicks, date and time of your visit, browser, etc.) and device details (such as IP address, brand, type, operating system, etc.).

In this way, we can adjust our services based on your needs and interests. This means that we can show you content that is specifically relevant to you and we get more insight into how our services are used. We use cookies and similar technologies for this purpose. You can find more information about this in our cookie policy. 

We specifically save the following data:

• First and last name and gender
  • To be able to address you personally in subsequent communication, we like to use your personal data. These are also necessary to be able to register your order.
• Address
  • We will give you most quotations in person or send them by email. But we will send some information to your home address.
• Telephone number
  • We may need to contact you with regard to your order. We will certainly call you if there are any questions about an order or to follow up. Sometimes we will call you after you have received a quotation to check if everything is clear. We may also call you after completion of an order to check if everything has been to your satisfaction.
• Company name, function, sector and company number
  • If you use our services as a professional, we request this information to identify you as such and to take it into account in our services.
• IP address
  • If possible, we look at your IP address online so that we can remember your preferences and offer you advice accordingly.
• Email address
  • You will receive an email about your quotation, invoice and the orders that you have placed. You will also receive newsletters via email. If you no longer wish to receive newsletters and offers, you can easily unsubscribe via the unsubscribe link in the newsletter.

When you log into our services via a social media account, you agree that this account shares your personal data with us. This means basic information such as your name, email address, date of birth, place of residence and gender, but also data with regard to your behaviour on social network sites. You can manage the sharing options for your personal data via the settings of the relevant social media.

• To provide you with high-quality services.
• To show you personalised content and advertisements.
• To be able to recognise you as a registered user.
• To analyse and improve our services.
• To keep you informed about what we offer.

We will not simply sell on your data to third parties, but in certain circumstances third parties will be given access to your data, such as

• Social networks;
• Flanders DC’s service providers, such as IT and infrastructure suppliers;
• VLAIO (Flemish Agency for Innovation and Entrepreneurship), as part of our role as VLAIO's front office for designers and entrepreneurs in the design and fashion sector. This allows us to jointly direct and organize a gateway for entrepreneurial questions to the government and about government instruments;
• Other partner organisations for certain events or services. In that case this wil always be mentioned at the place where your data is being asked. 

You may review the personal data we process about you at any time and where necessary, have any incomplete or incorrect details changed. In addition, you can ask for your personal data to be safely deleted if you wish.

Would you like to view, change or have your personal data deleted from our system? No problem – simply send your request by email to info@flandersdc.be. We will respond to your request as specifically and accurately as possible.

In some cases, we will adjust this privacy policy as a result of changes to our services, client feedback, or changes to privacy laws.

Last update: 15//05/2023